Winter 2013-2014 Rads

Yes Holeinone:  I am unusual in that I am having rads following rx of dcis, however, rads are for the universal purpose of killing off stray cancer cells, and whether or not they are dcis or invasive, does not really matter.  Stray cancer cells can cause a recurrence regardless of their origin.  I only wish that dcis cells were safer in this case.  As there is concern that they were not all removed by mx, albeit unusual, they now present an equal risk.  Ugh 

Aeryno,

Whoop Whoop you did it lady

Happy day.  Done with 8/16 rads.  A friend has invited me to travel (fly) to Arizona (warm and sunny) to celebrate when I'm done and put it behind me.  Since this came up on the weekend I did not have a way to check with the RO.  But my 16th treatment should be Feb 19th, a Wednesday.  That would leave Thuraday and Friday if I need them.  No ody has mentioned boosts or any other thing.  I'll check with him or somebody there Monday. I don't usually see the RO until Wednesday.  the friend is a BC survivor and tuned in to any skin are problems I might develop.  none so far, but only half way.  Any thoughts on the travel plans?  There was only one seat on the plane left so I didn't want to give up the opportunity. No trouble with lymphodema with only one ode removed.

Thanks Ellenkc.  I assume I will be done on the day of 16th treatment since they did not mention anything else.  I want no surprises!  Snow is deep here, but I can get there even in a storm..  Thanks for encouragement from your experience.  .

Hi Mimi - I am 2 weeks post-rads.  I can finally wear a regular bra (with underwire) and although it may be a tad uncomfortable at times (minimal), it's all good    I started wearing the ol' bra about 1 week after rads - just as an indication as to the healing process. My breast is now an even tanned color - the blackish / brown areas I got from radiation are fading and I my itchies and scratchies seem to have disappeared as well.

I do feel the occasional "twinge" - but that could be the lumpectomy site healing and not necessarily the rads.  The nipple is still quite sensitive but all seems to be progressing well.

All that to say, I think you will be "clear and good" to travel.   But do remember that you can NOT expose that skin to the sun at all - especially as it is so soon after rads and it is probably too soon to apply suntan lotion to the radiated area (I am not a doctor, but that's just my two cents ).

Happy travels to you  

Congrats to all that have finished! bondsy thanks for letting me know that the yellowing isn't unusual.  I'm on my first weekend break from rads and it feels good to not have to break up the day with treatment.  

Anyone else doing the 4 wk. treatment?  Maybe they do it just for DCIS?  Maybe my onc is just a rebel. lol!   Med onc said no hormonal treatment for me due to risk of blood clots. Doesn't add a significant enough amount of risk protection for the side effects it can cause anyhow - I would pass on it even if I could take it. I just got off 17 years of estrogen replacement in December, after having a hysterectomy so that should be a big help in itself. 

RedReading if the machine is calibrated and adjusted correctly there shouldn't be enough scatter to cause any problems.  The beam is very focused and the amount and strength of the radiation that does scatter is insignificant (in theory anyway).  We can't protect ourselves from it. 

Junipergirl, I'll bet that break feels real good! Yes, I heard they've been doing the 4 wk.protocol in Europe and Canada for quite some while.  Things are slow to be accepted in the U.S.  Maybe because of all the litigation here.  Do you think your skin reacted just because of the higher dose?

Thanks Junipergirl.  Even before this BC episode I cover up in the sun.  I have a special rashguard jacket to prevent sunburn when wearing a swimsuit when swimming.  My dermatologist remarked what a great job I have done on that account.  I appreciate the word of caution! Just tonight some red bumps appeared where breasts meet at top.  Probably a sign of things to come, but in general I heal pretty fast.  My incisions healed quickly.  

Hi everyone....i'm due to start radiation tomorrow, i'm alittle scared, but hoping all goes well. I have 33 treatments ahead.

Tonya, nothing to be scared of tomorrow.  I get wrapped in lovely warm towels and bring music.  It only takes a few minutes with no pain.  So far I've no skin problems, but won't rule that out.  You are over the worst I think.  Good luck!

