Spring 2014 Rads

Hello everyone. I've been away from the thread for awhile. I am at 19/27 and I also have that itchy red rash-like effect. Hydrocortisone helps some and I use  calendula during the day and aquafore before bed- I figure the petroleum jelly-like consistency may help with the exposure to the warm a.m. shower. I also remember someone suggesting epsom salt compresses. Was that for itchiness or soreness. I'm guessing soreness but thought I'd ask.

Congratulations for everyone who has finished. I've enjoyed reading about your end of radiation experiences.

Amazon--I used Benedryl crème for itching and hydrocortisone also, but the pharmacist told me the hydrocortisone was more for inflammation--so you could use both, I know I did.  I also used aloe.  If it is really hard to keep from tearing at your skin,ask the RO for a script for 2.5% hydrocortisone lotion.  That would knock it out for sure.

Aussielover--your treatment similar to mine only larger mass---I only started with 7 stickers and by the lst week, I was down to 3.  Finally I caved and got a tattoo in the middle.  I didn't have any lines at all.  Did they give you tats also? 

Chickclick---I had a horrible 2 1/2 weeks post rads.  It was worse than all the other rads put together.  By end of week two post rads, my skin was still open and they ordered me special crème from a compounding pharmacy.  Now my skin is closed, but I am peeling where it wasn't opened and still spotted....Itches really bad on the upper part of my chest still.

Chickclic, you did chemo---so I doubt you ever took them off!  I don't know why it itches the most when I am in the shower.  I feel like a snake trying to wiggle out of my old skin....

All: When do you usually take your Tamoxifen? Morning or evening, with food or without?

Are there any dietary or supplement restrictions that your DR recommended?

Are you also on a daily dose of baby Aspirin? If so how often? Every day or every other day?

How do you manage any SE?

Anyone here who is also on the Summer Rads board… are you able to read or post today?  I'm not able to get past the first page for some reason, and for total posts to the topic it shows "0".   Strange??

Amazon, I take the tamoxifen in the morning before work.  I take it with all my other vitamins.  The only side effects I can report are hot flashes (but I've been having these since chemo), achy muscles and joints, and sleeplessness.  The not being sleepy is nothing new to me as well.  I heard that taking a magnesium supplement helps with the aches.  I also read on the tamoxifen thread that some ladies are drinking cherry juice which is a natural anti inflammatory,  they also,said there were sleep benefits.   Neither seems to be working for me, but it's only been a few days.

Only 3 more targeted rads to go!!!  Breast is already looking a tad better, though my nipple is killing me!  Can't believe my breast will ever look normal again!  Not looking forward to Tamoxifen!  Those of you who have started already, did your periods stop?  I'm still quite regular at 51.  

Thank you ladies for the Tamoxifen info. 

I am feeling that I am finally turning a corner with this nasty cold as I don't seem to cough my lungs out any more even though I still stuffed up and having quite a bit of mucous.

I am 1 week PFR and my radiated skin is itchy, turning blotchy in red-purple colour with brown freckles, has a grainy leathery feel and is painful in certain spots especially under my armpit.

Has anybody experienced similar?

Here is my update regarding hair growth after 10 weeks PFC. I never knew before that my hair was growing in a swirl like a spinning galaxy. 

Wow, Amazon, that looks painful. Tomorrow will be one week since rads. It is sore to move, but no open sores or anything. My DD saw it last night and immediately cut a piece of aloe and put it on. I really didn't expect any change, but when I reached up to get my meds a few minutes later, there was no pain when I stretched- for the first time since surgery. My legs are sore, but I have been doing a lot of walking the past few days. Hope everyone is well.

Anne

Two more overall, and 5 boosts. I was given mepilex lite for nipple and couple of small open areas. 

Girls, ask for help, talk to doctor, nurse, technician. Do not hesitate. 

hi redheaded, everyone is different but my experience with anastrozole has been ok so far. I started it two weeks before rads, took it through rads and experienced only some stiffness after sitting at my office desk for a long time. The stiffness got better after I completed rads. I am taking glucosamine w chondroitine but plan to stop it after I finish the bottle and see whether it makes any difference.  So far so good.

I had no underarm pain from rads until yesterday #27/31 (boost)  Today was the same.  Actually a bit painful putting my arm up for rads.  Didn't expect that.  It has never hurt before.  Why now?  My breast also is beginning to change shape.  Up until this point, it appeared normally. Sure I had two scars, but they were the same shape.  Now my surgery scar is indenting and looking, as my surgeon warned me, like a shark bite.  

Gosh, I just want this to be over!  Tomorrow is #30/31 and my second infusion of Herceptin.   Should be an exhausting day with work in the morning (field trip with my class), rads and infusion in the afternoon.  Want this behind me soooooooo much!

Redheaded1 -  No they don't do tats here.  Just plenty of stickers.  I have them starting on my left breast and all around it, two on each side of my stomach, then then whole field around my right breast - the one that is being treated.  One even on my left arm that fell off after first week but they never put that one back on.  they get so gummy and moved around with all the lotions and gels I put on -- they touch them up every few days.

I'm into my third week with severe itching and brown splotches. Fairly red/tan as well in the whole area.  Dr. looked at it yesterday and said I would probably start peeling next week.  She gave me pads to place on area - Mepilex - yesterday that seemed to help at night.   Shooting pains radiating through out breast which she also said was a common side effect.

motherorone--gosh, I don't know about being even---my RO looked at me in the consultation and she  told me one side is bigger.  I didn't even ask which one, my left foot is bigger, when they measured my arms at lympho-demon clinic the left one was slightly bigger, etc.  So, if I am even, it will be because of my missing piece and shrinkage..LOL    One of gals who got her treatments when I did had the same nipple thing going on.   Mine just looks like a prune sometimes.... Ih aven't really peeled either, although I did shed a little bit off my incision scar--so it looks much better.

I hear yo about that damn sticker in the middle.  I ended up with one tattoo there the last week.

I couldn't wait to face the shower and I pulled those stickers off in the dressing room. Wish I'd thought to stick them on the "inspiration" board we had our dressing room. We got to write things on the "wall"  We have  walked thru the fire and survived.  I prayed the entire time I was on the table--and I took a Xanax an hour before each treatment after the lst panic attack.  They didn't know I had them. 

Did your PS elaborate on his comment about rads being a gift that keeps giving?  

Good grief---you think the change will be permanent?  I am a little bigger but I thought it was swelling and it would go down.  Guess I'll try and remember to ask when I see my Ro on the 18th.   They were oversized to begin with......