Winter 2013-2014 Rads

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  • SallyS70
    SallyS70 Member Posts: 947
    edited February 2014

    RedReading, what a busy day you have.  Venting is good.  We are here to listen.  Since I am retired, I have no knowledge of workplace issues.  Whatever you decide to do, I hope it works out for you.

    FurFriend, I hope your nighttime hot flashes will settle down so that you can get quality sleep.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2014

    Red - hope to hear that you are able to take Fridays off!!!

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  • TeamKim
    TeamKim Member Posts: 568
    edited February 2014

    Red -- we all need the pity party once in awhile -- go ahead! (You bring the whine, we'll bring the cheese!  Haha!). I'll add my two cents to the take Friday off side of the question.  If you can do it, it might give you a chance to recoup.  Or, even better, take Wednesday off so that you get a break in the middle  of the week maybe.  

    jp & checkers -- Wooooo whooooo Pocket party!  Congratulations on being finished and kicking BC to the curb.  Glad to have you with us on the journey!

    I have three boosts left.... Can't wait to be finished.  My boob is hanging in there, she's getting a little battered looking -- all shades of red, pink, brown, even a little gray in spots.  The Silvadine cream seems to help.  Last night I put on 100% Aloe gel and let it dry, then Miaderm and let it soak in, then Aquaphor, nice and thick, then a thick layer of Silvadine in my problem areas (armpit and below the boob).  I put on an old cotton tshirt under my Jammie's.  I poked around in the cupboard and found some Ativan that I had left over from chemo, took one of those and two Motrin and went to bed -- first time I slept through the night in a week!

    Sweet dreams Radiants!  Let's all join Furfriend on that beach with the warm sun and the swaying palm tree!  

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2014

    checkers, congratulations on finishing! I can't wait to be where you are.

    MinusTwo, I'm on herceptin too. But the past two weeks my hair has been coming back like crazy, for the exception of the places I want it back - on my head. I will ask about the electric shaver tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion.

    SallyS70, I wouldn't mind the rads slowing down the underarm growth.

    Red, heck yeah! Give yourself a break and take Friday off if you can. You're body is going through so much right now. Take all the rest you can get.

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  • Jmfrankel
    Jmfrankel Member Posts: 86
    edited February 2014

    Could really go for some warm sun and swaying palm trees right now too.  So sick of the below zero temps.  I am always cold.  

    Red reading....take whatever you can off.  Right now I told my boss I am working from home because I can't risk being around the germ fest at work,  I told him I would put down sick time if I took a nap which I am doing quite often now.  I am on part time short term disability simply because my treatments are every day.

    Jp and  checkers congrats on finishing.  Today would have been my last day but my RO added two extra days since I missed 6 days in a row due to illness.  I guess I will be done Monday.  

    I have not had any underarm hair growth since chemo so I haven't needed to shave.  Haven't used deodorant either since my surgery in November which is amazing.  Not sure I can pull that off in the summer but so far so good...no sweat.  

    My son had his 8th b-day and we tried to make it as normal as possible.  Hard to believe how fast they grow up!

    Goodnight everyone. 

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  • ellenkc
    ellenkc Member Posts: 173
    edited February 2014

    Looks like Jmfrankel, TeamKim, and I finish on Monday. Anyone else? -- Ellen

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  • TeamKim
    TeamKim Member Posts: 568
    edited February 2014

    Yup Ellen -- planning the pocket party to end all!!

    I forgot who commented on underarm hair, but I meant to share-- I read somewhere that hair would not grown in the radiation field.  My underarm hair (and all the hair on my body) either fell out or went into hibernation since I started chemo.  Shortly after I started rads, underarm hair began to grow again.  It grew normally, and I have been shaving it, on my right side.  On my left (BC) side, my whole breast radiation field cut across my armpit.  Sure enough, within the radiation field, no hair has grown.  In the little bit of armpit above the radiation field, about a half inch has grown.  I haven't shaved it at all since my armpit skin has been irritated throughout rads.  So I guess radiation does keep those hair follicles shut down.  

