HappyHammer sorry about your hair, that is a bummer!! Thanks for reminding me - another thing to ask the RO about stopping Letrozole while doing radiation - adding it to me list. I have not gained any weight on AI, in fact my appetite has decreased but because I've been stuck in all winter recuperating from three surgeries, I haven't been out doing my 30 min. walk everyday, or out running around doing errands. Snow and rain and freezing temps don't help. I'm not looking forward to radiation even though that will be the end of it for a bit. Yearly mammo exam coming up in April.

Hi etnasgrl - I kept a pocket pack of Kleenex in my purse for this. They are so much softer than the standard issue tissues at the hospital! I usually have enough cream on that they stay in place while I'm getting my bra on.

Congratulations to those who have finished, WTG!!! I go to my first treatment on Tuesday, 25 & 8 boosts. Got the call from the rad nurse Thursday. Here is the strange thing, he explained the first time I will have 5 xrays then the RO will review those then a regular treatment, 2 xrays and my treatment. Why 2 more xrays I ask? Well you get 2 with every treatment to assure positioning on the table. I don't know why but this really bothered me. I mean heck I am getting all this radiation why do 2 xrays a day bother me?

I told my husband by the time I am done he won't need a night light I should give off a glow.

I also opted to participate in a study of 2 cremes, Curcumin and HPR Plus. Of course there is a third one which is a placebo. Told my sister to pray for me that I at least get one that isn't the placebo, it will probably be butter - haha. I thought hey it might help me feel like I was doing some good while going through this. Maybe the results of the test will better help someone down the road lessen their SE's. Whatever I get I am to use 3 times a day starting from treatment 1, nothing 4 hours before treatments.

I get to schedule all my treatments Tuesday as well. Hoping for very early am appointments so I don't have to come and go from work. I plan on taking my gel ice pack with me and putting it on afterwards over my clothes on my way to work. I am hoping it will cool the top layer of skin enough after to maybe help lessen my SE, I have heard so much about the cooling cloths.

Shaved my armpit for the last time yesterday, RO said I should not shave it during radiation. He said it would just be more stress on my skin.

I still feel sometimes like this is all not happening to me that I will wake up tomorrow and think wow what a crazy dream that was.

Best wishes to everyone for next week, I hope you all have relaxing trips to this crazy tanning bed. Thank you everyone for all your comments and information, why they call this a support group I don't know as it is so much more than that.

Helen

Shopgal, I just picked up some soft cotton tank tops at Costco. You can get them anywhere so look for the thinest fabric, no ribbing. The thin ones go under the bra and you can be sure the cotton will be easy on your skin. Some may not find it comfortable, depending on the bra style but it's worth a try.I just started treatment so I'm slathering on the lotion regularly and at night I'm wearing mens xl undershirts with short sleeves to bed. I didn't want the cream to get on anything "good".

1957...I got X-rays once per week. Every day does seem like a lot. The tattoos and markings are supposed to help with the table positioning, I thought. Maybe ask the RO?

I have been putting my cool cloth under my bra, and washing it every day. A light cami under the bra would make sense.

Hugs to all

Octogirl

Xrays once a week for me as well.....daily seems a bit much? I'd ask the RO as well before getting into that kind of schedule.

Peachy2 - Thanks for the tip! I like the idea of using a tissue and those little tissue packs are easy to carry in my purse, so that will be perfect. Thanks!

hey Lindy! HappyHammer (cool name) I did get some long cotton tanks from Walmart. I think I read about them on the lumpectomy lounge board a few months back. They were under $2 a piece. I figured they were long enough to tuck and thin enough to wear under a soft cup bra. I do think I'm going to get men's undershirts too. Great idea!

Sailorgirl I start the day after you if ro is ok with the set up (I hope!). It was moved up a few days; supposed to originally start 1/18.

Peachy that is too funny about your son and your wig. I almost left for the gym today without my hat. Totally spaced thinking it was already on my head. Duh me. My itty bitty fuzz almost felt like a head covering.

Congratulations Octogirl! Two more weeks for me.

I have to wear a bra 24/7 because I had a reduction done with my lumpectomy, so it has started to become a little uncomfortable at night. Out of desperation the other night, I took two overnight maxi pads and tucked them under the bottom of my bra. It sounds crazy, but felt great. Nice and soft.

