December 2017 Radiation Group

Hello ladies! I just finished chemotherapy (4 AC/4 Taxol) January 18th and will probably start radiation in about a month. I was reading through all your posts and they have been extremely helpful. Thank you all for being so honest and open. The only things I have really heard about rads is that you can burn and it makes you tired. My question is, what kind of tired? Is it like an "I need to sleep" tired or more of a fatigue? I am asking because I wanted to start working out to gain my strength back, but if rads is going to make me tired, maybe I should wait until its over??

littlebee72; ive just completed rads (20 sessions) Nov 29th - Dec 27th and I wasn't that tired at all. But I think it all depends on what type of schedule you already have. Im 49; no kids and not married... BUT i work an 8hr job; was working PT at the YMCA (2) days 4-8; Im the Pastors Admin and I sing on 3 choirs and direct 2... SO with all that said, during my rads; I worked EVERYDAY; but because of FMLA I worked 6hr days; left work went to my sessions at 2:30 and some days Id go straight home after; other days Id walk the mall; see my fella or just visit friends...I COULD NOT work the PT (because of FMLA); I continued to do all of my church work and I was ok. I was also able to put up (3) Christmas trees (lol)... Dont get me wrong, I may have felt tired but truth be told I was still doing all of the norm sooooo i wouldnt blame it on the rads. I didn't get my workout in as I had been doing BUT I have my followups next week and as of Feb; I;ll be be back at the Y (1) day a week and on my 2nd day I'll add that to my walk day... prayerfully I'll be walking (2-3) days a week now and I'll do my bike at home.

SO...with all that being said; although thats what 'can' happen being tired...that DOES NOT have to be your story! As my mom told me; do what you can but dont push yourself. So from me to you; take it a day at a time...a week at a time and let your body be the judge.

I already know that you are going to do JUST FINE!

Littlebee I have the same chemo you had and I had 30 sessions of radiation. During that time I able to do my 30-40 min walk almost daily however started on week 4 I need nap. Some days even two hours nap wasn’t enough I woke up and I can’t do much. One of the day and I felt it was worse than chemo. On the last couple treatment days I took it easy then I felt fine.

Thanks God is Friday ladies!!

OCDAmy- that's great news worth crying over! I don't know what the PALLAS trial is, but I will look it up.

ooohh Amy i am sooo happy to hear this. I think this is important for all of us warriors. We are not a statistic we are fighters & we kick butt & shall not let cancer rob us of enjoying our lives. Enjoy your glass of vino & toast to the amazing life ahead of you. xo

Thanks lifechoices, yes...today was my day to dance! So happy to get that last treatment done!

Can you believe this, yesterday the machine broke half-way through my treatment. It was my first time to have a machine problem. But they were sweet and let me come back at 5:30pm so they could finish Thursday's treatment so that I would finish up today. It feels good to have this phase behind me.

OCDAmy, my expanders made it! I've got one bad looking spot that the skin could still break down but I'm hoping now with no more burning that it will start to heal. My RO wants to see me next Friday just to check the expander and I'll see my PS in about 3 weeks for him to take another look. But, I think I've made it. When will you have your exchange surgery? I'm thinking mine will be August, hopefully. So ready to get rid of these things.

Have a good weekend ladies - rest up. My next step is 6 months of Xeloda oral chemo because my cancer is triple-negative. Keep moving forward!

SoniaL- Congrats on finishing rads! It's good to be done. Sorry you have to take oral chemo, you've already completed and faced so many other challenges. I hope this next step is just a bump in your road. HUGS!

Lialals- my RO was very specific on what lotions I could use. Aquaphor, 100% aloe - dye & scent free, and as I got itchy she said to add hydrocortisone. She recommends putting a little of each in your hand, rubbing it all together and slathering it on. Makes a heck of a mess but doable.

