Sept 2011 Rads
Comments
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I love all the suggestions for products like creams and deodorants on this discussion group. I'll bet that amazon.com loves it too because they sure are getting lots of money off me as I try all the new ideas. Lol. -
Leighsa, So sorry you have that inflammation pain too! I have had it since the 4th week of treatment. My RO wouln't do any thing about it because its not a SE from rads, HA! My family dr. called in a RX for Vicodin for me and this week I've been taking that, only now the Vicodin is giving me headaches. So today after treatment I went to see my family dr. He said its that inflammation thingy and gave me a different RX for pain and Mobic for the inflammation. He also told me that there isn't enough studies to say that this IS a SE of rads, but he has seen it several times and believes it is a SE. I felt so much better mentally just having a doctor believe me and acknowledge it!
Dogeyed, it was me who said I went to the car and screamed, lol. I too have noticed that this experience has made me rude. Or at least I speak up for myself far more than I ever did before. I don't think its so much from the cancer as it is from my RO and his lack of bedside manner. The lack of communication throughout this whole thing is enough to make you go mad!
My RO agreed today that there was a mix up with my scheduling and he said we can start boosts on Monday and I will be done on Friday, the 21st. I did tell him that I wounder now if all of my treatment has been done right. That really seemed to piss him off because he snapped at me and said "of course its been done correctly" then abruptly ended the visit.
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I have 10 more left I'm done. I see light at the end of the tunnel. Except I see no hair why ? God I hope I don't stay this way. The wigs are unbearable.Skin has turned dark like coffee, sore bras are messy as well. Just think Nov 1 we all will be done and getting our lives back.
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Keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers as we continue to finish up. The skin where my boost were is still raw. I think it's healing, but is taking awhile. I have peeling in the armpit area. The skin around the breast and armpit is several different shades of red, pink, white, brown. Ugly.
Oh yes, Stormy, I'm not surprised the RO got miffed. I have had reactions like that from doctors over the years. They act like they are not to be questioned.
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STORMY, yes, now I remember, it was you who had had it with the whole rads thing and screamed. That day I was too amped up to look it up, so glad we are screaming sisters!
KATE, I may have a tip for your back that will help. I have a bad back from a car wreck, and one day I read about a way to relieve the pain, and I've been doing it ever since. I lay flat on my back on the floor with my legs up in a chair or on the couch, scoot up close to it, arms out to the side. I usually lay there around five minutes, sometimes I'll roll left and then right to stop muscle spasming, and I get up slowly from my hands and knees. Hope it helps you. BYE ALL! GG
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Mostlysew...my inflammation came out of the blue. I have never had and lung issues before. I had two attacks, ten days apart. The last one was three weeks ago. I am so hoping this is the end of that for me. Dealing with this awful burn is zapping all my energy. I do hope you feel much better!
Kate...sorry to hear about your back, I hope you get some relief soon.
Stormy......Wow, your RO really sounds like a jerk. I am glad you finally got some pain meds from your primary doc. That is crazy your RO has not prescribed anything for you.
Divine....oh I know all about the burns and feel so badly for you. Mine looks pretty awful too and still oozes. I know how bad it feels. Healing hugs to you.
I hope everyone feels better very soon!
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Hi Dogeyed, Thanks for the tip regarding back pain. I will try it.
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My back is still hurting. I will see what my medical oncologist recommends on Thursday. Janis thank you for your concern, and I hope you feel better soon.
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Stormy-ARGGGG. I agree with Janis...what a jerk! I'm glad that you told him what's what!
Kate-Good luck with your back. Hugs.
Divine-I feel your pain sweetie. My armpit is also the problem. At night, no matter how I lay, my heavy breast pulls the skin and YEEOWWWW. Hang in there. I will be thinking of you.
Happy Saturday ladies! -
Ouchy, it's my armpit causing the trouble too. Only four more long days...DH will be out of town and I am alone running DD around to her too many activities. Will Thursday at 8:30 ever come?
Kate do you ever do gentle yoga? It always helps my chronically bad back.
I have questioned every one of my doctors until the cows come home, and they have been patient with me. They should take the time to answer our questions--have you looked at their bills?
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SAB-I also have four more left. It will be a happy day, won't it!
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Hi Patty, I haven't tried yoga. My back is hurting too much to try anything.
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Hi All,
So, Friday my RO decided I needed to use a steroid. He prescribed triamcinolone, common name Aristocort, Kenalog or Triderm. It seems to be for eczema, allergies, rashes etc. He mentioned something about helping with the itching. He prescribed it after seeing the funny looking spots under my breast.
Thing is, I don't itch! I get pain but I wouldnt call it an itch. I'm really ugly looking under the arm at SNB site (as we all are I think) and this stuff says not to use it under the arm. But that part just looks burned to me, not rashy. The rest is that lovely oink and red and dark brown and a bit spotty inder my breast which looks like inflamed pores more than anything else.
