Winter 2013-2014 Rads

The only thing I'm taking other than the prescribed drugs is Calcium with vitamin D. That's only because I am worried about my bones during all this. Never took it before but I feel I need to now. I always listen to my body's requirements and right now it says Calcium. Don't know how this might help. But it's what I'm doing. (*shoulder shrug*)

Yes, the exception is definitely when you cannot get the nutrients through food.  Hope things start to taste better soon.

Good Evening Ladies,

I'm really struggling this weekend with extreme fatigue and the chills - can't get warm. I'm sleepy ALL the time. I finished 19/31 on Friday and I don't really have any bad skin issues. I feel like I have the flu but know it's not the flu - if that makes any sense? It's nothing I've experienced before even during chemo. Moving from the couch to the bed is exhausting. Is this a common SE of rads?

Hi Slow Deep Breaths,

I hope you're feeling better.  I haven't yet had the fatigue, but know it's common and others here will probably come to tell you. Are you able to do a little exercise?  My RO nurse told me at the beginning that the best way to combat fatigue is to walk and/or exercise.  I know that's hard to do when feeling so tired. 

I HAVE had the chills, however.  They come and go.

I've been told that I may get tired in a couple of weeks, so maybe you're getting it all over with early.  Hope so. 

I'm not sure if I posted here before, but I definitely have been lurking and learning from all of you who are ahead of me.  Thank you!  I've completed 18/25 and am having the full combo plate of rads -- chest, supraclavicular, mammary nodes -- and am just starting to get red and have little bumps on my chest.  I saw my RO today, and she said something I realize I don't really understand, so I'm hoping one of you wise, experienced women can help me!

For all my zaps except to the supraclav area, a brass mesh is placed on my skin.  The techs said this is to keep the radiation close to my skin.  My RO said she'll meet with me next Monday, when I have 5 left, to discuss when to remove the mesh.  What I didn't understand is why we're removing the mesh.  She explained it very technically, then tried much more simplistically when I said I didn't understand all the big words.  As soon as I got in the car, I realized I didn't even understand the dumbed-down version.  Any ideas?

Re the SEs other are discussing, all I accomplish each day is a 4-mile walk (critical for my mental health but a time suck -- I'm MUCH slower than I used to be) and a trip to radiation.  I'm wiped out after lunch.  Also, I'm sore internally under my left arm/back area.  I don't know if this has anything to do with rads, or nerves waking up post-BMX.  (I'm still numb in that area.)

Re supplements, my RO is okay with Omega-3, but I stopped vitamin C and multivitamins on my own after asking Dr.Google.  I still take calcium, B6 (for chemo neuropathy) and iron.  

Thank you!

Fatigue is a very very common side effect although my RO denied it. By day 13 I stopped working. I just couldn't concentrate I was so exhausted. 

If you have ever had a bad sunburn, you will understand a little better. Sunburns come with fever, chills, stomach upset and often some diarrhea. That is what you have - a really bad sunburn on just one area of your body! And the sunburn goes inside too, just to make things worse. Inside you can get zingers, stationary pain and your nerves are still trying to repair themselves after surgery. 

It's no wonder you feel like heck! Some people seem to sail thru it but most don't. Cut yourselves some slack girls. You're doing fine. Sleep when you need to. You need to heal and the urge does finally subside.

{{{{huggles}}}

TB90 I think Dr. Oz is getting more into marketing products than dealing with health problems anymore.  

 Red that makes perfect sense.  Bad sunburns give you the chills.  

It's funny how they look at you like you're daft when you mention a side effect like chills.

 Mimi it looks like the infection is cleared now and there's no open parts, so I'll start using the Aquaphor.  I got improvement after I decided to use sterile saline solution before putting the Neosporin on.    Seems that's when it really started improving.  Wish I could use miaderm, but I don't understand why they fragrance products for sensitive skin.  It's scented too much.  At least Aquaphor has no fragrance.

I've read that too about some supplements, but the onc never mentioned it.

