Sept 2011 Rads

Hi Rossileo, sorry you have to be here, but welcome. I am on an accelerated schedule, but not with a boost during each regular treatment. My radiation ocologist explained it like this. I had 16 full breast radiation treatments. He said normally the radiation is 1.8, but each of my regular treatments were 2.6. So 50% more radiation than usual for the regular treatments. Then I am having 4 boost treatments. The boost treatments are the normal amount of radiation, but only to the area where I have my scar. He said it is the Canadian protocol, and he thought it would work best for me, and it has. I finished my regular treatments, and I have had 1 boost, with only 3 boosts to go. My skin is doing very well. I am red and a tiny bit itchy, but I have no blisters or peeling, and I am very fair. Thank God I didn't have to do chemo, but I think radiation would be a walk in the park in comparison to chemo. For my skin I have used Miaderm and Udderly Smooth body cream. Be well! Hugs!!!

Justmejanis - good stuff you're doing there. I'm the last of the day at rads, they're often just waiting for me as I rush the half hour from school to rads, so I rarely see any other patients. But on the chemo boards, there was a thread about talking to others during chemo, who doesn't want to talk and who does. We're in a very rural area, and I call it the chemo closet. I still go in every 3 wks for Herceptin, and I've been crammed in that tiny room with exstudents (kids in their 20's), young moms like so many of you here, folks who only speak Spanish (and like that 'm a native speaker), we all know the drill. Sometimes it's a quiet day, everyone introspective, but often once folks realize who's friendly and able to talk, there are conversations from whose goat/horse/cow/dog got out the fence to how long it takes to lose hair or grow it back. That sort of camaraderie does seem to help us feel as if we're not so alone, doesn't it? My DH stays thru it, and jokes with those want to joke and fetches pillows and blankets for those who need one. A weird, comforting club...

I asked my RO about accelerated and he said no way for someone my age- I'm notthat much younger grrrr still haven't started because I asked my MO if I was eligible for a trial for women with DCIS who are HER2+. I dunno if I'm poz or not bc they don't test us for that normally, so the MO has to send my tissue back to the lab for testing. I might have a different RO if I'm in the trial, but I think it would still be 30 zaps. If I'm not eligible for the trull, I have to decide if I want to drive twice as far to get a second opinion or just go with the RO I already saw. And ideally, I want to put off rads one month so that I can enjoy one last month of nice weather to train outdoors. In the winter, it will bother me a lot less if I can't wear tight bras and work out, get fatigued, etc.

NATTERS, I wanted desperately to have the three-week rads instead of the six-week kind, becuz I am so OVER going to do appoints, etc.  But with the fifty million cancers I got in my one boob, the doc said I really need to get the six-weeks one, and ALSO I am getting 60 gys.  When they split down to three weeks, it's something like 40 gys versus the six-week 50 gys.  (The gys are measurement for rad dose.)

Yesterday I put ALL THREE recommended times of my prescription aloe-type lotion on my radiated boob, and I was real proud of myself.  It felt good every time, so my skin must actually be a little heated up.  I put some on my neck and above my collar bone, they are zapping the lymphs there, too.  There is a "dogear" of fat in the middle of my chest that was reddish before all this started, and then it had turned a regular color, but since rads began just a few days ago, it has gotten a tad red again, so I shall pay special attention to it and anything else that is easily identified as red.   

For those who are feeling TIRED and worn slam out, eat some steak and anything with iron in it.  It'll help your blood cell count and perhaps control the tiredness.  When I had finished chemo, I was exhausted, and so I poured on proteins (but not steak) and that didn't help.  Then after that, back when I felt it was safe to still take vitamins, I got a multivitamin/ mineral supplement with iron in it, took it once a week, and very quickly I was not as tired as before.  I quit them a couple weeks before rads, tho, upon hearing various negative stuff about some vits/mins that don't do well with rads.  GG

Janis - Have they looked at all into acid reflux/esophagitis or anything along that line?  I know that the rads can have an effect on your esophagus and it may be inflamed or irritated.   Long shot, but I know how bad that can make one feel, even to the point of those terrible pains you mention.   A couple of years ago I had quite a problem with it but changing my diet, supplementing and lots of aloe juice have made all the difference.   I was concerned it might flare up with rads but it has gone quite well.  Hope you feel better!

Janis, I'm so sorry you're having another episode of the chest pains, especially since we all love the weekends and always have great plans. I'm glad it's a bit better today though.



Unfortunately, I'm joining you and the others with this problem. I was great yesterday and had a perfect day, this morning I had great plans for gardening and the like and, whammo, I'm having a full blown episode of this "hurts too much to even breathe, forget moving or raising your arms" symdrom. Sharp, stabbing pains from the back of the lung thru to the front. I, as you know, got this as a teenager as a relapse from pneumonia and it was diagnosed as inflammation of the nerve endings in my chest. I haven't had an episode this bad since then.



All I can say is BUMMER! And I've only had 3 treatments and while I haven't been sleeping well I thought I was taking care of myself and not overdoing it. Wonder what next week will bring.

