Winter 2013-2014 Rads

Peaches, I bought a wig that is very close to what my hair style was before chemo, though the color is a little redder than my "natural" color. Everybody loves it! In fact people thought I had just colored my hair! When they found out it was a wig they said I should go with that color if my hair came back white.  I'm lucky, I look much younger than my age and already I think the white ages me.  I look like my dad at age 80!

8 of 30 rads today. Noticing some pink developing.

Good luck, Mimi.  The anticipation is worse than the treatment. I finished 16 today, 9 to go.   You'll do fine.  Just keep that cream on. 

A good hair color has so much to do with your skin color. I am a true "winter"  person, best in black / white/grays.  My hair was black growing up, started going gray in my 20s and looked frosted for about 10 years and then I colored it brown.  I have skin that looks tan year round and very light eyes.  The brown hair did absolutely nothing for me.  I'm a "winter" and the silver hair makes me light up, not look old. Here I am after chemo and going through radiation and people tell me they have never seen me look so good!   Got to be the hair!  Fair skin I can see white hair making one look older.   I love my wig and still intend to wear it a lot after my hair grows in all the way; short just over the ears with bangs, very sleek.  In fact I can comb it with my hands. The hair I always wanted to have!!

msmaples516--we will have something to celebrate together.  I too will be finished next week (on Feb 4) and can't wait.  Leaving on a trip the next day.

I am grateful for the information this group gives.  I never would have thought of asking to see the picture of the field taken during the simulation.  I asked my techs today and they showed me and drew the field on my chest as well.  Really surprised at how large the area is, but since it goes up under the underarm, that explains the redness there.  On the other hand, it really catches the ribs and part of the lung, too.  Already have asthma.  Has anyone reported breathing problems from rads?

Peaches, thanks for the good wishes.  I'm so ready to started.  Since all the gals here have saidbthevstart goes well I'm not afraid.  The end may be another thing.  But everyone seems to heal eventually.  It also seems like most people get some creams or lubes from the  doctor.  Guess I can ask about that Wednesday.  Hope everyone is warm on these very cold Midwest days.

I guess I will stay on this board even though I won't start till mid February.  I saw all my doc's on January 16th and got the scan and tattoos done the same day.  My Oncotype score came in at 17 so the MO said I didn't need chemo.  RO says I am the perfect candidate for the one week partial breast radiation they offer at Mass General.  I am a bit worried that getting it all in 4 and a half days (9 sessions) will lead to more side effects but I really need to get this done and over with so I can go back to earning a living.  I am a self employed consultant so if I don't work I don't earn.  This is my second cancer.  I had throat cancer almost three years ago and went through chemo-radiation.  I got the maximum amount of radiation with chemo at the same time.  I got very sick and it took me about 4 months to recover.  All the docs and nurses say this will be so much easier than what I went through before.  I start on February 18th and will get the last treatment on Feb 24th.  Since I live in Upstate NY the short treatment time will mean only one week away from home.  I am so ready to get this done and over with. 

bondsy, I don't get the eyelash thing.Talk about a delayed reaction....my last chemo was Nov. 4th and I started losing my eyelashes a couple of weeks ago. I didn't lose any during chemo.

Everyone is talking about loobing the radiated area, don't forget to air it out.  Especially underneath. I found laying on my good side & letting my bc side hang in that direction helped to air out underneath where it was moist & rashy. Airing out helped me more than the lube.  I finished my rads Jan 3rd.

Mimi- my RO didn't give me any creams, but the nurse went over a 2 page list of instructions for skin care with a list of various creams.  I did a lot of research online and on this site about each of them before deciding what seemed to work the best for others.  The really important thing is to keep the area lubed at all times, 3-5 times a day.  My daily rad is at 11:30 so I put nothing on in the morning before the treatment (4 hour rule), but then faithfully cream 5 times a day beginning in the dressing room about a minute after the treatment.  It's worked for me.  16 rads and no skin irritation or burning at all.  No matter what happens these last 9 days I know I'll get through it and you will, too!  (Of course if I do have a problem the last week RO will prescribe or give me something stronger for healing.) 

Mimi, Definitely let us know how the Wick Em works because the reviews I've read are middle of the road.  I think I'll try wearing a fitted cotton tank under my bra until such time that the bra is too uncomfortable to wear. I also have a lot of cotton fabric in my quilting stash that I can use for a liner as well.

70s Charger, I found laying on my side after I've lubed works well too.

Junipergirl, Glad to here things are starting to return to normal. Something I look forward to!

TeamKim, SlowDeepBreaths, Holeinone, etc, Good to know I'm not the only one who's losing eyebrows and eyelashes 6-8 weeks after chemo ended.  I thought I had yet another "not typical" experience.

Started my radiation yesterday.  Being in the prone position isn't as bad as I thought it might be.  I am wearing a wrist brace to prevent my hand from falling asleep.  I have severe arthritis in my shoulders, neck and hands, so the brace helps while I'm getting the radiation.  My team has been extremely kind and helpful.  I was surprised at the number of ladies going through radiation treatment.  This makes me very aware of how much breast cancer is being detected these days.  Scary!!

Hi all...just finished my 19th rad today...Have 14 to go....Breast a bit red, not really sore, maybe a bit sensitive...Also skin is dry...Using my Udderly Smooth Cream which works really well.

Remember some of us were talking about how we should be breathing when we get rad, one of us said that she heard that if you have big boobs they can get in the way of rads...Talked to my RO yesterday...Said as far as breathing goes, just breath normally...No deep breaths, or holding breaths...As far as having big boobs in the way of rads, he had no answer to that....Even got to look at my field pics...My rad goes no where near the heart, thank God, and only a very small part of lung, which of course will scar....There is no way to avoid the lung...It all depends upon where the cancer is located in the breast....

I also see some of you talking about creams to use and such, also talking about being moist under the breast...A good solution to that is corn starch...Don't use baby powder, it clumps to much...Corn starch won't...Hope that helps someone, although I think most of us know about using corn starch...Hope all of you are doing well...Take care, and bless you all

hello fellow radiants.  just finished zap #2.  they had to add another 2 fields..up to 10 now.  not too bad.  i'm using My Girls cream with calendula.  less expensive than Miaderma.  wearing lymphadema sleeve and glove during rad tx and during day.  sending good  vibes to all.

Hi, I'm new here but I know TeamKim from another thread. I just got the news today, oncotype 28, so no chemo just rads and tamoxifen. Chemo only decreased the chance of recurrence by 2.5% so I'm good with that.

I started tamoxifen tonight and start rads in 2-3 wks. I have read a few pages of this thread and I am confused. My RO said under no circumstances was I to use any creams, lotions or oils during the process, not even aloe! You all seem to use something, so I don't get it.

So do you have to shower or wipe everything off before going to radiation?  Or do you assume what was on there before the 4 hour cut-off has soaked in?