starting rads feb 2017

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  • Patti1746
    Patti1746 Member Posts: 49
    edited March 2017

    Mamasha - my last appointment is Saturday. The office was closed on Tuesday due to snow, so they decided to open on Saturday. This way I'll be able to really enjoy my weekend!

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  • Cowboy-Up
    Cowboy-Up Member Posts: 211
    edited March 2017

    Anyone get stabbing pains in their breast after radiation. I asked my RO about it and he said it is commonebut probably worse for someone who had a reduction. The nerves are trying to heal and the radiation is causing swelling and irritating them. It only lasts like 15 seconds or so but painful!

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  • Elem
    Elem Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2017

    Not sure because I didn't havecreduction , but my boob has hurt with stabbing wuite frequently aftercsurgery and throughout rads tx . I was and still freak out withbthat. But someone else mentioned nerves etc . In a thread here in response so I went with it and was also told it is common by the RO . Now that I have finished tx. my nipple is very tender and the burned area of skin also painful and sore. I hope it gets better over time. The rads over my scars seems the worst! But I am enjoying this beach life image

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  • misslil
    misslil Member Posts: 260
    edited March 2017

    ab, thank you. better than the 2x/day 5-week idea, but 2x daily for 3 weeks is still going to be a bear if that turns out to be the plan.

    not that the regular programs are anything easy for all those who go through them.

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  • annoyingboob
    annoyingboob Member Posts: 558
    edited March 2017

    hi cowboy! I've had what i call nipple zingers since surgery, and with radiation, definitely more on that radiated nipple. the left seems pretty normal now, but righty nipple is tender - even sensitive to whatever shirt or bra im wearing - not painful, but im aware its sensitive, and the zingers are a little like when you hit your elbow funny bone - they zing through and then they are done. i agree i think its just the nerves healing, and i do think it will go away with time. how is your rads going/??

    i had ro f/u today. i didn't really ask him about that, but i was curious if i needed to be extra attentive with sunscreen on that side once summer rolls around - he made it sound like everything would be back to normal by then. yay! he gave the all clear and said he didn't want to see me for a year. he said do yearly mammos, to commence a year from when the bad one was, which makes that november for me, so looks like I've been cut loose, aside from the tamoxifen bit. i have mo fu in april for that. its been ok - im still a little nervous about the next few months to see if any horrid se occur, but so far everything is minor and tolerable. fingers crossed!!!

    i feel like my boobs are still settling in - they definitely have dropped a bit - not droopy, but i feel like they are just now finding their place in this world. they stick out a bit on the sides - like into the armpits - not that high, but i feel like when i look head on, they project out from the side of my body contour, if that makes sense. it sounds weird, but i don't even know what normal boobs look like anymore!! i feel like normal boobs don't project beyond your body contour. ps was ok with everything when i saw him - ill give it a few months and see what happens.

    hope the girls who just finished aren't too fatigued. my exhaustion peaked a week after finishing, and i feel like i may be perking up slightly this week - hard to tell with the time change. just be gentle with yourselves and your body will let you know when its ready to jump back in to the real world. my body is enjoying the sofa this evening...

    happy healing all!!

    xxoo

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  • Oasis2016
    Oasis2016 Member Posts: 52
    edited March 2017

    annoyingboob - thank you, i have to try out your suggestions. Today I prayed throughout the session, trying to take my mind off the machine buzzer but it just kept coming back and my body got tensed up whenever i started to think of the radiation.

    And my heart raced and I could hear my heart beat loud and clear. By the time I was done, my legs were all jelly-like as I walked out of the room.

    Elem - I have some lorazapam from my MO for my AC which I didn't take. When is a good time to take the lorazapam? 1 hour before the radiation?

    Thanks Patti, Celia and Mamasha.

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  • Cowboy-Up
    Cowboy-Up Member Posts: 211
    edited March 2017

    Oasis2016. Do they play music for you when you are getting radiation. My issue is that I am on my stomach and I am too aware of my breathing which makes me breath deeper and faster. I try to really concentrate on the words in the song and watching the movement of the machine and it seems to take my mind off of it a bit. I so understand your struggle though.

