February 2018 Starting RADIATION

miranda2060,

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. Good luck!!

So at two weeks today! Man am I tired! As a caveat, I am getting radiation to the center of my chest for mets to the lung lymph nodes so my symptoms are probably different than others (my esophagus is burning etc. But I think the thing we all have in common is fatigue. Is anyone else do radiation other than directly to breast?

Txgatata - You have gone through the gamut. I'm so sorry you have to suffer with the esophagus burn. I hope it doesn't get any worse. If you don't mind me asking, back in 2014, do you remember what your doctor said your recurrence rate was after your chemo and radiation?

I'll be interested in what creams work best for everyone. I heard that aquaphor is greasy. I don't like greasy creams or lotions. I might try to find a aloe type cream, or anything that soothes the skin. I'm so tired from chemo - I hope radiation isn't going to be as bad. I've got to get my energy back

Blair2....I have to be on my back, unfortunately. They said because I can hold my breath for so long, that my treatments will be short. Glad I played the trumpet way back in high school! It gave me a good set of lungs! LOL!

Jadeshiva - you must feel good that a third of your treatments are done. Let us know what cream seems to help that sunburn issue. It’s also exciting that your hair is beginning to grow back. I took taxotere and I don’t like hearing there are law suits against it in cases where the persons hair didn’t grow back. I have a feeling mine will be really thin, as it was thinning so much prior to treatment.

Littlebee - that’s great you can lay on back with the breath holding process. The trumpet playing had to be good exercise for expanding the lungs. I never gave it a thought before. I know I would be horrible trying to hold my breath.

Miranda - I’m wondering if I’ll have a second simulation. They left four pieces of black marked Xed tape to my back. I hope they don’t fall off as my radiation doesn’t start until the 26th. Let us know how that hypnosis method works. Also, you are so lucky you didn’t need chemo! I still have a bad back coming up 6 weeks after my last chemo! This was not a typical side effect, and I am somewhat worried it damaged it some how. No one seems that concerned and it makes me distrust the medical society in that they avoid seeking into it. I never had a back problem before chemo

I just have to chime in...I finish my rads on February 22. 3 more days of boosts then I’m treating myself to a piece of cherry pie on George Washington’s Birthday, I cannot tell a lie. On January 3, when I started I never thought the end would come. Now it’s almost here!

To all you wonderful warriors just starting... you can do this!

May you feel joy

May you feel love

May you feel at peace.

Thanks Miranda - I’ll have to see if they have a counseling/hypnosis program here. If anything it sounds like it would be a way to cope with everything. I’m just hoping it won’t tire me out too much. Like chemo, it must effect people in different ways. BTW, I had my back X-rayed two weeks ago, but they didn’t see anything wrong with my spine. I think it’s mostly muscle pain, or inflammation. I’ve tried ice packs, heat, and the drugs seem to just mask the pain. It’s really getting so old as I have had this problem since Dec. 8th. However, I’ll live.

Hi Littlebee and all. I finished radiation December 2016 and just popped over from the December RADS group to offer you some encouragement. I only had 15 treatments thank goodness, and had just minor itching. But even my sisters who had six weeks or more found it easier than they had feared. Most of us used calendula cream, began using it daily even before radiation treatments started, then used Aquaphor at night when the redness kicked in.

Everyone gets different advice it seems, but here's the Johns Hopkins instruction sheet in case it is helpful. Good luck and best wishes.

Hi LittleBee. I am doing fine on Tamoxifen, which is what my MO recommended since I have osteoporosis. I'm 59 and post-menopausal, so perhaps that's part of the reason why my side effects are so mild...had my hot flashes years ago! I wish you all the best finishing up RADS.

Tkane, every darn step in this process is anxiety-provoking so your feelings are totally normal. I found the first session was the hardest, then I got into a routine and developed a good relationship with my techs. Do you usually feel better if you are prepared? I'd suggest wearing a loose top, since you'll need to undress from the waist up; and packing a protein bar or drink to help keep your protein levels up; a book or magazine for the waiting room; and some makeup remover pads to take your deodorant off beforehand. Best of luck and I know you'll be fine.

I've had two treatments (of 30), very uneventful. Afterward I've experienced something I would not call fatigue, but rather a sort of odd, mildly "drugged" feeling, not entirely unpleasant. I am lucky in that I live very near to the hospital, so the commute is short. I can't say I like anything about it -- marching through treatment makes you feel like your life is out of your control, and it is -- but I can bear it till it's done.

Hello fellow gals,

Tomorrow is day 1 of my rad treatments: 5 weeks + 3 days. I do have a couple of questions. Have any of you done chemo, then lumpectomy, then radiation? I hope "they're" wrong (it's worse if you have chemo then rads, rather than just rads). My last chemo was in mid-November but I continue to receive herceptin infusions once every three weeks.

Have any of you found out if there's anything that might help before I go in tomorrow? Something to avoid? They did tell me the basics (stop taking antioxidant supplements, no deodorant, creams, gels, etc).

I'm asking here because I already asked them and they said, "Just bring yourself" (at least they tried to not make it sound rude or impatient).

This place is like a home to me, in a way. I usually get better answers here than elsewhere. Thank you.

I wonder why some of us need so few rads with similar diagnosis. I have to have 35 total. 25 external, and 10 Accuboost treatments. I think I will be glowing in the dark when I get through!

Tkane10 - you’re close at 33. Are your 7 boosts considered as Accuboost like me? I’m still trying to figure out all this

Sweetp6217.....I had lumpectomy, then chemo, now rads. I am not sure why they say its worse if you have chemo then rads? I think (so far) rads are a walk in the park compared to chemo. I am in and out in less than 15 minutes for each treatment. And pretty much "just bring yourself" is correct. I am having 16 + 4 boosts, so a total of 4 weeks. Hoping it goes by fast! Good luck to you!

Blair....I've also wondered why everyone's treatment is all so different even with similar diagnosis. I am sure there are specific reasons, but not sure what they are.

LizabethM....I agree with you on the fatigue! I have a hard time staying awake at work....it was never this bad with chemo! I try and walk 30 minutes during lunch and that seems to help for a while, but by the end of the day I am whooped! Glad when this will be over!

Lizabeth - I don’t even know what the Canadian method is or the difference. Maybe this site has something about it. (?) I’m still suffering back pain 6 weeks post chemo and it just isn’t going away. It doesn’t stab me in pain like it had, but it’s still there enough that I have to take an Advil or some NSAID to calm it down. It’s so old and frustrating to put up with. It also adds to my fatigue. Other than that I still have a pesky cough.

Just don’t want the flu!

Littlebee - I had the same order of treatments. I think radsare harder because we are already tired from chemo. So fatigue gets double whammied.

Sweetp - I’m so impressed with people who can work and go through chemotherapy at the same time. I would not be able to do it. My treatment was mild and shortened - and it still made me so sick. Having my back messed up from it would have really made it hard to work all day.