Starting Radiation in May 2017

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited May 2017

    I am headed back Weds 5/10 for the tattoos and computed tomography. Seven weeks is the estimated treatment time.

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  • ILSunrise
    ILSunrise Member Posts: 130
    edited May 2017

    I am finally getting close to finishing rads. I only have 7 boosts left out of 37 total. If anyone starts having pain from the radiation burns, you could try a mixture of half Alocane (alocane.com/) with the cream you are using to moisturize your breast/underarm area. I use TriDerma radiation cream with aloe and alantoin(https://www.triderma.com/radiation-skin-relief.htm...) It has helped me with some of the pain. I just picked up the Alocane at Wal-greens.

    Also, for those of use wondering about deodorant, I use Alra a non-metallic deodorant that contains aloe. I was able to buy it a local medical supply store as well as the TriDerma but they also sell both on Amazon.

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  • lohoff
    lohoff Member Posts: 62
    edited May 2017

    I started radiation on April 26th and I will finish on June 7th. So far the fatigue has been worse for me on radiation than on chemo.

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

    lohoff - Sorry that you are finding the fatigue worse than when on chemo. Ironically, my RO kept saying that trying to do some exercise can help battle fatigue. Easier said than done was my reply. Try to rest as much as possible & eat lots of protein - your body has been & is going through a lot. Sending you healing thoughts & gentle hugs.

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  • Goincrzy8
    Goincrzy8 Member Posts: 387
    edited May 2017

    Met with RO today, go in tomorrow for setup and tattoo;s. Will have to stop Arimidex while in treatment. I have done so well on it, the thought of not taking it scares me, since I had no chemo etc.

    Guess I will get start date tomorrow or after they get the mapping and planning done.

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  • Butterfly1234
    Butterfly1234 Member Posts: 2,432
    edited May 2017

    Goingcrazy - my RO wanted me to wait to start Arimidex until after rads were done. My MO didn't care. Rads we're ok for me. I'm itchy and tired but nothing really too much to handle. Glad to hear you're doing well on Arimidex. I start tomorrow.

    lohoff - be good to yourself. Try a short walk if you can.

    Gentle hugs to all


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  • Connie1230
    Connie1230 Member Posts: 192
    edited May 2017

    lohoff, how long has the fatigue affected you? I started 5 days after you did and I know everyone is different but every day I worry about the burning and fatigue. I do walk at least 1/2 mile every day.....which isn't far but I try to walk more most days

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  • lohoff
    lohoff Member Posts: 62
    edited May 2017

    Connie123: The fatigue literally started with the first treatment. I talked to my MO about it and she said for some people it affects them right from the beginning while others don't get affected til the end of treatment. Lucky me!

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  • lohoff
    lohoff Member Posts: 62
    edited May 2017

    CeliaC & Butterfly1234: Thank you so much for your kind words. My MO and RO told me the same thing about exercise and fatigue. I joined the Livestrong 🏋🏻♀️program at my Y. It's an exercise program for cancer survivors/patients. We had our first class yesterday and I loved it. I met some awesome people. The class is two days a week. I was so worn out though, and all we did were assessments. 😆 I am the youngest (at 56 lol) and the only one in the class still in treatment.

    I'm planning on beating this fatigue. I still do everything I did before my diagnosis and while on chemo. It just takes me a little longer. Three days after my lumpectomy, I hosted my family - 45 people - for Xmas Eve, Xmas day and then on New Year's Day. There is something healing for me about not acting sick and doing the things I always do. I also try to ride my bike 🚴🏻♀️ for a half hour when the weather permits, which in NE Ohio is about two days per week 😀

    I am so encouraged by the thoughts and experiences of everyone on this forum! Breast cancer is not easy to go through by yourself. I'm glad I have my BC sisters to learn and grow from

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

    lohoff - Your Lumpectomy was 1 day earlier than mine. Kudos for hosting your family so soon afterward. You are doing great with the working in exercise. Healing thoughts & gentle hugs.

