Winter 2015-16 RADS

Thanks to this discussion forum, I learned that it might not be a good idea to take vitamins/supplements. My RO had said nothing. So, at my weekly appointment with my RO today, I asked about it. It is ill-advised, in theory, due to the free radical behavior of antioxidants, but it has not been scientifically proven. He said that it was probably OK to continue taking a multivitamin, since the amounts if the individual vitamins in it are not too high, although it's probably not necessary if I eat well. Rather, itt is the individual antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin A, C, D, and E, that should be avoided, he said. I do take vitamin D, as advised by my PCP due to my low vitamin D blood levels. That's in my medical records, listed as a "medication." My RO should have seen that. When I pointed it out, he apologized that he should have seen that. Oh, well, it's probably not that bad that I took vitamin D for the first 2 weeks of 6 1/2 weeks of radiation, but I am discontinuing now. So, I suppose there are others who take antioxidants and are not told not to, due to such and oversight.

This board is the first I"ve heard of supplements and radiation too. I will ask my RO today, at my first treatment. I take a multi vit. but will like start Vit D once I start an aromatase inhibitor half way through rads. I would never have known to ask if it hadn't been for this board.

You ladies are amazing!

Welcome Sunnyone.

Well today I got laid off from Rads for three days. RO wants my skin to heal before continuing. Was supposed to be done end of next week. 8 to go. I guess that's ok? What's the hurry?

I too was encouraged to take vitamin d and calcium during rads. I have 4 more to go of 25. Not red but do have a little bit of rash starting and some itching. I'm sixty this year so don't know if that has anything to do with fatigue but I'm exhausted quickly!

Congratulations to all who have finished, healing thoughts to those with sore boobs, armpits and clavicles and welcome to those just starting out!

And to you, Mary, a thousand thank yous for starting this thread, I haven't posted often but have read every post, gleaned a wealth of information and thought of each and every one of you as we traveled this path simultaneously.

Warm hugs to all (gentle side hugs

Marilyn

Sometimes it drives me nuts how different and conflicting advice is given by different doctors! My RO said no big doses of antioxidants from supplements, because antioxidants help repair damaged DNA. The radiation works by damaging DNA to kill any cancer cells, and we don't want to help those buggers repair themselves with megadoses of antioxidants. But normal food sources of antioxidants such as vegetables are okay. That's just MY doctor talking, and I certainly can't vouch that he is right and others are wrong. This web page seems to say that Vit D is especially good at helping to repair DNA.

I think I'll stop taking it for the rest of radiation. My bones won't start to crumble in a few weeks. But I hope I c;an take it during chemo, since I'll be shielding all my skin from the sun this year.

Brimton, congrats on arriving at the last day! I can hardly wait to be there.

Love it, Sunnyone! What a perfect way to help get through the treatments! Nice happy color, too.

Hello everyone. My last chemo was January 8th. I started with AC and my last Taxol was on January 8th. Here's my question...have any of you had a post chemo rash that started up a month or two AFTER finishing chemo? I would say that it started up for me 3 or 4 weeks ago (so about 5 weeks after chemo ended). It's not itchy. It's on my arms and back (very small bumps, some are a little red) and on my face (cheeks and jaw line, slightly more red). Is this normal? I called my MOs nurse and she said she didn't know and to call my PCP ( I don't think my PCP knows I even have cancer! Thank you!

Moondust - I'm curious about why you're doing rads first before chemo? Seems like many others do chemo first. Hope to hear from you!

Sunnyone I love the idea of the gumballs. It's a great and yummy way to count down your rads.

I had my 6th today. They have been running about 45 minutes to a hour late since I started. They always apologies but it is frustrating. Today I got there and no one was waiting. I was called back within 3 minutes. I was in and out before my appointment time. It was great. I came into work and because our Metro system closed down today everyone seemed to drive. I had to drive around 20 minutes to find a place to park. I still got into work before I have been the last 5 rad days.

Last day! 💃😃💃 I have had a huge grin all day! I cannot believe I don't have to go there in the am!! I get to walk my dog and enjoy the day🌸🌸🌸 I will be thinking of all of you as you move through to completion. My best girlfriend came with flowers and a balloon. All the techs hugged me. My sister grilled the RN one last time. She did say that side will always be more sensitive. No blood pressures or needle sticks there. MOONDUST Thank you it's be an emotional time. You will get there. BRITHAEL Too funny about having to pee! I have been pushing 48 oz of water prior to treatment ... I ended up peeing right before my rads. It was fine except when the took additional films or did a quality review.PHOEBE I too will be getting a skin or surf shirt. I want to swim in the ocean😬 THANKYOU ALL for being here.

Yay, Brimton!!! I'm so happy for you! Did you do anything to celebrate?

Twinkltoz, hooray for being more comfortable!

JOWE, I get a pain when I lean over and my breast dangles. My RO said it is probably the scar.

Mary, good advice about pushing back when doing chemo, so the side effects get taken care of. I'll remember that! I bet you can't wait til tomorrow!

Sunnyone, I'm doing rads before chemo because I originally decided against chemo, then changed my mind during the first week of radiation. I felt like a had to make a snap decision when presented with my Onco score of 26, and although my MO was noncommittal she seemed to be guiding me towards a no chemo decision because of my Grade 1 tumor with no affected nodes. So I said okay, no chemo. I wish she had said, please go home and think about this a week, then tell me your decision. Because it's a really hard decision to make when you didn't expect your score to be that high. The first week of rads I went hiking by myself and could not stop thinking about all the reasons my tumor got a 26. Fairly low PR% and high Ki67. All of a sudden I realized I needed to do chemo! It felt like a weight was lifted from me, and I told my RO at our next meeting a few days later. He said no big deal, the order of chemo then rads is mostly convention. Except that he is recommending against Adriamycin because it can cause "radiation recall" where your skin becomes red again in the radiated areas.