Spring 2015 Radiation Sisters

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  • MombieZombie
    MombieZombie Member Posts: 509
    edited March 2015

    roobashine--Are you new? Welcome. :) I haven't seen blackheads appear. I've done 24 of 33 sessions. I am definitely getting very red and my scars are super prominent. I have sores that won't heal on my back. When you say blackhead, does an actual "plug" come out of the pores? Have you asked your RO about them?

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  • rekidal
    rekidal Member Posts: 77
    edited March 2015


    Mombie - Thanks. I'll talk to them again Thursday when I go for them to finalize my plan.  I am going to bring an ice pack with me to see if that will help during treatments. 

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited March 2015

    Getting ready for week 2 of 6 weeks of rads. So far not bad. Using Aquaphor 2x daily as advised. Only issue is a few days of loose bowels that the tech said was not rad related. It seems better today. Also getting lots of rest this weekend helped. Love, Jean

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  • Redhead01
    Redhead01 Member Posts: 47
    edited March 2015

    Greetings Ladies!  I've lurked and commented on the chemo boards, and am now ready to start radiation...today in fact.  My sim was March 13th.  I will be lying prone (on my belly) due to my concerns of having the small tumor right next to my chest wall...left side.  Was told that going this way will reduce organ damages by 90%!  WHOA!  I guess it depends on whether you are limber enough to climb into that position (your boob hangs through an opening) and whether you are endowed enough to have something to hang. 

    Is any one else going prone?  

    I'm a fair-skinned redhead (well, before I lost it all)....so am a bit apprehensive.  Thanks for sharing the good, bad and ugly!  Hugs!  Ginny

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited March 2015

    Welcome to all who have joined this board!

    Readhead (Ginny) -- re: skin burning -- my radiation therapists tell me that fairness of skin doesn't necessarily predict skin problems. They noted that some pale patients do fine while some of their African American patients struggle. So, who knows?

    I'm lying on my back because I'm getting my armpits radiated. Just starting week 3 today!

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  • CassieCat
    CassieCat Member Posts: 1,257
    edited March 2015

    Good morning, and welcome to the newcomers. :)

    I start what should be my last full week of rads! I have 5 this week and then three more next week, if all stays on schedule. I think I'll be back to regular rads this week. Having 4 boosts last week gave my armpit a chance to heal and settle down, and it feels better. My guess is I'll have all 5 regular remaining rads this week and then my fine 3 boosts next week.

    Good luck to us all as we move through our treatments. :)

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  • rekidal
    rekidal Member Posts: 77
    edited March 2015

    Redhead -  Hi, I am going to be starting next Monday and will be going prone too. 

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  • DaisyQ
    DaisyQ Member Posts: 123
    edited March 2015

    Hello newcomers! Round 8 done and 20 to go.

    Jean: I got a short reprieve from diarrhea yesterday, and it started up again today after rads.. I had loose stools throughout chemo which I think was caused by Herceptin, but nothing like this. I think there is a good chance that rads is making things worse. Ack! I got through chemo and BMX surgery relatively easily. If rads and diarrhea are related, I am looking at a long 4-5 weeks. {sigh}

    Have a great day!

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  • MombieZombie
    MombieZombie Member Posts: 509
    edited March 2015

    Jean--Glad to hear you are doing a little better. Good luck with week two.

    Daisy--So sorry you are still having diarrhea. That doesn't seem fair to have that added to everything else. Hang in there.

    Redhead--Welcome to the group. I had a lump on the left close to the chest wall too. I am starting to wonder why the tummy position was not offered to me. I may have to ask my RO about that. Elaine's comment about armpits makes me think I must not have been a candidate due to the angles of treatment I needed.

    Cassie--Yay! Almost done! You and I will finish around the same day it sounds like. April 2? I start my boosts on Friday. Luck to you too. You'll be in my thoughts along with all of our friends here.

    Remember the friend I mentioned that talked about skin falling off in chunks? Well she let me see a bit of what she was talking about and she wasn't kidding. I'm trying to remember that we all will react differently, but I'm a little scared after what I saw. I'm going to start putting my cream on more often and I've added the Panaway to the cream like I talked about. I keep thinking of the Little Engine That Could: I think I can, I think I can....

    I have started having a lot of pain, especially at night and I'm choking on just about everything when I eat. Going to gargle salt water to see if it will calm down the throat. Nothing I can do for the pain. Nothing helps. Not driving myself to appointments anymore. I have lost my battle with fatigue. Still smiling though!

