Spring 2016 Rads

Well I'm finally done with rads, the 25 treatments and the 8 boosts. I wore a tiara I bought for this special occasion and the techs were laughing and hugging me, it was a great last day. My skin is peeling where the boosts were and the breast is still red but they tell me it'll be gone in a few weeks. It is a very emotional time when you finish everything and realize you made it through it all. For those beginning and going through this, you can do it, it will be over soon.

ladsgma, congratulations!!!! You did it Sure would like to see a picture of you in that tiara!!! I was surprised at the emotion I felt on my last day too, and I think only those who've gone through it can truly understand. Bravo!!

Valstim, I ordered my Miaderm through Amazon and had it shipped to my husband's office in the US - having it shipped directly to Canada, well, the cost was really prohibitive and for that reason, I would guess not many Canadians use it when there are other products available. I also really liked the Glaxal Base moisturizing cream by Wellspring and you can get it through Amazon as well. It's a much less expensive product than Miaderm, but it's a very different product too (compared to Miaderm, it's very thick but very soothing); I found they each served a purpose. I'm sure others will chime in with their favorite products.

Congrats to all finished and those close to finishing. Definitely, the experience fades over time, especially as the skin heals and you go about life. I'm about a month out now, and still have some healing to do, but almost there. I would do it again definitely if I had to. Only thing I used was aloe for first week, cream the ro had mixed for me and extra hydrocortisone that helped with itching. Thanks for all thinking of me for my surgery. The small cut he was going to make, turned into cut from hip to hip and I'm miserable, but that's the price you pay I guess lol!!! Maybe after I heal, there will be no more problems for a while? Lol!

LG - glad to hear you're home, in your own bed and no longer having - I assume! - salty water for dinner. My mom had emergency gallbladder removal surgery about six weeks ago and she had terrible gas pains for days afterward, so I know how painful that can be. It sure does take the body a while to recover from major surgery. I'm glad to hear your husband is taking the week off and you can sit back and let him wait on you. Hopefully this is the end of surgeries for you for a long, long while!! ((Hug))

Welcome, muh!

Good luck starting rads on Monday, tbalding. At the beginning of our Spring treatment, a few of us had fun with the hashtag #RadiateTHIS - it helped to keep that sentiment in mind during the treatment sessions that any cancer cells left behind after surgery were going to be zapped and gotten rid of. A sort of "take THAT!!!" attitude. One more step to being BC free!! Hmmmm, maybe that should be my new hashtag?

Thank You So much PlanB!

Thank you Grazy! And yes, thank you to everyone. I am grateful to have this forum.

PlanB looks like we finish at the same time! I also have a swollen itchy rashy boob. Everyone is telling me to go bra-free. Ain't happening, I'm a 40DD/DDD. Even I don't want to see that! 😀

tbalding right behind ya. let me know how it goes. I feel prepared thanks to this thread for my mapping etc.

LG- Glad you are home! Always better to recover at home. Glad also your DH is there to help!

Grazy- Thanks for continuing to cheer us on! It so helps.

Deacon lady- Yes we are! I however am on the other end of size! I have been bra less from the start! Is what RO recommended. I have been trying to channel my former 15 year old self who wore halter tops and thought nothing of it! "The Girls" are not nearly as perky these days so feeling saggy and sad! Did get a few new tops that I have dubbed the radiation collection! No way I was wearing my v neck knit tops! I'm not sure anyone has noticed but can't wait to wear a bra again!

For those that are done how long before skin was at least ok? I'm hoping boosts are a breeze!

Hang in Muh

Good luck to those starting tomorrow! Hopefully we all have a radiant week!

My mom had radiation for her breast cancer 10 years ago. The hair under that arm stopped growing, Hoping that happens to me too.

Happy Monday to all.

Valstim--I think everybody's skin is different. I bought some Miaderm pre-tx (I think $36 at Amazon). I can't say it's helped more than the aloe/lanolin/cortisone creams I have. And I just think there is no magic potion to get away with *no* skin effects. I'm six days after my last whole-breast and still have quite a bit of healing to do. (Now that I think about it, I have a jar of really thick Eucerin that I might start. I've also been trying to avoid the boost area because they drew such a precise, odd-shaped area on it to line up with the zapper, although I think it pretty much went away over the weekend. Another thing I'm really looking forward to is being able to slather absolutely anything I want over any area I want any time of day I want. :-) )

ladsgma--HOORAY!!!! I hadn't thought of wearing one of my tiaras but what a great idea. I have ordered some cupcakes to take into my last tx tomorrow.

LG--keep hanging in there.

PlanB--love the songs and I'm not thinking about one for another. . . oh. . . 27 hours when I should be completely finished.

Deaconlady--I did buy one of the comfort slings. You might google them and see if you think it might help. (I'm large enough that while I often went braless at home before starting rads, I definitely have some skin-on-skin under the hooters so I've mostly worn soft cotton knit things through treatment--like a sports bra but not nearly as squishy.)

Grazy--just waving at you from the East Coast of the USA. :-D

Katzpjays and Ingerp, thanks for tips? What do you all wear? just go braless? light shirt? Sorry for all the questions but this is so helpful.

Waving back to all.

Valstim--I think most go as light as possible--braless if you're small enough that you don't have skin-on-skin underneath. I do try to let the area "dry out" a bit after I put creams on--I'm never sure if a bra or even shirt is soaking up all of the creams or holding it in place. You'll read from older threads that underwire bras are just too annoying. Some have worn a thin wifebeater-type Tshirt under everything. Some like athletic bras that close in the front, although most of what I've been wearing has gone over my head. I wouldn't sweat it. You'll find something already in your closet or figure out what might work for you given your size and how dressy you have to be before/after treatment. (I work from home so don't have to worry about office clothes.)

Ok finished 17/33 today.  This past weekend my back was really hurting and itching.  I felt bumps but kept thinking I was just imagining it.  So I looked in the mirror and sure enough on my upper back was a clear red area with bumps like I have on my chest.  Probably on my mid to right shoulder area about 6-9 inch radius.  So today I asked the techs and they said that is the exit area of the rads.  Never ever told to expect this or do I remember reading it on the boards.  I would have been including it in my skin routine if I had known.  Has anyone else experienced this?

I wore my underwire for 14 rads....now I'm wearing a light cotton sports bra. I'm f cup so I'm hoping I can keep that up st least. My underarm and collarbone are reddish and itchy but not broken. I use cortisone and glaxol base. 11 more!!