Sept 2011 Rads

Bernie i have never heard of that rue either.  My RO gave me a list of "do's and dont's" and it jsut says not to use lotion 6 hours prior to treatment.  You can of course if you shower right before rads, as I do.  Mild soap, no scrubbing, wash breast with hands only, don't use a washcloth.  Different creasm/oils seem to help a lot of people here.  My RO gives me samples of calendula gel.  It is very soothing and absorbs easily.  I also have topical lidocaine I mix with Aquaphor for the burn and peeling areas.  It helps a lot but very greasy, so wear only old shirts with that.  I know a lot of people really like the plain Aquaphor.  Again, greasy so just keep that in mind.

Much luck to you...and healing hugs! 

#3 of 33 tomorrow a.m. ~ Thanks for all the advice and sharing your experiences.  I'm armed with Aquafor, Miadem and Aloe Vera Gel and have been slathering it on.  Are the blisters that may occur be similar to the type you get with a normal skin sunburn (watery) or are they deeper?  I have early morning appts so I'm half asleep and don't feel nervous.  So far (after two) so good.  I hope to lose some of the twenty pounds I gained during chemo and am inspired to "get moving" like so many of you.  Bless you all.

Lavendar...nice to see you here.  I am almost done with rads.  I did not blister really as much as just burn and then peel.  I am just putting on gel as often as I can.

ceeze....my Ro only recommended the calendula and then the lidocaine mixed with Aquaphor.  I didn't start having problems until this past week.  Starting boosts tomorrow, so healing should start soon. 

I'm now down to single digits on the amount of rads I have left:  9.  It is just dragging on and on, but most of it is behind me now.  

I will have several boosts, and the doctor explained that it was a concentrated treatment to the area of the tumor bed.  Can't wait till this is all done. 

Yesterday at my rad appointment with my doctor he told me that he doesn't feel it's safe to do the boosts on me because of the location of wherevit needs to go. He said that it would do too much damage to either the lung or the heart. He told ke he got three other opinions from his collegues and they all agreed that there would be too much long term damage done, basically risks outweigh the benefits. Anyways, it kind of scares and makes me sad as I wanted to attack this with EVERYTHING I could. He said he would respect my decision if I wanted to go ahead with them, but I do trust him. I just wondered if anyone else had this happen to them ?

BERNIE, Ireland may indeed have found thru their own trials that no lotion is better, and as another poster pointed out, could be our gov hasn't quite gotten to that point yet.  But I DO know that clarification is necessary between you and your radiology doctor (not the techs) about it.  But I have a prescription lotion with aloe, I am to put mine on three times a day, I get my rads at 1:00 p.m., so I put it on in the morning when I get up, right after rads, and in the evening sometime, and they said as long as it was dry by the time I got into the rads room, I was good.  Also, they suggested I use Dove soap, which I do, since it's easy on the skin.

RUFF, hey girl, not had your situation, but my rad doc specifically told me they would not be radiating my heart.  I know how you feel about wanting to do all the necessary steps, I have the same problem with the melanoma, but since so many docs for you were all in agreement on this, I think you could let it go.  I'm assuming they're just talking about boosts, so you're getting all rads benefits except that little bit. I hope someone else will have something to say about this for you, dear one. 

DIVINE, when I had my tooth pain problems, I got SO tired and teary, and husband pointed out that I had been fooling with this routine since back in February, so it's only natural to be sick and tired of the whole thing BIG TIME.  It's like running a marathon, it's that last mile that is the longest.  I think if you would like to scream, it won't hurt my ears!  Smile.  Always, GG

hi all, checkeg again today - no cream or lotions no matter what.  Only use warm water to was and pat dry. The thinking here is that you can actually be stimulating the area when rubbing in the cream without realising it and that in itself can cause redness and soreness.  Guess i'll go with what they say for now

Aloe, Calendula and Miaderm give me such relief that I don't think I'll give them up.  (The RO actually gave me samples of the Miaderm.)  I just wanted to suggest that if you've given up Aluminum in your deodorant that you never go back--the anti-cancer book lists it as an "avoid."  

At #17 of 33 I'm just past half done...and my boob is definitely getting half-baked!  

Lavender51 I have had those same pains!  They hurt!  Luckily it has only happened a few times.

I never had much of any side effects either, just a little red and itching, I finished yesterday. I feel great!  Hope this is it for both of my cancers.  CLL & breast cancer. 

I took care and mositurized and I am miserable right now.  Everyone is different.  I don't think there is any way to predict who will blister and peel, and who won't.  It is noted as one of the possible side effects of radiation.  There really is no one standard for everyone. 

My boost was cancelled today as the machine was down.  I am scheduled for a later appointment tomorrow then I see my RO.  I am hoping he can prescribe something that will help now. 

I also have my thyroid biopsy tomorrow so a real busy afternoon for me. 

Lavendar the pain you are experiencing can be from the nerves healing.  So many are damaged during surgery.  I do know that it is common.

ceeze I am not sure what the norm is really.  Again, probably different for everyone.  I know there are protocols and not sure why they go outside the box for some cases.  Ask your RO why the extra sessions.

oh forgot to tell you all, today the machine screwed up and was doing the opposite of what it was supposed to so i think my heart may have got zapped!  They stopped it quickly though and she said it wasn't enough to hurt me.  I will def. ask RO on Monday though!  SCARY!!

Ksmathews,

That IS scary. I look at that machine and always wonder just what it's hitting. Glad they stopped it right away.

pam53 - I know how you feel. Hang in there. Time does go by.