Summer 2013 Rads

Waitingfor the next step....I hate to sound stupid but prone position? I know this means laying downl. How else would you get it?

Hi ChicagoJane,

This is my morning paper as well. It is really nice to be able to come somewhere to discuss what is going on. My DH is kinda stressed since this whole thing started, so I try to limit what I complain about. I also sometimes just feel like a whiner when I am complaining to my family about this symptom or that.



On the up side though I am very happy with the radiation center I go to. I was wondering if everyone's center is like this. All radiation patients receive a ton of extra services to try to make the experience as easy as possible. For free I can attend weekly yoga (not really my thing though), I can get weekly reiki sessions (not really into this either), but I also get 2 free massages (gonna do this for sure.) We also get the use of a private locked parking lot so we never have to circle the hospital for a parking space. Is this how it is everywhere? I feel kind of spoiled.

Hey Summer Gals!

For you, and all who join you throughout the season, here's some helpful info on the main Breastcancer.org site on Radiation Therapy, including types of radiation therapy, what to expect, and how to manage side effects. You may also find it helpful to read the Spring 2013 Radiation thread, for more tips and tricks from others who've been there!

Hope this helps!

--Your Mods

Starynights - I think prone means lying on your belly. Your breast hangs through a hole. There is suppsed to be less possibilty of damage to lungs and especially heart if you are being treated in your left breast.



I asked my ro and while my center offers it, they only offer it for those who are being radiated on the left side, to smokers, and to women w/ very large breasts, since the folds of skin can get very irritated. She asked me if I was worried about my lungs - well yes!



I am going to try to get into a 3 week clinical trial - boosts given at the same time as rads. If I don' t get in, I think I will push for the prone position.

Hi all, yesterday was 10/35 for me. No skin problems yet, but I do have some sensitivity at my lumpectomy and snb sites. I was told by the rad nurse that the radiation treatments tend to stir up the old surgical sites.



I am having 7 weeks of rads because I had a very close surgical margin of 2mm next to the skin. The last week will be boost.



Hope everyone has a nice holiday weekend!

Heart, your center sounds great.. how nice to have all those little perks.. any small things to make this easier.  I haven't been offered anything and I'm going to Dana Farber.. you'd think we had all these little goodies lol.

8/30 down and I am glad for the 3 day weekend.. it's so nice not having to go into a hospital.  I had a little itching, but other than that, no other issues! I'm still stathering the Aquaphor on about 3 times a day.

Lin43. 1/4 of the way AND we'll be in double digits shortly  

Welcome Flatpikr and anybody else I may have missed!!

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences.  I still have a couple of weeks to wait, but it's nice to be prepared by reading what everyone else is going through.  It's a good thing, I guess, that I had to delay the start of my rads because I'm really not completely healed up yet from the oncoplasty.  My nipples are still scabs and a couple of the incisions are still slightly crusty (TMI, sorry...) so I probably would've had to wait another week or two even if I weren't going away. 

Anyway, going for the CT and mapping/planning on Thursday and then get to go out of town for a week before I start on the next leg of this journey.  I think I really need it based on what the last 2 months have been like!

Met with my RO and I have completed my simulation, CatScan and received my complimentary Tattoo's.  They also gave my appointment schedule and it sucks.  I start my treatments on June 4th.

The first week I have late afternoon appointments--love. The rest of the appointments are at 1:45pm-this sucks.  I am planning to work through the treatments and trying to get anywhere over lunch will be trying. If the afternoons become impossible I may have to reconsider working.

I was told I could use  TOM's roll-on deordorant.

Read all the side effects that are potentially possible and I am mentally planning that there will be none...We'll see how that works later.

My best to you all and a special thanks to all that have served our country.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE enjoy your Memorial Day!

Hi everyone, I think I'm starting my rads on June 17th. I go this week to get "set up" and drawn on. I've been reading your comments about the different oils to minimize any burning. I looked up emu oil on amazon.com. There are a million different kinds, can anyone recommend a specific brands that works? I bought my tom's and my doctor told me i can't use a straight razor on that side. I had never heard of that? I bought an electric razor for that side (with his permission, it's summer I'm not NOT shaving). Is there any other stuff I should get in advance, I won't get the list from the doctor til thursday. I'm trying to be proactive It makes me less nervous about rads. I am not viable for the prone position because of where it was and my lymph node involvement. You guys gave me some great questions to ask, so if there's anything else, i'd appreciate it! Thanks!

