Starting Radiation November 2017

Dodgergirl, I am as far along as you... today will be treatment #10. Interesting how we have been told something slightly different from our RO in terms of lotions, deodorant, etc. I was advised not to apply anything 4 hrs. before treatment, then a light cream (like Miaderm or calendula) following treatment and then later in the day and finally a slathering of Aquaphor at night.I might try the green tea compresses. Do you just seep a green tea teabag, soak a pad in it and then apply? Sounds easy enough. Anyone else try it?

I also don't have any SE yet... probably too early yet. Is it somewhere in the halfway mark that the skin begins to react? Like everyone else, I want to keep the damage to a minimum. That is my deepest wish for all of us! Happy Friday

I am curious about the positioning (laying on back or stomach). I also had two positive nodes so I am thinking that I will need to be on my back in order to also radiate that area. I plan to ask a ton of questions at my appointment. I am mostly worried about the possibility of lymphadema and that my skin will be damaged or the expander damaged which will delay my exchange surgery. My PS says she thinks my skin looks good now and that I likely won't have any issues. Is anyone else getting rads with expanders?

I will be going for my medical and radiation appointments next week (my history; just turned 49 (oct 28th) mammo sept 15th; digital 19th; biopsy 21st; confirmed 25th... mri Oct 11; SNB and Lumpectomy Oct 19th)... HR/PR+ and HER2-... BRCA/negative and Mammaprint/low risk... what life changing 30 days (BUT GOD)!

Can someone help with any suggestions on deodorant? lol

Not sure of my rads treatment yet, will know more next week... but im adding this to my fav post to stay up to date on others that just recently started. prayers lifted for all during your journey.

Ok, kewl... yeah because ive used Dove or Suave all my life but now since the surgery Im only doing my left armpit (lol) and nothing but just showering under the right. Im not an aggressive sweat..er... but i can tell at the end of some of my days there's a slight stickiness from the sweat. Not alot of odor, but more like sweat odor...hard to explain. But thanks. Just trying to get my hygiene lined up for the coming weeks.

I saw your post on the tea bags and actually saved it to my email for the rads treatments. Ive saw a few w/aquaphor, aveeno, aloe and miaderm so will see what works best.

Again, i havent started yet, but its soon to come (prayerfully lessened weeks) since my pathology reports came back as they did....will keep you posted.

Any information, tips, or whatever you can give would be great. Im not asking you to be the 'guru of rads' but having someone to give any information is extremely helpful to a newbie.

Thanks again!

Thanks! Ive added all of this to my favs for my 'shopping' reference! I really appreciate you all feed back...

Hello, everyone. I guess I am joining your group, too, and am thankful for some of the excellent suggestions I have read. I start RADS on November 20th, and will have 16 treatments. Nothing was said to me about boosts, but I was told to stop using antioxidant supplements from a week before RADS start to a month after. My cancer is Stage 1, nodes clear (Body and Chest-Abdomen-Pelvis Scans clear), but at this point I am NED. So I refused chemo. My surgeon told me radiation is a must because of a very narrow margin of 0.1 mm when the lumpectomy was done in July, but I am surprised it is to be such a short course. I guess I will be nervous about it until I have my first treatment. Because of the Triple Negative status, I won't be able to do hormone therapy. I also am having an MRI of my brain early tomorrow morning.

Wishing all of you the very best in your continuing journey and hope you do well through your RADS.

I am not a RO and I do not play one on tv ..... but thought I would post that there has been recent studies released that BC patients who had a lumpectomy may only need 16 rad treatments instead of the longer 30 treatments so that may be why some of you are only scheduled for 16 rad treatments now

lifechoices2017, I am continually amazed at how quickly things go through in the U.S., if that is where you are. I had my suspicious mammo in April, needle biopsy in May (benign), lumpectomy in July (tumor was 1.2 cm), and I was told I wouldn't have to do chemo, just RADS, probably partial breast. When I got the TN status in September, I was told yes to chemo and RADS. SN results did not come in until Septemb, but after that everything moved fast. The scans, the visit to Cancer Care and Radiation Oncologist (both this week), but I was told full breast. I am 64. I hope everything goes as you hope and will have you in my prayers also. And so thankful for these forums where we learn so much from each other; definitely team winning!

lifechoices2017--ref your question about applying lotion or not before rad treatments, I would recommend following the advise of your RO as they know their equipment and see the results of those rads.