Leials- Aquaphor reminds me of a thick vasoline type spread. It has stained some tank tops I use, I'll toss them when I no longer use it. If I'm home I cover it with a white hand towel. If I'm going out sometimes I cover it with a tissue.

Congrats Sonia, I can't believe that happened with the machine but so glad it's finally over. Woo-hoo!!!

OCDAmy - I'm glad you got your questions answered and they were positive. It's so important to write them all down and ask away. We don't always remember them when we're in the drs office (I don't any way, unless I have my list). I have my followup with my RO next week so I better get my list together. Stay positive!!

About Aquaphor - that stuff is a greasy mess but I applied it twice a day and found it VERY helpful. I tried wearing a t-shirt under my tops because you will ruin the t-shirt - so better that than your nice outfit. I still use it (finished RADs Dec 22nd) because I still am just a smidge pink. I want my scar to heal nicely and since I have the lotion, why not use it up? I often would take a kleenex and stick it over the lotion so not to ruin my tops. The kleenex sticks on like glue. Aquaphor is just like vaseline, it's thick and doesn't wash off your hands easily so I'd just rub the residue from my hands onto my arm or legs.. Yea, it's a mess!!!! When I got itchy I was told to apply hydro cortisone cream first and Aquaphor on top of that. I wore alot of sweaters with my ugly t-shirt underneath. When I'm told by my drs I no longer have to use it, I've decided to treat myself to some new pretty bras that don't have the Aquaphor residue inside haha!! If you already have expensive, nice bras then go get some cheap ones or better yet, go braless!!

How’s everyone doing? Enjoying the Saturday morning?

Skin is start healing the open areas are closing up, truly I’m surprised how fast it heals.

Rhyfelwr, it was 60 today so my husband got out the convertible and we took a lovely car ride; seeing the sun helped a lot with my winter blahs. But now of course snow is predicted for Tuesday! Geez. Hope you get a nice walk and a chance to do something to lift your mood.

Paulette, I'm so glad you're healing quickly!

Love your flower pics Paulette. We hit 47 I think, not a flower in site.

I just discovered this site. I was diagnosed with IDC October 20,2017; lumpectomy on left breast in 2 areas and reconstruction and reduction were done during the same surgery, November 10, 2017, 3 lymph nodes we also removed and cancer was found in 1/3 nodes removed. Started rads January 3, 2018. Should be finished February 22, 2018. So I've finished my 16th day of rads, I'm a day past the 1/2 way mark. I'm looking pretty red and sore, but just using Aveeno on the rads area seems to be enough for now. I was really slathering myself up with the ointment, but in the last few days my t-shirts have been sticking to the cream and it feels like I'm pulling off a layer of skin when I take the shirt off. I'm now putting lotion on more often in smaller amounts. The lotion seems to cool my radiated area down nicely. I don't even think of wearing a bra...there's no way I could take the pressure on the rads area. I really want to ice the rads area like I did after my surgery, but I've resisted so far.

I guess I'm on here because I'm so emotional. I seem like I spend 1/2 of my time crying. Not sure if this is “normal" or not. I feel all alone. My husband and I moved to a new area last May. We're in CA and our family, kids and grandkids, are in AZ, CA, WA and MA, so not much family support close by. I just cry when I feel like crying. One day last week I cried through my rads. I didnt know I could cry without moving. Of course the treatment took a long time that day. I'm feeling myself tense up during treatment, earlier I did fine. I feel like this will never end. I'll never be the me I was last May or 5 years ago.

Sorry for the long post, but I know you're all going through similar type treatments, so hoping for some advice on keeping my spirits up. Keeping my attitude positive. But it's rough. Our youngest son is coming out for a short visit this next week. I know having him around for a few days will help. It seems like the most caring people around are the parking attendant where I go for my “cooking" and the security guard at the same building. Our daughters have young families and jobs or school, so they're not able to come out for a few days. Our other 2 sons have pretty much distanced themselves from us.

Help be my Pollyanna's, help me see some positive in this journey.