    Annoyingboob, it is going well so far. 6/31 done so far. Boob is a little pink but on the plus side, I am sleeping better at night. Must be just enough of a little fatigue. I'll take it

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  • Elem
    Elem Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2017

    That is such a terrible feeling Oasis and I am so familiar with it. I would always get itchy the minute my arms were in position. I was told when I took the lorazapam for the sterotactic biopsy to take it an hr before .Since I use it sparingly, and I drove myself over , I took just half and it eased the anxiety just enough to be calm during that procedure. Visualization and music helps as well . My rads was left side , so I really could not use deep breathing techniques as that was part of my treatment and also made me nervous. I hope this helps . 🌸💗xox

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  • Pamela23
    Pamela23 Member Posts: 510
    edited March 2017

    So I have decided to be proactive and just scheduled a pap smear and a US for my uterus to get a baseline before starting Tamoxifen for 10 years which can cause thickening of the uterus--leading to cysts, fibroids or worse. My GYN was so impressed I requested this on my own, but I've been reading up on tamoxifen and want to be my own health advocate. Knowledge is power! If your insurance company will cover it, than why not, right? They are also doing something that inserts saline into the uterus to get full measurements. It's next week after radiation. Fun day out for me, LOL!

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  • annoyingboob
    annoyingboob Member Posts: 558
    edited March 2017

    good for you Pamela! I agree you need to advocate for yourself.

    Took a good look in the mirror this am and I think radiated rightie is a bit smaller than leftie. After such good preop symmetry. Poo.

    I'm going to stop looking in mirror.

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  • Fightingirl
    Fightingirl Member Posts: 409
    edited March 2017

    Congrats of finishing up Elem! WAHOO!! I am so jealous you're at the beach! Have an amazing time!

    Just an FYI because I may have posted about my very sore boob on here last week...my first cycle after radiation (technically my 2nd cycle because I started my period the day after my last radiation treatment) Anyways, my point is that it was completely due to my period. But oh my goodness was it pretty sore and painful for days...just in case anyone is still having periods and tends to get sore breasts before your period...beware that you will feel it but it will go away! I walked around with an ice pack in my bra as much as possible and it seemed to help. I guess that might even be more specifically for anyone that has brachytherapy like I did but I don't know about external beam. I was starting to get worried that I had an infection or something else going on but then it went away and my monthly visitor arrived. So now I'm not happy about that, but what are you gonna do? :)

    Best of luck to all of you...may the days fly by and you're finished before you know it!


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  • Patti1746
    Patti1746 Member Posts: 49
    edited March 2017

    Cowboy - I was getting a quick stabbing pain in the beginning week or two but no pain now except for nipple sensitivity. The worse part of this whole thing is fatigue.

    Annoyingboob - Is it usually the RO that plans your next mammo visit? Although I was told that I need to see the RO in a month, I planned on skipping it unless my boob wasn't healing. In April I have an appt. with my Surgeon and I sure my MO (if he remembers me) and then the RO? ugh. And with Pamela's comment maybe I should make an appt. with my gyn.

    I read somewhere you see your MO for the rest of your life. Really? That depressed me. I also would have made a concerted effort to find the right MO instead of just agreeing with the Surgeon who suggested him.


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  • annoyingboob
    annoyingboob Member Posts: 558
    edited March 2017

    I don't think it is normally the ro. But I had an appt so I asked. I'm done with all the surgical follow ups, so he was my man. I thought it would be 6mo follow up but I wasn't sure from when - surgery? Xrt? He said a year from the last mammo which was the one that caused all this mess - for me thats my bd in nov. So, a little over 6 months from now. I'm happy for a break!!

    Only a few girls finishing it up - you can do it girls!!!

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  • Mamasha
    Mamasha Member Posts: 104
    edited March 2017

    HI Osais,

    Just wanted to say I think that your feelings are completely normal. I got that same nervous feelings during my last few treatments. My last 2 were like my first 2. I know I felt OK this it it....has it worked...is this the last time ...is this darn caner coming back.....am I cured? I guess we worked so hard to get to that final appointment then it's sorta OK you're on your own.....good luck. I just wish we knew what happened inside our bodies that made those cells go rogue. Unfortunately we never will. All we can do is BELIEVE we will never have to have a crappy holiday/new years like 2016! I had a minnie ornament whose ear broke off. I didn't put her on the tree. When I was packing up the decorations my husband said did you glue minnie. I said no. He said go get your glue gun and fix her ear so next Christmas when we put up the tree minnie will be fixed just like you!

