Any February 2012 radiation gals out there?

Rabbit, bummer on the delay, hope you heal quickly! 

Allagash, I'm VERY fair skinned and so far, just mild pink (becoming more red) sunburn and dry bumpy patches is what I have - I'm half way there at #14.  FYI I started moisturizing 2 weeks before starting rads 2 to 3 X day and since starting rads I moisturize 3 to 4 times/day.  I really think the continual moisturizing is key, but time will tell.   BTW, as for not-nice staff - screw'm.  LOL  Let them suffer through our experience, and maybe they'll have a bit more empathy.  When someone is mean to me, I try to remind them of all that I have been through...it usually results in an attitude change.  Sometimes they need a reminder that there is a real person behind the cancer who is suffering.

Thank goodness for the majority of WONDERFUL caring staff I have dealt with!   

Hello all,

I just finished #6. I also got there despite the weather conditions this morning. It is calm for the boat ride but very slippery with the wet snow. I am still having nausea and just feel blah. I find if I can sleep after I get home, I wake up feeling better. Work has ground to a halt, between the travel time and the not feeling well.I am very short of breath with any exercising, yesterday even walking my dog I had to ask my friend to stop so I could catch my breath. The RO is dismissing my symptoms and wants me to see my PCP. The techs are very nice and concerned, but I am just trying to make it thu. The doc did order PT for my shoulder so I start that next week.

Allagashmaggie I feel the same about how this is something the Docs and office staff deal with all the time, but we are people and have fears and concerns and would like to be taken seriously.

It is reassuring that some others have had some of the same symptoms. I am a competent person and am not crazy, but this process is eroding some of my confidence.  

Howdy Friends!

I had #18 today. Can't believe I'm past the halfway mark!

My skin is tan still and I have a bit of a rash on my upper chest but I unintentionally scratched that area and made it worse. So I blame me more than the Rads. I'm just putting some hydrocortisone cream on that one little area and it soothes it for about an hour.

I do, however, feel that I am a bit swollen throughout the area but especially on the front of the underarm crook to the foob area and then the same area on the back side of my underarm.

Oh...and I also have little dots/freckles on the left side of my foob. My RO said it is a normal reaction just as the sun can cause freckles. I never annex my boobs before so who knew I would have freckles there!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and soothing weekend!

el-jaye: How are you thinking of having your tattoos removed, and by whom, a PS? I will have my 5 boosts next week and then be done and don't want the tattoos anymore either! I have 2 (of 5) on my upper chest that  show even with a neckline that isn't very lowcut. I was thinking of asking the surgeon when I have DIEP this summer.

Thanks GrandmaV for the information about the tank tops worn inside the bra. I wasn't familiar with the type of material. I am in Australia where it is Summer now. I have stopped using creams under my breast and am using cornflour powder. I think I have a mild case of folliculitis in the skin fold under my breast. I have a cotton hanky tucked into my bra and coming down under the elastic. I am using the creams on the exposed surfaces of the breast.

I was given a specially designed bra for BC patients made by Berlei  at the time of diagnosis (after a fitting by the breast care nurse). (I have no association with Berlei). It is more comfortable but less attractive than my normal bras. Apparently all women in Australia are offered this prior to surgery. I was going without a bra but found I was sweating too much.

Hope you are all doing well and that you have a restful weekend

 Gerri 

Sorry I can't remember or mention all your names but Hopefully I will get to know them 

#13 out of 33 finished today.  Always glad for Friday because there is a break from rads and work.  Today my armpit area feels sunburned and tender.  Whole breast area is rosy.  I always sunburned easily then it turned to tan.  Hope this is the same with rads.  

Anyone else feel a fog like chemo brain coming on?  Is there radiation brain?   

Hello my fellow Rad Chicks: I have a question:

Are you feeling bloated or swollen in general? I swear I feel like I have gained poundage. Just in the last few days, though. Also, I was somewhat able to sleep on my left side and now it is too uncomfortable. It isn't icky on the skin surface but it feels sore inside when I lie on my side.

Just feeling inflamed. Anyone else?

I have treatment #19 on Monday.



PS: my upper legs also feel achey/fatigued. I thought it was from my letrozole but maybe it is from Rads...or both.

 Geegster - my RO told me that inflammation of the tissue in the breast is common.  I was quite uncomfortable a few days last week and I can not sleep or lay on the side left side.  I have found that the anti inflammatory that I am taking for the arthritis is helping, - Re-Levx is the name of it.  As well the Saline Compresses are a great help.  Two to three times a day helps with the pain and uncomfortable feeling.

Hope you are feeling better!

 Karensimone - so sorry you are having such a rough time!  I hope that you are able to get through this part of the treatment and start feeling better!!

Geegster, I have #18 today so I am right behind you. I have felt very sore when I lay on my tx side and it is getting worse. It doesn't help that I have a seroma under there also. I have felt bloated also, but thought alot of it might be left over from my chemo as I have not gained or lost any weight since then.

karensimone, I hope you are able to recover enough to finish. I am sorry that you are having such a hard time.

I woke up with a blister that apparently came up and then broke open during the night. I am trying to keep it undisturbed as much as possible until I go for tx later today, but since it is under my arm it has been kind of difficult. 

I hope this week brings minimal SEs for everyone and relief for those who are suffering.

Sherry 

#15 out of 30 today!  Half way through!  Saw the RO this morning and she told me that my skin was holding up wonderfully.  Just a bit pink.  She highly recommends the Eurcerin Cream - that is what I am using and I also have aloe gel that I use through out the day for any itching or hot spots.  She told me she felt that I could make it to the end with out any burns.  I hope so!!

The saline compresses are awesome for the inflammation pain, however that bath soak that Mim445 posted looks like an awesome idea.  Unfortunately, I have been advised not to drink any alcohol during radiation so the wine will have to wait. 

While I am feeling fatiqued, I am feeling good about being close to the end. 

Thanks for the tips, everybody! I spoke with the doc today about my rash and she said to use Lotrimin! She said don't freak out over what the label says (it's mainly used for jock itch!). My rash area is small, about 3"x1.5" on the center left upper part of my chest. She said it is fungal....nice huh? Well....I bought it ($11 for an itsy bitsy tube) and put it on while I was in the parking lot in my car! She said I should feel relief in a couple of days.

DOH! I just noticed I never posted about my rash...just my inflammation. Dee de dee...

#19 down! Woo Hoo!

Spinnerpom, you do have another option.  Microfat grafting.  Like everything with radiation, it takes more effort to achieve results, but it can be done.  Do a search of the forum for some great threads and also you can check out www.fatgraftpatients.com.  LillieM just had fat grafting done post lumpectomy (and I think rads), and she has had a fantastic result!  There are not a ton of surgeons trained in this, so some people fly for treatment. 

Dancetrancer, thanks! So I would have to do that in what I now refer to as my "happy breast" as well?

#20 today. Nothing to report really.

I just want to whine about the pimple taking over my forehead. Ugh. I swear it the size of Mount Vesuvious!

Hi eljaye!

My skin looked so good during chemo. It looked crappy leading up to my diagnosis but after my second infusion my skin was clear as can be. Rads... Not so much.

I know it is a stress pimple. They are the only kind I get. I think I'm stressing too much on how I'm going to do on Rads. I need to mellow out in my brain.

And on the bloating front...yeah, me too. I feel more "inflated" on my Rad side but I do feel it all over. I'm surprise I'm not leaning. Hee!



Feels good to be half done, doesn't it???