Saddlequeen - I had my implants placed Sept 2011.  And I'll be starting radiation Thursday.  They can't guarantee me that the rads will not destroy the skin around the implant or cause a contracture - but they're going to try their best and do only 50 gry and 5 weeks.  Part of that is to "hope" I don't have worse LE since ALND surgery took the Level 1 nodes and rads will be targeted to the Level 2 & level 3 nodes.  The RO did say that there will be scar tissue & probably fibrosis and the implant will probably "pull up" towards my collar bone.  I have 11 stretching exercises I'm supposed to do every day to help prevent that.  Most likely if the right side implant makes it through, I will have to have revisions to the left side to make it match again.  I do know my PS will not do any revisions to skin that has been radiated - other than remove an implant.

I owe all of you a long post since I ask my RO a ton of questions Thursday that someone might find useful.  Lots of things that were suggested here.  Then I went Friday for the mapping & simulation.  Tomorrow I have other docs all day so I'll try to post these answers by mid week before I start.

I have decided to have the radiation therapy and start on Feb. 20th ( I know, a Thursday...?).  Have five weeks and even though my radiation oncologist was prepared to do the condensed three week protocol, he preferred the five week.  For anyone having the three week protocol, do not worry, he stated that it was just as effective, but blah blah blah.  I have had so many difficult decisions to make that I asked him to make this one for me.  At first I thought, five weeks!  But really, what are two extra weeks in the course of a life time and although I have a 1.5 hour commute each way, I am off work and have my DH to drive me.  We also have a 4wheel drive for storms (live north of Winnipeg, MB).  My husband is a trained chef and I am a want-to-be, so we have decided that each day we commute to Wpg. we drop in the Italian markets to purchase superb ingredients for each dinner and "pretend" we are in Italy.  Guess  I will leave out the wine except for a weekend treat though.  We canceled our trip to Jamaica due to my dx.  Boo.  Just in case you think that I am having a pity party, YOU should try to get through a Manitoba winter and this one has broken all kinds of records for coldest. 

You ladies have already helped me so much by sharing your experiences. 

As I had a mx without reconstruction, the radiation is to my chest wall.  Others with this experience?  I have been warned that skin reaction could be more severe.  I will have a bolius (sp?) made of bees wax ( how cool) on my chest to fool the beams into thinking they have hit my skin at the bolius so that the exact right amount hits my skin and chest.  Most women have breast tissue to perform this function, but I will have to be thankful to the bees for helping me out. 

So very relieved to me amongst all you wonderful ladies who I know will carry me through this.  "Just like the bees"  xxxxxx

Congratulations to all who have finished their treatments. I go for my simulation on Tuesday (2/11). I have six weeks. My oncologist wants me to also take a bone density test. He wants me to take Arimidex after radiation for five years. Now I am only dealing with radiation-"One day at a time sweet Jesus," as an old friend of mine would say. Take care everyone.

Did anyone get tattoos for boosts?  I go for my boost sim today. I wound up getting 9 for whole breast because during the first sim they tatted me (3 down my spine and 1 under each underarm) and then later found out I had to be flipped on my back (heart was in the way on my stomach). So they tatted me again during the second sim (3 down the center of my chest and 1 under each underarm.  If they want to tattoo me again can I tell them no, just to mark the spot?  I can do a sponge bath for 5 days while getting the boosts if necessary. The little blue tattoos are really annoying to me!  Also, if they tattoo around my scar it will be noticeable when I wear a low cut top because my lump was so high up on my breast.

Checkers: I had 3 old tats from radiation two years ago. This time around they can use 2 of them. On the new 3rd, they gave me the option of either a new tattoo or them marking me and putting a see-through round sticker/bandaid on top of the marked X. Because it was close to something from another procedure (and this one is on my stomach, almost to my waist) I opted for the sticker. Hasn't bothered me at all. -- Ellen