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited March 2015

    MombieZombie -- RO says I'm pretty pink for someone who has only done two weeks. I asked whether I should apply more cream; he said that it's not like you can OD from it so I guess I will. Sorry to hear about your throat.

    Board sisters with diarrhea -- hope it clears up soon! I finished chemo on 12/3, but it took awhile for my gastro system to fully recover. I remember having loose stools for some weeks after that.

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited March 2015

    first day of week 2 today! Can't wait until this crap is over!!

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited March 2015

    rekidal I am also doing the Canadian protocol on my stomach. The actual planning session took way longer than the treatment session does. Seriously I'm finished in like 10 mins tops. I lay in prone position but will switch to my back or side for the boost. That is a separate planning session. Mine was also on the left side.

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  • Therockandrollmom
    Therockandrollmom Member Posts: 21
    edited March 2015
    I am grateful to be joining the Spring 2015 Radiation Ladies! I had all pre work done 2 weeks ago and have my first 30 minute LINAC SIM Friday, followed by 6 weeks/5X a week radiation. I am doing so on my back as I have lost 15 pounds since last year, which in theory sounds great, but that leaves me at 104 pounds clothed and lying on my stomach is painful around my rib area. Here is my question if one of you lovely ladies has any insight...and sorry for repeating partially from another post, but I had lumpectomy 02/09, drastic oncoplasty on lumpectomy side, and similar reduction on left side, to the tune of 32DDD to a very small B on 02/20. I stopped all meds except diazapem at night to get past nerve regeneration pains. I am also doing a prednisone taper along with steroid ointment and daily Zyrtec as something I am eating/doing/taking is making me break out in hives--I look like a leaper! Can't wait to see how everyone reacts if they are not gone by Friday!!! No one will want to sit by me in the waiting room! So here's the real problem; I am still so tired I can't stand it some days. I am usually a walk 5 miles a day after working since 0600. I took a leave of absense from work to try to catch up on some rest but it makes me kind of feel like a loser, like I can't handle it. Have any others of you felt so depleted for as long? Help Help!!!!
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  • MombieZombie
    MombieZombie Member Posts: 509
    edited March 2015

    RockandRollMOM--I am so sorry to hear that you are going through so much. I can't say that I am as tired as you are experiencing, but I was pretty fatigued as I headed into rads. I went down hill quick--falling asleep in the waiting room--for the first two weeks. I saw a naturopath who adjusted my vitamins and CoQ10 and my diet. My energy started coming back up. I'm down to 8 of 33 sessions. Getting more tired again now, but I think the naturopath helped me have the best chance at fighting the fatigue. I'm wondering if you need to gain some weight somehow, to help your body have more energy? Hang in there.

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  • NurseShark
    NurseShark Member Posts: 176
    edited March 2015

    had initial ro appointment today. They had an opening to do simulation/ ct scan/ tattoos and booked me to start rads March 30th....well I got on table to do ct and I couldn't get arms in good position.(5 weeks post bmx with implants) I was cleared to do ROM exercises at 4weeks but lost a lot of movement and am so tight! Rescheduled simulations for Apr 2 .so increasing stretching exercises and crossing my fingers until than. PS said I can start PT at 6weeks post Op if still limited I think ill need it.

    So simulation 4/2 rads the following week?

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  • allicat1214
    allicat1214 Member Posts: 84
    edited March 2015

    Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences here.

    I'm getting results of Oncotype test on Thursday; both MO and RO said they didn't think I needed chemo since it wasn't in nodes but sent tissue for testing just to be sure. If chemo isn't needed, then I'll go back to RO for simulation, so thinking I'll be starting around mid-April.

    I'm ready to get started so I can be done.

    I have a question though: When y'all say you use 100% aloe vera, is that straight from a plant or is there 100% aloe vera gel available in a bottle?

    Thanks!

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  • rekidal
    rekidal Member Posts: 77
    edited March 2015

    Shelley, I'm glad to hear it's only 10 minutes long.  Please keep us posted on how the treatments are going.

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited March 2015

    To all experiencing fatigue, please be gentle with yourself. Our bodies are going through major trauma and need all the rest we can give them in order to heal. For those of us going through rads, we need a lot of protein. Think meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, milk. No soy or tofu for those ER+ gals. Love, Jean

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  • mhenz
    mhenz Member Posts: 19
    edited March 2015

    I will begin radiation on Thursday. Jean I appreciate your advice on fatigue. I have decided I will probably take time off work for the last 3 weeks of radiation. mostly for mental toll this is Taking.

