Starting Rads in March 2017

I've not heard of that cream, though I know that creams containing Calendula are best.  I found a Cetaphil light body cream containing Calendula, as well as other healing products, in the Baby Section at CVS.  Also, a much denser oily cream (Angel Baby Bottom Cream) that has olive oil, shea butter, calendula, jojoba, etc.  They do not have SPF.  I have 33 treatments (photon) which are quite intense (I am on Day 6 and have redness occurring and some soft pain issues.  Remember, you cannot apply any of these lotions/creams before your treatments, only afterwards.  I have also brought small icepacks in a thermal lunch bag to apply to main site afterwards.  I have a cancer spot on my sternum, had the mothership of cancer cells removed 2 months ago on the Left Breast, near sternum.  They are also focusing on breast lymph nodes, as well as those on left side of my lower neck and in the left armpit.

Celia, Yay! I'm so happy for you to be finished with your radiation!

Yeap, I got the good news today My RO said only 7 more treatments to go instead of 13! He was thinking I had a lumpectomy which is 33 treatments. DUH I told him "I have these beautiful matching scars that run from one side to the other on each of my Foobs and you didn't even notice?" I think they counted wrong as my calendar shows I have 9 more treatments, they must have the wrong start date plus 3/10 treatment was canceled and needs to be made up. I'll take my calendar with me in the morning so we can both get on the same page.

My radiation burns have gotten a lot worse with the last 2 treatments. I was putting on my A&D Ointment tonight when my DH walked in. I could tell by the look on his face how bad it'd gotten. My whole armpit is black! I'd post a pic but I don't want to scareanyone unnecessarily ☹️

Ruby, YAY! That is awesome news! I've never heard of using the green tea before. Let us know how well it works please. Keeping my fingers crossed your insurance has their heads on straight. 🤞

I took my calendar with me this morning to my appointment. My RO had figured out what the hang up was... their addition didn't add up. Really? They took the 21st and added 7 and got the 28th... they counted the weekend. My last treatment is on 3/30, he said doing the last 2 days they were missing might be to much for my skin to handle. As long as my cancer cells have been throughly zapped I'll be very happy! Now I have to decide where I want to have our celebratory dinner next weekend. Finally, a year later, I can see a light at the end of my treatment tunnel! We'll schedule my exchange surgery in about 6 months. Pphhheeewww

How is everyone else doing so far?

So I start Monday. They should give me my schedule then as well. Five weeks. And then a little breather before I go back to NOLA for them to fix any damage done to my foob, get nipples and celebrate 30 years of marriage. Umm, if anyone asks I was a child bride and got married at 4. Hahahaha. Seriously, my hubby is fab and I couldn't imagine this journey without him. Well, that was way off topic!

So I started prepping my skin two weeks ago by putting lots of Aquaphor on at night before bed. This week I added midterm at noon. I've ordered all the things for my radiation box. (I have a plastic tub that I fill with stuff to help me during my current treatment. I had and still have a surgery box because eI need phase two on my DIEP. My current box is filled with chemo stuff. But I'm clearing that out and putting things in for rads.) I also need to find my small backpack to take with me to my appts along with my water mug.

I think my RO told me no green tea or other well known and proven antioxidants still through this portion of the treatment. They didn't want anything helping the cancer cells to survive. Ugh. I think they're letting me keep take my multi-vitamin though so that's good. And I almost had him talked into the shorter 3 week course vs. the 5 week course with more per day exposure but less overall exposure. Becoming Fukishima isn't something I want to do. But he just got back from the big cancer conference in Texas and said the current studies don't support the shorter course for my particular sitch. One or two facts being different and I could've gotten the less exposure course. Plus, shorter course even with the higher does seems to lead to less skin problems. That's the thing I wanted. Less skin problems and more wiggle room on the lifetime exposure to radiation limit.

