Starting Radiaton treatment in the morning

Wolebearsvicky, Everyone's radiation experience is different. I hope yours will be gentle. In the beginning, usually the only physical side effect is fatigue. Some women have skin issues near the end of rads. Some women have skin that does fine. For me, my skin was red and sore near the end, but that was all. Be sure to ask your RO about what creams he wants you to use and apply them to your breast several times daily. Also, ask him about want deoderant he wants you to use.

Since you are starting actual rad treatments tomorrow, you have probably already had the dry run. The treatments are just like that. The actual procedure lasts only a few minutes. Most of us found it took longer to drive to and from the rads facility than it did to have each treatment. You will change into a hospital gown and lie on the the table of the rad machine. The techs will position you exactly where they want you. They will line you up according your tattos so that the same precise area is radiated each day. It is very important to remain still after the techs have positioned you. Then, the techs leave the room and the rads machine starts whirring. If more than one field is being radiated, the machine will move around you. When the treatment is done, the doors to your rad room will open and the techs will help you off the table. The RO will see you once a week. Also, you will have Xrays once a week while lying on the rad table to make sure the proper area is still being radiated.

It all sounds simple, but I found rads really affected me emotionally. Perhaps, I was already on edge after surgery and chemo. Just remember that whatever you feel is normal. Take good care of yourself physically and emotionally all during rads. Check this forum for a support group of people having rads at the same time as you. The July and August 2011 forums helped me very much. 

I had a pretty rough treatment (4DD A/C, 4T) and 36 rads, onto Arimidex now.  I thought radiation to be a piece of cake until the last week.  I was told to use Aquaphor, Silvadene and ZeaSorb A/F during my treatment depending upon where I was in the process.  The Aquaphor is soothing, the Silvadene is a prescription given for burns during the middle of my rads and ZeaSorb is an anti-fungal powder I was supposed to shake on the area before going to bed to avoid infection. 

During radiation I was better able to get back to my normal activities for the most part.  My oncologist also used to tell me to listen to my body and let it guide me.  When I was tired, rest and when I was having a good day to get up and move, get out but don't overdo it cuz when it comes to the exhaustion there is no pill that can cure that.