February 2018 Starting RADIATION

LizabethM,

Congratulations! Your done. Thanks for the information, it does help.

I finished RADs yesterday! Very little issues with my skin...just a slight pinkness and a little itchy under my breast, but nothing else. I have a followup with the Oncologist on Thursday to discuss Tamoxifen and hopefully get some answers/resolutions to this horrible joint pain that keeps getting worse!

Congrats to everyone finishing up and to those that have a ways to go, stay strong!

Has anyone ever felt weird vibrations on thier chest after radiation? I am almost done with radiation to the left side of my chest and have noticied weird fluttery sensations occasionally when I breath. No shortness of breath or anything like that, just weirdness.

I’ve started anti hormonal. However my RO said it’s not emergent to start. It’s a long term benefit not an immediate one.

Another snow day, another postponed treatment. I’m not complaining in the sense that my breast probably could use the break. I’m one of the not so fortunate ones who has skin issues. I’m pretty sore and Aquapor has become my new bff. On the other hand, I am complaining about the postponement because I just want this treatment done. April 3rd can’t come quick enough.

Other than the burned skin and itching it’s okay. After chemo I sort of feel like anything is doable at this point. At least spring break is coming and I get some time to sleep in and to finish unpacking my house

Congrats to everyone who wrapped up treatment. Best wishes to you all!

Gina

Hey Sammi!

I have about a week or so left to go until I finish radiation. I'm not sure what I'm about to describe is the same as what you're experiencing, but it's definitely weird feeling. I had a bilateral mastectomy on Nov. 30th, then a lumpectomy in January for another tiny spot that happened to be found on my cat scan to get set up for radiation. Every so often I get this feeling almost like a strong butterfly feeling you get in your stomach, but only up in my chest. Very weird, like I'm scared or something. It seems to be going away because I haven't been noticing it as much the last week or so. Who knows, for as bad as my nerves have been through all of this, I wonder if it's anxiety related?

Blair has your back pain at least improved? I didn't know Femara made back pain worse. Why does it do that? Just doesn't seem fair...

Hi All,

I've been absent for over a week not feeling well. Glad to see those who are done with their journey. Congratulations to you all!

Has anyone had fatigue or weakness that you could barely get up out of bed?

I had 14 rad treatments when I suddenly felt weak to the point of passing out. I could not make it to 3 days of treatments. My husband was ready to take me to the ER. I was just exhausted, weak, and dizzy and had a hard time breathing. I've started back up again. It's been a few days now.

My RO dr. advised that radiation causes none of these side effects or even fatigue. Radiation to the breast is so localized that fatigue simply doesn't occur. I cannot believe none of their patients have complained about fatigue. Hoping it was just a one-time occurrence. Only 16 more to go.

Hi Sammi - I have a flutter but I also have SVT (overly fast heart beat) that I take heart medicine for since I was 16. I figured that is my "flutter". You should check with your RO.

Hi fellow travellers. I have 2 more boosts of my 28/5 to go. My fatigue started lifting last week, so if you are halfway and feeling it now, don't despair. It may not stay for the entire course of treatment.

With the whole breast treatments done, the area under my armpit is starting to heal. My raw spot is now avout the size of a quarter which is a huge improvement over the orange sized rawness. My new skin is tender and gets painful if it's touched. Still, it's improvement and honestly happening quickly.

My collarbone is dry and fried. I don't think it is going to blister like my armpit, just peel. They treated the lymph nodes around it.

I am looking forward to ringing the bell tomorrow!

Just got my 23rd of 33 this morning. Areas are looking a bit burned, darker than pink, I guess. No peeling, bumps or blisters, etc. Miaderm and RadiaPlex gel seem to be helping. Fatigue does hit me from time to time and Wednesday I had to drag myself to work. My heart really wasn't in it. Funny how emotions can be a tad uncontrollable, the feeling that you've watched tear-jerkers that you can relate with (without actually seeing those movies).

Anyway, 2 weeks to go and week after that, my MO wants to discuss endocrine therapy. I've been given the decision to try it or not. Not sure if that means that not taking it will do no harm.

Four to go (of 30). Feels like it's been an eternity. Lots of pain in underarm area (no nodes, but it's in the treatment field). Miaderm and ibuprofen helping a little.

As tedious and sometimes painful as it has been, I feel I may miss the routine, strange as that seems. Probably because that will be the end of the direct treatment modalities and onto the uncertain future of hormone therapy, etc.

Best to everyone here!

Congratulations Sammi2006! At least you don't have the daily grind of showing up for treatments. Enjoy your free time.

Hip hip hooray for Jadeshiva, Sweetpea (getting close), Eightoutof8, Miranda2060 (also close), and of course Sammi2006 for finishing up this fun radiation ride! Today was 21 out of 35 for me. Still no irritation, but I think I see a slight pinkness to my skin. The Aquaphor is harder to wash off I noticed each morning before treatment. I only put it on at night. I see my RO tomorrow and may learn more about where I should be irritation wise. I can’t really complain about this treatment at all even though the TrueBeam is a bit intimidating beaming around you each day. The young radiation techs are so sweet. I’ve enjoyed talking to them each day.

It will be strange when all this commotion stops. Then it’s a wait and see - nerve wracking mammograms (never feared them before as nothing ever happened). Will now

Miranda - hopefully the hormone therapy will give you no problems. There are at least several types if one doesn’t work for you. Do you know which type you will be on? I was told by my MO which drug I’ll be on, but I had to ask her.

Today I talked with my RO about my ongoing back pain. (Since my other doctors didn’t seem to care). She is a wonderful doctor and spends time answering questions, but I find I have to wait a while in the exam room. I know how frustrating it can be when a doctor rushes you. She’s worth the wait. She ordered a cat scan to rule out any possibility of it being bone or back cancer. That rather scared me for her to even mention back cancer. She did say it wasn’t likely the case and that it could be a uncommon side effect from the chemo drugs. I’m glad I’ll be checked out. I just know I’m tired of this back pain. So never a dull momment in the land of breast cancer. Because of my heart condition, I have to be careful of taking too many NSAIDS.

Miranda - Thanks - Arimidex is what my sister took for her hyperplasia condition for 5 years, and she had no problems or side effects from it. Of course, everyone is different, but it’s good to hear others who don’t have problems taking the same drug. I know nothing about Femara (letrolzole) that I’ll be taking, but one person on another blog said she had no problems with it. I guess we never know what these drugs will do.