Fall Rads 2014

Psalm: good to see you back here, hope your sim goes well.

a video of beautiful photos and an awesome message, An Interview with God. http://vimeo.com/8898059

PontiacPeggy - I had a lumpectomy, followed by 4 rounds of Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin and will continue with just Herceptin every 3 weeks until June.  Today, I just had my 3rd of 35 external beam rads. 

Thought I would look up the various side effects of whatever type of drug I'll be getting next.  I was diagnosed at the end of March so they took away my HRT (Premarin) which I took for 12 years to alleviate my severe hot flashes. So not only was I having hot flashes before the chemo started.....chemo also causes hot flashes and I've heard that the anti-cancer drugs you take for 5 years causes hot flashes - TRIPLE WHAMMY! - it's just irritating during the day but right now I wake up 4-5 times a night with my heart pounding, sweating, the bed feels like an oven....Can I have some cheese with this whine?????? 

Lucky me, I have a little bit of high blood pressure and someone told me to ask my cardiologist to switch my b/p med to Clonidine which is known to help alleviate hot flashes and it has really helped - I had been having more severe hot flashes before I switched my bp med.

I get my sim tomorrow,  tats too.  I thought I was going to get the sim last Monday but the center is getting a new ro and he had not started yet, so I am delayed a little.  I got ct scan and sharpie marks last Monday.   I got a flu shot from the chemo infusion nurses too.  they made the molded pillow for holding me still during treatment.  The sharpie marks are below my foobs where the bra band hits...one next to each drain hole scar and one in the middle.   They put tape over each sharpie mark to keep them from fading but one is falling off and taking the sharpie mark with it.  I want to get started already  so I can be done before thanksgiving. 

Interesting.  I have only my tats.  No sharpies marring the poor girl.  They did put tape of some sort on the incision for my first boost.  Assume they will do it for the remaining ones.  Why would they think that sharpies are permanent?  I'd be happy getting a couple more tattoos to avoid ink all over.

Blownaway, hope the Herceptin doesn't make you sick this time!  Can you take anything for it?  Did you get nauseous?  If so, why not try Dramamine?  They gave that to me before my lumpy.  It must have worked since I wasn't one bit sick from the anesthesia.  Just a thought

HomeMom, Poop!  You do want it done right and well, at least you'll have that thought to keep while growling about going into December.  Not a huge consolation, though, is it?

HomeMom, I stuffed but I'm sorely lacking in the shape department.  I would guess you probably should look for prostheses.  Can you find them inexpensively?  Are they heavy?  If they cost too much and/or weigh too much, how about wearing a padded bra or those things you stuff in your bra (which I use in a few of my bras when I wish to appear busty)?  I really don't know what challenges a mastectomy  presents so not much help.

HomeMom, no easy choices there.  From what you say, I'd be tempted to not deflate but that's your call, definitely not mine.  Damn.

Amy, your MO will prescribe generic Arimidex.  YOU ask your pharmacist for the Teva brand.  I went to Walgreen's and asked what manufacturer they used for Arimidex and they said Teva.  I replied Good and please make note on my record that that's the only one I want.  They did not have it in stock (not too surprising) and I should be able to pick it up this weekend.  Glad I ordered in advance (won't start until next Friday).

BTW, the RO said having that one boost out of order is fine

Jhodro- congrats on being done!!! Getting herceptin till April too, one more chance to celebrate when that is done.

Jenwith. Loving the hair in your pic!!!!

Homemom sorry starting rads is such a PIA for you!!

Missyjean I'm a NICU PA!! I hope your skin is holding up with the bolus

So I can officially say I am more than half way done with rads! My skin is ok so far even with the bolus. It's getting a little pink by where my bra is. My RO gave me a steroid cream to use from the first week of rads. Hopefully my skin holds up because I don't want to not wear a bra, there is no other way for me to wear my prosthesis. And I am more self conscious about my one missing boob than I am of my hairless head!!

Puffin, nothing like having too many things going on.  Glad you can get your kidney taken care of!

The story with using Teva:  There's nothing wrong with the other brands at all.  Some ladies have had issues with the fillers in some of them and Teva seems to use the most "neutral" fillers.  I've had issues with fillers in the past so thought I'd try to avoid them by using the Teva brand.  You might want to read the Arimidex group postings.  It's very informative. The wife of a high school classmate of mine has been on it for several years (don't know which brand) and has had no issues at all, which is very encouraging.  I just picked up my Rx - $21 for 3 months.  I'll start in one week.

Hooray!!!!  So glad you're done.  I finish next Thursday.  Now sit down and figure out what you are going to do with your free time!!!  HUGS!

That's great Jen . I have had 10 treatments so far I'm doing ok. I'm wondering if there is anyone on here that have implants ( before cancer) if so how did your implants do through radiation and did you have any shrinkage. As of now I don't have any symptoms maybe a little sensitivity. If I'm going to have any about how many treatments in will it be?

Wow! Peggy your almost done that's great.

Peggy,

I have to say I was happy to hear that your nipple is still sensitive after the lumpy.  I about 6 weeks out from surgery and my nipple is really the only spot that is still really sensitive and discolored.  I was beginning to think I was nuts.  It is nice to know someone else has this same issue.    

Good luck on the rest of your rads.

Peggy, that is me too!  I get really nervous every time the cat jumps into my lap.  I really hopes it gets better because wearing a bra is torture now, I can't imagine it after the SEs from radiation starts and unfortunately, I can't not wear a bra at work.  

congrats Jen!!!!!