Jd2015 - Sucks to deal with for sure , I was 40 and was blindsided by it for sure. I see your new to the board so welcome, couldn't find a better group of women ! This is a very busy thread so I am sure there is a lot of helpful information. Sucks about the breast infection , was it from the rads? I am heading into 6 of 25 tomorrow. So far not too bad a little irritation under my breast and a little tired. I had a drain inserted mid December for a Seroma so managing that around the area is a pain Good luck to all the ladies this week !

Octogirl, Congratulations on finishing! I'm right behind you, my last day is Wednesday!

Marijen, I read the article and I have felt all along that radiation is overkill for my situation. In hind sight I really think partial breast radiation would have been enough. My RO said that he expects in the next 5 years we will see a lot of change in cancer treatment. I believe more individualized care plans will emerge.

1957, I got x-rays everyday of my whole breast treatment. They would line up the images on the computer and adjust the table accordingly. I'm glad they were making it as accurate as possible.

Ha ha Peachy2, I'm with you about losing track of how many new aquatints have seen my breast in the last few months! Loved your wig story!

Jd2015, I feel for you. I felt really stunned and lost too! Just before starting rads I couldn't stop crying all of the time. I made an appointment with my primary care physician and he put me on Celxa an antidepressant. I feel like a new person. I wasn't handling any of this cancer business even though every test came back great and my prognosis is excellent. All I did was get more and more unhappy. I couldn't believe that I could get cancer. I was/am one of the healthiest 56 year olds that I know. I thought I was doing everything right. I had a healthy diet, maintained a low BMI, exercised regularly, etc. and was totally stunned with the diagnosis. If you are this unhappy, Don't wait, get help! My doc said he would help me get off the meds when I needed to. Good luck!

I left the adhesive strip on and put the pad side to my skin and the adhesive out.

Peachy-I feel like everyone with a dr in front of their name has now seen mine! And their nurses! Wonder if my dentist will be impressed 😄

HappyHammer-are you having any SE's from the Herceptin? I had my second one on Thursday, have had a very sore throat and blisters in my nose. I had aprox 10 in my mouth after the first one. Hoping this gets better. I'm on Herceptin every 3 weeks til June. Magic mouthwash isn't touching this pain.

Lindab152-feeling better, still coughing a lot and using inhaler more than I should, but so far, my lungs are still clear👍 btw, keep small frozen pea bags just to use on my breasts. Not heavy and kinda molds around them.

1957-2057--Cleaning for a reason has done my house twice. 2 ladies came and worked for and hour and a half. They got a lot done! I think they are available for 4 months, while going thru any treatment, not limited to chemo. They'll come on e a month. I also got a grant from the IWin foundation that paid $250 for services of my choosing. Could be yard care, massage, yoga, house cleaning or gift cards for groceries or gas. I gave the checks to my friend who'd been cleaning my house without ever being asked to be paid. It helped both if us! I think IWin foundation might just be an Indiana thing tho, but I'm sure other states have something similar.

Cardinal, Sometimes they will do two treatments in one day if your last one ends on a Monday. You should ask. I hear you about the SE's of hormone therapy. I looked at them over a month ago and I'm not looking again. I'll make myself crazy if I do! Been there and done that with Radiation!Many women don't have side effects. I'm taking it one day at a time. I meet with a MO on Thursday. I met with one already at the beginning of December. I didn't have any warm feelings for him so I'm trying again.

Today is treatment # 9. I am halfway there. My RO said I will not be having any boosts. She does not feel that they are necessary due to a small 5 ml tumor and very good margins. Based on what I have read in all the posts, I hope that this is the right decision. My skin was starting to get pink when she checked it last week. Most of the problems, if there are any, will start after my treatments are complete. I do have a burning sensation during the night and over the weekend I noticed some redness under the breast.

I have lost about 6 pounds since I met with my MO on Dec 7.

There is no followup planned after my treatments are complete. I told her that my surgeon has scheduled a mammogram in May, 6 months after my surgery. She stopped short of telling me to cancel it. She thinks it is best to just go back on a yearly mammogram schedule. I plan to keep the appointment and meet with my surgeon as scheduled. Then I will continue with annual mammograms.

Did any of you not have boosts? I certainly would like to see this come to an end and the sooner the better, but if getting 5 more treatments will prevent a recurrence I would be willing to do 5 more.