Starting Radiation October 2017

Hello all! This site is beyond a blessing!! I have been reading posts but never logged on and signed up. I have finally and I have a strange question. I’ve had 3/28 TX for radiation. My time is late afternoon daily at 4:30pm. I hate going without deodorant, makes me feel dirty even if I’ve just showered. ( I know, weird!) I have the Tom’s deodorant my RO suggested, but if my appt is that late, when should I use it?? I will see RO again on Wednesday but wanted to know what you do?! Thx

I had a lumpectomy on Sept 6th and hoping to start radiation by the end of Oct or beginning of November. Everything has healed up pretty good. Eager to get it started, so I can get it over with. It will be either 16 treatments or if I do this new clinical trial, ACCEL, it will be 5 treatments for 5 days. Suppose to start Tomoxifen this weekend, but haven't started, nervous to begin it.

Hi DodgersGirl,

I don’t know what this second appt is for.  I have received different answers.  I hope it is for mapping. I really want to know when my radiation will start because then I will know when radiation is finished. 

I am still having my annual Halloween Party!🎃

Hello DodgersGirl!!

My second appointment with the radiation oncologist went quickly. I am going to have 20 treatments and my molding is happening tomorrow. He said they will make a mold of my body that will hold me in the same position for all the treatments. I did forget to ask how long each treatment lasts. How long did each of your last?

Thanks,

Rita

I had my 4th rads treatment today. It takes a couple minutes to get me into position. The techs have to tape my upper arm fat up and out of the way...that's in no way embarrassing, lol. The actual treatment for me is less than 10 minutes. From the time I pull into the parking lot until the time I pull out of the parking lot is less than 30 minutes.

The tech said that people usually see side effects, if they are going to have them, in the third week. Other than fatigue, which might be a left over from chemo, I haven't felt anything and my skin hasn't changed.

Beanie2017, my RO said nothing on my skin (on the side to be treated) within three hours of treatment. I use the Tom's deodorant when I first wake up, my treatment is 3 1/2 hours later.

Debby

My appointments are like dmjmom's description. They get me into position, shine bright lights all over me, then refine the position a bit, then leave the room, buzz, buzz. Then back in the room to reposition the machine and my table (I stay completely still), then leave the room, buzz, buzz. Then back in the room for one more reposition of the machine and my table, then buzz, buzz.

I've tried counting the buzz times, and I think it's 1.5-3 minutes of actual radiation, if that. Once a week they add an XRay in, so it's a little longer on the table that day than the others. All-in-all, it's do-able.

The longest treatment time so far has been the day the computer decided to crash in the middle of it and I had to lay completely still until it came back up so we could continue. That was a little rough, but I went into meditation mode. :-)

Today was day #1 of week three (so treatment #11) and it's still just some pink'ish skin. Doesn't feel too bad (a little itchy near my port). Fatigue is fine. I think with the SE's of chemo wearing off, it's hard to tell if I have radiation effects like fatigue, because I feel so much better every day, it overpowers any radiation SE right now.

Miaderm still seems to be the wonder cream. Using it three times a day, and it feels really good and seems to be helping. Let's hope it continues this way (*fingers crossed*).

Djmmom: thanks for your reply! I’m definitely going to use it in the morning then!! It looks like we are on the same schedule, I had my 4th rads today also!

I walked into treatment today at 4:15 and was walking out of the facility at 4:34. So far the worst part is just laying still. It seems like forever but it’s only 10-15 min.

I finished my chemo in May, then had 3 surgeries, so RO wanted me to heal from them before starting rads. I haven’t had any fatigue or skin changes and my techs said- wait until 3rd week you will start noticing SE’s. That kinda scared me, but then I think about all we’ve all had to endure, we’ve been through so much, we can make it through this too!!

Good morning all,

I have my second appointment with my RO today. It was originally scheduled for Friday, but my cat needed an unexpected trip to the vet (he's okay now) and I would've met with my RO's partner, not him. I had a very thorough appointment and exam in August, right after my BMX. So, I already know it'll be 33 treatments over 6 1/2 weeks. That I'll either have a cradle or back board molded to keep me in position during rads. The RO said it'll take longer to get me into position than for the actual radiation - 2-3 minutes, I think he said. My RO actually has an "India ink colored tattoo" (his words) on his wrist to show patients what their tattoos will look like - size and color.

He's also 79-years-old and technically retired. Filling in for other RO's sick days and vacation time seems to have become a long-term gig. I think an RO at the center has been having serious health probs. But I hear my RO attends a lot of continuing ed programs, both to meet licensing requirements and because he enjoys learning. (Someone from my BS's office mentioned that when they heard who my RO is.)

Still, I feel tired and cranky. An hour drive each way for an update and another exam - I think possibly to see if my TEs are too big/in a bad location. Knowing that 10 weeks of fills could literally go down the drain makes me feel queasy. Mine went high and seem to be on my collarbone. I think they're huge and I know they hurt. Still, I didn't see a sign-up sheet for Easy-Peasy Cancer Treatments and/or Procedures for Quality of Life Afterward. i.e. I don't want to lose my progress and possibly my chance of eventually having implants.

Update soon.

Beanie2017, well, we were on the same treatment schedule, but the software wouldn’t boot up this morning in the rads department where I get treatment, so I’m still at 4 down 29 to go.

FelineMum. Easy-Peasy Cancer Treatment sign up sheet...lol.

Shellsatthebeach, I’m worried about rads’ effect on my heart too. I will see my cardiologist early in January for an evaluation of any damage. My husband comforted me by saying he thinks I should worry about the problem I do have (breast cancer) more than I worry about a problem I might or might not have in the future. For some reason his comment just let me stop worrying about it (for now anyway.

Dodger, you and I have been on nearly the same schedule throughout this mess. I start rads on Monday, too. I did start Arimidex (the bottle actually says anastrozole?) yesterday & will start the weekly fosamax tomorrow. Scary to read all the se's...add 'research' as a THIRD job!

Midwife...wow, you are busy! Since I have to travel 3 hours one way we're just going to stay there 4 nights a week, DH has physical therapy 3x a wk anyhow. Second home?

Hello,

Just finished 14 of 20. Skin is a bit red, but doctor thinks it won't get any worse. The last 5 are boosts. (smaller area and shallow treatment) Skin hasn't gotten any worse than at the end of #10. Felt some soreness the second week, but so far this week haven't had any. The end is in sight.