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  • Connie1230
    Connie1230 Member Posts: 192
    edited May 2017

    lohoff, I noticed you mentioned NE Ohio so looked on my map app to see where Poland was. We lived in Streetsboro for 6 years so I totally get your statement about the weather. I really don't know how you hosted that many people so soon after your lumpectomy. I felt pretty good after mine but not good enough to do that...and for 3 days!

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  • Tappermom383
    Tappermom383 Member Posts: 643
    edited May 2017

    I went to see my PCP today to get some prescription refills and took him my operation and pathology reports. He recommends I take berberine and siliphos to protect my skin during radiation and to help prevent recurrence.

    Has anyone else heard of these supplements? I wouldn't take them without the OK of my RO and MO. I'm already taking Vitamin D and calcium.

    BTW - feel really good today. I only have soreness when I touch the side of my breast or my armpit (so keep your hands to yourself!).

    MJ


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  • Goincrzy8
    Goincrzy8 Member Posts: 387
    edited May 2017

    I would ask the MO and RO. Berberine is for diabetes, and Siliphos is for liver. Would be interesting to see what they say.

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  • lohoff
    lohoff Member Posts: 62
    edited May 2017

    Connie123: For the holidays, my husband and kids were a big help and I was able to do all the baking, shopping, wrapping and some of the cooking before my surgery. I never had any pain after my lumpectomy and felt really great. I didn't want a cancer diagnosis to ruin everyone's Christmas.

    I noticed you were from Ormond Beach. We have a condo there. Small world 😁

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  • Connie1230
    Connie1230 Member Posts: 192
    edited May 2017

    lohoff, yes it sure is a small world. We've lived here for 4 1/2 yrs. We moved here from Streetsboro; we like the weather much better

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  • RoseRN1
    RoseRN1 Member Posts: 153
    edited May 2017

    Went for my 'dry run' today. After 45 minutes of laying face down, they tell me they can't get something to download and have to try it again tomorrow . This is after waiting 90 minutes for them to do emergency treatment on someone. Not off to a good start

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  • Goincrzy8
    Goincrzy8 Member Posts: 387
    edited May 2017

    got my tatto's today, now will wait for the call to do the dry run. I am on my back Hardest part was having the hands over head for the CT portions.

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  • Butterfly1234
    Butterfly1234 Member Posts: 2,432
    edited May 2017

    Goincrazy- the actual treatments are pretty quick as compared to the CTs. Hopefully that will help with your arms.

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  • lohoff
    lohoff Member Posts: 62
    edited May 2017

    Has anyone tried calendula cream? My RO recommended it but I can't find it in any local pharmacies. Just wondering if it's like cortisone cream or udder cream.

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  • ILSunrise
    ILSunrise Member Posts: 130
    edited May 2017

    lohoff - Do you have a medical supply story near you? You might try checking it versus your local pharmacy. I used TriDerma radiation cream and not calendula cream which I got from a medical supply store. Also, you can buy pretty much anything on Amazon....so you could probably order the celendula cream.

    RoseRN1 - sorry to hear you had issues on your dry run. That is frustrating. The machines do have issues from time to time because sadly they are used so often. I have been stuck on the table like you a couple times during my course of treatments. The rads techs had to call in the engineer to help get the machine up and running again. I was fortunate they were successful though so I didn't miss a treatment. I hope your dry run goes better today. Hugs

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  • KLNiss
    KLNiss Member Posts: 40
    edited May 2017

    Hi Ladies - I recognize some of you from the october chemo thread - hello! I started yesterday and have 20 in total. My RO nurse told me to use Eucerin after treatment. I got a little nauseous yesterday after the first treatment - going to chalk it up to the car ride home and hope today is different. I am getting treatment in the right breast and am prone. Simulation and tattoos were on the same day.

    sending you all positive thoughts!