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  • alfranco
    alfranco Member Posts: 200
    edited February 2014

    I should also be done Monday. Yay to all of us. 

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  • Lojo
    Lojo Member Posts: 303
    edited February 2014

    Hi all, quick update•• 7/28 rads done, so I guess that's a quarter of the way! Getting a little pink, and a little tired, but nothing significant. Biggest issue is my shoulder/arm and some axillary cording that's popped up -- quite a pain.

    Congrats to all finishing! I can't wait to ring that bell.

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  • SallyS70
    SallyS70 Member Posts: 947
    edited February 2014

    Lojo, sorry to hear you have cording pain.  I hope you will get some relief soon.  Maybe someone will be along soon to share how they handled the pain.

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  • annika12
    annika12 Member Posts: 433
    edited February 2014

    my full rads will be done Monday (25) but I still have 8 boosts to go:( . I'm doing breast, armpit and shoulder on my left so I'm glad to go to only 6 o'clock breast :/ 

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  • Furfriend2
    Furfriend2 Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2014

    Hi Lojo,

    I must say I share in your cording pain. Mine is right side & has gotten worse since Rads started & Tamox drug. Ugh, right?

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  • Furfriend2
    Furfriend2 Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2014

    Hey gals,

    Congrats to all finishing Rads- Team, Alfran,Annika, Ellen, JMfrank.... wow big group!!!!

    Awesome sauce!   All must do something nice for yourselves.SillyHearta little pampering.

    Fur

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2014

    Congratulations to everyone that finished rads this week. It must be such a relief!

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  • TeamKim
    TeamKim Member Posts: 568
    edited March 2014

    We all have one left on Monday - let's all wear lots of big pockets so all the Radiants can easily party hop!  

    Lojo & Fur -- I don't have any experience with the cording.... I am sure there are others who do, or even a thread here devoted to it.  

    I do, however, have one VERY red boob -- planning to work hard all weekend to slather on the aloe, Miaderm, Aquaphor, Silvadine, Emu oil, Domeboro, and anything else I can throw at it.  So far, no peeling.... But it seems inevitable.

    Happy weekend, Radiants!

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  • Lilyluv
    Lilyluv Member Posts: 160
    edited March 2014

    congratulations checkers and JP.   I finished today too.  The boosts were fast but the nurse told me that fatigue and skin reactions will get worse for about 10 days.  My skin did great so far.  The fatigue is bad though.  Yesterday and today I had to lay down after getting home.  Hot flashes are bad enough after having to give up my beloved estrogen.  I'm sitting here with sweat rolling down from under my breast.  Thankfully they won't let me take any of the hormonals.  Surprised with the way I started sweating the past few days.  Darn armpit sweating has come back again.  One nice side effect was no wet pits.  Never expected that so it was a pleasant surprise.  Red if you can see if you can reduce your work hours.  The fatigue gets worse.  Don't know how old the kids are, but if they are able, have them help with dinner prep or eat a lot of sandwiches and pizza.with all you're doing, you need to start planning how to cut corners before you get into the tired stage toward the end.    Didn't have to use skin products, but the nurse said to start now regularly.   Heck I have a pity party every day.  We deserve it. Lol.  Off to bed to celebrate my last day in my dreams.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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  • dfwmom70
    dfwmom70 Member Posts: 14
    edited March 2014

    25 of 30 complete.  Next is 5 boosts.  My thoughts: I'm surprised I'm not more red...unless it gets much worse.  I've only used Aquafor until last week when they gave me trial sized tubes of RadiaPlexRx for a rash/itch under my breast. Then I had to stop wearing my bra.  This is so much easier than chemo.  The biggest inconvenience is having to go everyday.  I am thankful it's only a 15 minute drive, then off to work.

