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

There's nothing wrong with being a grandmother!!!!  I have one adorable 19 month old grandson.  Now I know, it's the reward we get for being a parent.  It's all the fun with none of the responsibilities!  Just you wait!

Finally starting rads tomorrow. I have had two simulations, bloodwork drawn twice, been photographed, interviewed, surveyed, and re-tattooed - all before this show gets started. I forgot to ask the critical questions - do I wear deodorant and lube up?



All of this pre work to participate in the accelerated trial - 3 weeks and finished! Have weekly monthly, quarterly and yearly follow up for two years. They will be taking plenty of pics during this time for the study. Hope it becomes standard of care in next few years.

NYCmom3, but RO said the fatigue usually takes 2-to-4 weeks to go away, but I imagine it is very individual, like the fatigue itself.

Shachar, I miss hiking on the weekends, although I probably would not be doing much in the winter anyway. But we'll get back into our activities eventually! Something to look forward to.

Hello to all,

                 I am going for my RT consult next week.  I have some questions you girls may know the answers;  the Cat Scan, is this a cat scan of the affected breast only?  

                  The tattoo;  what area gets tattooed?  Is the tattoo permanent?

                  Node radiation; I had a SNB done, 0/2 clean nodes.  Would I be getting radiated in the node area anyway?  Of course I know it is individual but I imagine many of our tx's are similar.

                  Thanks,  Blessed Day and no SE's.

Nycmom, my tired has let up a lot just starting boosts. I mainly hit a wall on fridays when I was also the most sore.

Schoolmom, I doubt I would have had the major peeling and raw areas with aloe force. Once I began using it, it seemed I healed faster than they could burn me! A bonus is that many of the ingredients are cancer fighters.

Waiting, the tats are supposed to be permanent but they are small specks, smaller than a freckle. I had seven: four in a line across my recon breast, one abive and below the breast, and one on my opposite side below the armpit area. They were black, turned to bluish grey, then light gray. I can only find 3 now in areas that didnt peel and one is on the nonrads side. If I didnt know where to look I wouldnt see them. I had a full body (negative) PET scan before rads. I do not think they would do your armpit with negative nodes? That would be a blessing because, for me, that was the worst.

Stride, hiking sounds nice! Yes, we will back to all of that soon.

Waiting, I think the Cat scan is your whole chest. They need images of your anatomy so they can figure out how to angle the radiation beams to avoid your heart and hit as little of your lung as possible.



The tattoos are permanent, tiny dots, so small they can be hard to see. Little pin pricks. I have one on each of my sides to make sure I am lined up on the table, and I think four others all on the radiated side.



Whether/which nodes really does seem to be highly individual, based on each person's pathology, the "behavior" of the cancer and maybe location of the original tumor? The radiation oncologist should be able to tell you what he/she thinks is the likelihood of local or regional recurrence in your case.

JenniferW - Congratulations!!!! WOO!

Herbal Aloe Force is an aloe gel my rads facility was doing a trial on. Halfway through I was really burned and went to buy the good stuff to see if I was getting it. I wasn't, lol. It is made by Herbal Answers, Inc and I have no affiliation with them.

6/8 done! Party Friday and you are all invited.

Sonson, I am sure you will be back at it soon! I can't wait to get this arm loosened back up and punching sounds like a good solution, haha

I think some people get sore throats from radiation in the clavicle area, but after one radiation treatment seems unlikely. More likely a cold? 

Won't let you use creams??? Meaning no moisturizer at all? For heaven's sakes, what is this clinical trial?

Jennifer-Congratulations!! Happy dance time! Have fun at your party and celebrate a new beginning!

Waitingfor-when my nurse was discussing moisturizing with me she said to imagine a box from the center of my chest, over my L breast, (my left arm is raised), not quite as high as my clavicle, and a little toward the back of my underarm.  It was a much larger area than I expected.  I guess that's why I've seen so many people posting about underarm peeling, etc.  She said to moisturize the whole area, but not within 3 hour of my rads and def. not with something thick like aquafor before rads.  I'm in a ct/rad machine which is supposed to be pretty precise which is also why I was surprised how much was actually getting radiated!

I had 12/31 today.  I'm kind of red, but it doesn't hurt.  I don't have any fatigue yet, yay! Hoping the weather they're calling for tomorrow skips us. All of this snow is getting old!!

Cider8

I fiished rads on 1/29.  This week the fog lifted.  I actually felt motivated to clean my house.  Good thing I have my energy back because there is 2ft of snow heading my way for Saturday.

Loafer- not sure if someone answered this. NO deoderant with aluminum. Tom's of Maine is what they recommend, but there are others out there.



NO Moisturizer or lotions??? Yikes! That sounds brutal! Not even aloe?



Good luck to you!! You'll be done in no time!!

Hello! I just started rads a week ago.  I have been very disappointed so far because I was told by many people that I may get a little tired but not until toward the end of treatment.  It took all of ONE treatment to kick my butt!  I hope it gets a little better soon!  I am also a tad pink and sensitive too in my radiated area.  ack!

Susancats,

Re: the stabbing pains: That's a resounding YES!!  They make me suck in my breath sometimes when it happens or I jump out of my seat.  I pretty much knew it was regenerating nerves, but RO confirmed it so.  It comes and goes, but it's normal.  Doesn't make it any less painful though, does it?  YEOWCH!

Jenn

Yes, I have those sharp stabbing pains as well. I wonder how long it takes for those nerves to reconnect? My surgery was 11/29. It's my day to see the RO, so I'll ask her.