Winter rads 2014-2015

Congrats to all who are done or near done!! You are inspirational to those of us in the middle of it. As of today I'm one third of the way done -- halfway there next Wednesday. Skin is pink and I'm not feeling more tired than usual on Friday afternoon after working all week. They are doing more CAT scans on me next week to prepare for boosts -- 4 I think after 16 regular. So nice to be able to cross off each day -- and yes -- I can hardly wait to be able to put on deodorant!

Happy Friday to everyone! I have finished 9 of 20 rads - so if I do my math right I am 45% done. I too can hardly wait to get back to deodorant. I want to tell the techs to not get too close but I'm sure they are so use to that. I was worried about not being able to shave but seems like the radiation is acting like No No on steroids - not a hair has sprouted since starting - so there is one plus of all this. Slightly red and a bit tired but still not too bad.

Have a great weekend ladies

Congrats mqt64!

Sjacobs146. Wow! When you make a commitment, you really keep it. The weather has certainly made it challenging in the northeast to keep appointments.

Nice to have updates and see that many people are moving along pretty well.

The deodorant issue is interesting to me because part of my Rads instructions before beginning was to switch to a formula without the aluminum (chlorhydrate?) component. I was given some options and told to look for the pink breast cancer ribbon on the product. I chose Crystal...a solid clear stick that I run under water before using. It has worked well and I'm still using it, though my rads were finished 8 days ago. I was very happy to use a razor after almost 7 weeks!

The boosts were hard on my surgical site and I was given Silvadene ( spelling?) and Telfa pads to use but had an immediate allergic burning reaction so I was given several samples of Miaderm, but told to go back to Aquaphor when the Miaderm runs out. I've used Aquaphor twice a day from Day 1 and I'm back on it. It is messy, but effective. My dark tan skin is beginning to slough off and each day I'm just a little less tender. Recheck with the RO the end of next week. I saw comments about gifts for the techs.....I have wanted to do something, my techs made treatment so easy and I did have a tiny bit of withdrawal from my 11:45 habit, but I was pretty sore and a little thankful for the recovery time!

Super news mqt64 enjoy you dinner and glass of wine!

I am loosing my voice woke up hoarse this morning.  It's weird I don't feel sick or anything just hoarse.  It seems I remember reading on here that one of you also lost your voice after radiation, I'm curious if it came back and what the doctor said about it?

dacre - Is it getting better?  What do the doctors say?

I have implants now and am trying to decide between a lumpectomy or a double MX (for symmetry). I am a candidate for a lumpectomy but am really scared of what radiation does to implants.....both immediately and later. Any thoughts on that?

mysunshine, I can't help you with that one, but have you tried any of the other threads to see what you can find there? Maybe look at the recon or implant thread. Good Luck!

I found out yesterday that I will not be getting any tattoos they just want me to keep the markings day to day.  I asked about putting aloe and such on the area and she said I really don't need to but if I do keep it away from the markings because it will wipe them off.  Well that would be nearly impossible since my breast looks like a road map.  The techs are really nice and even told me I could have as much wine as I wanted when I asked them about drinking a glass when we went out for dinner with friends.  I told her that was probably not the smartest thing she could have told me at this point in time and I did have 4 (restaurant servings size) glasses which is probably equivalent to 2 actual glasses. 

Beachbum102 - are you using any kind of lotion? If so has it affected your marks at all?

Hi Ladies, I am allowed to use 100% clear Aloe gel, Hydrocortisone cream, and Aquaphor. They seem to frown on anything else. I did get 4 tiny tattoos at the sim set up. Just another life time reminder of rads! They also make templates in case the marks rub off. I find it rather hilarious that they use Sharpie markers. I feel like a science project model. Just like a grade school volcano, but I do blow up some days!

Since I had a mastectomy, the chest area and scars are swelling, so not too attractive right now! The skin is pretty tight, and I have issues with shoulder mobility. Just when it was really good and back to normal from surgery. So back to the exercises. I thought the rads would be easier, not!

WheelyGirl, same here. I got one tiny tattoo at my simulation, but that's the only one I'm getting, as it turns out. My breast also looks like a roadmap! On my set-up day, the techs gave me a whole new, and more numerous, collection of marks and stickers, and yes, I'm supposed to apply moisturizer around the marks, being careful not to rub them off. I was told, though, that they would just give me new ones if that does happen. I will ask next week why only 1 tattoo, when some places do lots. I'm curious, too, and if I had my choice, I think I'd take the tattoos. I'm supposed to use Miaderm 2-3 times a day. It feels very nice on the skin, and isn't messy. I'm just going around all the road marks, and so far they have stayed on pretty well. I was all ready for the messy Aquaphor but I do like this stuff I'm using. I have not given up my glass (or two) of wine, but I'm doing my best to eat healthful foods and exercise; maybe that will cancel out the wine!

I've done 3 of 19, the last 4 to be boosts. So that's what, about one-sixth? No real effects of any kind yet that I can see, but I know it's early days. I asked about the boosts, if I should expect them to be harder on my skin than the regular ones, and I was told that it's really not that the boosts are stronger or harsher. It's the same amount of "grays" but just focused on a much smaller area. The explanation was that because the boosts are given at the end of treatment, that's usually the time when the maximum side effects would be kicking in, so it's that cumulative exposure that sometimes seems to make things worse, not really the boosts particularly. Not sure if I'm buying that, but that's what I was told.

I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend and three cheers for all of you courageous, strong women!

Cassiecat-That's exactly how I feel and if they make things a little easier I am all for it.

Agree that tattoos are no big deal - I'm 55 and have difficulty finding them even with my reading glasses. Add the freckles and moles, what a fun party game! Find Linda's tattoos