Janis and MostlySew I send hugs.  Inflammation of the nerve endings sounds like a logical possibility, and I will add that I went to a cardiologist last year with stabbing pains and he put me on Prilosec for exactly the reason Julianna mentions.

Dog-eyed I know protein is important, 7-80 grams a day are recommended through rads,and it has been a special challenge to me since starting a plant based diet.  I read that if you eat red meat it is more beneficial to eat grass-fed (I know, it costs $$$) because it has omega 3 anti-inflammatory properties and less bad omega 6. So, when I do eat meat that's what I do- grass fed beef and organic free range chicken. Of course, I eat it rarely so the cost is less of an issue. 

Janis and MostlySew -So sorry that you are feeling bad and I hope that you feel better soon. Hugs!

Janis & Mostlysew,

My back/chest pains come and go, but most of this weekend I've been on taking pain meds. After I take a pill the pain goes away and I'm able to do some cleaning. I even made it shopping yesterday, I needed some new pants since I've lost 13 lbs., but after that I was pooped. This morning I felt great till noon, then the pains came back so I took another pill. This crap sucks! I have noticed that when the pains come on, if I just sit still it will get a little better, but it doesn't go away. It scares me that I'm only into this with 7 treatments, I pray it doesn't get worse.

On another note: My youngest (15), she has always been an "outside the box thinker", was talking to herself the other day. I said, " are you talking to yourself?" she laughed and said, " well, Mom, sometimes I'm the only one who can give me the answers I want" we both broke out laughing. I call her my "sunshine" because she makes me laugh and smile everyday! But, ya know what, she is right, sometimes only you can give you the answer you want to hear.

I hope everyone has a good evening and a good Monday!

Hugs!

Hi Stormy,

Sorry youre still having trouble with these pains. Loosing 15 pounds is great though, at least it would be for me! What pain meds do you have? I took a codein/tylenol a few hours ago, doesnt help much but I was able to nap. I'll talk to the nurse or dr tomorrow at my #4 . Maybe I'll try ibuprofen next.



Your daughter is a character, I'm going to remember her answer next time my husband asks if I'm talking to myself.

Hi Ladies.  I've been away from the boards for several days, as my life has been treatments, work, and sleep.  I have had 8 treatments so far, and I can tell you the fatigue from radiation is far worse than that from chemo.  I can sleep 10 hours and wake up just to want to go back to sleep.  If it wasn't for having to get up for treatments and work, I probably would sleep the days away!  I haven't had the energy when I get off work to even get online.  This is crazy!

Hi Janis,

Yeah, it's definitely an insult to end up with this pleurisy (for lack of a better term, but does describe it perfectly). Since you'd had your attack a week ago I knew enough to try to make sure I didn't overdo it, as I have had about 4 episodes of this in the last 45 years since my first attack. The only thing I can figure out is that I knew I wasn't sleeping soundly at all, and I knew I felt some fatigue but have been plowing thru it thinking that would be good for me and that exercise would be a good "energy booster". I think I misjudged that.

I feel much better this evening after taking two doses of ibuprofen and a codeine/Tylenol during the day. That and a long nap. Now I'm all the way up to just plain tired but can breath shallow breaths without pain which is a Hugh improvement over this morning.

So, I'm calling this a warning shot by my body to get better sleep( if that's possible). I think it will follow the same course as yours and tomorrow I'll be a bit sore and will be my usual self by Tuesday. Sure hope you're completely up to par tomorrow.

At least that's my plan and I'm sticking to it. ........3 down, more to go.....

Hi to everyone, i've just been reading for awhile.  Going to the clinic today for the rad markers, will know then when i start.  Already been told i will be having 30 sessions over six weeks.  Don't know much more than that.  Had last A/C chemo three weeks ago and been really ill ever since, like i have the flu, annoying.

Best wishes to you all 

Hi BernieEllen and gogirls! Gogirls, I'm in my early forties, too, and am by far the youngest at my center at the time I go.  I figure there are probably other young people being treated, but not at my time slot since there are a limited number of machines.

#6/36 today.  So happy to have had a weekend off!  Everything looks and feels better this morning  

Hope that the chest pains are getting better and better for those of you feeling them.  If not, I would insist that my doctor help. If there's one thing I've learned from this it's to trust myself more than the doctor when it comes to knowing something's not right with my body.  Gentle hugs... 

I talked to my RO about my fatigue at my appointment today.  He said it was a bit early in my treatments to be so fatigued.  I am sleeping 10 hours a night when my schedule permits.  He said if it doesn't get better, he is going to order blood tests to see if I am anemic.  I ran anemic during my chemo, but bounced back once the treatments were over.  I told my RO I think it is a combination of coming off of chemo, working full time, and catching a cold the first week of radiation.  My poor body is getting beaten down at every turn!

Welcome Bernie and Gogirls!

Stormy, sorry you are dealing with pain.

Janis and MostlySew - hope you are feeling better!