JUNE 2011 RADS

I have 3 more! I'm really red and kind of black in my armpit. But thankfully no blisters or peeling. I'm getting quite itchy though! I was researching how to heal my skin through diet. I've been reading a lot about getting enough Zinc in the diet to promote healing. So I've tried to get enough protien and zinc. Also, lots of water helps too. I've struggled with that recently but I'm gonna keep trying. Make sure your getting some quality fruits and vegetables in too!

Maybe..............got that damn taste in my mouth right after boosts...................thought it was just me, cause I heard that only happens with chemo..........which I didn't have............so this is the stuff they don't tell you about................it did not last long, and it is gone nowl

I too was told that my response was "unusual" in having both nausea and a metallic taste during the early part of my rads and that that's what happens with chemo, not with rads.  But I certainly didn't dream it up--it was very real and made eating difficult for me the first two weeks.  I soon learned, though, that I fared better if I ate my main meal or meals before rads (mine were in the afternoon), and didn't eat dinner until later than usual, and a lighter dinner.  Good luck!

 I am done I finished yesterday 30/30. SO happy but also A little Sad.Now on to the next chapter the 5 year Pill. Hope every one is going good and the skin is doing even better best of Luck to everyone

I finally finished yesterday 32/32.  I go back in two wks. for a followup with the RO.  I've now got Hydrogel which is a netting in a gel to put over my nip to help it heal.  Every time anything touches it the skin pulls away so this should help.  CVS has its own brand for this so I might even use it for the other badly burned areas.  Today my breast is painful in the area that wasn't radiated.  That part must be in sympathy with the rest of the breast. 

Now that I'm finished I can get back on my fish oil pills, wear perfume again, use nice soaps after my skin gets healed.  Oh, I was shocked to hear that we're not supposed to have sun on the radiated skin for 3 yrs.  yikes. 

Anyway, congrats to all who finished and to the rest still on rads, it's over before you know it.  I can't believe it's been 6-1/2 wks.  It wasn't bad at all.  So much better than chemo even though I probably have third degree burns but they'll heal.  I'm happy today.

Tomorrow is my last regular rads - Friday I start the 5 boosts.  So far, so good.  I have a dark brown rectangle, but so far no blisters or open skin, just a little nip pain. Thank you all for the recommendations on the creams.   I saw the medical onc today and my only complaints were the hot flashes, night sweats and elevated cholesterol levels (due to the little white pill). He offered to give me Effexor just like my PCP did, but I'm hoping that if I give it another month or two, they will lessen.  Once the radiation is over and I can get serious about losing some weight and exercise more, hopefully that will take care of the SE's.  Looking forward to moving on to the After Rads thread.

Melanie................never heard that either, but if its true, I screwed up 2 weeks ago........when I asked my RO if I could go in my pool, she said "yes, just use a lot of sunscreen and try not to get the radiated part in the sun...............chest area is what I'm sure she meant....................I did fine...............Was careful with the LE arm too..............tried to keep that in the water, cause I know sunburn is tough on LE..........listen, it will be winter, snow, and cold soon enough..........damn if I 'm giving up the opportunity to enjoy the pool, when the temperture of the water was 92.........................Simple pleasures............

I'm done with rads! woohoo!!! My skin held up well. I have no doctor appointments for 3 months now and I don't see my RO for 4 months. He was on vacation today so I didnt' get a last day follow up. I think that's weird but oh well. I'm going to enjoy my freedom for awhile

Congrats to all now finished!  Not to be alarmist, just cautionary, that it is true that rads SEs may continue after rads are over.  In fact, mine didn't really even show up till post-rads.  Anyhow, here's hoping you won't have significant SEs and that you'll post on the After Rads thread.

ETA: Thanks for the tip, mammalou.  On Tues., my RO nurse gave me CarraKlenz to use instead of Domeboro for cleansing and Cuticerin, which must be like Hydrogel--I am to lie with my arm stretched out over my head (ouch!) and the Cuticerin and burn cream on my armpit for 2-hour intervals.  I have such a large area of burn that they want me to use "wet" healing methods to minimize the scarring.  This regimen seems to be helping.  I see a tiny bit of improvement.

 Congradulations to all who have finished.. I have one week  of 5 more boosts left..  I dont post very often but I am always reading everyone else's posts on my phone (in work)  lol ...  when I get home I don't feel like going on computer ..I was very concerned about how red my skin was last week..  took monday thru Thursday off to go to the ocean..it was supposted to be all week.. but that was before BC ...Feel soo much better now and surprise surprise my extreme reddness turned dark tan   Just wanted anyone to know that sometimes the reddness doen't get worse  My fatigue is only mild  and  I have a little nausea at times   I think I am finally becoming a little calmer.. My thanks to everyone for all  their ideas and advice... soon I will be checking the after rads thread..

mostlymom...........................contrats..........you did it..................just take it easy for a while...............I finished 7 weeks ago, and still have some SE's, but nothing I can't handle..........just glad your done..........I did 36, and 8 were boosts.............

Congrats Mostlymom, ann731 and blydncer for finishing up!

I'll have my last boost in two hours and I've been a little teary eyed this morning.  I think it is because it will be the end of a daily routine and what am I going to do at 1:20 tomorrow and next week.  I've been lucky - no blisters or open skin - thanks to all the suggestions on the creams.

Whooo Hoooo! Had my last boost today! I can't believe I am done, 33 treatments seemed so long back in June  Congradulations to everyone who is finished.  I made it through with miminal SE's  Just a very red breast that is starting already to turn a brownish tan  Time to relax alittle although I feel like I could cry...strange...but definately feeling better!

Bump!