Starting Radiation November 2017

DodgersGirl- I found your old post regarding green tea and I have couple questions......

“the green tea concept was posted by someone from the May 2017 Rads group and posted again in the Aug 2017 group. I boil water and use 5 ounces of it to make green tea. Add 2 bags green tea to the water and steep at least 30 mins. I do steep longer. Then squeeze the tea bags to get all the liquid out. I make this tea on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays I keep the tea in a container in the refrigerator. When I go to rads I take a ziplock bag with 3 cotton pads and a really small container with tea. After rads (mine are in the morning) I take a cotton pad and get it wet from the tea and apply that to the radi“

* You keep the tea in the container in the refrigerator.... with NO Tea Bag?

* you take your tea inside a small container and cotton pads to rads so you can use it right after radiation?

How many times do you do this ?

Sorry I ask so many questions I guess I just want to be clear.

Thank you.

paulettek-- I steep 3 green tea bags in 6 oz of boiling water for a min of 40 mins. Then I squeeze all the liquid from the tea bags into the 6 oz of tea and throw out the tea bags.

I place the green tea in the refrigerator.

Since my rad sessions are in the morning, the first green tea regiment of the day is right after rads. In the changing room I use a cotton pad dipped in green tea (I bring small container with small amount of tea for each rad session leaving the rest of the tea at home in the refrigerator) and wipe it over the radiated area. Then I do the same thing with 2 other pads. So in the changing room I have wiped the raduated area a total of 3 times after rads. Then around mid afternoon, I do the same thing with 3 new cotton pads and after dinner do the same thing again for a total of 3 times a day

Every 2-3 days I make fresh green tea and throw out any that I had left over.

After a couple of treatments I could feel the cotton pads were getting warm after wiping on my skin. It does seem to pull out some heat from treatments.

I cleared this with my RO and hope you will, too, if going to try the green tea concept. Green tea, as you know, is an anti-oxidant and not all ROs approve this usage

DodgersGirl - thank you glad I checked the post before I leave my house. Will check with RO first.

Thanks Sunny I’m at the office waiting now that’s a good question !

553Nancy any sunnyjay...

I've seen post where ppl say use nothing until you see an SE... others say lotion up a week before...others are lotioning 2-3xs a day.... uggghh....what to do, what to do?!?..

Like you don't wanna lotion and not needed. But then you don't want early SEs and wished you had.

I start next Wed for 20sessions, and I don't know what to do. My RO was like, don't worry about getting anything because we have creams to help. But in my head I'm hearing, girl go buy everything because you're gonna need it. Lol.

The only samples my RO gave was for Aquaphor. Her advise was to use a light cream (Calendula, Lindi Lotion, Aveeno, Cetaphil, Eucerin, or Vaseline Intensive Care) after treatment & through out the day & Aquaphor at bedtime. At each weekly visit, she would ask what I am using... & since I had minimal SE would say to keep doing what I was doing. I am pinker & more tender now..(22/34) .it will be interesting what she says tomorrow. Because of the 4 day break, I am thinking of asking her for a prescription ointment...just in case. I like being prepared

Linwentz, I will not see the radiation oncologist again until six to eight weeks after treatment is finished. The radiation therapist did say that the concern is that there would be something like oil on the skin that would prevent the radiation from getting through. But since I will be showering every day and not putting anything on my skin between then and my treatment, I can't see that being a problem; there would be nothing left from the previous day. I am taking my ointments in with me tomorrow so that they can look at them, and they said they can also have someone run them over to the oncologist for him to see. They did say they didn't want anything with vaseline in it used, so maybe I will forget about the Aquaphor. I honestly don't see what the problem with Aloe Vera and Cabbage Leaves are; they just said those are old ways of dealing with radiation that are no longer in use.

Georgia1, I too had a lumpectomy; clear nodes and margins...BRCA neg and low MammaPrint, but I have 20sessions... 16 with 4 boost... I start next Wed;) are you doing yours the morning or afternoon? My first 5 are between 11-1230... the rest are at 230. I'll go to work; leave and go back the first 5... the 230 sessions I go to work, rads and then home:) thinking by the 2nd and 3rd week I won't have to wear a bra when I leave. Lol

Linwentz, I understand your feeling about the shorter treatment course, but over my 16 treatments, I will have the same amount of radiation as those who are having six to seven weeks. They will just be at a higher dose. So, I am told 4,256 centigrays divided by 16 - 266 centigrays each treatment. I have no idea what it means or whether that is a huge amount; when I asked, I was told that that was what it would be. I have googled the term but still don't understand. My biggest concern is that, because my dose will be higher and the radiation accumulative, I will experience side effects quickly, especially the fatigue. Just one day at a time, as always.

Georgia1 will you be doing rads in the prone position? Face down? I will since they didn't have to do armpit or other areas. I did well in the simulation and getting my rad tats... I'm hoping I can check in and out with a breeze. The nurse did say that sometimes it's a waiting game just in case someone doesn't line up well... but we'll see how mine goes next week...crossing fingers:) Hooray for those of you completed or almost at the finish line.

Georgia1 same here! I got 2 tats on my back. One at the top of my back, the other almost midway...and one each near my bra strap under my arm. They won't rad there, but just to align me.

I finished my treatment yesterday woo hoo! I'm happy it's over and am looking forward to moving on with my life. To those just starting, it goes fast and you will all do fine!!

NikJ, so happy for you. From your info, you did not do chemo; are you taking hormone therapy, or are you using natural alternatives? I hope everything goes well for you and that you will be happy and healthy.

Hi, everyone. I had my second rads today, and now they've backed-off on what they said yesterday about Lubiderm and Glaxol only, and I can use my Calendula ointment after all. .

Hi Linwentz,

I am encouraged that you are only a little rashy and pink at the 20 mark. I have only been slightly pink at the 5th treatment and sometimes get twinges or pins and needles feelings which could be the nerves from surgery continuing to perk back up. I am praying that I don't have any of the oozing open wound type things like with blistering from a really bad sunburn. I am using aloe vera like crazy and the Calendula cream. Will keep you posted.