Hi Quirky Girl, I haven't had chemo, so our treatments haven't been the same, but I DO remember that very early on in my treatment (just finished day 33d of 33 today), I felt bogged down when I walked, as if a huge pressure was pushing me down and it was even hard to lift my legs to walk along out of the hospital (so this seemed to happen immediately after treatments).  I think I must have adjusted, because instead of getting worse, it happened less and less frequently, and I can't even say I'm tired today.  

I got my diploma today and we're going out to eat to celebrate!  Good luck to everyone going through this journey.  You WILL get through it and come out the other side.  My diploma reads, "Congratulations to you for outstanding bravery and courage throughout radiation treatment.  Good health from the staff."  So this is what we all are showing - bravery and courage in our treatment!  Good health to all of us!!

Oh dear - I have been cutting myself some slack since I started this 2nd journey with Chemo #1 - one year ago April.  Since I finished rads last week, does that mean I have to get back to cleaning the house regularly?   Darn. 

QuirkyGirl.  I did go into rads after a 30 day break from 2nd round of chemo.  I was really tired at first but seemed to get more energy as time went on.  I don't know if it was an SE from chemo gradually getting less or if I got accustomed to the rads - but I expect it was the chemo hanging on.

Quirkygirl - I took naps lots early on during rads.  I just felt sleepy after getting there, getting treatment, getting home, etc.  I can't help but think, too, that the anxiety I felt was exhausting.  As treatment went on the anxiety got less and so did the naps.  Maybe I was just sleeping better at night.  Keep posting about how it goes.  It's always interesting to hear from people and compare.  Medical science just doesn't keep track of this stuff well enough.

RedReding, congrats on being done!!!

Hi Everyone:

I started my rads on March 4, 2014 and have 13 treatments down, 17 to go.  I had my lumpectomy on Jan 17th and 9 lymphnodes removed,  Thankfully, all were clear as was the margins.  My skin is starting to look like it's sunburned and it very blotchy, itchy  and red. I'm using aloe gel without alcohol and a body lotion that is mostly coconut oil for moiturizing the skin.  Any other suggestions to make this more comfortable.  Clothing, even though loose, is irritating too.  thanks for your help

Mayanne - my RO said that I would get some 'spill over' to the esophagus while they were doing the super clav region & I might have trouble swallowing. That's the same darn beam that goes right through & hits your back too.

Chills & Fever - I finished rads a week ago on Wednesday 3/19.  Didn't get chills until yesterday - a week later.  Shaking in waves and can only stop by getting under an electric blanket w/2 long sleeve shirts, a sweater, a sweat shirt, etc. and the house heat turned up to 75.  Fever seems to be staying around 100.6 with aspirin.  I'm assuming this is rad SEs since I have had really bad sun burns like Red.  

I'm 15 weeks PFC with the 2nd chemo.  My BMX & recon were in 2011 and the only surgery I had in 2013 was an ALND 6 months ago that supposedly missed the implant capsule.  So I'm discounting both of those.  I am still taking Herceptin infusions.  Maybe that?  But it was a week ago too.

Any other thoughts?

Minus Two,

My discharge instructions say to call the RO nurse if I get fever over 100.  Have you spoken with yours?  Interesting about the fact that your RO mentioned the spill over ahead of time.  Sometimes I think they're afraid of the power of suggestion so hold back until we ask. I'm on first day free of treatment.  The nurse told me, as I'm sure yours did, too, that the radiation is still working so there could be redness peaking until 7 to 10 days later.  I hope you feel better soon!

My bolus is also a heavy gel and as it feels cool, I love when they put it on my burning chest! I finish tomorrow and none too soon as I am very red and itchy.  Not that sore though.  I get chilled in the evening, but no temperature.  The nurse placed a pad on my chest today and it feels much better tonight.  Very little fatigue and have worked out each day throughout rads.  But when I sleep, man do I sleep!  I may miss that SE.  After finishing tomorrow, I am right back at work on Friday.  A day to get organized and then a weekend.  Wished all my work weeks looked like that