Starting Radiation October 2017

Catlady72 don't be scared about the after effects. It effects everyone different. It's been a week since I finished the whole breast and my skin is not worse than it was then. The boosts were no big deal. The one thing that's getting to me is fatigue, but it comes and goes. Hopefully it won't happen while I'm cooking for Thanksgiving. I have decided that I'm not letting this breast cancer situation get the best of me anymore. I drove myself nuts over the last 5 months and my new motto is to stay positive and to move on with my life. Best wishes to you and everyone that's in treatment.

Just got back from number 17. Yeah, only three more to go. Also met with the RO. She said the same thing about the side effects that the worst is going to be a week after radiation for about 2 weeks. Not looking forward to that! She gave me a prescription for Hydrocortison cream and said take Tylenol or Advil for the pain. The cream is suppose to help with the itching. I can already see the rash and redness creeping up towards my collarbone on the side they radiated for lymph nodes.

You'd think with all this technology and research going on for cancer that they could come up with something to help with the side effects of radiation.

Catlady 72: Be kind to yourself. That two weeks will all be over with shortly. Then you'll be back to tennis and a somewhat normal life again. My RO said it takes the two weeks for the skin to repair itself but that doesn't mean you'll be in pain for all of those two weeks. A bad sunburn takes about two weeks but you're not in pain for the whole time.

@pink_is_my_colour: Thanks for your kind words. Yes I will not dwell on what *MIGHT* happen and just take things day by day. My RO did say yesterday my open wound looks good and she could see no signs of infection and it is starting to heal in places, so that's good.

@DodgersGirl: I am with you on the pain meds...it's just uncomfortable when I move which is what I told my RO yesterday. She was offering stronger pain meds, but I told her I still had room to increase my ibuprofen dosage which I haven't tried yet. MOST of the time, when I'm confined, my pain level is fine. However when at night when I am letting myself air out and sleeping braless...when I roll over that pain level is EASILY a 10 and even after my surgeries and c-sections for all 3 kids, I've NEVER had pain like this. I just work through it.

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So yesterday was treatment #29 of #30 and I actually saw my RO before that treatment, which is unusual, but I had to wait for a free machine anyway so that was suggested. She looked at my new open wound under my arm...and I could tell she was really debating if I should take a break. She checked the lines to see what the current treatment would be in terms of affecting that new area, and she saw it might be right at the edge. However she said she could tell I was just anxious to be DONE so she would let me finish my last two treatments. She suggested writing a script for more pain meds...but I declined for now. Even though, as I said above, my pain is a TEN easily at times, that's still rare and I get through it. It frustrates my DH to no end to see how miserable I am and yet I refuse to just stay home and rest. Once I am up and get things treated for the day I am fine, so no need to give up on life right now. He thinks I'm crazy to not take more pain meds and/or stay home. Oh well.

In any event, was able to move my appointment for today up to 6:30am from 7am and so as of TODAY I am DONE with RADIATION!!! #30 is in the books, I got my certificate and rang the bell to a bit of fanfare surrounded by many of my great nursing team. It was very nice.

From here on out, it's all about healing and getting back to somewhat of a normal life as much as possible. I already have THREE follow-up appointments scheduled for next week: my primary oncologist, my RO (to do a checkup on my healing skin) and my surgeon from my lumpectomy in May.

Hang in there ladies and enjoy Thanksgiving for all who celebrate!

Woot Woot! Done radiation treatments. Radiation went by fast. Thankful it's done because I've picked up a nasty cold. Can't imagine trying to lay still with a cough. Now on to the healing.

No real skin issues except a bit of rash and the itching. Got some hydrocortisone cream for the itching. Fingers crossed RO is wrong about skin getting worse next week.

I had my mapping done last week. Tattoos done etc and will have my first rad treatment on Nov. 30.

I will be having my treatments in the prone position to minimize the potential risk of damaging my heart and ribs, due to where the cancer was.

Welcome Silver2000...

Sounds like you are gonna be an End of Nov Rad Partner as well. I start on the 29th. I too am a lumpectomy, prone position, right breast, clear margins and nodes ...20 sessions; Tamoxifen to start on Dec 28th. These ladies here have helped me to prepare my shopping list for this now I just need to prepare me. I feel like this is the hill just before the end of the race so I'm staying positive, motivated and thankful! The journey continues but I got this! Prayerful for all on this upcoming process...WeAreFighters!

Hi, Ladies and friends,

I hope all of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, mine was another stark reminder that I am still not over the side effects of radiation. The treatments have heightened my sensitivity to fragrances, which can lead to asthmatic attacks. Someone used an aerosol deodorizer in the bathroom, and when I went in, it just overpowered me. I held my breath, but still, nothing helped. Went into a full-blown asthmatic attack. Not pleasant at all. It takes hours to recover. And no, inhalers or nebulizers don't help, since it is not actually asthma. (How many of you have even heard of laryngeal hypersensitivity?)

A question for all of you... at 2 weeks out from the final boost, how many of you are experiencing sharp stabbing pains? My boost was focused on and above my nipple, and well, ouch, major ouch. Skin looks like a prickly heat rash, but at least no blisters or open wounds. Lidocaine jelly 2% doesn't help, nor did the advil or Tramadol. Saturday afternoon, the pains came about every 15 minutes for a while. I think I will call my RO soon... but it seems to me she has given me most of what is already in her arsenal. Any suggestions?