Robin

"Hi!" to everyone who just joined.

Robin3- My RO told me not to buy anything. They will give me everything I need except soap and deodorant. I am currently using Aloevesta which is pretty light and absorbs really well. There were a couple of soaps on my list. I tried out the Pears but I thought it smelled mediciny so I am now using Dove unscented. Tom's Deodorant was also on the list. I bought the Peach solid. So far it is working fine but it is not really hot yet here in the Northeast. The list also said to use an electric razor. I just can't do this though. I don't think electric razors shave close enough and I just can't stand razor stubble. So I have been using my regular razor and so far so good. I do already have a slight burn, but it is not in my armpit, so I will continue to use the regular razor for as long as I can.

Good Luck to everyone just starting radiation. I hope your journey goes smoothly.

Hi Michele2013,

I don't have a cough currently but my radiation nurse practicioner did say it could happen. My problem right now is that I am really sore, and am having some fatigue issues.

Michele2013,

The soreness is just like after the lumpectomy. Sometimes just as bad. If anything touches that breast it hurts. Even my arm brushing it hurts. Right now I am wearing cotton sports bras and they hurt. Putting them on is painful, but it is even painful taking them off when the pressure releases. I was told that the radiation can really stir back up the surgery site and it seems to be doing just that. My RO said the soreness should get better once radiation is done. I am also having shooting pains throughout the breast and into the armpit. Unfortunately these shooting pains may be forever. Both my RO and radiation nurse practitioner say sometimes the shooting pains get better or go away, but a lot of times they will always happen. I guess between the two types of pain I am having right now that is the best outcome. The shooting pains are occassional (a couple of times a day), but the soreness is always there now.

Not to be too technically gross but after some types of lumpectomy and all mastectomies the nerves are indeed cut and it causes a lot of pain. For some it is worse than for others.



The nerves do grow back slowly, about a quarter inch per month (sorry for being such a science nerd- it is what I do). And the pain from the cut ends slowly subsides through a process called "axonal dieback".



I am not sure if this is comforting in any way, but it is what it is. Good that it is temporary.



My sharp searing pain from the mastectomy nerves took about two months to get over- just in time for the exchange surgery. The TE was pressing on them everytime I leaned forward, so I had this great way of picking things up off the floor by lowering straight down, bending knees until my fingers could touch the ground. Glad to be done with THAT!



Hang in there!!!! It will get better.

Heart~~I had a mx in October. The shooting pain are indeed the nerves regenerating and goes away pretty quickly. I didn't have any other mx pain other than the arit where 16 nodes were removed.



Hope you pain goes really quickly.



Blessings

Paula

Welcome to everyone new.  I know that I learned a bit scanning the spring radiation thread before signing on here, and I continue to learn something every day. Thanks sciencegal for educating us on the nerve pain issues.

I have 9 out of 30 treatments done and I am turning red on the top half of my chest--just a little pink below and on my side and underarm area.. I feel heat throughout. I get bolus every time so my RO says my side effects will   probably show up sooner. I try to keep telling myself that this radiation will make sure every last nasty cell is destroyed. But I kind of wish I could hibernate the next two months and come out the other side feeling good and with my skin intact. Sigh.... 

My emu oil is AEA Certified. I don't think the brand makes a difference. I have Clearly Emu and I like the feel of it on my skin, but I don't really expect it to prevent a "burn". I also have all the usual products...aloe, calendula, miaderm, aquafor (at night--what a greasy mess, huh?!) etc. These may help ease the soreness anyway. 

Idesim--Tomorrow we will be 1/3 of the way done! Yay!!! I have to say I am disappointed that I already have skin problems, though, and that burning feeling. Now my goal is to keep the side effects from getting too bad. It would be hard to have to break treatment and return. 

Heart--Sorry to hear about your pain. I hope the inflammation calms down for you. I am jealous of your center. I go to MD Anderson in AZ and I had acupuncture after my Hereptin infusion today but we don't get any extra goodies for radiation. 

Gentle hugs to all,

Linda 9/30