Fall 2013 Rads
Comments
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Completed 20/33 on Friday. Going in tomorrow (yes, Sunday), because the staff is off Thursday & Friday for Thanksgiving. Works for me. I'm excited to have 4 days off in a row. Once I go back the following week, I'll have 4 more regular sessions then 5 boosts. I'm beginning to see the light at the end of this tunnel.
I'm extremely itchy in spots and think I may have a small blister. Not sure. I finally got a sample of the silver..... stuff and that seems to ease my skin a lot more than the other stuff. But I'm only allowed to use it on non-treatment days, which I don't entirely understand. I have no right to complain about anything, as there are so many that have been or are going through way more difficult treatments and side effects. I know we can all do this.
I've changed my ringtone on my phone to "Radiate"......just sayin' ;-) -
rhcp- thats interesting that they are doing weekend because of the holiday schedule. I am kind of itchy too all of a sudden- I am always itchy but said hey wait a minute that skin is fragile slow down
As far as the silvadene or those type products I have heard it said that silver can "interfere" with radiation but I can't find any literature to support that. My place did say no zinc oxide at all though. -
bounce I am so glad my picture gave you a good mini-vacation- it works for me every time too. I hope everyone living in the the areas around texas and the southeast are warm and safe from the storms I am reading about.
Will put a picture of a fountain up- where I was sitting having a gingerbread latte before having my hair done today- anything to keep up normal life and small pleasures.
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I've read quite a bit on several sites about Silvadene. My plastic surgeon prescribed it for me because she said it would be more helpful than Aquaphor. My breast was already red and inflamed due to lumpectomy, breast reduction, and post surgical infection. So, my skin treatment has been Silvadene only. After 13 treatments, the skin is somewhat red, but I'm not sure if that's all due to the radiation because of the infection. (The sutures opened and the wound had healed from the inside out, leaving a very sore and thick scar.) Anyway, at this point, the blisters and oozing haven't started and the skin is moist. My concern is the silver in Silvadene. I'm applying it 3 times a day, but not within 3 hours of treatment. Does anyone else use the Silvadene during radiation? Has anyone heard of it causing a negative reaction? -
ketofan- when you say your skin is moist do you mean that in a positive way? I am asking because moist desquamation is a different story.
I am thinking your PS prescribed the silvadene because you had an infection and its an antimicrobial versus purely to keep the skin moisturized during your treatment. Aloe vera and others don't have any antimicrobial property. The side effects associated with Silvadene can include redness and skin rash as well as some more severe issues that would show up in your bloodwork.
When in doubt I would let them know how much you are using how often as radiation treatment is not exactly the same as treating burns. -
Wyo,
Loved the picture of Hawaii! Had a wonderful trip booked there for my 25th anniversary and breast cancer got in the way. Had surgery the day before we were supposed to leave. It has been on my bucket list for years and we were finally able to do it. But now, the thought of rebooking scares me to death. Bad mojo. Hopefully, time will heal those wounds.
To all those dealing with the nasty side effects of rads, know that others are praying for you.
I am three weeks out and when my RO said healing would be fast, I rolled my eyes. But he was right. I feel like a different person! I treated myself to new makeup and skinny jeans this weekend!
Blessings to all this week! Many are thinking of you! We have much to be thankful for! -
TanyaF,
I had a prone simulation and markers on the 20th and was supposed to start rads on Monday. But they called Friday and said going prone is not going to take care of the nodes. I have to go back Monday and do sims all over again on my back with an IV this time. I suppose I will get markers on the front to match the back. Connect the dots, anyone? I'm disappointed that this puts more organs in the line of fire, and I won't start rads until the Monday after black Friday. I will also have 30 treatments. On the bright side, I can manhandle the turkey without extra concerns about Thanksgiving.
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Teachers- I hope you do re-schedule your trip to Hawaii- I had never been there til a few years ago and just love it- any Island/all Islands somehow the minute you land your cares are put aside and you can actually relax. I am jealous of your new skinny jeans- I am really trying to watch my diet scared of the stories about tamoxifen and weight gain.
NoTime- once you have your simulation and CT ask to see the pictures and CT scan with the field of radiation. My RO showed me both and the way they are able to direct the beam my heart is not in the field and only a tiny portion of my lung and avoids my sternum. It stinks that they did the planning then have to re-do it but you want those nodes to get the full zap and if prone won't allow for the right field I guess it will be supine. You must be having a big turkey if you have to manhandle it! -
My RO gave me silvadene for under my arm were it was really bad. Very sore and draining. They said just dont put it on in the morning before rads. But I was done with getting that area treated. Just the 5 boost to go. It has worked great for me. But they said to only put it on were it was open skin. It was a mess to use plus did a number to my cloths. Also went topless as much as I could to let air get to it. But I can move my arm with out to much pain.
