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

Week one is DONE.  5 down, 25 to go - so far, so good.   

How'd the other newbies make out?

Hahaha, "We need you to assume the Jenn diving swan position".

I am beginning to wonder why they haven't yet begun my boosts mapping? I have three regular treatments left. Woot woot!

My skin feels awesome except for dry and itchy. Last night I was able to use some regular Aveeno lotion and it was heaven! No greasy sticking to my shirt Aquophor and skin was so soft! In fact, I feel like I could begin wearing a bra again with normal people shirts instead of baggy t shirts. Maybe I will hold off on that a little while.

Congrats CV! I also have shoulder stiffness, feels more like it is from dry skin not wanting to stretch so I will start working it after rads. I also have with it some burning down the back of my upper arm...probably irritated nerves and muscles.

I move my implant around daily and so far no issues. I plan to continue that to avoid contracture. Everybody have a good weekend!

Hi Gals!



Getting ready to start rads in a week. I have been reading a lot about this topic and how gals are dealing with the burns, weeping by wearing a cami and lubing up. This seems like a great idea if you are going home: however, my question is what are working gals doing? I work in a business casual office and can't pull off the baggy tshirt look with sagging breasts. Thanks!

Thanks for the welcome and cami info Sonson.

Does someone have a brand name for the cami's they've bought that worked for them? Cami's for big breasted during radiation? I want to order some before I have to start.

I thought all the radiation treatments were targeted for breast cancer? Only the "boosts"? so confusing.

Is everyone getting radiation in the prone face down position? I was reading something about that being best. 

Is is possible to shower as normal?

I have 4 boosts to go.  Should be done on Thursday!!!

CVMarilyn-Congratulations on finishing!! I'll be starting Arimedex when I finish rads, too.  I started looking at that thread.Yikes! Seems like a lot of women have side effects.

5luvbug and Catlyn-Rads is easy compared to chemo.  As they say, "Everyone is different."  I never had the fatigue. Some people do.  I'll have 33 treatments and I did have to stop for 8 days between my regular treatment and the boosts because my breast was very red and sore but it took 26 treatments for it to get that way.

QueenKong-I'm large like you.  Here are some ideas that my RO and rad techs gave me.  My tumor was on the underside of my breast so it was hard to wear a bra but I had to when I went out of my house. I bought bra extensions that fit on the back of my regular bra.  I bought them at Joanne Fabrics.  I could use my regular bras. I wear a man's sleeveless t-shirt under my bra and a piece of cotton fabric under my breast. The fabric soaks up the sweat (very attractive )  I used Miaderm and Aquaphor.  A few days ago I stopped the Miaderm and used aloe, which is great. My RO also gave me Domboro which is a solution that I soak gauze in and place on my sore spots for 15 minutes twice a day....it feels wonderful.  Also, my RO gave me bandages that had a soothing chemical on it that I placed under my breast when I wore a bra....I didn't always use it, though. Last but not least, I would air out my boob as much as possible.  I don't have a ceiling fan so I would use the cool setting of my hair dryer or a small hand held fan.  Hope this helps.

Have a comfortable weekend everyone!!

I was really nervous about not wearing a bra to work too but it ended not being a problem.



I bought camisoles at Costco that are really soft and have a built in bra. They came in a package of white and black. I preferred wearing the black to work. I quickly determined that I was glad that I had radiation in the winter vs. summer. I wore bulky sweaters to work every day. I wasn't uncomfortable at all. As long as I was layered, it didn't bother me. Some outfits I threw on a scarf to hid myself better.



I wore a bra as long as I could but the day I peeled it off along with my skin I wasn't so concerned with not wearing a bra. Your body will tell you what you need and mentally you learn to go with it. I was very modest and now not so much...so many people have looked at me that I really don't notice it now.



Hope this helps!

Thanks Elimar and Cider! I guess I will not worry about no advanced mapping. They did a lot of xrays Monday and Tuesday last week so maybe they were getting ready.

Queenkong, all of the rads are for bc. I had a local recurrence just below my incision and the regular rads got rid of it all. I have had the benefit of watching them die off, so imagine what it does to those micro cells. The boosts are additional protection in areas most likely to have a recurrence: tumor site and incision scar.

I do not know if this is true for everyone or not, but thought I would pass it on for those peeling and raw. My raw peeled areas healed quickly and did not burn again. They are the lightest areas of the treatment field and do not hurt in the slightest. So maybe peeling isn't such a bad thing.

Welcome kwein - the first day was by far the hardest so far (I'm through my first week).   It took A LOT longer than the rest have, so don't panic if it seems to take forever.

Queenkong (love the name, btw) - I am actually doing my prone.   Kind of awkward as you lie on your belly with your boob hanging through a hole in the table (sort of like for a sterotactic biopsy, but without the compression), and the other one squished up out of the way.   Arms stretched up over your head.   Not the most comfortable position, but supposed to be much safer, so I'm good with it.

