Spring 2014 Rads

Pam- that is cool that your hubby wants to see everything. Never occurred to my husband. 

faerywings- I found I was tender and felt fuller initially too, that has gone now, but now I have tenderness under my arm.

Best of luck to you!

Notbuyingit - I am not sure if we get boost since we've had a mastectomy.

I have 5 down and 23 to go. Friday they did scans and that took a little longer.

Hi Pam,

I have just started my radiation therapy and had my third treatment yesterday.  I've heard it's unusual, but I am already a little pink, swollen and sore.  I do feel proactive about this part of my therapy, but it is already starting to feel draining.  I have decided to continue working(until 3:00) and I have a family.  Everyone is helping out at home but I think I'm still wrapping my head around the diagnosis in general.  Thanks for starting the thread.

Pam, that is so cool about your hubby. I want so desperately to see how things work, so one day I am going to have to ask the techs to show me. It is so hard to not turn my head to watch as everything moves around.

Andrea- I am so glad it is not just me that got less sore/swollen as the tx's went on. I know I have 2 1/2 more weeks, but I'll take every little bit of good news I can get.

Am I the only one doing a "compressed schedule,"  same total dose of rads but in 4 1/2 weeks rather than 6 1/2?

Not-- I just bought a rash guard from kohls. I live at my little local lake and love going down the shore in the summer. My RO said no sun exposure for 6 months, so between that and my PICC line I had to do something or I will go crazy this summer. Its a little dorky looking but who craes, right?

FW what's a rash guard? i had read somewhere that a coating of vaseline will keep the chlorine from getting in your skin...

flagirl do you know if your boosts are separate? this is my sixth week & they better get everything in cuz i am not coming back!

i have not really been itchy & not really that tired, so i have been lucky there. I try to go to bed early because i figure the more i rest the less i am irritating the area.

Happy Easter to you all!! here's to New Life - Cancer free!! We WILL do this

Hi Pam- I have had 6 treatments so far, and don't see any redness, but do feel sore and very, very tight. I saw a Dr on Thurs, an older man, (not my RO) and he said plain aloe works as well as anything they can give you, but it had to be pure aloe, specifically no alcohol in it. I have been to my grocery store, Walmart and Target and cannot find any. I am hoping my body adjusts to the treatments and I get used to the tightness,which I have had since surgery. My BS says it will go away in time, but will take awhile. The rads are making it worse right now. 

What is a rash guard?

Notbuyingit - rashguard is a swim shirt, often kids wear them because then you do not have to keep applying the sunscreen.

I had trouble finding pure aloe as well. I found a 98% aloe by Jason in the natural/organic department at the grocery store. It seems sticky to me.

Hi NBI- no I did not have reconstruction, and at this point, I don't think I will. My BS told me at our first meeting that he would not even discuss it till after chemo, surgery and rads. I think he left extra skin for reconstruction in case I want it. I really don't want more surgeries, and /or be tied to one location for months again. You described the tightness perfectly. I fell like I am wearing a bra that is way too small, and it has settled right on the scar line. I know most people don't have any reaction to the Rads until they are several weeks in, but I am feeling a lot of discomfort in my right chest area. I hope my body adjusts to the treatments as I get more comfortable with the process. 

Anneb1149 so sorry you having tightness and feeling uncomfortable. I only had a lumpectomy so I can't relate exactly, but I did and still do have tightness and a heaviness or fullness. Dr said typical from surgery and Rads. I hope you get relief soon. Good luck next week. I only take one week at a time. Hugs

I just have three boosts left. I have a lot of pain on my under arm still. Up until now I have had full range of motion, but since Friday night whenever I try and lift my arm it feels like flesh is tearing. It is bright red but no open wounds yet. I hope it improves or that I can see my RO tomorrow when I go for boost.

So sorry for everyone having discomfort during this procedure. My fullness in my breast eased towards end of Rads, if that helps .

Take care,

Andrea

Not- yes, not many regular store carry rash guards for women, mostly kids and then surf shops. And some are more "decorative" so you have to look for one that says it blocks UVA/UVB rays. There are some really cute ones with long sleeves but like I  said, long sleeves = PITA with my PICC. PacSun had some cute ones too. 

Aloe-- if you can't get a bottle of it, you can get the plant and open the leaves. Or you can usually find aloe leaves in the produce dept of your supermarket. HTH!

Hello!  Well, just finished 16/30 this morning!  Last week the oncologist told me my last 8 would be boost treatments where they will just treat the cavity where the cancer was versus my entire breast, underarm and collarbone area AND I won't have to hold my breath during treatments during Boost! 

Boost preparation was interesting - Oncologist came in and drew all over me, then CT, then the tech lays a plastic thing over your breast and draws the outline of where the Onc drew.  It will be more localized but I will say, I am a little nervous that all of the radiation will be so focused.  I'm doing pretty well - I am red, itchy and under my arm and down my side to the bottom of my breast is dark but it is manageable with the lotion and hydrocortizone lotion. 

Anyone else doing or having this boost treatment done?

Visit with my brother from Nashville was great - got to watch season premier of Game of Thrones with him and had family reunion with cousins, etc that was a lot of fun.

Hope you are all doing well - have missed you!

Donna

Hi Vintagegal,

YES, YES - I have been holding my breath since treatment #1!!!!! By the end of treatment, we will be Olympian swimmers!

Here is what I learned and this will help you A LOT:  I have to hold once for 30 seconds and the second treatment for 16 seconds.  VERY IMPORTANT - practice holding your breath EVERY MORNING - I did not do that the first week and it was so hard to do and so uncomfortable with my lungs burning, etc.  It seems like it should be easy, right?  The 16 second one is easy, the long one takes practice!  How long do you have to hold your breath for?  ALSO, don't take a break over the weekend, practice holding your breath then too.  I found that by Thursdays, I could hold my breath up to 45 seconds so the treatment became a breeze.  And believe it or not, every morning you START OVER.  Seems like for the first few times I make to 16 or 17; I do it on and off for about an hour and by the end of the hour, I am all set.

Also, the machines stops if your breath falls below the safety line; AND you do not wear the goggles during treatment.  The tech says "OK, when you are ready take a deep breath" - they tell you when to stop and hold it.

Any questions let me know, I am happy to help others for a change!

Donna

Thanks Donna! I didn't think anyone had read my post.

 Tech said 20-25 seconds & I have been practicing. Having gone twice already (without rads) has given me some idea. Yeah they told me about the machine stopping & no goggles...I told them I was bummed I couldn't wear the goggles again LOL

 Where did you have your treatments, I see you're in NH too??

Thanks again!