Summer 2012 RADS HANG OUT

Thanks guys.  This will be my new favorite place to hang out.  Oddly I have already met my RO team because my Dad dealt with prostrate cancer a few years ago and went to the same place I will be having my radiation.  That is reassuring because he had such a positive experience with them.  I don't have questions yet but I will sit down when my head is clear and right an entire page, like I do before most of my doctor's visits.  I know there is one woman and two men on the team but I don't know who I will be seeing next week.  My biggest concern right now is asking about skin care.  Other than that I have no idea what questions to ask.

Saw my RO right before my lumpectomy. Then saw him again on Thursday, 2 weeks PFC.  They did the mapping, etc. at the time of appt.  I was surprised. Saw my MO today at the gym and asked her about the bloodwork.  She said just to come in on Wednesday before my Thursday Rad appt. and she will look at the test results.  Kind of weird that I ran into her at the gym.  Karma. I really didn't want to have to wait until Monday to get in touch with her.

Sorry to hear about your rash, Slak.  I have had a rash off/on ever since my second chemo treatment.  It's very annoying.  Looks like hives, but comes and goes. At lest it doesn't burn or hurt.  Let me ask my sister about it (she's a radiation tech) to see what she has to say about it.

Thanks everyone...I'll keep you posted on the rash and what my RO says.  It has now started to itch a little.  I really hope it doesn't get worse...

Welcome Julz4 - funny you mention the nausea...I have had it the last couple of days but first was blaming it on taking a multivitamin on an empty stomach and then blaming it on the Tamoxifen.  Now you make me wonder if its the rads.  Here's where doing rads and taking Tamoxifen at the same time causes confusion.  However I'm not going to stop either so I guess it doesn't matter what's causing it.  I find eating a little something like crackers helps me.  I really don't want to take more meds, though I do have compazine left from going through chemo.  I would only use it if I got really desperate.  I hope yours goes away!

P.S. For those who have not started Rads, in retrospect if I had to start over I would start using Miaderm from the beginning.  I felt I didn't have sensitive skin so could just use Aloe, but now I'm regretting it.  It's too late for me, but just thought you might want to know because I think you need to order it from the internet.

Slak, onvacation and Julz:  I start this Thursday.  Thanks for the heads' up.  Where do you get Miaderm???

Slak:  Again, the olive oil can be mixed with aquafor.  My sister has been a radiation oncology therapist for 34 years.

Kj.....ask your sister if she has ever come across anyone getting BC RADS that ended up having nausea.  Some say it can happen & others say no way!  I'm thinking I am more susceptible because of my Gerd.  I sure didn't see this happening.

Onvacation good luck with your simulation!  It was easy for me....although I wasn't a lover of the Tatoos.  I'm not a wuss about it but I don't like needle sticks.  I thought it wouldn't hurt.  I did feel mine & wasn't prepared for it.

Thanks Kj.....I know it can happen for different areas of the body getting RADS.  But not for BC usually.  Although I wonder with my Gerd as I did have to have my esophagus ballooned to open it last summer due to scaring.  Also the nurse was surprized by it but didn't think it was unheard of.  Oh well I had a feeling I wasn't gonna sail through all this with out some hiccups!  I hope this is the worst!  I deal with it....but don't like it.  But then who does!

Thanks for the info Karen!  I think my response is due to the radiation and not the aloe because you can see clearly the treatment field because of the rash.  I slather aloe beyond the field and I don't see the rash there.  I hadn't thought of using olive oil!  I was given a list of things I could use and it wasn't on the list so I'll ask.  Some of the other ladies on other threads who have gone before us have used the Miaderm (which apparently is formulated specifically for radiation skin issues) and said it worked for them (and it was on the list I was given though my paperwork says there isn't evidence that it works).  It has Calendula, Hyaluronate and Aloe in it which apparently have all shown to work individually in clinical trials to reduce severity of radiation-induced skin issues.  I googled it and it can be ordered through the company (www.miaderm.com).  The site also lets you find if there is a local distributor.  I put my state in and would you believe the place that I get treated is the only distributor in the state?  No one ever told me I could buy it there.  I will see if I can pick it up tomorrow (better late than never).  I'll also follow up on the olive oil when I meet my RO again on Wed.  I don't know if everyone else does this, but I have a calendar where I cross off each day of treatment so I can see how much closer I am to being done.  It shows me how much I have already gotten through (surgeries, chemos, rads, etc).  I am getting close to the end (13 of 30 rads left).  We can all get through this together!

Hi all... just catching up with everyone's posts.

Julz - I had nausea with rads and I haven't started my tamoxifien yet so I brought it up to my RO and he said it can happen though it's not usually the number one complaint he hears. He also said that folks often chalk it up to something else but that it can happen with rad tx.

Hair! I have the slightest little bit of hair, not bad for 6 weeks PFC and it makes for really easy showering after the beach :P

Rads rash - ugh. I have it. It reminds me of sun poisoning. I've been putting stuff on it but honestly I think the body just needs time to heal..... WHICH - it will have plenty of because ---------- I HAD MY LAST RADS TODAY!!!

Happy Dance!!

Wishing everyone minimal se this week

Woohoo Janie!!!!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!  We are all so happy for you!!!!