Fall 2013 Rads

Wyo - at best, the studies cited on that page find "There was no significant difference in lymphoedema rates for fliers and non-fliers." Life is full of risks. Take reasonable precautions, of course, but no need to worry about every little thing   I've set foot on all 7 continents including Antarctica, & I'm not letting compression garments get in the way of doing it again (it'd be hell on such a long flight anyway!).

(I'm in the new Winter Rads group, but thought I'd also post this here since you are all more experienced than our new group and might have some helpful information:)

I had my CT/simulation yesterday, and it went very well. I'll start rads
on January 2nd. I was surprised to hear from the RO that I'll be having
both my lumpectomy site and my axillary lymph nodes radiated. I didn't
realize I'd have the nodes zapped. He said it's because I only had two
sentinal nodes biopsied and one had cancer cells, so he wants to
radiated the other nodes that weren't removed in case there is cancer in
them. Anyone else having their nodes radiated too? Will this increase
my chances of getting lymphedema or cause any fibrosis type issues?

Hi LisaSp - Sorry to hear you are still tired.

My family finally got together for my post rads celebration on Thursday night - almost 2 weeks since I finished.  We went to a lovely restaurant and although I didn't get plastered as I once threatened to do I did have a drink and an amazing dessert.  The greatest part was being together with my family and seeing how happy they were that this is all behind me (Tamoxifen still to come).  It was super to hear my kids say how happy they are to know I beat cancer.  They were both really affectionate and I had a wonderful evening.  I am not usually the party type but I really let myself enjoy the evening.

I kind of felt that it was a good thing for me psychologically to have a celebration.

So my mind is happy but my body hasn't quite caught up yet.

My skin is much better but I am still not able to keep my bra on for most of the day.  I still feel swollen and sore.  I am less tired but occasionally still get completely pooped out.  And my sore back just refuses to feel better!

I feel like I am trapped in a body forty years older than me!

I guess I just have to take things slowly and let my body heal at its own pace.

So LisaSp - all I can say is that you did chemo as well!  I am sure it will take more than a week to recover from the fatigue.  Don't push yourself too hard.  I worked really hard on Friday and today I was exhausted.  This coming week I am going to try and pace myself better.

I am also going back to drinking more veggie juice this coming week and see if that doesn't help a bit.

I am sure the young lady who works at the juice bar has missed me.  She used to ask me "Do you really like this stuff?" every time I arrived with my own parsley and coriander to add to the mixture!

Bounce ... I am 3 1/2 weeks post radiation and I think my sore back got worse before it started getting better. I still have some days when I wonder if it is getting better.  Then I remind myself that a couple weeks ago I was gritting my teeth and alternating Advil and Tylenol.  I talked to my MO and he said cut yourself some slack. If you have pain meds take some and remember however long your treatment took is the amount of time you should allow for a full recovery.  This is a very long road.  I also sneak in to a local physical therapist for a massage now and then. I think it helps. Get a referral from your MO if you need one.  They should give you anything you want right now if it makes your life a little easier.

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing this weekend.  We have 4 rads days this week and 4 next week, due to Christmas Day and New Year's Day.  I am scheduled to be completed with treatment on January 3rd and have appointments with my primary care physician and the MO during the beginning of January.  I am supposed to be beginning some type of treatment like Tamoxifen after the visit to the MO, I believe.  I have not seen the MO before now.

My skin seems to be holding up relatively well.  To be honest, I have not been overly concerned about it since Thursday.  At the radiation center on Thursday after my treatment, another patient bumped into me, causing me to fall.  I landed on my face and was unable to get up initially due to the impact.  My nose bled for quite some time.  So now, my nose and mouth area is swollen and has abrasions and bruising.  Nothing is broken, but quite sore.

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings.

I hope everyone is safe and warm and healing and resting.

Love and hugs

Hi Ladies,

Happy Holidays, Hope you all take this time and enjoy and relax until your next treatment! Today was day 2 of my radiation.. Not so bad, but both days they had a hard time finding one of my tats, that was a little annoying to me because that takes up more time then then the actual treatment. So today the tagged it with some strip to stay on even during showering until  it start loosing up and they change it. But they gave me a list of do's and don'ts and the creams, well all the creams I seen on here was not on my list. I was given Keri, Eucerin ( which this cream, the big bottle I seen Aluminum in it's ingredients but not on the smaller version of the cream. So I asked the dr today how can I use this and it has that in it, but not deodorant. She looked funny cause apparently she didn't know it had it in. When I showed her the lil cream I had of course that didn't show it in the ingredients, so I need to bring it to them on Thursday so they can see this). The other cream was Aquarphor. So my question have anyone used any of these creams, and if so how well did it work?

Thank KR13!! I got a small version of Aquarphor to try.. the Eucerin I didn't really like it. what aloe do you get or where do you get it from

I did not have any problems until 20..  Now read and blistered on neck and red on breast.  Using Aloe and burn cream

I am on # 24/30 later today.  Since about two weeks ago, my skin has been very purple/red angry looking color.  Earlier this week, I started developing pain in my underarm area.  My RO has me using the Baby Aquaphor ointment (It is a little thicker consistency than the regular one) as well as Aloe.  She gave me a prescription level Aloe sample called Regenecare HA to try.  (She has been wanting to prescribe a cream for me that is used by burn patients, but I am allergic to the components of it.)  She said that is it stronger than regular aloe and has lidocaine in it also.  My RO said that it is not covered by insurance usually and will cost about $30 for a tube.  Since I have only six treatments remaining, I am not sure about having her write a prescription for me, as I have not really noticed a difference since using the samples.  My skin is still a purple/red color, but the skin color itself is not what is bothersome.  People have described their skin issues as "sunburn" type pain, but it is not accurate in my situation.  The pain is definitely more internal.  (I have never in my life had a sunburn with internal pain, just more pain on the skin surface.)

Wanted to share this with those of you who asked about what lotions or potions we are currently using.  Hope everyone is having a good week so far.

Thanks McKatherine,my ro gave me off until Monday to give my skin a rest and then we have wednsday off too,Thank God! I've actually only have had 22 txs,how I got that wrong idk,I blame alot of things on chemo "brain",bad I  know.Proton radiation is supposed to be worse on skin than traditional rads but with less fatique (so far so good).I'm hoping it doesn't hit me a couple weeks after as I'll be returning to work after 6 months on disability for chemo and rads(I'm a pediatric nurse and fatique is out of the question).Hang in there all fellow troupers,I hope all our skin does too.Angela

I too had the extra sharpie circle during boosts.  That area definitely got redder during the 7 boosts.  However, the rest of my breast and node area began to look better within a week of ending regular treatments.  Almost 3 weeks out now, and the peeling is getting less and red has turned to dark tan.  Still dry and itchy but the internal pains that came along with rads have also lessened.  

just had my lump and lymph node removed. one question I am on medicare how do you come up with the cash for the 20% that medicare  doesn't pay. Radiation will start soon. I live by myself so am concerned with the tiredness.