April 2018- Starting Radiation

Good morning all,

What a strange week. First, the breathing thing wasn't going very well, so they switched me over to the other machine and prone position (will be much better). Then shortly after that I developed two strange new symptoms-- itchy, tingling hands and feet, and intense back and chest pain. Haven't figured out the hands and feet thing, but the back/chest pain completely threw me for a loop. I talked to both my oncologist and RO, and neither one felt it was related to chemo or radiation (I've only had two radiation treatments).

I finally called my internist, who immediately said that it sounded like a pinched nerve (which can wrap around the chest from back to front). Some stronger pain meds and muscle relaxant later, and I'm functional again. But my best guess is that lying stretched out with my arms over my head for so long (with tense muscles) might be at the root of this. Going to make sure that I'm well-medicated for the long appointment on Tuesday.

Buttercup

I have opted to use cortisone 10 cream now.  Upper chest has started to break out and itch.  Only slightly red under my left one. Weird minor symptoms are happening away from the area being treated.  Nipple has looked funny but at this point it seems to recover really quickly.  I'm not quite halfway there, #14/30 will be today.  I really hope I can get out of this with just these minor issues.

On Sat. I was having some discomfort but I believe that is from the seroma I developed 3 weeks post op as I wasn't wearing enough support.  I must of missed the part to wear some real support even after you feel better.  Anyway I swelled up but the compression of wearing high impact sports bras helped greatly for the fluid to resolve on it's own. Upper chest that's irritated is where some of that prior swelling was, so maybe that's why it's the 1st place to break out.

I also feel like treated breast is shrinking.....LOL

Kaywrite, thanks for the suggestions!

I hope everyone enjoyed their two days off radiation...Monday, and here we go again! Today will be #4 for me.

I am going to go ahead and join the April group since my first two treatments will be in April. #1/20 done. I did have some "heavy" feeling in my affected breast about 2 hours post treatment. Mortin worked for the discomfort. I have some lotion with calendula cream that I am using. Hoping to stop some of the redness and itching. Any advanced info would be appreciated. Here's to getting this journey on down the road!!!!

Welcome to radiation Bauer4!

Today was treatment #5 for me. My radiation treatment team usually takes two x-rays of me before they do my treatment, I found out today that every five days they do 4 x-rays before treatment! Seems like that should count toward my radiation treatments, right? LOL.

So far so good...no discomfort.

I finished number 9 today. My skin is a little pink but not too bad.

Princess - that sounds horrible! Hopefully they can do something to make that easier

Good morning-hope all is well today in April/May radiation land.  I wish we had a queen to rule over us wave her magic wand and cure the fatigue!

I am 15 down, 15 to go.  10 more whole breast and 5 boosts.  Our bodies are doing their best to re grow the good cells that are being zapped.  Don't know what else to do except try to eat good, stay as active as possible, and hydrated.  Once I'm asleep at night a bomb could go off and I would never know it! LOL

Saw the RO on Monday he said I was doing good.  Learned that being prone the upper chest is normal to be the place he sees in his patients that breaks out first.  I'm hoping this will be all I have to deal with. Ok to use the cortisone there (its working wonderfully), and using Aloe every place else.

Thank you for letting me share my experience.  Best wishes to all for a great day!  Stay well.

13 down, 6 to go! It's getting hot out, and I've been riding my bike, which means sweaty stickers sliding around. Fingers crossed they stay on well enough to get through this! I suppose I wouldn't be the first to lose a sticker, though...

So sorry about the pain, PrincessButtercup! That's the worst. 16 to go...I hope they go quickly. Mine have, once I got rolling. Sending good vibes!

I'm 11/25 today and definitely pink over the entire radiated area. So far no itching, swelling or pain. I apply Lubriderm four t9mes a day. That is what my oncologist recommended.

LiMa66 - I know what you mean about being ambivalent about finishing treatments. It does feel good to be doing something concrete.

Thanks, Veeder. I seem to be allergic to everything these days, so both ibuprofen and aleve are off the table. I'm still itchy (which I think is from chemo) so I'm loading myself up with benadryl and muscle relaxant (for the pinched nerve) to get through the radiation.

I do feel that there must be a better way to move radiation patients on a table than by an ordinary cotton bed sheet. It's crazy. My husband's car has a more exact adjustment system than this radiation table does.

14/19 done! The end is so close and yet so far! And I echo the ambivalence above--it will be strange to not be "doing" something about cancer after six months of active treatment. I'm excited, and I'm also nervous. My twin sister is awaiting biopsy results for a BIRADS 4C, so I'm feeling way more nervous about that at the moment, unfortunately. My family could use some good news, so send benign vibes our way!

And I'm pink, itchy, and tired. Sounds normal to me!

Hang in there, everybody.

Okkate - hoping for good news for all. You are close, and doing nothing about cancer will be an welcome adjustment.

For all of us it will be a challenge to put "cancer" away, deep in the recesses of our minds, so we can live our lives without fear. Not sure it is 100% possible but I am sure going to try. I hope I can avoid borrowing trouble by worrying about something that may never happen and now that I have done it once I know that if something were to come I will just deal with it - just like the first time.

My last two boosts are today and Monday and then I am heading to England for a long-planned two week vacation - that will probably do more to help me turn the corner than anything else. I imagine myself coming back from vacation and just picking up my life where it was last November when this all started as though nothing happened. Fingers cross!

Have a restful and treatment free weekend everyone!

okkate, sorry to hear the news of your sister.  Early is good though.  Totally treatable.  Those were the first words out of my BS mouth when I was diagnosed.  My younger sister also had BC in late 2014.  She is doing well, and if it wasn't for her I may have waited even longer to sign up for a primary doctor and get a check up.  I was never one for medical assistance unless I was unconscious or absolutely had to go after I couldn't fix whatever was wrong myself.  I guess no more of that after 55 yrs!  Random thought I just had: Sister is a leftie and BC was on right side.  I'm a righty and BC was on left.

#18/30 done this morning.  I'm doing well, upper chest only itchy and broken out area that I have.  Cortisone is working for that.  The node scar under my arm has turned a dark color but is not bothersome at all.  The under breast and breast itself not perfect looking but nothing of significance going on and I hope I can get thru the end with just the upper chest area-worried a little about boosts as my tumor bed is at 11:00 so I will anticipate that area may get worse before it gets better.  

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Completed my last whole breast radiation today, 25 total. Begin my boosts on Monday, a total of 8. Enjoy your weekend ladies.