    Love to all

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  • CeliaC
    CeliaC Member Posts: 1,320
    edited March 2017

    Cowboy - I too, get the stabbing pains & have had since surgery. Someone in the community (forget who) nicknamed them zingers. Post surgery visit - they said it was normal & would continue for awhile. RO visit - said the same thing. Seems like whatever we say, "it's normal." Ever wonder what "not normal" would be?

    On the final countdown, now - 2 boosts to go and all done on 3/21. Saw the RO yesterday - she and Rad Nurse said skin has done extremely well. Only a little pink in underarm area, nipple and underneath breast. See the MO 2 wks after last rad about starting AIs.

    Elem - Loving your pics of the beach!

    Everyone else - Hugs and hang in there (I know, that's a bad pun)

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  • Elem
    Elem Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2017

    Thank You fightingirl. I too, am elated to be done, but as the days pass thd skin is peeling but undermy armpit in the area of the lymph node incision is so dark and burned, but looks bruised .I hope it clears up in time because i have been wearing a soft bra on that area which helped with keeping the rubbing of clothing off my skin, but now it looks like it caused compression. I am not sure, but it is ugly and hurts too . Maybe after the trip, I can go bra less at home and just let it all heal without any problems. Hope everyone had a great weekend . ❤image

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  • annoyingboob
    annoyingboob Member Posts: 558
    edited March 2017

    gorgeous elem!!!

    Hope you can enjoy the grandkids and arent too tired!!!

    Your skin will renew in time and will be a lovely pink in no time!!!

    Xoxo


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  • kshorten
    kshorten Member Posts: 102
    edited March 2017

    Glad you're enjoying you time at the beach with family Elem! My underarm sound exactly like your's does. Oh well this too shall heal. Have a blast!

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  • Elem
    Elem Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2017

    Thank You Kshorten and all you great ladies on the mend. This underarm area looks so bad its almost scary to look at . The stabbing pains here and there and the dry cracked nipple feeling are a huge bummer . But I have really enjoyed the beach trip and will be heading home today . Will not have to work until Friday so that gives me plenty of time to relax it up . Oh and I have to entertain the tamoxifen regimen soon!! I am looking into supplementing vit K2 because the MO wants me to take 800mg a day calcium, but I have issues in my coronary arteries already so I need to research the best way to keep bones in check but have enough calcium reach the bones and not the arteries . K2 is suppose to enhance thectransport of that. Gouda cheese and brie cheese are the highest sources of k2 so maybe I will buy a supplement. Just trying yo figure out how to take it properly so it gets into my system since it is fat soluble and don't want it to build up. Ugh more research I suppose!if anyone has any insight or is supplementing with this for bone density issues let me know. 💗

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  • annoyingboob
    annoyingboob Member Posts: 558
    edited March 2017

    elem, ask shoregirl in the Jan surg group - her step father knows a lot about that stuff and may be able to help!!

    Xo


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  • Mamasha
    Mamasha Member Posts: 104
    edited March 2017

    Patti. Did you finish yesterday? CONGRATULATIONS! !! Yay

    Love the gorgeous pics elem:)


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  • Pamela23
    Pamela23 Member Posts: 510
    edited March 2017

    Tomorrow will be the end of week 4 out of 6 for me. Im noticing a lot of dark freckles coming out on my breast and the chest area above this. Are these "sun spots" permanent? Or do you think they'll fade?

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  • Elem
    Elem Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2017

    I have that as well , and I was told they would clear up. But seriously , I am very burned and my skin looks dark and bruised. I did 4 weeks 20 sessions and the last 4 were boosts. So we will see . I have pain in and around my entire breast as well as under armpit and lymph node incision. The pain is radiating and feels like nerve damage. I realize growing new skin is a process and one I have not experienced . I have darker skin , so this peeling is also new to me. It itches but the burn is dry and scaly causing some irritation and pain . But if this helps me to put breast cancer behind me, I will endure. Good luck , keep lotioning up . I am doing pure allow from the plant now and it is very soothing . Anything else was not really doing anything other than moisturizing, but now that I am peeling, aloe is working great at soothing the skin.

    🌷❤💗Wishingvyou all the best Pamela

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  • Patti1746
    Patti1746 Member Posts: 49
    edited March 2017

    Yes, Mamasha - DONE!

