Starting radiation September 2017

Anna in norway- I did not have that experience. Perhaps others may respond. Probably would be best to check in with RO to confirm this experience. Hoping you're feeling better very soon.

Hi, everyone, I am done Finished Tuesday Oct 24th and finally home after 7 weeks. I had lots of peeling and soreness but it is really doing much better now. I have that silvadene creme and it works wonders. Under the peeling skin is pink new skin and very little pain. My blood is low though and I am neutropenic, the MO says caused by the radiation. I will get another blood test this week and I bet it will be back up, I hope. Still on herceptin and they just restarted the Perjeta (another loading dose), I was sort of sick for the last couple days, and still very tired and and brain foggy, really foggy. I lose stuff, forget everything and can't even talk when I forget what word to use. I feel like I need a keeper. I am worried it will get worse when I go on those hormone blockers my MO wants to start in 2 weeks. Reconstruction is slated for April 17th and I guess they will stop the Perjeta again 6 weeks before surgery. Not sure if they will reinstate it after the surgery, but probably not for a few weeks anyways, so probably another 9 weeks off and another loading dose in May. But I will be finished with all this in July, hopefully and even have my port removed.

Those of you still doing radiation, it isn't so bad at least it wasn't for me, just 1 day at a time and then it's done, then another 1 day at a time and the healing is better each day after the 1st week. My tight chest is even loosening up a bit now and my last rad was Oct 24th. Tomorrow it will be 2 weeks post. Now if someone can post about us getting our brain back, that I'm interested in.

Anna, not that type of pain yet.

Carmstr- my tightness has also started lessening, thankfully! As the skin peeled off it seemed to loosen things up.

So that fever is still here, 4 days now and now accompanied by a nasty dry cough. I suspect radiation pneumonitis. I'm going to call this morning to see if I can get an appt.

Hi Ladies,

Hope it's a quiet, healing weekend for everyone!

I finished on Monday 11/6. Such a strange feeling being done, albeit a good one. Kinda like, ok, now what? We all just have to keep moving forward and believe we are doing everything in our power to ensure no recurrence.

I'm peeling like crazy and its been raw in several spots. My RO provided me with Xeroform which has been extremely helpful. It's super soothing and really helps the skin.

I love that people are taking vacations as a way of healing. Time for you, it's so smart. I may have to do the same.

Thinking of you all. XO

Thanks dee!

Congrats blipkitty, speedy healing to you!

Lovepugs, poor thing, still going. I hope the boosts are as easy for you as mine were!

Sooo, still sick with fever and cough. Went to urgent care Monday and MO on Friday. X-ray of chest shows something that could be pneumonia or pneumonitis, they can't tell which. Either way it's from radiation, they want me to take antibiotics even though my lungs are clear. Not coughing anything up. Not sure why they won't give me the steroids to treat the pneumonitis. Nervous about the antibiotic because of the Tamoxifen, don't want to start down the yeast infection path if I don't have to. But this Can't be my new normal!

lovepugs, I second that emotion! Radiation therapists do have a way of endearing themselves to you. I just finished today.

Lovepugs!! How wonderful!! Congrats !

Congrats LovePugs77!!

Congrats lovepugs and Alice! Speedy healing to you both!

cpeachymom , you must be relieved!

A toddler! Good lord your just too young for this nonsence!!

And congrats to all those finishing up! Wishing you speedy healing..

My skin is still brown and dry, but I just finished up on Tuesday. I have some sore patches under my arms, I think where the seams of my shirts irritated the radiated skin. I think it's getting better.

I think I had more inflammation than I realized, because there are a few areas that feel sore, almost as though they are bruised, but without any visible bruising. The worst are under my arms and near my collarbone (I had the supraclavicular nodes radiated on one side). That feels a little better today, though.

Cpeachymom, I'm sorry you've been sore, too. I am glad to know I'm not the only one though. Since it is mostly near lymph nodes I was getting a little worried.

Congratulations to everyone who has completed their treatment! I'm about 1 1/2 months out so thought I would share a status report.

My previously reddened skin has turned to tan with numerous small dark brown spots and the fold under my breast is still quite dark. My areola remains quite shriveled while my nipple is swollen and constantly standing "at attention." I found coconut oil helped the damaged skin to peel off gently. (I used food-quality organic oil from Sprouts.) The treated breast definitely seems smaller and a bit saggier than its mate, but remember I had reduction surgery prior to radiation so don't know if my results would be the same is for others. I don't know if the oronine (sp?) cream helped, but I didn't have any weeping or open wound areas.

Lyn