Winter 2015-16 RADS

I am 13 of 28 down - almost half way -- swelling a bit more [so a bra is annoying unless its my super soft t-shirty kind], and achy tender [feels like a wearing a bowling ball, but I exaggerate!!]. I am also getting a bit pink over breast not used to seeing sun, yet more tan below and above that has had sun exposure from bathing suit over the years. I feel a tight banding effect across lower part of breast too, as if I am wearing a super tight sports bra that has ridden up. Day seems to be spent remembering to slather on creams, soak with saline compress, and cradled in cabbage -- boy that takes a chunk of time to schedule in -- I tried multitasking with cabbage leaf by walking around, and lost it somewhere in house -- later found in laundry! My physio says to keep doing a variety of stretches to maintain flexibility. I do crawling arm up wall till extended and lean in - front and side, arms out to side and up overhead, clasp hands behind and gently extend up, etc -- anything really that involves a stretchy pull but not pain in multiple directions, and a gentle short exercise routine.

Duzy, they will support your arm in position. Mine was cold and achy by end of sim, but actual treatments very quick and no issues.

I am getting twice a day radiation for 22 days and finished my 6th day Friday. Is there anyone going twice a day

I went to the IBC clinic at MD Anderson in Houston for a consult following chemo and also went back after trying a second type of chemo and had surgery in Houston. There is an MD Anderson radiation center here in Albuquerque where I live. I have the impression the twice a day is unusual here

welcome, LMN! I hope it's going well for you.

Hello everybody~ I have received 24/25 regular treatments and then I have 5 boosts.

I am concerned because my RO only wants to boost the areas in my breast where the surgery was- he does not plan to treat my area where I had positive lymph nodes (and all removed).

Has this been the case for others that have had an axillary lymph node removal?

Thank you,

Pam

Morning all, Welcome to all those starting and CONGRATULATIONS to those finishing. Last week was my first full week of rads so finished with #9. Thought I was doing good but Thursday I hit the fatigue wall. Have been resting as much as possible to hopefully stay ahead of it but bamm. Last 3 days I have been going to bed way early and slept well but still feel as if I can nap at the drop of a hat. I sure hope the weekend sets me straight, I don't want this to be worse. I have been hydrating to the point where I am spending more time in the bathroom than any room in the house, lol.

Does anyone have any good diet tips that help with fatigue? I am eating healthy but would welcome any advise to keep this at bay. I plan on working full time all the way through but if this gets much worse I don't know that I will make it.

Next week will have me seeing 1/3 way through all treatments and also 1/2 through my 25 full breast. It does seem to be going pretty fast. Other SE are not bad, little tender in the breast and notice a little tenderness in the rib area. Skin is doing well so glad of that.

Once again hats off to all the soldiers in this war, we will beat this enemy.

Helen

Hi everyone! mdoc524, please add me to the group list above.

I have my last round of chemo this Tuesday (January 26) and will start rads on February 15. It has been great being on the October 2015 chemo support with so many strong and supportive women. I'm sure it will be the same here!

My plan is to do 5 weeks (25 treatments) in the superclass ulnar and heat area, and then possibly a one week boost in the scar area. I have gotten two opinions on my radiationplan from two oncologists and they are both in agreement, so I'm going to go with it. I am very grateful to live 5 minutes from my hospital.

I have VERY sensitive skin, so I'm worried about the cumulative burn that I am going to get.

Good luck everyone

Jennifer

eartglaughsinflowers: I think boosts are generally only in the area where the tumor was. The lymph node is not a tumor but rather shows that cancer is in your lymphatic system (hence chemo which goes more systemically).

Has anyone tried American ginseng for fatigue prevention? I've read a few studies about how well it works in a lot of chemo patients. I would have taken it during chemo, but the smell of it was just too much. . . . My RO is fine with it, so I'm gonna give it a try.

I start on 2/4. I'm already hydrating the crap out of my left side.

In the shower the day after my sim, I kept trying to scrub the blue dot off of my sternum; I thought it was leftover adhesive from surgery. Um, nope, it was my rads tattoo!

Thanks Jabe. I want to feel I'm doing everything possible and being aggressive with all treatment but that does make sense to me

Etnasgrl, we all have those days. Hang in there. Once that initial biopsy comes back, everything happens so fast, that I don't think it sinks in right away. I had to take three weeks off when I had my lumpectomy, because I did a reduction as well. I'm a teacher and wasn't sure what to tell the kids, as to why I would be out. My boss said she had a book written to help teachers tell their students they have cancer, and I was like, " cancer, who has cancer?" It was a little surreal. Going through rads, I felt empowered, as if I was killing off all those nasty cells, so I was not stressed or worried. Now that I just finished rads, I'm getting a little worried. If I feel a pain in my good breast, I think, what's going on there? I'm supposed to meet with oncologist tomorrow to start tamoxifen, but one tumor was hormone positive and the other was not, so I worry that it will come back. I'm sure all of the women here have the same worries. You are not alone! Try to do things to de-stress. Maybe yoga or meditation. I started back on my treadmill and that helps me deal with the stress, and I've been making juices every morning. I usually make one called "mean green detox machine". If the cancer comes back there's not much I can do about it, except deal with it, but by doing these little things, it helps me feel a little in control. Good luck to you. Feel better, and best of luck to all of you wonderful strong women. Patty

P.S. A glass of wine never hurts either.

hi Natejordlee -- I don't have a blister yet -- 13 of 28, but my rad nurse said if something happens, a tiny dab of polysporin helps -- use after not before your radiation time

Etnasgirl -- I worry too at times about what the future holds, what this symptom means, etc, but at other times it is off my radar and I feel pretty normal and try to keep busy doing the things I enjoy and trying to do my bit to stay healthy -- I think it is a pretty normal feeling that happens to most of us at some time or another -- so you have company here that understands.

Love the wine advice pattymeg and hope you [and other easterners] are coping with the big blizzard

PattyMeg- can you post what you put in your "mean green detox machine" smoothie!? Thanks!

Violethope, Here it is. I usually add more ice after it's blended, because it's not cold enough. The photo was a little hard to read, but says you can substitute mango for pineapple. It sounds like it would be terrible and the color is very very green LOL, but it tastes pretty good. You taste the apple first and then the cucumber. I leave out the celery, because I hate it! Haha if you blend one up in the morning, you start the day with 8 servings of fruit and veggies. Enjoy! Patty

Happy Hammer, I use fresh pineapple. Next to it says you can substitute mango if you don't like or have pinapple. My daughter Jo loves it, so I usually have it in the house. I found the hemp seeds in the health food section of Stop and Shop, but I'm sure Whole Foods would have them. The cold pressed coconut oil can be found there too. Patty