Summer Rads 2016

Thank you Karen. That is comforting to know. Thanks for all the tips too! I think I am most worried about the Neulasta shot. I had already decided to do the icing of my hands and feet. I will see how it goes. I also have Raynaud's so need to be careful... I'm also going to try to cold cap to try to ward off any permanent hair loss. All the talk around the lawsuits and up to 6% of patients with permanent hair loss is quite disturbing. Have you had good hair regrowth after your taxotere? It seems so random. I know the odds are good that my hair would come back, but I haven't had good luck with odds lately...

I hope you are on the mend after your ordeal with radiation. I'm surprised by how fast my underarm is healing now that they are done with that area. I have 5 more boosts to go. They started using a bolus today. They said it was to get the radiation to focus closer to the skin. I'm sure they are trying to stay away from the implant.

Kechla, my hair has grown back fine. It is darker than I have ever had with scattered silver throughout but growing fine and thick like it was. Some areas quicker than others but it is all coming. It is rare SE for the hair not to come in they don't allow anyone doing cold capping at the hospital I went to, not sure about the rest of the province or Canada in general. I would not have anyways just for fear of rogue cancer cells not getting all killed off by the chemo. It is all a personal decision for those who are allowed it.

EJMann, can you post an Amazon link to the breast slings? I'm a DD too.

Ok ladies- I am going to see my onc. next week, but one of my bad boob sisters sees the same doctor- and she texted me that the on suggested maxi pads in the bra- I could have slapped myself in the forehead. It's obvious. Anyway, I started sticking those in the bra 2 days ago....much much easier than what I was doing, plus the absortion...nough said.

So Happy for you Carlsoda.

I can't say the same. For me it's the gift that keeps giving. Funny thing is I used aquaphor and calendula cream even when I did not have skin symptoms then BAM, it started. the deep red then peeling now open sores under where my breast was and my neck. The prescription cream really makes it feel better and as horrid as it looks it actually does not feel as bad anymore. My dr says one more week and it will heal so quickly I won't remember it was like this.

I can believe it because one day ,my underarm was flaming and painful and overnight it was better and now healed.

I believe it's like for those of us that went through chemo, some side effects affect some of us, and not others. Some breeze through the harshest chemos, others have almost every side effect listed. I think rads is the same way. Thanks to this thread and the spring thread I did not feel alone.

thanks for everyone that posts and keeps us informed of how well, or sometimes not so well they are doing. It really helps to not feel alone when the worst happens to you. and then you read it gets better.

val

Hello all

I am three weeks out from rads and have begun feeling so much better! The burns are healing and I stopped putting the Betamethasone cream on about a week ago. Bras and swimsuit tops are still VERY uncomfortable around my arm pit.

And now the healing from this treatment continues. Therapy with an oncology specialist, a full cognitive screening and PT are on the way.

Take care of yourselves, ladies.

You ladies give me hope. 2 weeks out. My neck is still the worst and the center of my chest. I think because neck skin is thinner? Did you ladies have rads all the way up your neck too?

Anyone have radiation after mastectomy and reconstruction? I had a close margin after mastectomy. I had prepectoral silicone implants placed immediately. I am on day 8 of radiation and worried about the side effects!

Karen, they didn't do your clavicle?

Marian, I will be finishing up this Wednesday with 28 whole breast/nodes radiation plus 8 boosts. So far my (saline) implant is good and staying loose, although my RO indicates contracture can occur for up to 2 years. I di have some scar tissue pulling early on at the lower portion, but that seems to have resolved.

No LMV, they didn't go that high at all.Thank you Sarahrae and Carlsoda. Glad it's not unusual!

Today was number 6 of 8 boosters and then I have to go back and do 4 whole breast. We had to take a break on the whole breast so my skin could heal and it healed great. My RO said the 4 whole breast should not make the skin bad again and he thinks I will be able to swim late next week! I'm so excited.

I was doing well on the fatigue until today. I had an allergic reaction that required some Benadryl and it took me out for the entire day. After I slept off the Benadryl I was still exhausted and felt like my legs weighed 100 lbs! Now of course I'm wide awake and it is midnight. Argh!

Does everyone experience redness on their back on the side that is being radiated?

Marian, I used mostly coconut oil (the kind you find in an organic food section) throughout. It is wonderful! I am going to keep using it to replace any lotions I've used before. Some other things I used as skin symptoms got worse were aquafor, triple antibiotic cream, hydrocortisone cream (for itching), and a sock filled with corn starch to dry up moist areas. I also had Miaderm, but did not use it as much due to liking the coconut oil so much. It helps break up all the dead skin as you are healing too. My last day is tomorrow!!! Woo hoo!!! My underarm is almost completely healed and it looked like road rash for quite a while. Once I started boosts, the healing began and happened fast. Under my breast is still a little crackly and rough, but looks so much better. My scar has been hurting now that I am on the boosts. Feels similar to a bad bruise.

As far as my implant, I massaged the implant making sure it had good movement each time I put the coconut oil on. Mine are saline though. Not sure if yours are teardrop, so you may need to be more careful. I do have some swelling in my breast that may or may not be lymphedema from radiating the nodes. Time will tell. It has not seemed to get any larger over the past week. I am to take ibuprofen 3x per day to help bring the swelling down.

I have also tried to keep my range of motion good. Even on my worst skin days when it was more painful, I stretched my arms up and out a lot to keep all the muscles and tendons loose. I also tend to sleep in about 50 different positions during the night and I have read somewhere that some belly sleeping actually helps keep the pocket stretched out (for saline - not sure about silicone). I have never been easy on my implants, and so far they are doing fine.

Now I get to wait for the next couple years to see if contracture decides to set in. I did see a plastic surgeon prior and he said that they grade the contracture from a scale of 1-4. If 1 or 2, they leave it be and I learn to live with it. At 3 or 4, they would take out the implant, break up the scarring, and put a new implant back in. If the skin is bad, they would also have to replace the skin from somewhere else (my back?) That sounds lovely.

I'm so glad to be done tomorrow! Anyone gain any weight besides me? Ugh!!! I gained 10 lbs in 7 1/2 weeks. So tired all the time. Just this week, I feel like I'm finally getting some energy back (I was yawning as I wrote that... Ha!)

Next week I start Chemo. I'm very nervous about that, but have been glad to read so many success stories about minimal side effects (especially with TC).

Good luck to everyone still working toward the end of their radiation. It will come soon and in a couple months will just be a memory. Love to you all!!!

Its great to hear so many of us finished or finishing up rads. So far, my dark skin just looks darker but my upper arm is tight, I have the occasional stabbing pains ( boy they hurt) and the underside of my breat (where my incision is) feels like a slight burn so I'm weating my super soft sports bras only. I haven't felt tired yet but I make sure I get at least 5 days of 75 min cardio so that helps I think.

Got 5 treatments left but they have to be spaced out over the next two weeks because work has me on travel for a few days.