Did I mention MONDAY IS MY LAST ONE. Hope I can make it there. We just got 5 inches of new snow plus more today and tomorrow. I think if I have to I will find some snow shoes and walk if I have to. Got to love the mountains!
Hope you all have a great Sunday. Lots of gentle hugs.
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Do Radiation they told me - Its easy - they told me - carry on working - they told me.
I'm 15 of 25 done (integrated simultaneous boost) and I am so tired I can hardly function.
My body feels like I am 88 years old and my mind feels like I am 2!
My RO told me happily that only 5% of my lung is getting radiation. I am going to smack in 5% of his skull and see how the rest of his brain likes that!
Don't worry ladies - I am just letting off some steam.
I am happy with my RO because he says I can shave - seeing as that area is not getting rads. How funny is it that being allowed to shave one armpit could make me so happy.
I am 60% done. I have 2 weeks and 1 day to go - if my skin holds up I will consider myself one of the lucky radiant ladies and be very grateful.
Hugs to all. -
LOLOL! Bounce yer killin' me! You gave me my first laugh of the morning! Those RO's, so booksmart but at the same time, so clueless! I have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving... this board! Thank you Radiants! -
I have had 4 Rad treatments, 29 to go (makes for a happy holiday season). I am trying to stay positive. I'm sore on the inside, and glad to hear other ladies mention it also. Try and tell a male doc about every felling your having seems almost a waste of time. I'm trying to get to much done now before to many more treatments and Christmas but I'm already tired. I fell so bad for what some of the ladies have posted they are going through. I've had a lumpectomy , 2 weeks later had to have a drain put in because of fluid build up. That was almost as bad as the surgery, I'm sorer from that as I was from the surgery. Now I think I've got scar tissue thats sore. I don't even know which Doc to see for any of it the surgeon or radiation doc, both would probley say its normal. I find I hold alot in and don't share much except with God who knows it all anyway, but it is nice to read about you all and express myself a little on here. From the day your diagnosed which for me was Sep 9 until today nothing is normal until we get past all of this stuff. I still can't believe its happing to me and to all of you. God Bless -
Gilbert, so sorry you find yourself here but now that you are, you will find comfort and people who are facing the same as you are. Don't be afraid to post about anything, that includes your feelings and questions. Remember, the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. In the beginning, I felt alone, that is, until I found this site. It's been a godsend. No one really knows what you are going through except for others who have been through it or are going through it.
We all welcome you & God bless you.
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Hello all!
Went in today (Sunday) because of Thanksgiving also. No rads Thurs, Fri, Sat or Sun yay!
So today was no. 21 of 33 treatments and for the first time I felt pain. My ROs office is almost entirely female from my RO to the nurse, techs and office staff. So they all asked me how I was feeling and when I told them I had pain, they all were SO kind and concerned. I wanted you all to have the kind of caring I experienced today. They all told me they were so sorry and wanted me to feel better.
So I am having shooting pains that are internal in the area of my surgical incision. The techs said I was getting an internal sunburn. The nurse said the nerves in the area of the scar are regrowing, and unfortunately just as that's happening, I'm being zapped with rads. She said that this pain is common and normal, but it can continue for 5 to 6 months after treatment. However, it will get less intense and less frequent over time.
The RO said that there is inflammation so ibuprofen should help, plus gentle stretching exercises. She is giving me a referral to physical therapy, which is next door to the practice and specializes in breast cancer PT rehab.
I am ver happy with my RO and her office.
Hope everyone has a healing week, and Bounce, rest up!
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Welcome Gilbert, and any other newcomers. This is a wonderful place to share, vent, learn, commiserate, etc.
LisaP, so glad you have such a caring and understanding female staff at your office.
Bounce, so you finally got to see your RO? How did it go? Sorry you are feeling so crummy right now, but hope it soon passes.
Summergal, SO GLAD to hear that you are able to continue with your gated breathing and it seems to be going much smoother now! You are forging ground for those that come after you. That is a wonderful thing. Let us know how things are going.
Bluebird, thank you so much for posting your pix last week, it really helps put things in perspective. Hope your pain and suffering is getting better each day.
Only 3 more boosts to go for me! Just in time for Thanksgiving, if all goes well.
