Winter RADS 2012 Club...Please come join the fun!

susancats, I didn't feel fatigued until about #20-21. I had 25 plus 5 locals. Similarly, being really red wasn't until later. I was maybe only a little pink at 10. I moisturized on my days off too. In fact, I started moisturizing that area a few days before I started rads.  My skin held up well, I only have a little peeling and only a couple itchy spots and while I don't think the moisturizer is the whole ticket to that kind of success, it is supposed to help. We have all been through the fire now, so to speak, so how much of our emotional rawness is tamoxifen versus raw nerves I don't know but tam makes its contribution. For most of us, our bodies are supposed to get used to the tamo and balance out somewhat. I definitely had way more vag discharge at first (it's a side effect for sure) but no period - I'm close to menopause though so I might not get periods. The discharge is still a bit heavier than pre-tamo but not quite as bad as the first few weeks. I have not had a yeast infection and I'm fairly prone to them. I do take probiotics most days though and they are purported to help with that.

cowpower, oooo fabric shopping! I'm a little jelly.

Thanks Patin.



They love me for the Rads trial. I get to participate as high risk - triple negative - and I have scoliosis. This trial is being offered at select centers throughout the US. My RO presented findings in December to the consortium. He's convinced this will be standard protocol inthe US in five years. He said big advantage is fatigue sets in at 3 week mark, which is when you would be done. Will let you know how it goes.

Susancats I also definitely had that moist feeling when I was on the Tamoxifen. The big nasty period didn't come till after I started chemo, lasted on and off for about two weeks, and since then no sign of another one. Maybe this is what they call chemopause?? But no yeast infections here, although we ar prone to them during chemo as all the good stuff gets killed off along with the bad stuff. Now along comes rads...just learning what to expect there from this thread.

(((hugs)))

Thank you Ridergirl- I wasn't sure if I was going to gross anyone out asking that question. I'm sure you'll do fine in Rads since you've already done a very hard task of going thru chemo. I'm fortunate I didn't have to do that. Stay strong!!

This may have been answered already but I don't remember the answer. So, I hope someone can help me.  I just went to 3 stores looking for aloe and all I found was lotion with aloe as one of the ingredients. Are you using that or just aloe?  Miaderm, which I've used from day one, has aloe in it, so I don't want more of the same.  Those of you using aloe, where did you find it? 

Thanks so much.

Outdamnedspot-thanks for the reply. I'll give it a try.

My supraclav rad area started peeling last night. Just three days after the last treatment there. It's so much darker than my breast, so I'm still hoping my breast won't get that raw peel. It hurts a bit and looks gross, but ok in the scheme of things. I've been trying to keep clothes off the area but it is not easy. I have not been wearing a bra for a while so I get creative with the flowy cardigans or infinity scarves. Only three boosts left!

That moment when you hate going in for rads because your skin has healed up so well......

I got hit with very sleepy the end of last week and increased my vitamin d3 intake. That has helped a lot. It also increased my mood. I ALMOST felt like going back to karate for a few minutes, haha.

Here I go for 18/25 with Colonel Sanders! I still wont find out how many boosts until I am done with the regulars. I also see my onc today, double wammy! Grrrr....he is nice but oh-so-serious, unlike my radonc.

Have a great Monday, everybody, and glad you got a start date 5luvbugs!

Welcome NJ! The first day is the longest and a bit scary but easier after that.

I was telling a new rads guy in the waiting room about the aloe I am now using and one of the prostate guys asked to see my bottle. Seems they gave it to him day 1 and he has a week left. Not a single burn or issue. So why do the ladies have to go through a trial with a 50/50 shot of getting the good stuff? At least the new neck guy will have it now. He is a week in and nobody told him anything, and already burning. Sigh....

So today was long with lots of xrays. They had a hard time getting me lined up and said sometimes tissue density can change so they may have to remap me. I have implants, so no breast tissue to speak of. I got some new pen marks that they will check tomorrow to see....I guess to make sure they are still getting the breast and not my toes, haha!

Some there get my sense of humor, like colonel sanders, and the rest just look at me like "why is she so happy?"

The worst part of today was watching an elderly bald woman fall in the lobby as she walked in, obviously doing chemo. Everyone scrambled to get her up and into a wheelchair. The heart breaking part was that nobody was there with her, not a soul. She came in a transport van alone. There is no excuse for that.

Hey Ridergirl, no offense at all taken! It would certainly make me feel much better to think she chose to come alone. That is something I hadn't considered because I expect dh to go to everything with me, as I would for him.

Yes, my sense of humor has helped me get through this. My picture in my chart shows me smiling huge and waving. My radonc laughed when he saw it, saying it was highly unusual (ie....crazy, haha).

I am glad you are going for rads and praying for a miracle for you.

I've been off rads since last Tuesday.  I was supposed to start the boosts today but when the nurse and doc saw my boob, they told me to wait until Wednesday.   My  boob, esp. on the underside, where they will do the boost, is raw, peeling and hurts.  I asked about silvadene, as some people on this site have used, and the nurse said that it would interfere with radiation.  She did give be Natural Care, which is an aloe ointment.  So now I'm supposed to use that and the Aquaphor instead of the Miaderm.  She also gave me a new dressing material.  Plus, I'm taking Juven which is a powder that I  pour in my juice. It's to build tissue. Plus I do Domboro soaks. My skin is very pale with freckles so maybe that's why it's breaking done.

When I got in the dressing room, I broke down. (Nobody was around)  I just want to get done.  

Sense of humor, yes I usually have that too.  Just not today.

Shachar -  thanks so much for your caring thoughts. I am still debating really really hard whether or not to go ahead with rads, I am also as stride said just entirely sick of everything relating to cancer...the tests, dr appts, bloodwork, chemo, side effects...the whole nine yards and not so sure I can take much more right now. Just plain can not make up my mind.

Stride - Welcome. I haven't been on this thread too long myself but have been on others since my dx in june, and there really are a lot of awesome caring and informed ladies on these boards.  Hope you decide to visit more often.  And LOVE the 'Joy of Cooking' comment sounds vry much like my own sense of humour.

fgm - hope the skin heels up for you quick so you can just get done!

Shachar- the story about the elderly woman falling and no one with her struck a chord in my heart. I do think anyone elderly would welcome the help if it were available. I do a lot of my care alone, but am 52 and able to get around pretty well during this whole thing. I think if I were elderly, I would sure want someone there to keep me steady if nothing else. She could have broken a hip or worse. We really never do know anyone's situation. I have seen a number of older women in the breast surgeon's office or radiation treatment center without anyone there. I suspect there are far more women who go through it alone than we realize.

Stride-welcome to the group and glad you are lurking to gather info. I think observing before you join is a great idea! I hope your treatments go well. 

I am now about 10 days since my final internal rad treatment on the left side. My week back last week was up and down with my energy. Cannot figure out if it was from being away/not sleeping well, the reaction of the body to the catheters in and then removed, or the rad itself. Probably all of it. I know they say internal rad does not have the side effects of external including fatigue, but I do feel some fatigue. Will help me to know how to better expect things when I go back in Feb for Part 2.

Ok, time to get started, been following this thread for awhile, thanks for all the great info...going tomorrow for mapping, practice run on Friday, and the real deal starts on Monday. Kinda nervous, but I like hearing this is easy than chemo...finished that up 3 weeks ago.

Thanks! Cypher!! Nuked! Lol