Be well and be strong, my dear friends.

@pink_is_my_colour: YAY...congrats to you on being done!

@dmjmom: Glad you are getting a bit of a break, hope you get through the boosts quickly! I'm not familiar with the Femara and Zometa infusion treatments you speak about. So much to learn about how everybody has different treatments.

@silver2000: Good luck to you on starting your treatments later this week. Glad that you get to at least skip out on chemo, though I didn't find that to be horrible. I think rads were worse for me for sure.

@LoJo100: So great to read such a positive report from you. My skin also is finally starting to heal in some spots, but still very raw in others. I gave up on my normal tennis playing for now, because using my right arm when I have raw skin under that area would be painful. I'm so glad you were able to get out and be active and I look forward to that for myself, HOPEFULLY next week?? Good luck starting Tamoxifen. I speak to my oncologist tomorrow to talk about the next steps for me. I'm hoping to delay any medications for another few weeks so I can have a little break from treatments.

@sweetsmilefh: That is horrible about that sensitivity...and a bit scary! So sorry you are going through that. As for the sharp stabbing pains...YEAH I've got those today, now only 5 days from my final boost. My cancer was aslo right above my nipple, and right now that already looks so raw and open and I'm using the burn cream on it. However the pains are hitting me frequently today so I just took some ibuprofen to see if that helps.

@DodgersGirl: I'm so sorry to hear about your issues, even if you don't want to go into details. I think I mentioned before that my raw and open skin under my breast was especially painful, to the point that one day I was just in TEARS because it was like pins and needles when I even tried to move. I was miserable. My RO did offer pain meds but I declined and figured I'd get through it, and now it is a week past what was probably the most painful time for me and I am starting to heal and that area under my breast is almost healed thank goodness. I do have a new and smaller open wound under my arm near my scar for node removal but hopefully that will clear up soon enough. I'm so glad to be on this side of at least some of that pain. I see my RO this week as a follow-up also for her to check my healing, so I'm glad to know she should be happy once she sees it now compared to last week. Hang in there!

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So it's going to be strange not doing my daily drive to the office for my treatments for sure, but I have 3 follow-up appointments this week with various doctors to keep my busy. Tomorrow I talk to my oncologist about my next steps in treatment and see when that will begin.

Catlady72: Femara is Letrozole, one type of pill those of us with hormone receptor positive cancers take for 5 to 10 years. You probably know it under a different name. The Zometa is also known as Reclast and is to counteract the Femara to keep bones strong. I'll have the four of those infusions, every six months for two years, starting in mid-December. I think those things are pretty much standard of care for my type of cancer.

I had my first boost today, only four more rads treatments! I'm not having much pain, some, but not much. I'm following my RO's instructions and haven't worn a bra since the day before my first rads treatment. I don't know how you ladies who have to wear one can manage.

So sorry to hear that you are having a painful complication Dodgersgirl. Hope you heal quickly.

Dodgersgirl & sweetsmilefh I am so sorry that you are going through a tough time right now. Hopefully you will soon get some sweet relief.

Dmjmom Glad that things are going well for you. I, too ditched my bra at the beginning of treatment and can't bare to even put one on. I just wear a cami and a baggy top!

Lojo100 How wonderful to be finished with rads with and have minimal SE and issues! You are an inspiration!

Georgia1, Silver200 & Lifechoice--best wishes and hugs to you as you begin this chapter in your treatment plan.

When I first met with my RO (which seems like eons ago) I asked about side effects. Her response was that it was genetic. You wouldn't know how you reacted to radiation until treatment & that there was probably not too much you could do to prevent what would happen. Creams and lotions, diet, exercise, sleep and meditation may help, but in the end it's just the way your body reacts. As I read all of your different experiences I can't help but think my RO was right.

Dodgergirl...glad you are feeling well despite your red and angry 😡 looking skin. Two more treatments & you get to ring the bell! Woohoo!

DodgersGirl: Glad you have healing skin and not as painful. I still have one small "angry" and open spot that hopefully will be done soon enough...oh and a nipple that looks pretty nasty too.

dmjmom: Thanks for the explanation. I'll probably get more schooling on this today when I meet with my oncologist. I'm still pre-menopausal (or at least was before I started the whole chemo/radiation process) so my options may vary a bit perhaps. I know I've had the discussion before with my onco, but back then it was such a future thought since all I could focus on with him was chemotherapy. I have ER/PR+ (highly ER+ but not as high PR+) so I know hormone treatments are next for me. I'm not looking forward to it of course, but not like I was looking forward to ANY of this stuff!

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So in a few hours I'll be talking to my oncologist about "what next" for me, which I know is hormone treatments but the question is what kind and when we will start them. I'm planning on delaying starting them at least until I get back from vacation (which is next week) so as to not have to worry about any side effects. I also have an appointment with another oncologist just as a second opinion, but that's not until January unfortunately. I'm not sure he'll be happy with me delaying for THAT long but we'll see what happens.

Gigila Sorry to hear you are having a tough time right now. The good news is that you have only 7 treatments left. Right now it probably seems like an eternity..but it will soon be behind you. Hugs!