Good luck to you kwein0412. I am starting my radiation treatment this Wednesday, 1/30. I was supposed to begin Monday, 1/28 but wouldn't ya know due to other symptoms I was having I asked onc. dr. for an ultrasound and after that was sent to do a hysterosonogram and wouldn't ya know i Have a .8 cm suspicious little 'endometrial polyp' lurking in my uterus.  So another body part will have to be dealt with.....has anyone else had polyps or other issues pop up during BC treatment?

This week I'll reach my 1/2 way mark. I'm done with 15/33 -Three full weeks. The most frustrating thing for me is I've had bronchitis and trying to lay still with your arms over your head and NOT cough has been a challenge! Finally got some cough suppressant pills Tessa pearls from my MD.

I'm getting red, and the Rads Dr said it's normal.



My one boob looks pretty pissed off at me. Like a "purple nurple" but reddish. I keep using the Aquaphor. It's greasy & gooey, but is keeping my boob from drying out.



I counted while the actual radiation beam is going and it varies from 18-24 seconds. Is that normal? I thought it was the same dose each time??



Hope everyone else is having a good weekend - rest away from rads. Every day I drive up the hill is one day closer to the end of radiation.

love to you all! </p>

5luvbbugs, just saw your hair question. My final chemo was September 27 and my hair looks like your avitar, only now a bit more filled in. I was surprised in the shower when I washed my head and felt this sticky slimy stuff when I rubbed. Holy crap, wet hair feels weird! My husband just got his hair cut and I believe I have a bit more length than he does. Both my sons have more hair than I do by far, and one of them shaved his head in early Oct. for cancer awareness day. I think tamoxifen is holding me back. Is the hair youhave growing in the same as what left? Mine is different color, texture, etc.

I'm trying to post a photo of my hair 9 weeks & 5 days PFC. It's about an inch and a third long now. Also I included my eyebrows because they came back pretty quickly after 5 weeks PFC.

There will be hair in your future! I always liked seeing pics of the new hair on post-chemo patients so I hope this helps.

Hi all,

I just finished my chemo (Tax) on January 17, and had my picc line removed on the 21st after they gave me fluids and anti-nausea medication. I go for my mapping on February 4, 2013. I had my consultation already but was so nervous and scared that I do not remember much. The doctor came in the room and immediately said something about the size and grade of my tumor and my case being difficult. The nurse in the room kept trying to be positive and would counter some of his comments, needless to say I felt overwhelmed. My tumor was 6.5 cm but there was no spreading to my lymph nodes or chest wall. I cannot remember if he said they are going to radiate the chest wall or not or anything about angles. He did say they are going to do some lymph nodes in my underarm.



I have been very emotional since finishing my chemo and I am scared about the damage I keep reading about. I am a soccer player and my last three chemo treatments were very hard and my breathing already seems compromised. I went to the gym this past week and my heart rate was quite high without much work. So doing radiation seems scares the crap out of me.



I was so happy to find this website and blog. I cried seeing all of your posts and don't feel so alone.



Liz

Thank you so much cowpower!! I reread my post....gosh I cannot even spell!!!



My head looks like a fuzzy little melon and it is coming back in super white!!!! Considering I used to have dark brown hair with some white speckled throughout. My boyfriend told me not to bat my eyelids at him.....I found that hysterical since I have about 5 eyelashes left. So no batting my eyelashes at him.



I stood in front of my fan the other night and let the wind blow my hair back!! My boyfriend thinks I am a nut bar!! Then I used my baby brush and comb to part my fuzz!!



I do try and keep a healthy sense of humour!!



I am going to try and talk to my rad doctor again and get better informed.

CVmarilyn- I would think I'd start the Arimidex when I finish rads.  My MO wanted me to start it when I finished chemo but my RO wanted me to wait until I finished rads. Sometimes it's okay not to know what to expect...as they say, "Everyone is different."

Kwein, Daisymom, Energy and Villagegirl-welcome to this great site but so sorry you have to be here. (It's the club you never wanted to join....but the people here are so helpful.)  Basically with the simulation, you just lie there and the techs take films and maneuver you around.  They may tattoo you but it doesn't hurt. It takes longer than your actual treatment.  Energy- I am so impressed that you went to the gym so soon after chemo.  Taxotere was very hard on me, too.  But after 3 months I'm pretty much back to normal energy wise...rads didn't make me tired......although I don't play soccer and I'm in my 60s.

Susancats- you may want to try aloe along with the aquaphor.  It really helped me.

Allurbadday-Your hair looks great!! My last chemo was Oct. 22 and I have less hair than you.  Mine is coming back dark brown and maybe wavy...can't tell yet.  My eyelashes have returned thicker than before and so have my brows.  I had to shave my legs last week (there is good and bad )

QueenKong-Boosts are lot easier on your breast than regular treatments since they just radiate the area where the tumor was instead of the entire breast and, in my case, the underarm.  I used Dove for sensitive skin.  I would pat dry and use a hair dryer on cool to dry under my breast.

Cowpower-I hope you get good news about your son tomorrow.