Unfortunatley I didn't ask him where I was to be applying this stuff, nor whether I was to continue using my creams at the same time. So.....anyone used anything like this? I really don't want to call him this weekend, but guess I should use it since he sort of insisted. I just don't know where!
I know we've collectively got a great amount of info so anyone heard of this?
Thanks.......22 of 33 finished! Halloween here I come. -
MostlySew-It infuriates me that he gives you this without taking the time and care to explain everything. I'd say call him on the weekend, EARLY in the morning, but I'm sure it would likely go to an answering service anyway. ARRRRRGG.
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STORMY, I forgot to say how glad I am you will be done end of next week instead of it dragging over the weekend to a Monday. What a huge relief! Lots of smiles to you.
KATE, I hope your MO will get a scan to see what's going on in your back. If it's the same thing as before, well, you know the drill. Only other thing to try in the meantime is a heating pad or hot water bottle helps pain, husband and I have both used my heating pad to lean up against whilst sitting, it helps, I got it at the drugstore. Also, I take Lyrica for sharp back pain, not at my original injury site, but lower, it's the only thing that worked since I was already on opiates for bad legs. When you see your doc, maybe they'll give you some, to see if it works until you can get things worked out about what has happened to your back. But I guess you can recall what meds helped before. Since floor laying is no good for you, at least park some pillows under your knees when you're laying down on the couch or bed, getting those legs up helps take the weight off the spine. I feel for you, Kate, I've lived with a goofed-up back most of my life, there is nothing worse when it is screwed up, it pretty much wrecks my day.
SEW, about all I know is, steroids also help with inflammation and steroids are great in general for what ails you. I was given diff stuff, Silvadene cream, and my rad doc told me to put it under my arms at bedtime, prevents chaffing, I have lots of redness there that she is worried about. She knows I'm also using her prescribed aloe lotion, too, which I put everywhere, takes the heat off the burn. So, I'm thinking you can put that steroid stuff wherever you have pain and you can keep using your other lotions. I put my aloe stuff, all over, three times a day as prescribed, but at diff times from the Silva stuff. But keep in mind I'm just telling you from my own logic and experience.
ALL, I have two weeks to go, and am I ever glad. First time I can see light at end of tunnel. My boosts will be the last week, so the week before when I see my rads doc on Thursday, I'm going to make a point of reminding her where my three cancers were, and this is thanks to you all talking about how rads docs can forget stuff. I have a question, too: Someone said before their boosts, they were allowed to take their tape stuff off. I have tape marks also, little circles stuck to me, and one is stuck in a place where one of my cancers was, and I SURE want to get that dang thing off, so I wonder if all my tapes are to come off before boosts? And I take it that a boost will make one helluva burn? If the consensus is yes, then I will also mention to my rad doc Thursday that I'm finally having pain. I can see where this burn I have now could get really out of control, and I don't want to be caught "out there" with nothing to kill the pain. GG
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Hi Dogeyed, Thank you for your concern and advice. I hope you are feeling better soon.
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Hi Dogeye and Dtormy,
Stormy, good idea about calling him, but I really like this dr. and iI think it's more me not listening. As he is truly great about explaining everything.
Dogeye, I think you're right about this being also for inflammation. My breast is actually less red this morning and the dot, dot, dot part on the top of the breast is much better. Perhaps this Dr. know what he's talking about! I did hear the nurse telling a friend about silvadeen so I know he does prescribe that too.
And, Dogeyed, you're just one day ahead of me! I have only 11 left, 4 reg and 7 boosts. I'm hoping my boosts will be far away enough from my burned SNB site to avoid major problems. Sounds as though your boosts will be interesting since you had 3 places. I'll be interested to see
what they do. Whoo-Hoooo......we're getting there. -
Sew.....I hope the cream helps. I am allergic to sulfa so could not use the Silvadene cream. Last night i tried something different. Plain old Neosporin on a 4x4 gauze pad, stuck that on before bed and it stayed in place all night. This morning the burns seems much better! Plus the swelling is finally almost gone. I am so thrilled. I have been in absolute agony for days. Today the pain is very minor. The burn is drying up, the stubborn area is that armpit. Still it feels better today.
Kate....back pain is miserable and I know you are in a lot of pain. I hope you can find something that will give you some relief. Last time I hurt my back I was told to alternate heat and ice. Try the heating pad for no more than 20 minutes, then switch to ice. Bags of frozen peas work great! Any small cut veggie will work though. Then rest it for an hour or so and repeat. Definitely take some Advil or any anti inflammatory as well. Hope you feel better really soon!
ceeze, I have the exact same problem trying to sleep. OMG the weight of the swollen breast just kills me when I try to move. I so hope you can heal quickly. Please take good care. I feel your pain hon!
dogeyed, nobody should have to suffer unnecessarily through this process. If you are in pain, get your RO to prescribe medication. Mine did and I could not have gotten through the last two weeks without them. I am finally today feeling much better so not taking them today unless it gets bad again. At least I have them if I need them.
