Hi Alicebastable - that's a really interesting question and I plan to ask the doc on Monday too about how much they hit the lungs. I have asthma, so I'm pretty concerned about radiation impact on the lungs. Mine is my right breast and they have me turn my head to the left... they claim that in modern medicine, everything is more on an angle to minimize impact to the lungs and heart, but for my treatment, there is one overhead angle which I asked them about today and they claimed it's just high up and the window to the lungs is closed to it's not hitting my lungs at all. Still...

Alicebastable, silloldrab, urdrago etc... let's all ask and compare notes next week!

egregious - good luck with your start! We are also having a 'home for the holidays' without travel as I'm going through this. If it helps, please know that I am done with 10 sessions (that's 1/3rd of the way through!) and no side effects so far. You can look to my prior posts to what I'm doing, mostly for me it's the aloe vera, miaderm, hydrating and staying upbeat.

sillyoldrab - thank you, I hope it stays this way for me, but I'm prepared if side effects start to hit too. I hope at least some of what's working for me will help you and others, and that's great news on the soap too!

golfnut33 - totally understand, this also takes a 2-3 hour chunk out of my day. It's 40 minutes to drive there in good traffic, otherwise it's an hour. So at best, it will be 2 hours, at worst 3 hours. It really does seem to make the days go by super fast and right now, how it's impacting me is that I'm working WAY too late into the night, because 3 hours of my day were cut out, and I can't get everything done, and I end up working until 10pm or midnight or something crazy, then I don't get enough sleep and it's a vicious cycle. I told my boss that I need to take at least a day a week off and we will see if that works better for me. I decided to keep working through this, and at least I can work from home (with cute puppies by my side so super helpful!) but I need to find a better balance.

We're all one day at a time. Keep persevering ladies!

For anyone that is interested, this is the "drawing" that my RO did for me, to explain how (at least for me) the four fields of radiation would interact with my Heart, Lungs, Ribs, and Chest Wall.

My RO assured me the exposure would be minimal, but that yes, there was a small possibility of scarring of the Lung (~ 1%) but that the damage would not change anything enough to show a change on my lung output. Also, that rib weakness could occur, however unless I'm playing hockey, football, or overall beating myself up on a regular basis with hard core sports (yeah, so not me! lol) I would not be at a higher risk for breaks than most other people w/o exposure to RADs.

This is another reason why it seems most women (with BC in L breast) have Gated Breath Radiation...to pull the heart out of the field of RADs.

As far as exposure to the Chest Wall, that was a given for me, and was sent to PT at the start of RADs to prevent cording, adhesion, and shortening of my chest muscles. Didn't prevent it from happening for me, but I'm sure it would have been MUCH worse if I had not gone proactively.

Not sure if others were given this handout from their RO, but here's one that was helpful for me to see how Gated RADS works to protect your heart from as much of the RADs as possible.

Spoonie77 - thank you SOooo much for this!! Very informative. And a bit reassuring too.

Hi,

I joined this Group a couple of months ago, when the thread was "to take Anastrozole or not to"; I took one and felt so sick and strange the next 48 hours I decided that should this cancer return, at 73 I would go the bi-lateral route. I was hoping to learn from the Group more about what happens after radiation? I too felt pressured onto Radio Therapy, I argued and stated my case (living independently and happily on my own). But my girls, 40 and 45 were so worried that I would not have "peace of mind" if I didn't go through with it, in the end I had 15 fractions over 4 weeks, which as I am left side lumpectomy, this included respitory gating every session. The idea it could harm your heart, terrified me, but it seemed as though, the that consulting room that day, it was only me that took that view. Together with other damaging effects some not until way after ie: lungs, bone loss and extreme cases cancer? I thought, walk away from it. When it returns (right breast maybe) go for gold. I did say I wanted to remove the cancerous breast, but it was estrogen fed, and as I was on HRT (for migraines). which I had to stop dead with (rather like coming of crack I would say), I could not see how or why it would return.

My operation was 4th July 2018, followed by RT, four weeks. but now its like - well your on your own love.!! So its why I turned to this Forum, it seemed friendly and nice and what I read, I could relate to. The RT was a breeze, but four weeks on, I have had to giggle my anti-depressants, and most other things that are important to me, like wanting my flat to look clean and tidy. I just do not have the energy. Rather like your batteries simply "run out!. You have no choice you have to lie down. A much smaller breast now too, as I should imagine it was swollen before. I am fine about that though. Mainly too, I wanted to give input so I could at least share the up side of my experience, which is positive, sorry, I appreciate it doesn't sound that way. Its because no-one gives a straight answer - like, how long does the RT stay in your system. I have this "air balloon" situation going on, just expel air the minute my toes touch the floor in the morning? So its not "popping" as my grandchildren call it. Nothing to do with "wind" as we know it, just all this "air". So I imagine I still have not lost the RT. I wanted to know, as then I have a set goal to work towards in order to try and get my life back. But apparently everyone is different etc., etc., so here I am posting on this lovely site. Thank you for reading this Molly, mummy to Milly, my little ginger girl pussycat who is 3 years old and the light of my life.

Hi ghostie,

It does seem odd when the doctors aren't in any hurry to get to rads after surgery is complete. I'm in the same boat with a similar diagnosis.

Here's my (totally not a doctor) opinion - they think they got all of THIS round of cancer in the surgery. Assuming they have clean margins from the surgery, radiation is to make sure they got it all, and daily meds afterwards are primarily for preventing recurrence.

I had my lumpectomy on 7/11/18, re-excision on 8/8/18, and started rads 10/29/18. I had a delay due to an unrelated surgery in September. My BS said as long as I didn't wait more than three months from re-excision, it was okay. The RO seemed a bit more in a hurry to start in October, but I was still sore from my other surgery and got them to wait until the end of the month.