Happy weekend to all, and a nice short week ahead. -
Anyone still have port in while having rads? (Opposite side of course) -
A bit off topic, but last week someone on this board asked if anyone ever regretted doing lumpectomy followed by radiation.
I have to say I do not regret it, but I had the worst time making that decision originally. I had this constant conflict between my heart, or gut instinct, which told me I needed to do the BMX, but yet my logic, and science, said that was not true, that lx with radiation was at least the same, if not slightly better outcome as far as survival rate. I guess my gut instinct was saying, more aggressive surgery is better.
Anyway, I opted for BLX with radiation. After surgery, I second-guessed myself, and thought, well, I will probably get a recurrence, then I will have no choice but to do mx. So, why didn't I just do it instead? But, once I started radiation, I realized I had nothing to fear from it.
The other day I asked my RO what would happen if I ever needed radiation in the future, for example if I got a recurrence. (I had heard that meant automatic mastectomy, because you couldn't have more radiation later.) But he said that is not true anymore. He said if it ever happened, I should come talk to him, but that I could most likely have another lx and rads. I actually felt very relieved to hear it! I realize now that I am so happy with my decision for lx and rads, that I would prefer to do it again, instead of mx, if I am ever faced with that choice. I guess I surprised myself. And Radiation is really nothing to fear, at least in my case it has gone very well.
The choice is very difficult and a very personal one for each of us. But if anyone is second guessing their decision, sometimes time will help. You may surprise yourself with how your thinking can change down the road. Whatever decision each of us made was the right decision for us at the time, and we need not have regrets. Only think of moving forward with the rest of our treatment so we can kick cancer's but! -
LanaM: I had my port in the whole time during Rads. I got it removed about 6 weeks after I finished treatment.
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Hello sisters sorry for not being active on the forum just had alot going on.. well 3 more boosters and Im done. Bluebird its just crazy what youve been going thru. Ive been in alot of pain with my skin all black and red with burn marks and I thought I was bad till I saw the pic you posted atleast no bleeding for me.
My RO changed my Lipikar to this new spray that seems to help but not much with the pain. Im taking Arcoxia 90mg for the pain. My RO says I cant just take any pain killers as it could be that combination that gives me tightness to the chest. My asthma been acting up a bit feeling short of breath so Im on my inhalers and the fatigue is bad especially two hours aftrr radiation. I try to not wear a bra when im at home due to the soreness but asides from that its bearable. Before I know it I should be done.
The spray the Ro has prescribed me is called Dermagran. My RO says its best not to mix tooany rhings that way we know what is it thats not suiting our skin. One product at a times best thats what Id suggest for those just starting their treatment. Really using aquaphor alone has really helped me infact my RO said no aloe at all. He changed my soap to a bar soap with oats in it. So its not been as bad as what I had expected. Wishing all of you a good week ahead. Goodluck sisters. -
only two more to go. So close I can taste it! My skin is doing much better. I think the silvadine really made a difference. The area is more dry now because the silvadine isn't very moisturizing, but they told me once I switched to it, to apply it everywhere. It's so crazy how all the different docs give different advice. No one told me not to use silvadine on treatment days. I have peeled off a disgusting amount of dead skin and there is raw pink new skin peaking through. I still have several spots that like to bleed but the last few days have made such a difference, I don't feel hopeless anymore.
I feel so close, yet so far. I am halfway through this chemo plan and will be done with that by February. It doesn't seem as far away as it used to. Then I get a 6-8 month break before the recon process begins. Today seems a world away from diagnosis. But I'm thankful for today!
Bounce, you crack me up. I think our ROs must be from the same school.
Wishing everyone a peaceful week free from SEs. I hope there are many blessings to be thankful for this holiday for everyone. -
Lana - I still have my port in. Anyone who is Her2+ has to do a year of Herceptin which means the port will still be in during rads. My cancer is on the left side and my port is on the right side. My surgeon told me before putting it in that there is a port that is made without metal that can be put in on the cancer side if the opposite side doesn't work.
Bounce - LOL. Thanks for the laugh!
I'm wondering if anyone else has lost pigment from their nipple/areolar region? I finished my rads a few days ago and my skin has been peeling/sloughing ever since. The worst peeling is around my nipple area - the colored skin is coming off leaving white/red areas of skin. Even as some areas of skin are still coming off, a couple of the areas that came off earliest seem to be starting to heal leaving white patches behind which look funny on the normally dark areola. Is this happening to anyone else? I've tried googling it and I read that they can tattoo the area to artificially bring back the color ... but I'm wondering how common it is???
