January 2012 rads

Half done regular treatments.  Starting to get red underneath.  Fatigue starts about 2 hrs after and hits like a wall about 4 hr mark.  5:30 last night - so falling asleep about 9:30 which is better than morning rads. Getting more done during the day - like 3 hrs of bookkeeping and washing bedding from night sweats (thanks tamox). Morning rads kind of wipes out my day.

Our centre very efficient too. Arrive 10 minutes ahead.  Called almost immediately.  Change - yes change rooms place to hang clothes, and stacks of new gowns.  Wait in small area outside unit I am on.  Wait about 5 minutes while they finish person ahead.  My turn about 10 minutes.  Yes do wear gown on table.  Take one arm out, fold gown back over other side while aligning and then fold it back over when they leave to do treatment. Warmer and more modest I guess as they watch you on camera from control room.  Done. Change. Leave. Pay for Parking. Go Home. Plaster on Cream

Am very grateful for new cancer treatment centre in my city - not only beautiful, purpose built (so efficient) but don't have to drive 1-2 hrs each way into neighbouring big city fighting commuter traffic. I would probably have to take cancer society van as I would fall asleep driving.

My experience is sounding very typical of everyone elses.  Today will be #11 for me.  Like so many of you, I do have a small changing area with a place to leave my purse and put on a clean gown.  Left breast is exposed during treatment.  Typically I do not have to wait and if I do it's not more than 2-3 minutes.  The staff is very pleasant, the facility (The START Center for Cancer Care) provides beverages, and all in all the process is not bad. 

Yesterday was the first day that I woke up and the "pink' was still there.  Today it's a little worse (expected) and today I feel the sting of a sunburn.  Also have the "inside" pain, which reminds me of about 2 weeks post-surgery.  Saw my BS on Monday and told her I felt like I had taken a step back on the recovery scale.  She said it's normal.  She also said she could see the thickening of the skin.  I've noticed it around the areola/nipple area and the sensation reminds me of how I felt when I was pregnant (very sensitive).  Do any of you know if that is permanent or will it go away once the treatments are over?  The fatigue is odd in how it comes and goes, Sunday-Tuesday I was a mess, but yesterday I felt fabulous (yay!) and today I am at least 90% which is good.  Was glad to see some of you mention feeling like you are in a fog.  That is exactly how I feel on the not so good days.  Wonder if that will be cumulative like the burns?  If so, that concerns me as to how I am going to continue working and getting myself to treatments.  Thankfully the treatment center is only 15 minutes from my house.  My treatments are at 3:45 and by 7:00 I am "done" and generally in bed between 8-9.  The night sweats are getting worse,  but I'm thinking that is from going off the pill and my body realigning itself.  I start Tamox after rads end.  Hot flashes ought to be REALLY fun then!  Ha

 Four and a half weeks to go.  Still on the uphill trek, but with you all here it's going to be managable.  Thank you very much for your support, your advice, your knowledge and your wisdom.  Everyone take care. - Julie 

Oh - one more thing.  My blood pressure has been pretty elevated since diagnosis.  Not sure why, I'm not stressed or anything.  hahaha  I'm wondering if/when it will go back to normal.  Can any of you offer any insite based on your experience? - Thanks

I'm done with the whole breast treatments. Starting the boosts tomorrow. I developed a painful, itchy rash this week. Tried over-the-counter hydrocortisone and Benadryl creams. Not much relief. The doctor recommended Benadryl capsules.

28 tomorrow and then get measured for boosts.  I start them Monday for five days.  This last week my skin has gone from pink to red and very painful.  I was told the boosts point at a specific area where the cancer was in the breast so the rest of my breast will get to rest.  They will aim it at my scar area.

I am so sore at night I can barely shower.  I think I need to shower in the mornings instead.  I had some small  blisters but when I ran my hand across the top of the breat they broke.  I took a percocet tonight.  The doctor is very good about making sure I have pain relief. 

Fatigue is beginning to get unreal.  Just like a wall hits me and I stay in a fog.  It's been a tough week.

Helen

helen, I am having #20 of 30 today and the fatigue is getting quite bad. Not sure about the burning, since I haven't looked in a mirror. 