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  • Lojo
    Lojo Member Posts: 303
    edited March 2014

    Hi furfriend,

    My RO really thought the cording was from the arm position during treatment and not the rads themselves as it started after the 2nd zap (and long long planning appointment). My MO took me off the tamoxifen for the duration of rads (I'd been on it in the interim between surgery and rads (when we were waiting in the Oncotype to see about chemo.) So, for me, I don't think it's tamoxifen related. Have you had a physical therapy appt? I have one this week as my doc said we need to stay on top of it so it doesn't get worse. :)

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  • Furfriend2
    Furfriend2 Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2014

    Hi Lojo,

    My MO took me off the tamoxifen for the duration of rads.  Me 2 Lojo!!!  I have 5 more weeks of radiation & my MO just said to stop for now.  So I should get the cording/rubberband feeling checked in your opinion?  Thank you for the good advise. I love this BCO site because of smart women like youWinkingThumbsUp

    On a happy note going antiquing with Mom today. Should be fun!

    Furfriend

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  • Lojo
    Lojo Member Posts: 303
    edited March 2014

    Furfriend,

    I would definitely get it checked out. My RO made an appt with the PTs at the lymphedema clinic since she said that even though it wasn't LE, those therapists have lots of experience with cording post breast surgery. Good luck! In the meantime I'm doing some gentle massage (self) under my armpit and overhead stretches. I'm on a similar schedule, and will be done with rads in late March.

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  • desalonde
    desalonde Member Posts: 41
    edited March 2014

    I finished last boost of Rads course yesterday after a 2 day delay caused by my fear of going to higher dose and the real distraction and priority on helping with arrangements for my son's care after he flipped his car on ice and sustained a fracture to T12 vertebra in his back. He is in so much pain but -thanks God- not paralyzed.

    Now that I have completed total dose 6640 as I was prescribed by my RO who was impatient and condescending throughout this grueling period, I am scared still of long term side effects most especially plexopathy which can cause arm and hand disability a decade out.

    I read about encouraging pilot study on trental ( pentoxyphylline) and vit A as a prevention strategy against fibrosis( which they think leads to late effects on lymph and nerves) and asked RO about it, showing him the literature I copied for this.

    He would not even look at it; lectured me that "all meds have side effects and I won't use it unless you have a problem" ( although literature says that after problem with fibrosis related late effects noted, it is difficult to impossible to make any difference). He said it's an off label use of that med and I won't prescribe it to you ( although he admitted he uses for other off label situations such as non healing open radiation related wound) and although docs are the only ones allowed legally to do off label use as done with many meds ( anticonvulsants are used for chronic pain for example). I feel so angry.

    I am happy the RT is behind me but hope that I am not haunted by side effects later. There is way too little attention given to this in research and in full information to patients .

    Sorry for the negativity. I really am trying to be positive now and look forward to starting the tamoxifen which I was advised to begin 2 weeks post RT. That med has way more risks than trental but I have no problem taking because the benefits I read about are unequivocal to me. I am choosing to take Tamoxifen first 2 yrs then Aromatase inhibitor(AI) last 3 yrs so I can delay the bone thinning impact expected by AI's..... been reading up on the options and the combo routines work as good or better for recurrence rates.

    By the way Sisters, using creams post rads.... read the labels... I was astonished how many include parabens including utterly smooth, carmex for extra dry skin,many others. READ the detail. Not everyone believes parabens are a risk but if I have an alternative will avoid that ingredient .

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  • TeamKim
    TeamKim Member Posts: 568
    edited March 2014

    congrats Lilyluv and Desalonde -- hop in and join the pocket party for the flock of us finishing Monday.  Heck, we may as well dance the weekend away, right?

    Interesting info you found, Desalonde.  I think the protocols are so set with rads that many times the Drs aren't willing to even look at anything new.  You can always talk it over with your PC Dr -- now that your rads are over, you have other Drs to turn to.  

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  • msmaples516
    msmaples516 Member Posts: 54
    edited March 2014

    I pushed myself out to the movies with hubby. It let me forget for a while and enjoy just being out.

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  • sbpop
    sbpop Member Posts: 20
    edited March 2014

    Hugs to all of you finishing rads on Monday!  On Monday I will be having 9th treatment out of 16. Had one day so far of fatigue, felt like I was moving in slow motion. 

