just dont want to

same here jabal... tho i have not done surgery yet, still in chemo...

but i am with you... you are not alone

I don't want to jinx myself, but did want to let you guys know that so far at least (today will be treatment 17/30) it really hasn't been that bad at all .... my skin is holding up well (barely even a little pink) and now that I am finally over the bronchitis I had last week, the fatigue seems to be nowhere near as bad as I thought it was a few days ago.

I think that people who are having problems tend to post a lot more frequently as the rest of us don't have much to say, but I did want to reassure you guys that it really isn't all that bad!

I, too, finished radiation over a year ago; left breast, shoulder, collarbone, neck and underarm.  Other than getting really red- and itchy skin (not unlike a bad sunburn), I suffered no ill effects.  I was hiking 5 miles, 3- to 4 times a week before I was finished treatment and, within a month after finishing, I was, also, cycling 30- to 40 kilometres a week.  My skin healed quickly, but  I do notice that it is, now, sensitive and doesn't like perfumed beauty products.  I have experienced no problems with my heart or problems breathing, and am, currently ('cause it's cold and icky out), putting in 20-25 miles a week on my elliptical machine.

I would, also, like to point out that - after having 7 anxillary nodes removed AND radiation to the underarm - I have not had any issues with lymphadema.  Strangely, my mother - who had only 5 nodes removed and no radiation - is having problems.  Go figure.

Tomorrow I will be one third of the way done with my rads treatment (12 of 36 treatments). Simulation was not a problem and I was looking forward to getting started, thus finished. My first day of the treatment caught me by surprise, emotionally. Suddenly I felt overwhelmed! I was quite weepy, so unlike me up to this point. I focused on relaxing my muscles, tried some slow deep breaths, and got through it. The techs - they were great - were very understanding and told me it was not unusual for people to feel that way. Things have improved each day as I go in. I bring in my own music and visualize calming scenes in my mind.....the beach......garden areas........water falls. My body feels like it is melting into the table.....I'm really starting to relax! So I offer my experience of relaxation techniques to help you through.



Oh! I place a cloth over my eyes so I can better place myself in my quiet area without the distraction of the room lights.

I will be starting rads soon as well, I had my simulation and go back for the final marks on the 28th. I hear to drink plenty of water, take vitamin D and keep getting enough exercise. I bought pure Aloe Vera and plan on getting some other products I have read about. The thought of going there every day for 5 weeks is tiring enough, but it could be alot worse. Having the advice here is worth so much to me and I appreciate it!

Hello! Been up since 4:30, can't stop thinking about upcoming radiation treatment. Thanks to Annette47 for pointing out that most people who post are those having issues, so we newcomers can get a skewed view. We can all hope that our experience will be relatively easy!

And Js621d, thanks for some great ideas. The rad techs at my orientation appt did say I could bring an ipod but I had forgotten. I like the idea of a cloth over the eyes too. I can imagine that would have helped during the CT scan. And if I am feeling very anxious during treatment, I will remember the relaxation techniques.

Gemini4, thanks to you for describing the machine. Good to know in advance that it won't be exactly like the CT scanner they used for my simulation. The CT didn't make any noise except like a loud fan. It's funny, I closed my eyes too during the CT scan, worrying about damage to my eyes. Silly. I'm sure if there were any risk there they would tell you, and probably also give you something to protect your eyes.

This coming Monday is the big day, I was doing fine up until now, but fear has set in. I am being treated on my left, so I am concernced about my heart, as well as my lungs. I keep being reassured all will be ok, I feel like I have done everything to be healthier and prepare mentally and physically for radiation, just to end up with heart or lung complications would be just terrible!

May I ask a question?  I have not started rads yet, (this month).  How long are you actually on the table?  How long does one treatment take? minutes? any info helpful.

I finished radiation 7/3/12.  Im fair skinned so I thought I would burn bad...but didnt!  I also didnt bother buying any creams or gels.  The rad onc provided all that stuff.  It was pretty easy.  I was on the table for a total of 10-15 minutes.  Easy peasy!

Hi y'all,

I'm a little over a year since rads and can tell you that it's not nearly as scary as you think.  My RO and the techs made sure I understood each step of the process from the simulation to the actual treatments.

My treatments took about 20 minutes from the time I walked to the back.  First thing I did was change into a gown, then into the treatment room to get settled in place on the table.  The techs checking the marking and then the actual "zapping as I call it" was about 20 seconds, then the machine moved above for about 8 seconds, then moved again to zap for about 15 seconds for the first 28 treatments.  My center does x-rays on Tuesdays but they are done while getting treatment so no extra time there.  My boosts (7) only took about 10 seconds. 

My skin help up very well.  I used cornstarch under my breast and arm per instructions since I couldn't use deoderant. I did get a little peeling and itching at about treatment 24 of 36 but I was given Radiagel at the beginning and used it after my treatment and at bedtime.  Then after the peeling I was told I could add Cetaphil lotion.  The worst thing was not being able to really scratch good when the peeling started.  Now that I'm all healed I told my RO that sometimes I scratch just because I can, lol.

