Fall 2015 Rads

dizzy yes. Not a huge appetite but not exactly nauseous. Wish this issue of the magazine would finish itself so I could go home and sleep.

I don't think I'd feel half so bad if I weren't so stressed at work.

Outrunning. My RO had me take ibuprofen about 1/2 hour before my treatment and it took the dizziness away. Toward the end of treatment I had to take it about 6 hours later as well. It helped me get through the day.

It drives me nuts when they insist something isn't a SE and you know full well that it is.

Just finished #5 today. Will go tomorrow for Veterans Day but will have Thursday/Friday of Thanksgiving off. Last day will be December 23.

Lumpectomy scar is the only discomfort and itching. A little tired but that might be from working PT then racing to rads everyday.

Am I wrong for using rads as my excuse for not wanting to host Thanksgiving at my house? Hee hee

#7 of 16 today (tomorrow is halfway through)! The techs all said “see you tomorrow," so no, I don't get Veterans Day off (maybe they'll all be wearing poppies on camo scrubs or something). And by Thanksgiving I will have been done three days earlier. The nausea I had Saturday was definitely NOT a SE--it was a combination of dehydration and hypoglycemia. I most assuredly am not losing my appetite--the staff at Hoosier Mama Pies can attest to that. Today I had 4 beams: one each from outside below the midpoint, straight on from the side, from outside above the breast and then directly above the nipple. Skin is still more tan than pink (amazing, since I always sunburn and never tan) and is not irritated. The Aquaphor I apply afterward and at night (as well as the aloe or calendula I apply at night) are, at this point, still preventive. The only thing about some of my bras that bothers me is that lace can be kind of scratchy, as can seams on the inside of the cups. I might temporarily cover those with silk tape.

And I don't have that “uh-oh, here comes a cold" feeling in the back of my throat I had yesterday. First time that happened without taking anything other than saline nasal spray to ward it off--no vit. C or echinacea as I'm trying to avoid anything that might interfere with radiation destroying the cancer cells (if any). But what I'm wondering is whether there's anything I can do right now to address the osteopenia with which I've been diagnosed. From what I've read, I've been throwing my money away on (and wasting my energy chewing) Tums--calcium carbonate needs stomach acid in order to be absorbed (a cup of black coffee doesn't cut it) and the PPI I take (Dexilant) definitely reduces production of stomach acid. I went out and bought some calcium citrate instead--is it safe to take during radiation? And how long after radiation ends --if ever--will it be safe to resume antioxidants like C, Co-Q10, Krill oil, or alpha-lipoic acid?

Prunes for bone loss and bone building. Yes it makes sense that radiation would cause dehydration and therefore nausea.

Great to hear, ksusan!

Cancer.gov Radiation Therapy and you. PDF

http://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/radiationttherapy.pdf

My RO called me because she didn't have time to see me again. I told her about itchiness and rash. She said yes it's rads and sent an RX for a steroid to the pharmacy. As for supplements, I was told yes to my cal mag zinc combo, vitamin d3 and my b6/12 folate.

Travler.....agree with you about not hosting Tgiving

Thanks Queenmomcat. Would love the add to the list.

I've only had my 3rd today, but I'm definitely feeling it. They say that I only need to put the sorbolene on 2x a day, but I think I will need something else or put it on more often. What do you all do? What products do you use and how often?

On Monday, my first day of rads, I also had a job interview which I got. YAY! Well, at least I'm looking forward to the future, instead of dwelling on the fact that I have no idea if my treatment is working, and won't until Aug or Sept next year. I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew, with starting a new job and all. BUT, it is only 2 days a week teaching study skills and academic English to highly motivated international students before they start university here in Australia. Do many of you work too? Any teachers out there?

I was also told to not take anything that could be an antioxidant and told not to lose any weight. That's a bummer! I was surprised as I have plenty to lose and will start hormone treatment immediately after.

Grrr. Another completely new treatment to get used to. LOL

Congratulations Tresjolie2 on your last day. Does your place have a bell? I have a feeling mine will be anticlimactic since our place is small but busy.

I have 4 down and 24 to go. They are using a bolus every other day. I think it because I have a tissue expander?? and they are trying to keep the radiation away from it. So far so good. No side effects yet. I am just looking for the finish line.

Welcome Aus! I work full time and haven't missed work yet. I think you will be fine.

Hi, Aus. I've worked all the way through, with some flexibility at work (I'm college faculty).