Mine is left side, and I'm not doing any special breathing for heart or lung protection. I also never had drains or bruising or any other SEs from surgery, so I hope that trend continues.

I had my set up today and will hopefully have my dry run on Sunday... I'm still swollen but I only need 16 sessions because of my pathology, so my radiologist isn't too concerned because it'll probably still be swollen in 3 weeks. Oh, I'm going in on Sunday bc they're closed on black Fri so they are open then don't get too backed up w appointments.

I was supposed to start radiation today, but got a call that the machine I was planned on was down. My anxiety is working OT and I didn't need that today. To be honest, I don't feel like I'm prepared to start. Neither my RO or anyone on the team has discussed skin care. When I asked about it at the planning appt, one of the techs handed me a small tube of lotion and said I could use it right after treatments. That's it...

I had my simulation Friday and as I'm walking out, the tech says "oh, yeah, we'll be putting this wet towel on you everyday during treatment to direct the beam". It was said almost like an after-thought. I made the mistake of researching the the wet towel (called a bolus) and of-course, find all the horror stories and studies showing that it typically causes more skin damage than without.

I can't explain my anxiety other than just not feeling informed enough. I've gone through chemo and BMX and never had this kind of anxiety over either.

Sorry ladies, I just needed to vent a little. I'm hoping I get to see the RO tomorrow (I was supposed to today) and I'm not leaving until I feel informed.

Hi everyone, I also hopped over from the October group. I started radiation Oct 31.

My skin looks good after 9 radiation treatments - I have 21 total. I put Calendula cream on 2 to 3 times daily. My radiation treatments are at 8 am so I shower and apply cream at night and do nothing but eat and go to my appointments in the morning. I'm starting to get slight fatigue but I keep working part-time and working out in the evenings at the gym. I avoid the eliptical machine because of the repetitive arm motions and my fear of setting off lymphedema event in my right arm during radiation. Instead, I fast walk on the Treadmill and ride stationary bicycle.

I hope everyone going through this is staying strong and doing well.

For all of you just getting started, it's not going to be as bad as you think. Drink lots, and keep slathering it with good lotions. Today I had treatment 23 of 28 whole breast treatments. I will be getting an additional 6 boosts after my whole breast treatments. My skin is holding up well considering it is various stages of red to purple with itchy bumps. My armpit and under my breast are the worst in terms of color. My chest above my breast is the most itchy. Under my breast and between my breast is where the itchy rash is. My RO, RN and the tech all say this is normal. The techs told me that open skin sores are rare. It does feel like a sunburn but is not as sensitive to touch as a sunburn. It itches like a sunburn. I have found that slathering often is key. I have a basket full of different lotions I am using. The aloe seems to help with the itching feeling so i use that at night. I like the aloe better than the hydrocortisone. The zinc oxide my RO swears by helps it heal, especially under and between where the rash is. I use that in the morning and after treatment. Sometime during the day I use a good moisturizing lotion, Alra, Calendula, etc. Aquaphor is too greasy for me. I tried wearing sports bras and bras without underwires but gave them up for my regular underwire bras. I like to wear what I am used to and what supports me best. I have not had a problem with the underwires. I hope this info helps.

The fatigue struggle is real but nothing you can't handle. Listen to your body and adjust accordingly. It sucks we have to do this but the benefits outweigh the SEs, IMHO.

Stay strong! Hugs to all.

Lavenderlee, happy you found us. Im a day behind you with Rads and I agree about getting this done before the end of year.

Carolann, thanks for the advise. The issues Im worried about is skin breaking open and fatigue. I need to get better about lathering creams on my body. Drinking water never has been an issue..

Well no treatment today......Blister is scabbed over but Radiology doc doesn't think it's healed enough. So I go back Friday......so sick of this already.....

Happy to say that finally after 3 weeks finishing my reg RADs treatment, and about 2 weeks after my boosts finished, the swelling is finally gone! It's wonderful to see my boobs back to normal (for me) size! Plus, my skin is finally healing and settling into a pinkish tint tan!! Never thought it would come back from that angry brick red! Also, more good news, last night for the first time in over a month, I was able to finally NOT wear one of my compression bras 24/7! Amazing! The pain is fading and the heaviness is minimal at last.

A couple weeks ago I never thought my sores, my skin, my poor nipple would recover, welp, at least not for maybe months - what a trip they've been through, at least with RADs, but hey they are healing, so much faster than I imagined!! Woot.

Wishing everyone continued strength and remember that you are always your best advocate! Be proactive - drink water, slather on the creams and what not, do the stretches, get rest when you need it, walk and move when you can, and most importantly remember to laugh and smile, and to be kind to yourself!

((((hugs to all)))))

PS -- I still vouch for Miaderm, Aloe Vesta, and Calendula. Without them, I think I'd have had permanent scarring or worse. They and the "boob lasagna" (from Oct Rads Thread) were the saving graces for me. Good luck everyone!

Omg need to know more about "boob lasagna" lol.. I went to my first Rads treatment felt nervous and it all lasted about 5 minutes. 1 down and 29 more to go...

Ghostie, SORRY for the delay.. did they doc. Recommend something to use on ur blister and area?

Sending good vibes.. drink water, slather creams and be kind to urself.

Spoonie, Im so sorry u went thru that. As I was reading ur comments, "you noticed problems the first time u went to rads." Im impressed u continued thru treatments. Super Congrats !!

Ive not noticed any changes in the way I feel. I lathered with Aloe and cream. Will do again before I fall asleep and when i get up just trying to stay on top of mositureizer.wish me luck!!