    Last day was Saturday and the office was quiet. No bells or certificate (fine) but hugs from all. I was happy it was done but got very emotional when I got off the table. When I got home my husband asked me if crying was another side effect of rads. This whole experience is still surreal to me. Even after four months (from diagnosis) I'm still in a form of denial and would like to put this whole experience behind me but it continues with Hormone Therapy and follow up doctors appointments. But it could be much worse and for that I count my blessings and vow to give back. There is a local organization that makes up gift bags (mints, water, magazine) for chemo patients. They need donations and I will be going to Walmart.

    My breast is tanned with the boost area a bright red. It's swollen but it looks good! Some zings from time to time and sore nipple but overall ok.

    Sorry Elem that you are uncomfortable and in pain. I'm sending you hugs and hope that the pain fades. Do you feel there is some improvement from day to day? The photos you posted are gorgeous. I'm sure being on that beautiful beach helped a bit. Let us know when you start Tamoxifen and how it goes for you.

    Has anyone started Tamoxifen yet? I thought someone on this thread was starting....

    Pamela - 2 more weeks - it will fly by!

    All of you helped more than you can know. Thanks so much....I will be sending good wishes to all of you. Will always check in here but will probably meander over to the Hormone Therapy Boards for the next step.

    PS -- Saw Chris Botti last night (great way to celebrate end of rads). What a show! Not sure if any of you are fans (I love jazz, but trumpet, not so much) but he puts on a good show.


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  • nem126
    nem126 Member Posts: 109
    edited March 2017

    Hey Pamela,

    For the uterus ultrasound with saline- take some pain meds. I had that done a few years ago. It's not awful, you'll get through it fine, but it is definitely crampy... I had wished someone had told me that beforehand because I went in stone cold sober, haha.

    Just curious- are you doing the paragard IUD for birth control? I'm going to be getting that in the next few weeks since I can't be on the pill anymore.

    Sarah

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  • Elem
    Elem Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2017

    Well my friends ,

    My beach retreat is over and today is day 1 of Tamoxifen . Hopefully ,this part of tx. will go down without a hitch . Still healing from rads , but so glad to be done. Hope the best for everyone still doing theirs and also a big shout out to all of you who have finished up this past week . Congrats! I will ask shoregirl about taking vitamin K2.. thank you Aboob . Thanks for all the compliments on the pics and finishing rads. I love you all . Without the group , I cannot imagine what this journey would have been like.💗🌸

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  • Mamasha
    Mamasha Member Posts: 104
    edited March 2017

    HI elem good luck taking that first dose. It's just something we gotta do.....unfortunately.

    One week on tamoxifen and I really haven't noticed any changes. Some mornings my bad knee seems a little more stiff but not sure I can blame the pill. I feel really alone taking this since I don't see my MO until 5/4 and wasn't told abut any supplements to take with it.

    Those boost must deliver a punch because I can still feel that zingers from time to time and I finished 10 days ago. Actually felt more discomfort since ending than I did during actual treatment.

    HAPPY SPRING!

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  • Elem
    Elem Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2017

    Yes Mamasha , I too , feel more effects afterwards than during the rad tx. You are right about tamox. What can we do? I was told that the AI's is generally prescribed for women who are post menopausal like myself. I am 61 and therefore , would not have taken tamoxifen.However ,my bone dex test indicated the start of osteopenia and also I have hyperlipidemia which is a high cholesterol situation for which I have a stent and take a statin . My MO said that the aromatase inhibitors would not be wise. He felt the risks outweighed the benefits. So he said I could try this and see if it was tolerable . I will have a blood test after 3 months and also a gynecological exam down the road.But that is all I know and probably just want to keep it that way, so as not freak myself out which I do so well these days! Please keep in touch either here or through private message . Would love to sstay in touch with so many here. I realize we must move on , but I love the friendships and bonds we have made !

    🌸💗👍🙏






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  • Pamela23
    Pamela23 Member Posts: 510
    edited March 2017

    I was told today that the dark spots that have appeared should fade in a couple months. Who actually talks to us about the Tamoxifen. our RO or MO? No mention of it yet. Also, I wonder why there are differences in doing 4 week like Elem vs 6 like me? My calcifications were only 3mm and they kinda told me it's a blanket protocol so I'm getting the same amount as someone who had 2 cm. Wish these protocols were a little more customized!

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  • annoyingboob
    annoyingboob Member Posts: 558
    edited March 2017

    Pamela, sorry you got an extra few weeks :-(((

    Mo is the one who will talk about tamoxifen, although my ro encouraged me take it all 5 years.

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