Anyone need Radiation twice?

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jmf424
jmf424 Member Posts: 17
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I am one week into radiation for the second time. This is my 2nd dx of breast cancer, the 1st being 18 yrs ago at the age of 29. Diagnosed in April 2012 and had AC followed by Taxol for 12 weeks. Then bilateral in Sept. I waited almost 2 weeks for pathology and was shocked to find out about skin involvement and lymphovascular invasion! So onto radiation. Again! I am getting the whole chest wall done and it is done in 2 views. They have me marked up so much with Sharpies that they don't want me to use any lotion at all! I am freaking out and so depressed I can't get off the couch! Neuropathy from the Taxol sucks so bad! Any advice would make my day! :(

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  • Rose_d
    Rose_d Member Posts: 144
    edited October 2012

    JMF424,

    I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this twice and so far apart! It's so scary to imagine being clear for so long and then you are right back in it.

    This is my first time (I'm 40) so I can't speak to going through it twice but I wanted to tell you to hang in there! Getting through A/C and taxol is a HUGE accomplishment and shows how tough you really are.

    I finished my taxol at the end of July and have no more numbness in my hands or feet.  My hips and legs still ache if I sit for too long or exercise hard but I really think it's getting better and know that it's just going to take some time.

    I really think we need to pat ourselves on the back more often for what we have gone through.  Chemo and surgery are not for the faint of heart and we do it!

    I am finishing my rads on Thursday and it marks the end of 10 months of treatment.  I feel like I deserve a medal!

    Stay strong, you know you can get through this next phase.

    Rose

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  • jmf424
    jmf424 Member Posts: 17
    edited October 2012

    Thanks Rose, for your kind words. Congrats on being one day away from the end! Is sure is a long haul! You are right about patting ourselves on the back....but some days are worse than others wight the pity party. Hoping for a better day today! :)

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  • bethen
    bethen Member Posts: 82
    edited October 2012

    Hi Everyone

    I as well have had radiation twice.  The first time in 2006 to the chest wall on the right mastectomy side.  Fast forward to 2010, recurrance in a lymph node in the pectoral muscle of the chest.  Chemo, and radiation again.  However this time around I was given smaller doses or radiation twice a day, thats right - twice a day for five weeks.  Lower doses were given each time, but it was very tiring to get through those weeks because the radiation had to be given at least 6 hours apart therefore I would be at the radiation centre early in the morning and again anywere from 6 - 8 hours later.  They should have given me a bed there.  The only problem that I have had is in the area toward the front or my arm pit where it meets my chest, that area has totally become rock hard making it difficult for me to even lift my arm above my head.  I was diagnosed for a third time in 2011 in another lymph node on my chest but this time they would not give me radiation again as the fields would cross over, so I just had chemo.  Cancer treatments are not fun, but hey I am alive.  Good luck to you.

    Betsy

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