Anyway, I'm excited to get started because the sooner I start the sooner I finish. But I'm also scared shitless because radiation has lots of side effects. And the long term ones, the ones I won't know I have until later down the line, are scary. But still. Killing the cancer I know I have is more important than worrying about the side effects I have no idea if I'll even get. Ugh. Cancer sucks so hard.

Ruby... and your RO gave it to you. So you are good to go. I find it interesting the variance in recommendations between doctors.

javamama - Ditto what Ruby said about the divergence between Dr recommendations.

My RO never said anything about not drinking green tea, so I never stopped drinking it. I saw somewhere, either in another bc community topic or on the net that someone used green tea spray like Ruby's Dr recommended & it worked well. Surprised that a Dr would go with something that is herbal/natural - go for it! Mometasone cream (steroid) worked for me -helped calm skin irritation - scientific articles prove its benefits. Used Miaderm, too, which was developed by Rad Oncologists and recommended, plus my aromatherapist's recipe of essential oils in almond oil before bed. Not sure which was most helpful, but something worked & prevented "burn".

Best wishes and healing thoughts to all!

I have open sores in my radiated armpit after today's treatment. It hurts like HELL! Any suggestions for treating them? My RO says continue with A&D ointment but it only seems to make it much worse. Help lo

Lori - so sorry the rads caught up to you! Hopefully, the silvadene will help over the weekend so you can get your last 4 treatments next week.

iLSunrise, I stopped wearing my bra about 8 treatments. I couldn't stand anything being anywhere around my chest.

Lynnie, I too hope your not getting sick. I was told to expect to have fatigue and to possibly become nauseous. I'm a lot less fatigued now than I was at the beginning.

Java, keeping my fingers crossed you won't have any problems with your foob once your treatment is completed. Somehow my PS placed my TEs in a manner that the rad beam goes under the TE and not over/through it. PS told me to plan to have my treated TE to be drained as my rads progressed and then to start the fill process over again. Thank goodness I didn't have to do that! I was told no supplements/vitamins during rads, but ROs are all different. I couldn't do the shorter course of treatment either. Funny how some can and some can't. Cancer does suck but we are all here to help each other through all the ups and downs.

Ruby, I need to check to see how far we are from each other. Having lunch would be great!

My RO still tells me he didn't say 33 treatments but the printout he gave me for my treatment plan has 33 days on it. Hhmmm

Welcome, Sr2295. Sounds like you had a lumpectomy, since you mentioned boosts. Lots of good, supportive info and women here, so please ask any questions. When do you start rads? About the boosts - they are to the tumor bed, so the whole breast gets a bit of a rad break & can start healing. Hope your RO gives you some good recommendations about creams, etc - if not there are lots of suggestions in this discussion topic. We are here to help!

Since I haven't started radiation yet, I have no idea if it helps, WenchLori, but at least it seems like it would do no harm. I'm wincing just thinking about your poor armpit. I'm so sorry that you're dealing with that daunting issue.

Lyn

Lyn, thank you, I got this 👍

Kinnie, how many treatments do you have? The usual 33 as you've had a lumpectomy?

Hugs everyone

Hey all. I've done 7 treatments, today will be 8. I have 2 very small sores so far. Almost look like bug bites that I scratched off. These are from the radiation, right? One is under my breast on the bra line, the other is at the top of my breast area, almost where I think the radiation would stop.

First treatment today with no issues other than that I was confused as they had not told me the plan before the appointment.

Final gameplan - 28 treatments, 1x/day, targeting a several inch-wide section surrounding the scar line from my Feb surgery. My main RO was not in today, hopefully he can fill me in more when he gets back on why this particular approach. (No objection to it, but it's not what he had mentioned previously)

After they consulted with my MO, I was advised to suspend Arimidex until after finishing radiation, The RO nurse also asked me to avoid any antioxidant supplements.

She gave me a bottle of lotion called Calendula, recommending that I use that topically to the radiation area at least three times a day. She said there had been a study where patients using this product had seen some benefit vs. patients not using it. A study something like this perhaps?