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kirklandgirl, that is exactly what happened to me. The breast that finished rads a few weeks ago has pretty much sloughed off all pigment and is mostly back to normal skin color, and the areola is just as pale as the rest of the skin. It is virtually nonexistent. Also, on the breast that is currently undergoing rads the skin has turned a dark chocolate brown, but the areola is very pale pinkish white, pretty much colorless. The areole regions were the first to slough off skin. And itch a lot! Although in my case I don't think I really had much color left if the areola anyway. I don't know why, but sometime over the past couple years it just seemed to get lighter, almost no color. This was before BC diagnosis. I don't plan to tattoo it back personally. -
wyo - thanks for the fountain picture - It is even better than Hawaii. Now that's a place to drink coffee.
Lav - good to hear you are almost done and hanging in there.
Wishing everyone an easy week. -
Kirkland girl I have d same problem with the pigmentation around the nipple area.
Its strange I had pain in d last week of d full radiation but the boosters pains are worst. Even after taking such a strong dose of painkiller still hurts. -
I finished 20 of 33 today, my upper chest is scally with small blisters and itches so bad. They are giving me my scar boosters now to give the rest of my skin a break. I thought I was going to fly right through this but it is more bothersome then the chemo was
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kirklandgirl, lav and L2girl, I had the same issue with my areola. I finished rads 5 1/2 weeks ago and have noted the color is starting to look normal so don't give up hope. My boosts were to the tumor bed directly behind my nipple so that area really took a hit. I kept moisturizing the area and that seemed to help.
Congrats to those of you who have finished or about to finish your rads. To those of you still being radiated, be strong and don't be afraid to let loose on this thread. We are here to hold you up.
(((Hugs))) -
Happy Monday morning! It's so good to hear from those who've finished rads - thank you for your encouragement!
Bluebird - how is your skin today? Any healing? I sure hope so. Hope the two-day break over the weekend gave you a boost (and not the rads kind!)
Bounce - You poor thing. Wish we could all just whisk ourselves away to the Island of the Amazons where there is unlimited sleep, rest and rainbows. Hang in there, brave one. It has to get better.
Ooh, Wyo - you live in a pretty place! Can we all come over for coffee?
L2grl! I always smile when I see my twin's posts. Thanks for the info on rads after rads. I, too, had been told that you couldn't do rads again on the same tissue. I'll ask my RO on doctor day this week if that holds for me, too.
LisaSP - Sounds like you hit the jackpot with the caring staff! I feel lucky in that regard, too. So wish that everyone could have RO techs and docs who actually care about the PERSON they're treating.
NoTime4This - Does your facility offer gated breathing? I'm doing that treatment and the whole point is to move the heart and lungs out of the way of the radiation field. Wouldn't hurt to ask your RO if you're a candidate for that method and/or if they do it at your hospital/center.
I went in on Sunday because of Thanksgiving, too, and that was fine. The staff had even brought in baked goods and treats for the patients who had to come in on the weekend! Ever since we re-did the breath hold level for my gated breathing things have been going really, really well. Yesterday I was in and out in 25 minutes. New record. Of course I'm a worrywort by nature, so I always have to balance a good thing with a concern - my new one is how much radiation I was exposed to during the past 3 CT scans this month. Will have to ask my RO about that. Then again, water under the bridge.
So, new topic, what's your favorite thing you're looking forward to on Thanksgiving? -
Anne11595....a little birdie (you!) said that today is your last treatment. I sure hope the weather cooperated and you were able to get your certificate of radiance today. Congratulations and happy healing to you and to all the gals and lads who are still in treatment.
Summergal, what a nice new topic with the holidays approaching! I am looking forward to the time off work. It has been a real struggle to balance my responsibilities at work and my health this year. I don't know how I did it, quite frankly except that I had the complete support and commitment of my husband. My husband and I are going to our favorite restaurant on Thanksgiving Day. We will not be with our children and grandchildren until Christmas, but that's OK because it's going to be one heck of a celebration this year.
Radiant ones......shine brightly on your loved ones who have supported you this year!!
Love, MsP -
Not in good shape today, but it's nice to read how everyone is doing and hear from the radiant ms.P.
Love you all and congrats to those finishing this week.
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Hi, Bluebird!
So sorry you are not well today, but somehow you found a way to shine on us! Please update us on how the weekend went and how your skin is doing? Is the pain and discomfort any better? When do you see your RO? So many questions, sorry!
MsP
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