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited March 2015

    allicat don't use aloe vera gel because it has a lot of alcohol. Use the lotion but make sure there is no added vitamin A, C, or E as those tend to block radiation from the tissue

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  • rekidal
    rekidal Member Posts: 77
    edited March 2015

    Hi, this is a question for everyone.   I am meeting MO tomorrow for the first time.  Can anyone tell me what to expect at the meeting?  I know she will be recommending hormone therapy, but other than that I have no idea of what to expect.   What questions should I ask?  Will there be blood work or other tests?  Thank you!

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited March 2015

    Does everyone always have 2 techs present during treatment? For a second time yesterday, there was only one. The other was "at lunch". I was not feeling too comfortable with this. Love, Jean

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  • MombieZombie
    MombieZombie Member Posts: 509
    edited March 2015

    Jean--I always have two to four techs. I would ask questions if you are feeling uncomfortable about there being only one. It would make me wonder too. Good advise about fatigue too. Now that I'm in the home stretch, it's like I hit a wall. My DH is going to come home early everyday until I'm done so he can cook dinner and manage kids. My brother is going to start driving me to appts. Going to take it easy from this point on. How are you feeling?


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  • Redhead01
    Redhead01 Member Posts: 47
    edited March 2015

    Well, the first session prone was actually "worse" than the SIM....60 minutes in the "don't move" position! But they were checking and double checking that I lined up exactly as the scan said I should, since it was my first zap-day. Thankful for that, but lying on a hard surface, rib cage on the end so breast can hang down....it not easy. They promise today will be quicker...I hope so 😁.

    My last chemo was Jan 15, and I asked for port removal since I'd be laying on it for rads. So until I could recover from chemo and heal from port removal, it's given me a nice two-plus months break....am hoping that feeling this great now will carry me through.

    Let's all be energizer Easter bunnies this week

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  • MombieZombie
    MombieZombie Member Posts: 509
    edited March 2015

    Redhead--Sounds like a rough first day. So sorry. Nice to know that they are being so careful to make sure you are safe and set up correctly though. I'm getting super tired here at the end of treatments, but I like your idea about being Energizer Easter Bunnies! I am feeling ready to make that final push to the finish line. Hang in there. I hope day 2 goes easier for you.

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  • CassieCat
    CassieCat Member Posts: 1,257
    edited March 2015

    The aloe vera gel I use is Fruit of the Earth brand and has no alcohol in it.

    rekidal, if you can, have someone go with you to the appointment. I always had someone else with me, and it was helpful for both note-taking and making sure that between the two of us were hearing things correctly.

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  • amylsp
    amylsp Member Posts: 188
    edited March 2015

    I use Lily of the Desert 100% Aloe Vera Gel with no alcohol, as well. You can get it at Whole Foods, Amazon and numerous other online sites.

    Treatment 7 checked and completed! No issues so far. I hope everyone with gastro issues is on the mend. My GI tract took a real beating during chemo, so I can definitely sympathize.

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  • BookLady1
    BookLady1 Member Posts: 253
    edited March 2015


    Ditto on the Lily of the Valley Aole Vera Gel - 100%/ no alcohol. A tip I came across on Winter Rads was to refrigerate it and this is great for hot Texas weather. Also read NO to using gel from actual plant because of dirt/possible bacteria on this sensitive area.

    Fatigue and GI issues lingering. My docs say that's what cumulative means! We may be done with chemo but chemo isn't done with us. Wishing everyone a good Tuesday. xo Linda

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  • allicat1214
    allicat1214 Member Posts: 84
    edited March 2015

    Thanks everyone for the tips on aloe vera! I was thinking of going very natural and buying the plant, but thanks booklady for the tip on dirt and bacteria.

    I'm in New Orleans and I'm hoping to get my rads done before our hot weather....Good to know about putting in the fridge, too!


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  • MombieZombie
    MombieZombie Member Posts: 509
    edited March 2015

    Love the fridge idea. My skin is starting to peel. Have some painful burning areas. Cold aloe sounds blissful. Trying that tonight for sure.

    Those of you who are still troubled with GI stuff, I hope things get back to normal soon. Have you considered adding a good quality probiotic to your diet? I had GI trouble on chemo for the first two rounds. I added daily probiotics after that and did fine (other than crazy bad nausea) after that.

    Booklady--good point about the cumulative affects of the chemo. I have other lingering side effects that I wasn't thinking to connect to that.

    I'm crazy tired today. Time for a nap. Have a great afternoon ladies. :)

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