On the day of my final treatment my brother came up from the coast (185 miles away) so he could help celebrate the end of my treatments.  My DH bought a cowbell, painted it pink, painted my name and the date of my last treatment and had it ready when I came out front.  I rang that bell so loud that I think my other family and friends that live on the coast heard it as well! 

A plus is that I have no hair or sweating under my left arm so I'm saving money on deoderant, lol.  I am just so blessed that I didn't have to have chemo and that I have a wonderful medical team.

My advice is always to ask questions and don't be afraid to tell them that you feel anxious because they want you to be comfortable and to understand every step of your treatment plan.

God bless y'all,

LaDonna

I just started radiation treatment last Thursday. I have had my first 2 of 33 total. My actual radiation sessions were absolutely no big deal. 5-6 minutes tops on the table itself during the process. I was a bit nervous before, but now I don't even give it a second thought after discovering how uneventful they really are (so far). Of course I've had only 2, so no side effects at all yet. And that may change from what I've heard, so we'll see how I feel in another month. Hopefully it'll remain no big deal! The simulation session, done the day before I started actual treatments, took longer because they were measuring and double-checking my tattoos to make sure the plan they'd created was good to go. I got two more tattoos at that session, so I have five now. They are so tiny I literally cannot see them, and really would need a magnifying glass to find them. But the techs know exactly where to look, and exactly where to find them. The simulation session took about 30 minutes total, and I had to lie very still during maybe 20 minutes of that time with my arms over my head, so of course, my hands started to go to sleep. That was the worst of it. Certainly something you can get through. My MRI months ago when this whole journey started was worse because I had to lay perfectly still face down for 45 minutes! I was afraid to even breathe for that one! So by comparison, 20 minutes isn't so bad. Other parts of the radiation simulation session were spent arranging me on the table and making sure I was comfortable with head and knee support. But once you have an actual treatment, it is way less time. I am in that perfectly still position for maybe 5 or 6 minutes max while the machine rotates around my chest and does it's thing. I hear four buzzing sounds, so I assume thats when the beams are being aimed. It literally takes me far longer to just change clothes (to put on their gown) than it does to go through the treatment. If it was summer and I didn't have to deal with a coat, and all the layers that I'm wearing because of the cold weather, I'd be in and out of there in 10-15 minutes, from the time I enter the building until the time I'm walking back to my car. A zip hoodie and front closure bra would shave off tons of prep time! I'm wearing the genie bras that were recommended by my RO, from Walmart, they are inexpensive, far less than a regular bra. If I could find a zip front, I'd be delighted. Hauling my genie bra over my head or pulling it up from my feet is a pain....it doesn't have a front or back closure...it's just a pull-on. And that whole process adds time, so I'm going to look for a front zip model. And I'm using a cream called miaderm, recommended by my RO. It was developed by Radiation oncologists for radiation patients. I had to order it online and it is pricey, but supposedly worth every penny. We'll see. So hope this helps with some of the anxiety you are feeling, it really has been fine. But again, no side effects yet bc I'm so early into it.

I had 33 rads treatments (25 whole breast, 8 boosts) to my left breast, and six months later I have no signs at all of any heart or lung damage.  My RO was very diligent about mapping my treatment and showed me all the scans, and also had me do a deep breath holding technique that pushed my heart completely out of the radiation field.  The only lingering effects are a slight soreness under my breast after a long day wearing a bra, and a tiny bit of "tan" left under my arm.  Each treatment only took about 10 minutes, mainly because of the breath holding.  from the time I arrived at the treatment center to the time I left again was usually around 30 minutes.

It sure is good to hear these encouraging things. I am easing back into writing (theatre reviews) after chemo and finding it hard to concentrate. Hard to keep thoughts of upcoming treatment out of my head, but good to have the job to focus on. I can't wait to have the first treatment over with so the fear of the unknown will be gone.

The techs at my simulation were also wonderful. I do wish I knew how often I will be able to see the RO to ask questions. I will be thinking of my sisters here who are going through the same thing. Thanks for being here. </p>

April,

I have been on Femara (letrozole) since January 20, 2012 so it's been a little over a year.  The on side effects I've had are thinning hair and hot flashes.  Not too severe.  And if I sit or stand long, I have little aches and pains that go away when I move around. 

I guess I'll be on this at least another 4 years but at least I don't have breast cancer, lol.  I was taking my pill at night but realized that it was keeping me awake so now I take it in the morning. 

I'm so glad that my posts help relieve some of your stress.  I'm sure you'll do fine and your treatments will be done before you know it.  It'll be your turn to ring that bell!

BTW, I'm seeing my MO and RO every 4 months and will continue for a bit.  I know I'll see them both forever but perhaps I'll "graduate" to longer times between visits, lol.

Take care,

LaDonna