SAB.....I do feel for you with the armpit pain. It is awful! I hope you feel better very soon!
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dogeyed, I was re-marked with stickers and a sharpie prior to my boosts, and at the time, the techs told me which of my old stickers I could remove.
The one and only thing I am finding that helps with the raw, seeping skin on the underside of my breast (where the boosts were) are the Vigilon Moist Wound Dressing hydrogel the nurse gave me after my last treatment. She gave me about 7 packs. You can cut it to the size you need. It is working wonders. I apply it to my raw spot and wear my bra overtop. What a world of difference. I think my skin is actually finally healing.
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Divine, so glad you found something that helps. I had somthing similiar called Tender Wets. They really flet good. Hope yours work magic and you feel better soon. Heal quickly! Hugs!
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Janis,
I Soooooo glad you're finally getting some relief. You've been thru so much and had done so well right up to the last little bit. Hurray for Neosporin! -
Kate- You made it through rads without any issues and now you have back pain- bot fair! I hope it gets better soon!
Divine- those dressings sound great! I might have to ask for that tomorrow. I have a weeping area under the nipple where it pulls in. No pain though-totally numb!
Janis-glad your burn is getting better. Have you tried Tylenol PM
for sleep? Sleep has never been my issue-I'm tired all the time.
Dogeyed-I would push for pain meds. No one should ever have to live with pain/discomfort! The
inflammation is not fun, that's for sure.
mostlySew-triamsimalone cream is commonly prescribed for poison ivy rashes that are inflammed and weeping. Even if you don't itch it should help. Seems the RO's all have there own way of treating radiation burns. I wonder if there are any Evidence-based studies out there for these treatments. I will take a look!
Divine-my skin is many shades of ugly too! I know it will all fade and heal with time.
SAB- my DH was out of town all last week and I had to do the running around with three busy kids. By Thursday, my pain was so bad, I ended up in the ER. I was out of work Thursday & Friday which allowed me time to just rest. Good luck with your last few treatments!
Ceeztheday-I hope your armpit heals quick and congrats on almost being done!
I have my last boost tomorrow morning. I am both excited and anxious. I hope that the rads did there thing!,
((((Hugs)))) -
Leighsa and Janis, thank you so much for your encouraging words!
Janis: Your attitude is wonderful. Good luck tomorrow and I hope that your thyroid results will be encouraging. Hugs. -
Hey everybody, I have been having computer issues so havent been on in a week or so. I started my boosts last week and have no additional burning or pain since the boosts. I have 6 more boosts to go then I will be done with 36(25 full breast, 11boosts) treatments on Monday Oct 24.....!!!! Tingling twinging type pain but burns are dried up, just very dry skin and peeling layers, found some "My Girls" cream that has the calendula in it, seems to keep things moist for quite a while. Take care I hope to keep with you the rest of this week.
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Leighsa-Oh I hope the rest helped and you're feeling better now. I only have one still home and that's do-able. Sometimes I sneak a nap in the car while she's doing her thing.
A note regarding lotions: I was rereading anti-cancer today and it listed parabens (polyparaban and methylparaben in particular) as a chemical substance to be avoided. I think some of the creams mentioned may have them.
Under breast is goin now...wow it is so unexpected. Skin seemed fine until just last week. OK ladies here we go again...have a great week everyone.
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Leighsa...HUGE congratulations for finishing! I am so, so happy for you. Celebrate!
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I wanted to thank everyone for the well wishes. I leave for my surgery consult in an hour. I am not even sure I will need surgery, however can't imagine why I would be referred to a surgeon unless that is the plan. So I will know in a couple of hours what the plan is. I'll keep everyone posted. Of course I won't know biopsy results until after surgery. If surgery is in the game plan I want it ASAP!
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Just want to let each of you know I have been thinking and praying for each of you!
I hope each of you the best.
Tomorrow is my last rad! I cannot wait, my RO did give me the cream to use, said I had radiation dermititis. So I have been using it with the Miaderm. I am just really red and itchy. Not too bad though. Fatigue is my worst complaint! ugh will I ever have my energy back?
I got to watch the movie Five today and I did enjoy it. Believe it or not I didnt cry.
Then again I didn't cry when I was told i had BC.
Good luck girls and I hope each of you feel better!
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Congratulations! ksmatthews almost done!
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ksmatthews.....I am so happy tomorrow is your last day. Yippee!
Just got back from the surgeon. I have to have surgery next Tuesday, a week from tomorrow. A Right Thyroid Lobectomy. He will remove the entire right lobe and left the left for now. I will just be in the hospital for the day. It will be done under general anesthesia. Probably a good thing, the incision will be large!!!
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