Hi all,

It's hard to believe that I've had 7 treatments already. Since day one I've been pink, purpley and sore. Some days my boob feels raw. I am vigilant at applying the lotion 3x a day. Sometimes I'm afraid to look at it in the mirror or even touch it. I think I'm a little swollen too. I am walking through this and I know I need to take this one day at a time, but god only knows what this is going to be like at treatment #33. Thanks everyone for sharing their experience strength and hope.

newksmom100...interesting that you mentioned high blood pressure. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure on 10/27/11 and put on blood pressure meds.  I was diagnosed  with breast cancer 12/9/11. Lumpectomy 12/27/11.  I was taking my blood pressure meds on a regular basis and checking my pressure and it fluctuated, but lately my blood pressure is relatively low(normal) and I do not take my pressure religiously.  I was wondering if the high blood pressure was due to breast cancer. Can they be related?

Thanks Ralston. I take  medications for another condition that make me sun sensitive. I wonder if that makes my experience worse. I'll see the doctor on Monday or Tuesday.

I've read through the previous posts and I can relate with the fatigue. My feet felt like lead today.  I don't totally associate the fatigue with the #7 treatment, but I've also had a number of arthritis flairs in the past two weeks, I'm fighting off a cold or allergies, and it was report card week. I'm exhausted.

Oh lifechanging, pamper yourself this weekend !

I am not tired... more like "hangover", but again, who knows if it's a SE from the rads, tamoxifen or metmorfin (I am on a trial)...

I got measured today for the booster treatments next week.  The RO looked at my breast and said he would leave it up to me so I could come in Monday or take a couple days off and come in Wednesday if I felt like I needed some time to heal a little.  The scar under my arm hurts so bad at night I can hardly stand it.  So I will see how I feel Sunday night.  I hate to miss....I just want it over. 

I have been using a cream that the RO gives me and it worked real well up until this last week.  I don't know what happened but I got red and unbelievably sore.  The nurse said to try something called lotion potion and be sure to get the one with lanacane in it.  Went to Target and the pharmacy looked it up and every target in the state carried it but them!  So went to Walmart and they only had the lotion without the lanacane.  I ended up getting another lotion that had the same ingredients made by solarcaine.  Will let you know.  The nurse said it may burn a little at first but is good for all kinds of burns. 

The fatigue shows up suddenly for me too.  One day I woke up exhausted but today I felt fair until this afternoon.  And then it's like a wall hits me.  I also go into a brain fog. 

Well, getting ready for bed.

Take care,

Helen 

J bug

I had splitting open, pink raw meat spilling out thing.

Here is what I settled on after MUCH trial and error.

Silver sulphadiazine (sp?) cream rubbed into the gash lightly.

Then Covered w xeroform (petrolatum and bismuth impregnated fine gauze.

Covered with some kind of large wound pad, either abdominal pad or large nonstick pad, held over the gash with ace bandage.

I tried aloe Vera, tube aloe Vera, lidocaine gel, Shea butter cream, emu oil, lavender, aquaphor...this was the BEST. The silver cream helps the skin grow inside the oozing pink raw meat area. Little round white things start growing after a day or so off rads. Dr told me that was skin. Verynquickly had covered the shallow areas. Still working on filling in deep areas near armpit where skin was stretched really tightly after ALND.



I found the xeroform on walgreen website and did an in store search for it. Found it at only 1 walgreen in town. Expensive but really really did the best. I finished rads mid Jan.



TS

I had my first boost yesterday, but they're going to give me Monday off. The rash and irritation are horrible. It looks like I have hives all over the area that is being treated. They recommended Lindi Skin Cooler, but every store that carries them in my area is out of them. I ordered a roll through the website with express shipping. I'm trying everything now to get relief - aloe, aquafor, benadryl, aleve, cortisone. The side effects weren't too bad unitl I hit #22. I have 4 more to go.

Christy - thanks for being the eyes and ears for those of who are step behind.  I am still a while away from boosts, but it will be interesting and comforting to hear your point of view. 

 I've developed a slight, oh so itchy rash and of course the color gets a little more pink every day.  I dozed off today while standing at the sink doing the dishes with my boyfriend.  LOL   He has a serious sense of humor and this added to his list of material to draw from.  Thanks fatigue. 

I have had 14 radiation treatments. I started getting red on week 2 which was early. Under my radiated breast has gotten so red and painful and peeling that they are doing my boost now to hopefully help me heal and then I will continue the full breast radiation. I am very tired but still working. I had chemo before this , I have to say radiation has not ben good.  At least with chemo I did have days in between that I felt good. Now I just feel very tired, sore 

Hello ladies,

Had #17 on friday. all went well. I woke up in the middle of the night last night, and for the first time I felt a burning sensation on my breast. My nipple is hard and very brown. It is usually pink. This must be the start of the dreaded damage. I better finally break out the aloe and moisterizing cream.

None of my friends and family wants to hear about my sore Booby. Thanx for being here!