Starting radiation September 2017

I start my 4 weeks of hypo fractionated radiotherapy tomorrow. I wonder about fatigue and possibly burns (although I am not fair skinned). Fatigue concerns me the most as my full time job is so wearing. I iwll start AI- letrozole once therapy is complete. 4 weeks is what I am told.

Have you had any blood work? I did not have chemo, but I had a partial mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy.

The simulation CT scan found a spot on my lungs so I had to have a lung CT scan and now am having followup testing with a thoracic oncologist.

I love my RO and respect the thoracic oncologist determination to draw conclusion on the findings and to stop my chronic 4 months cough. I will be meeting with a different MO soon after. I am proud of myself in asking for a change. I need a doctor who listens and responds to my questions, and unfortunately the MO I met twice did not.

Re burn - listen to how your body reacts. I am Asian w lots of freckles. I only have used Aloe gel and doing really good no issues.Since #26 (out of 30), I feel the area is getting lighter already. Key is letting the heat out of your body. No bra no top as much as possible really help. Some use aloe while others use green tea. Some like acquphor some like miaderm etc

Fatigue- I had short bursts of sleep coming over for the first four weeks. None of them lasted longer than a few min. Fifth week and on fatigue has been very strong. Very tired. Please take into consideration that I have had two drs appointments or test almost every weekday since rads started. I have made conscious effort to walk 2 miles every day. 2 mile usually takes me 35 to 40 min.

You will do fine and wish you only light pinkishness.

Mimi

Kaso, I just finished day 6 of 15 hyperfractioned treatment. Doing really well. I've been working fine. I'm lucky the office is 5 minutes from work and only a 20 minute drive home though. Not really sure if it's the rads but did feel like taking a 30 minute nap today. I have my appointment late so i go home from the appt. Just a little pink. I believe you will find this easy go in in the beginning and hopefully over by the time we get into the routine. Hugs!

jeannemg, I have not had that experience. It takes them just a minute to line me up and measure. Just a couple of small scootching and done. Credit scans are once a week for monitoring.

jeannemg, I haven't started yet, but at my simulation last week that said I'd be x-rayed every day to make sure I'm positioned right

I finally have my start date! Sept 18th. I will have 3 weeks of proton radiation. Lets get this going! I will be using this film called Mepitel. It is supposed to protect your skin. Lets hope it works.

For those have started how are you doing?

Great to hear there's little impact so far SuzyFl. Glad things are up and running for you again. Today is day 7 for me too. That marks me half way through the three week course. I have pink from top of the nipple and down plus some swelling but easily manageable. Doesn't have a burning feeling.

Hi,

I've already had my first appt, and they just finished mapping out the tx. I will do a test run and 1st tx on the same day, Oct. 20. I'll have 20 treatments. Trying to finish tx by Oct. 13 as we're going on vacation... already planned before all of this! In order to do this they are willing to double up on 2 days. So, they are willing to give me 2 tx, 6 hours apart. I'll do this twice, probably on 2 Fridays. Has anyone heard of this or done this before?

Can't wait to get this over with!

Melissa

Hello all! I was supposed to start Sept 11th but something had changed in my lung volume so they had to redo the mapping. I had my first treatment yesterday. My breast has been achy and I am hoping this is normal. I was really tired going into this I think due to a whole pile of life stressors but I am hoping this will get better if I get some extra rest. So I am now done 2/16 + 4 boosts here in Canada. It will be nice to have the support of others going through this

Had #8 of 28 treatments today. So far, so good. I have a few freckles now but no redness. Today I started experiencing these pinprick sensations, as if someone was sticking me from the inside. Not constantly, just quick, random pricks every once in a while. Not painful (I don't feel much since the mastectomy), but noticeable.

SuzyFL, glad to hear that things are back to normal. I feel terrible for those who have been affected by Harvey and Irma.

I finished 5 of 15 treatments on Friday. Fridays are also my X-ray days. I've been using generous amounts of calendula lotion (found at Whole Foods) after every treatment in the dressing room, and then at night after I shower right before bed. I rinse off in the mornings before my appt to eliminate any residual oils that might burn. So far, so good--no pinkness at all. I do feel occasional twinges, but nothing terrible. I am positioned in the prone (laying on my stomach) position, which has been fine. I was a bit worried because the simulation took so long, and I felt cramped and numb. The actual rads sessions have been super fast. I am in and out of the hospital in 20 minutes, and fewer than 10 minutes of that are actually lying down on the table.

Kaso, sounds like you are getting a lot of really great information. How did things work out with the spot on your lung? I had some issues with my lung volume changing so it made me think of you and hope it all turned out fine.

J

Carmstr835 - That's a long time to be away from home!. Sending hugs, and I hope you can get an extra treatment in so you can go home as originally scheduled.

Congrats on finishing the first session!

I'm almost halfway done. Tomorrow will be my halfway mark. Doing well so far, but felt totally drained over the weekend. It's like I finally had the time to crash after the busy week, and my body was exhausted.

I'm using Boiron calendula lotion, which I keep at home, and a tube of Boiron calendula cream, which I keep in my purse. This was recommended to me by the rad onc nurses, and so far so good. They absorb easily, smell pleasant, are not too expensive, and found at my neighborhood Whole Foods. Also, the calendula does not stain or mark my clothing. I have not been using deodorant, but I shower twice a day with Dove bar soap. I figure the world can put up with me au naturel for a few weeks. I have been using cotton bralettes (no underwire) from The Gap online. They are smooth cotton with a little bit of spandex/elastic, and the medium size ones are supportive enough for me (34B, almost C). When I am at home, I go braless and wear fitted cotton ribbed tank tops. (I tried on Hanky Panky bralettes, which were very comfy and very pretty, but I was worried that the lace would be itchy if my skin became too sensitive.)

Just finished #7 of my interstitial brachytherapy. The catheters are really starting to bother me at the skin. Lind of a stinging/burning every time I move. And a few spots continue to bleed a little - just enough to make a mess.

Dying to take a shower!!