June 2012 Radiation Rads

Imlola - I wish my counting was like yours.  I have like 13 seconds then a tiny break 3 seconds, 2 seconds. 1 second for the first zap.  Then like 3 more sequences that move around my body.  It is very quick though!  So much easier than chemo.  Okay, I say that now.  Remind me at the end of June how I feel!  LOL.  I'm okay with sleeping; I'm just wondering how the radiation fatigue will be for me.  I've read that with fatigue you can wake up tired and exhausted.  This too will pass and it is what it is.  I seem to say that a lot these days. 

I think I'm getting 28 regular treatments.  Why do some people get boosts?  Is there a theory?  What do boosts do?  I haven't wrapped myself around radiation yet. 

Hi -- I started this past Tuesday. It's okay, but I'm already tired. I think it's more from anxiety than anything else.

I have been v emotional each time, crying almost every time I go.  I can't explain this, but if it happens to you, you're not alone!

I hope my RO is patient with me when I get to have my appointment with her this week!  I have sooooo many questions for her.   I need to start writing them down. 

I started coughing the other night.  I wonder if it's related and could it start this soon into radiation?  3 treatments?  I guess i will go back into some old threads and see if and when anyone coughing.  Makes me think they haven't missed my lung.  Another question on my list for the RO.  It's not constant but if I lay down.  I don't feel sick otherwise. 

Thanks Jenn. 

Radiation seems to freak me out more than chemo.  What's up with that?

Jenn - I was given same treatment plan from both opinions.  I am trying to think positive about all of my treatments.  My son (15) likes the comparison of the chemo like pac man eating the cancer cells.  I feel like that too and with the radiation zapping the suckers dead!  I did chemo, then BMX and now rads.  I've said it will be a year of hell.  I should be done rads by early July.  Then, some more fills (OMG - those are so painful) and then reconstruction probably in January.  I want to play with my grandchildren!  So, I am doing what "they" tell me to do.  I just don't feel like I "know" as much about radiation. 

I had positive nodes too so I "need" the rads.   

Hi Denise

 I  did not get the tatts.  I am 99% sure I will not do the rads with these lungs ( bad enough I must take hormones with these bones!)  I have known 4 people  quite well who had BC .  All of them did very well on tx.  It never occurred to me this had anything to do with the fact they began it all in pretty good shape!

Ah, whats a girl to do!

So the ro nurse answered my question. I will have 25 treatment for a total of 50 units and 5-8 boosts for a total of 10-16 units. I guess you could say there was an error in the lack of units on my clinical note!

Jenn128 so sorry to hear about the pneumontis but so glad it has been diagnosed and getting treated.This is somethingI never knew could be caused by rads so I am going to keep an eye on this. Please keep us posted on what your treatments will be now. Is it a constant breathlessness or only noticeable when you get physical?

MinimacsMom Glad you have received an answer seems like a normal outcome.

Hi everyone - I hope it's OK for me to jump on this thread (I'm also on the May thread and will be on the July thread - crikey!).  I just had my mapping today, as well.  My first session is Monday 6/4.  I got two tats - one slightly to the side of the 'good' boob (righty is my problem).  I don't understand people who get chest tattoos - that one in the middle hurt like a ding dong!  The other one was actually on the side of the boob and I barely felt it.  I have 30 treatments coming up.  My appointments are at 8:00 a.m. every morning (eek, but had to get it out of the way before work).

Hi,

I'm scheduled to start radiation on 6/4.  I qualified for the Canadian protocol which I thought was just 42.6 GY.  However, I was disappointed to learn today they will give me a total of 50.5 GY including 3 boosts at the end of treatment.  I've been on a dire search to minimize the amount of radiation to my body but so far this is the lowest I could find.  I'm concerned that they plan to give me it in fractions of 2.7 GY per day, because I landed on a research study that says anymore than 2 GY per day to left side breast can increase risk of heart disease (http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/94/15/1143.full).  Though the risk it's small, I still don't want ANY risk.

Anyway, I've been waivering on whether or not to go through with radiation treatments for a long time now.  As soon as I decide I'll do it, I happen to find yet another study or something on the internet that convinces me otherwise.  My health is excellent and I don't to become permantantly ill from these treatments.  Anyways, not much of an intro, but that's where I am in this.  Big headache from all the thinking and learning I've been doing since I was diagnosed!!

just checking in with everyone from the may thread.  i will be half way done after tomorrow and the skin under my boob is a little pink and feels different but no break down or pain.  now lets hope this continues and is the same for you all as well.  i am also not feeling much fatigue.  there is hope

belinda: i had/have a hematoma/edema on the inner part of my breast (the opposite side of the lumpectomy site), my bs cleared me to start rads with it and while it seemed to get worse at first now the RO has me on 4 alieve a day and that really seems to help and i try to lay down for 45 mintues of my lunch hour because that releives some of the pressure from gravity.

Nel: i am an adoptive parent also.  my kids are 7 & 11.  what an exciting, emotional, stressful and beautiful time for you and your son.  good luck.

mimikitty - you are not alone in being apprehensive about the rads. I'm very "not happy" about them due to having a higher risk than most for long term SEs based on a prior medical history (long story, think I may have put it up here already). I also now have pneumonitis from the chemo and that will also put me at higher risk of getting it again from the rads - and causing long term damage to my lungs.



Having said all of that, the stats still fall on rads being more beneficial than risky for me (just). The rads make an unarguably big difference in recurrence rates...



Nice to see our group growing (but hate that there even has to BE a group!). Hoping we can all help each other through this with some laughter along the way :-)



Jenn

I am joining this thread too, with a caveat. I met with the 2nd RO today as this is the one my MO recommended vs my BS' referral. Although I did some research, this doc is a young buck and knew so much more than the first RO I met who was A LOT older. He gave me every single option of radiation that I asked him about and the pros and cons. He even gave me the option of referring me to the only RO in the US who does a special technique to preserve implants, but I declined since he was in AZ. After almost 2 hours, I decided to go with the traditional treatment with my buck!

Little bump in the road before I can schedule my sim. I had an MRI yesterday that my MO ordered (an awful experience in itself) that showed something suspicious on my unaffected breast!! So I have to get an ultrasound tomorrow. If everything is okay, I will begin rads 2nd week in June. So I hope I am back on this thread in June!!

Hi Neeners!!

Hi, I'm joining too!  I started Rads a few weeks ago and will finish at the end of June.  So far so good.  I am a little tired, but this might be becasue I'm getting up early to make my Rads appt before work.  My skin is starting to turn pink, but no discomfort to report at this time.