My RO told me that calendula oil was the only skin treatment that clinically showed it made a difference and so he recommends I apply it 1 hr before a rad treatment and again later in the day.

I have also gotten different advise about taking anti oxidants during rads. Was told as long as the dosage is not a high, super dose that it was ok to continue taking them.

RO also said he has found that aquaphor in general is a good treatment for dried out skin and so he recommends I use aquaphor at bedtime (I plan on wearing a man's sleeveless tshirt to bed when I hit the aquaphor stage so I don't ruin my sleeping attire) when my skin starts to become itchy/dry.

I know for me, the first 2 weeks were uneventful. Go daily, do rads. Rinse and repeat the next day. But the effects will soon appear and will continue for 2 weeks after rads.

There is a great post here from a lecture from an RO about how rads "burns" are different from thermal burns. What is happening with rads is it is killing cells (like chemo), good and bad cells. So as our outer layer of skin sloughs off, there could be missing skin cells in layers below as the body can't generate new skin the same due to rads. So this missing skin that works it's way up to the surface is part of the rads damage. (I have paraphrased what was said, again I am not an RO!)

Reference your question on how long the treatment takes-- from the time I walk into the room with the machine to the time I am walking out, 2 1/2 songs have played (music is played for the patients at my center) I think the time I have arms over my head is about 5-7 mins. During that time, the techs are in and out making adjustments (because I have bolus treatment which you won't have)

Dodgergirl is correct, In Canada, they have been doing a shortened radiation treatment for years. I am linking an article I found on the BreastCancer.org site. ) http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/20100210b as well as another one from the American Cancer Organization https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/treatment/radiation-for-breast-cancer.html. There are many other articles on the topic as well.

Ironically, it was my BS who told me about the "Canadian method." I was really excited because I definitely wanted the shortened treatment (hypo-fractionated) My feeling was that a shorter treatment would lessen any side effects and even though I am retired, I wasn't thrilled about 34 entire mornings taken up by rads! I asked my RO about it when I had my initial consultation with her and she said I was not a candidate because my tumor was larger that 1-2 cm ( I hate to quote her on the exact size because I don't remember for sure.) She went on to say that the Insurance Company is requiring her to tell patients that it is an option and I had to sign something that said she had told me about it.

Actually, rads goes by pretty quickly. I have already completed 10 treatments and I have (sort of) gotten used to the drive. Even though I had DCIS, it took the initial lumpectomy plus two re-excision surgeries to get clear margins. And I am ER/PR- so I will not benefit from any hormone therapy, so it is up to rads to wipe out any stragglers! What I am seeing is not a one size fits all treatment plan; rather an individualized plan based a myriad of factors.

Next time I will count the songs that are played. I am in and out in about 20 minutes. The longest time is having the techs get me in position. On Monday, I plan to bring my little brew of green tea. I will have to remember to lock the changing room door, because it might take a little longer to apply it and "the next customer" walked in on me on Friday!

Enjoy your week-end!

What is a bolus and why would one need it? I've seen it mentioned but don't understand what it is.

Linwentz- thank you for posting the link! I have trouble getting links to work from my phone and not always at my laptop!

I found that entire story very interesting

Well said, DodgersGirl ( the part about not being thrilled about receiving radiation but firmly believing it is our bestshot of surviving this ordeal.) And thank goodness there is a forum for us to learn, share and support one another. You all help me get through the day!

Hi DodgersGirl..... I’m lurking here because I should be finish chemo on 11/10, will take few weeks off then I start radiation. I might not start in November, possibly December.