    Has anyone heard from Red? Hoping she is able to take Fridays off. A nurse told me that if we don't rest when fatigued, the fatigue will only get worse. I continue to work during rads (need the $$). My employer is very understanding, but I have no vacation time left and don't get paid when I am not there. But I do like my job and it keeps my mind off of myself.

    I've been on AI  - FEMARA (Letrozole) for 4 weeks now which can also cause fatigue, along with other various SE's.  I feel like PMS sometimes, which is not possible since I am 62!  Hormones can wreak extreme havoc!!  I want a "havoc-less" (is that a word?) life so I am trying to be good to myself, breathe and stay peace-filled. Sometimes that is just not possible! Does anyone know if SE of hormone therapy go away? I would think so, otherwise you all may be visiting me in prison if I happen to kill somebody due to hormones! Do they  allow pocket parties in jail?   

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  • RedReading
    RedReading Member Posts: 2,143
    edited March 2014

    Sbp, I'd join in on a pocket party for you no matter where you are. Thanks for asking about me. I have been so very tired - I would call it an 8 on the 1-10 scale at this point. 

    I have finished 8 of 16+4. Kind of like hump day. I told my boss on Thursday that I wouldn't be able to continue to work every day now. So I will be taking Fridays off for the next few weeks. It's the best I can do for them and something I need to do for myself. I'm hanging up the cape, cool boots and kick ass outfit. Turns out I am not Super Woman after all. Lol.

    JM, Kim, MinusTwo, Fur and Sally,thanks for your encouraging words. And thanks to everyone who supported me through these last few days who are on the last page (can't flip or I lose my post). It made me feel better and gave me the courage to approach my boss.

    Congratulations to everyone graduating on Monday! Pocket hopping Pocket party!! I'll bring wine and I have a super band lined up for entertainment.!


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  • ellenkc
    ellenkc Member Posts: 173
    edited March 2014

    Anyone else have mixed feelings about finishing treatment? Tomorrow is my last radiation, which I expected to celebrate no end, following 6+  months of testing, surgery, chemo and radiation, plus 3+ months of caring for my husband in at-home hospice care. I pictured a tremendous feeling of release and relief.

    I still have that in part. But I also feel a bit ... well, bereft or let-down... as this marks the end of all treatments (triple negative, so no hormones) and the end of DOING something to fight cancer. Okay, there's diet and exercise, but there's also the 20% chance of recurrence (early stage, and TNC) in the next 3-5 years.

    Anyone with some wise words, or just plain similar experience, on these mixed feelings? -- Ellen

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  • SallyS70
    SallyS70 Member Posts: 947
    edited March 2014

    Ellen, I wish I had wise words.  I am having trouble adjusting to the end of treatment.  I think I don't feel "as checked on."  My anxiety level has been high.  Hopefully, someone will come along to advise us.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2014

    Has anyone gotten "sick" feeling from rads?  Especially if you've had rads before?

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited March 2014

    Red - SO glad you'll be taking Fridays off.  That will give you an extra nap in the morning & one in the afternoon!!.  Hope you'll use Fridays to treat yourself gently and NOT start doing all the other stuff that hangs around waiting for attention.  That stuff can wait awhile longer.

    Ellen - I don't have any wise words since I'm still in treatment.  But I do understand your mixed emotions & just wanted to send you a hug.

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  • sbpop
    sbpop Member Posts: 20
    edited March 2014

    For those of you who are finished with treatments and feeling kind of lost, I got a book on Amazon called "AFTER BREAST CANCER - A COMMON-SENSE GUIDE TO LIFE AFTER TREATMENT" by Hester Hill Schnipper, LICSW.  I have read a little of it and it appears to address the issues you talk about, Ellen and Sally.  The reviews were very good. I plan on reading it all.

    Woo-hoo, Red! Fridays off should help. You sound too tired for a pocket party, so how about we all jump in with soft words, lavendar candles, gentle hugs and a bottle of wine? We could bring a massage therapist if you like. :)

    I pray that all of you have a good week.

    Love, and God bless! ♥♥♥

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