Starting Rads in January 2017

Hello all. I started rads on 12/21/16. Tomorrow will be treatment 10 of 25. I am feeling really irritated under my arm. I feel sunburned on my chest too. I've been using miaderm but only twice a day. I may have to bump it up to 3 or 4 times a day. Tonight I decided to lather on shine Aquaphor to see if that helps. I'm starting to see the light at the end of this very long tunnel.

Hi all - I am starting radiation January 5, (Tomorrow!). I had may second marking yesterday. I'll have to go back and read the posts in this thread and others about radiation as my center gave me no instructions or breast care info. Nothing about any special lotions, clothing, washing etc. The only info I received a few weeks ago was to use some special deodorant ( Tom's) on the effected side - or just use no deodorant on that side at all. My center has been wonderful for the oncology side ( weekly infusions) but seems to be lacking on the radiation side.

I finished 12 weekly treatment of Taxol/Herceptin in mid November. I am continuing with Herceptin infusions for 9 months until early September 2017. I will start 16 sessions of boosted radiation on the 5th. . Not sure when Tomoxifan starts, but I think it is after the radiation . ( will have to check my notes).

Best wishes to all.

M

I had my first radiation today, 1 down 19 to go it was fine but my hands were numb took minute or 2 to get the circulation going, they told me not to put anything on breast and they will give me cream when it gets sore in few days I cant understand why you would wait for that to happen rather than start off with crea

I'm going to post here I started radiation in Dec but had to stop and wait for new insurance authorization. I will be going starting tomorrow into Feb, was scheduled for 33 with 8 boosts total and haven't missed much all told. My skin is broken in middle but not painful there as of yet. Hope the break helped it. I'm getting ready to hang this up and head to bed soft hugs to all

I just finished my 15 treatments Tuesday. I was fine until that last week. Then I broke out and certain areas were sore and swollen. And itchy. I got folliculitis. I used hydrocortisone which made it worse. The whole time all i used was vaseline lotion 3 times day. The last week a used Eucerine and that was just sticky and I didn't really see a difference. Once I went back to the just the vaseline, the itchy stopped and it has been clearing up. I am red, but not blistered and the pain is from inside not outside and more of an ache then actual pain. I took alive one night and sleep on my side with my daughters heart shaped pillow under my arm and against my breast.

I used dove deodorant and body wash everyday. I wore a tank top for bed and sports bra daily. No issues there. I walked 3 miles a day and dark a lot of water.

One thing I figured out is if you keep going after treatment, you are fine. it's when you stop you get tired fast.

Just glad to be done. Good luck and God bless.

Even if it is in your head, your feeling it. Rest, put the lotion on and I found that letting a fan run over the breast cooled it down and helped the pain.

Weneke6

I found using hydrocodone cream once skin splits won't work at that point you need silverdene cream for broken ski

Weneke6....yay for being done.... tomorrow is # 13 with 20 more to go for me! You are right I guess thats why I keep going each day...so I don't get tired or uncomfortable.

Lorri...so sorry you already have discomfort. I bought the Lindi Skin roll that my BS recommended for burning. I have also heard of some using green tea to cool.

Germangirl...Welcome ...good luck as you move on to the next phase. Where are you from?

CCtoo...Welcome..sorry you are having such a rough time of it.

Hopefully some of you newbies can fill in the information on diagnosis and treatment.

SuMarie- cute story. My first rad was Wednesday. It was all a bit intimidating, though not without humor. I was lying on the table breasts exposed to god and everybody when the first male doctor through this whole adventure walks into the treatment room. He checked to make sure I was all lined up, then said, "Looks good!". I was so temped to quip, "That's what all the fellas say."

Oh you guys, trying to start radiation has been so frustrating! I was supposed to start this past Tuesday. I think I had mentioned earlier in the thread about how I had gone in to get marked up last month and that they called saying that they couldn't get the correct angles because my expanders were too full. So the RO called my plastic surgeon, and I went in to get saline removed. The nurse at the PS's office removed about half of the saline from the cancer side. I went back that afternoon to get marked again, and it was actually the other side that they were concerned about being too full. It was basically in the way and they couldn't get a clear path to the breast they were supposed to radiate. So I go back to the PS's office a couple days later, and they remove almost everything from both sides, and I have two pathetic deflated balloons on my chest. I go back for the 3rd time to get marked, and they still can't get the angle right to get a clear path. My expander sticks up kind of strangely on the inside of my left breast. It's just the way it's positioned. They even tried taping it down, and they still couldn't make it work! I'm going to see my plastic surgeon on Tuesday to see if there is anything we can do. I wish I could get both doctors in the room together with me to hash everything out. Unfortunately they are at two different hospitals, so that's not even on the table. I am THIS close to just throwing in the towel (I'm not going to though).

Kellychamel, I'm so sorry this is happening to you, it is so frustrating it's bad enough lying there with them marking you up and positioning you and To do that a few times and still not have started the treatment is awful I hope they sort it out quickly.

I had my 3rd treatment today it went well was very quick bit more imagining to do the actual treatment was very quick, I asked about cream they again said not recommended and to instead wear no bra where possible I really don't want to do that I never have done that as my chest hurts. I am annoyed that I have to leave it alone.

I'm getting fed up stripping off in front of people as well different nurses the 3 times now but there only about 6 I think but still

Hi all. This morning was #9 of 22 for me. Minor redness so far... nothing too major. It's my left side and they have me doing the deep breathing to keep the heart and lungs away from the radiation field. On Wednesday, it was like everything had changed, and I couldn't keep the bar in the right spot with my breathing anymore. I ended up shaking to get it to stay there, and that scared me that I was radiating myself to death with the shaking, and then I started crying... Suffice to say, Wednesday sucked. We got it worked out yesterday, and today was great, but has anyone else had that problem? I haven't read anybody's story about the breathing part, or any problems with it.

MLMSC... thanks for the reply. I was talking about the digital bar... it's a yellow bar that turns green when I've taken a deep enough breath to get it into the blue box... Is yours like that? Are you watching a screen to see how deeply to breathe before holding?