    Kathy

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  • Ruby3813
    Ruby3813 Member Posts: 96
    edited May 2017

    lohoff - I used the Boiron Calendula Gel from Amazon. I didn't use it solely....used green tea spray and Mometasone cream (prescription), but I alternated with the Calendula Gel. I didn't have any sunburning or skin issues with rads.

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  • Tappermom383
    Tappermom383 Member Posts: 643
    edited May 2017

    Welcome, KLNiss and congrats on getting started. I'm waiting for insurance authorization and then will begin this part of the adventure myself. I have to take Dramamine (the generic) for any car ride - especially for going down the hill to radiation (twisty mountain road). I didn't ask the RO if that's OK - guess I can ask when I go for my planning session.

    My RO told me to use aloe vera gel, which I've ordered. Ruby - I'm curious about your multi-prong regimen - did each product serve a different purpose? It obviously worked for you!

    MJ

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  • sg211
    sg211 Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2017

    lohoff - I am using the Boiron Calendula Gel, which is similar to the consistency of aloe gel. I purchased mine at Whole Foods. It was less expensive there than on amazon. I like it - seems to help with the itching. I have been using it 2-3 times per day - along with Green Tea Spray and Lavender Healing Mist - since the first day of treatment. I'm almost finished with whole breast radiation and my skin is just slightly pink.

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  • Ruby3813
    Ruby3813 Member Posts: 96
    edited May 2017

    Tappermom - After reading several posts on breastcancer.org before I actually started radiation treatments, I loaded up on almost everything that was suggested...lol. I got aloe vera gel (one with lidocaine; one without), calendula gel, and Sea Buckthorn Oil. After I saw my RO for the first visit, his prescription for me was the green tea spray and the Mometasone cream. Well, I couldn't let all that other stuff go to waste, so I used the green tea spray 3 times a day, used the calendula in the morning (before going to work), and used the Mometasone at night (usually put some on after work and again before bed).

    I guess it all worked because I never really had any sunburning or skin issues. I did have a little pain where my two scars are (lumpectomy and lymph node), but nothing that was unbearable. I'm now using the Sea Buckthorn Oil on my face at night...lol.

    Good luck to you!

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  • RoseRN1
    RoseRN1 Member Posts: 153
    edited May 2017

    Dry run went much better today. The tech figured out her problem from yesterday and downloading the plan. Still though, was on abdomen for 45 minutes while they were doing additional xrays. I told them I couldn't hold my position much longer and she said we were done!

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  • MexicoHeather
    MexicoHeather Member Posts: 365
    edited May 2017

    I spent about 1.5 hours at the RO. He created the cradle form for me to use and placed the tattoos. Because of my last chemo being 5/1 and my port removal yesterday, I am taking a little break. 35 treatments begin on 5/22.

    I asked about esophagus issues and , yes, it's possible because he wants to get to the upper lymph nodes.

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  • Lexicoe
    Lexicoe Member Posts: 66
    edited May 2017

    lolhoff--I just saw calendula cream at the Target I went to--it was over in the first aid area. I also saw on Breast Cancer Trials.org that they are doing a study on taking curcumin supplements to help mitigate fatigue of radiation. I was going to try it myself, but the link they had said it seem to work best for women who had also had chemotherapy. So you might want to check that out.

    Is anyone having itching yet? Today is treatment 5/22. My skin is doing well thanks to the Mepitel film but the itching drives me crazy sometimes.

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  • Butterfly1234
    Butterfly1234 Member Posts: 2,432
    edited May 2017

    I completed rads a week ago and the itching comes and goes but is worse now. I read that the SEs are the worse about a week to two weeks after completion and then start to subside. My RO prescribed 2% Benadryl cream. I'm using that with aloe spray.

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  • Tappermom383
    Tappermom383 Member Posts: 643
    edited May 2017

    Just got a call from the RO's office - my treatment has been authorized! I have an appointment on Monday to start this leg of the adventure. Any advice for this first planning session?

    MJ


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