Fall 2015 Rads

Yeah, Christine!! How is your skin?

Congratulations ChristineT!!

Mazel tov, Christine!

I decided to use Aquaphor only immediately after treatment, as it’s goopy & greasy but the little sample tube fits in my purse. At night I alternate between 100% aloe gel and calendula cream. Noticing some dandruffy stuff in my sleep bras in the morning before I toss them into the hamper, but I see it in the left cup as well--must be normal dead-skin-cell sloughing. Right breast seroma still huge but seems a bit smaller, since my cleavage is no longer skewed to the left and the center of the bra sits flat against my chest, as it should. I do sometimes feel as if I’m wearing a shoulder holster, though. (Not literally--I don’t own or carry a gun; but when I’ve been in shows I'd stash the transmitter for my wireless head mic in a little travel neck wallet I sling over my shoulder beneath my blouse or jacket and tuck below my armpit; sorta feels like that. Too uncomfortable to go braless).

I start rads on November 25th. I met with the RO today and she was just lovely. The Radiation Oncology center purchased a new piece of equipment that allows women with lymph node involvement to receive rads in the prone position, which thrilled me as my tumor was in my left breast and in the inner lower quadrant. She asked if I would agree to be the first patient at Mayo to use the new equipment. She told me that there was a lower incidence of skin reactions in women receiving radiation in the prone position and that she recommends nothing but pure aloe for my skin. They will watch me carefully, as my skin is basically milk white. I will receive 33 treatments with no boosts, so I am scheduled out until the 13th of January. I was hoping to have this all finished before the end of the year, but I guess that's not possible. I think the holidays will be very quiet and low key this year. I am just now beginning to feel like myself so I am not looking forward to being fatigued again, but the RO did say that the fatigue would probably not start until I was 3 to 4 weeks into my treatment. I meet with her once a week and meet with the nurse after every treatment. Everyone on the team today for my sim was just wonderful and they went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable and that my fears were addressed. I was also asked to enroll in a study that looks for a genetic component to radiation toxicity. It was very interesting and the questions they asked made me giggle a bit...they even asked my bra cup size!

Creativevintage, that is great you get to be in the prone position.

Trvler

My skin is lightly pink on my breast and feels dry. They recommend Glaxal base here to use on skin. Under my armpit it is quite red it bubbled last week and then popped. I've been cleaning the armpit with saline and then creaming it up. The rad techs are surprised my breast looks so good I gotoff easy!

Finished #22 of 30. My skin is a little pink and dry in one spot, but so far it's holding up just fine. For those of you just tuning in to this thread --welcome-- my MO said one of the most important things is to make sure there is no sink-to-skin contact. If your breast touches your chest or your other breast (like if you wear a sports bra) make sure you put a rolled up piece of SOFT t-shirt material between the skin. I've been using Miaderm. It's expensive, but so far has been working for me. The others say the candula or whatever work for them. I also walk 4 miles a day, and I have experienced no fatigue yet. My doc says since I've had no side effects so far, if I get any at all, this will be the week I notice them. Stay tuned.

I was mapped today for the boosts. Interesting. I asked if the boosts will fry the skin, and the RO said that the boosts are the most gentle. Sometimes toward the end of radiation if the skin breaks down they will do the boosts and then go back to finish the rads so the skin has time to heal. Oh, and I also learned that the week after rads is where you see the cumulative effect of the radiation, and then you get better!

Congratulations, Christine!

Gotta thank you guys. I've had two sessions now and have been nauseous after both, though less today than yesterday. Mentioned it tonight and was able to keep a straight face when the techs immediately said solemnly, "It's not radiation." They thought maybe it was the chemo? Since I'm about 9 weeks PFC, I don't think so!

For what it's worth, I would agree with those of you who said it's psychologically harder than either chemo or surgery. Something about being splayed out half naked, alone in the room with those loud machines, freezing cold--and that's not to mention the anticipation of the later stages of treatment. Tomorrow I'm going to bring a speaker for the iPad so I can play my music--I think Bach Suite for Unaccompanied Cello--and drown out some of the noise. The techs say that's fine. And I'm doing a version of meditation: trying to remember, day by day, what we did on a vacation we took several years ago. But it's harder than I thought it would be. Maybe, too, the fact that I've been in treatment since May. It has been going well (knock wood), but it has been a long several months. Well, 2 down, 23 to go.

Marijen--I don't think it matters what time of aloe gel you use as long as it is 100% pure aloe. That is what my RO told me when I told him I was considering using it. A client of mine gave me a large aloe plant, so I have been using the gel right from the leaves and haven't bought any bottled aloe. Maybe someone on this thread knows more about the bottled type and can chime in. Good luck!

I'm a little past the midpoint of my course of treatment (14 left). Have been very fortunate so far—doc seems surprised that I have had no skin disturbance or discomfort . I bought an aloe plant and have used the aloe every day before I go for treatment. Last week they gave me a tube of Aquaphor which I'm to use at bedtime. So I guess I'm fortunate, tho' not expecting to escape completely unscathed.

I missed an early November appt. with my medical oncologist (chemo brain I guess—must not have written it into my appt. book) who I won't see till next week. My main complaint has to do with my post chemo condition—still have little taste ability, and despite a course and then doubling of gabapentin my neuropathy in fingers and toes continues. The tastebud thing has enabled me to lose another 5 lbs.—that's a total of 25 lbs. well gone. Don't know whether I actually want the taste problem resolved or not, 'cause I could easily use to lose another 20! But it does make it hard for my husband as I have very little enthusiasm for planning or cooking dinner.

So, no complaints yet about rads.

hi ladies

As I lurk in this group, anticipating rads in February, i have a Question for all of you.

Are any of you going through rads with a mastectomy? I am curious and because I have yet to regain feeling in a good portion of my former breas area, wondering how the burning will be - if I will feel anything?

Thanks.

Kim

ElishebaJoy, I will put your friend Jackie in my Mi Sheberach list tonight.

Surprisedat65, my RO team told me specifically NOT to put anything on my breast before going to treatment--I lube up after the treatment and at bedtime, and must shower it off in the morning. I’m allowed to use regular antiperspirant, but only because my armpit isn’t being irradiated (and I apply only a single swipe high up, at that).

Kimmer, I'm going through rads with a bmx. Still early days so I don't know how it will feel once it starts burning. I'm also still numb after surgery. Will report back.

Kimmer, I had a umx with TE. Here's photos of me after 20! of 33. I have a large radiation field and my axilla seems to be the worst. I got radiation rash on my chest as well. So far no skin breaks.