November 2018 Starting Radiation

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  • sillyoldrabbit
    sillyoldrabbit Member Posts: 124
    edited December 2018

    Congratulations to us all!!! Thank you Spoonie and wised for the confetti and balloons. Egregious, cocoa and a nice nap is the perfect celebration on a day like this. I plan to hang around, too, probably mostly on the triple negative forum and will also try to offer encouragement to the newly diagnosed. May we live long and prosper. :)

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  • egregious
    egregious Member Posts: 240
    edited December 2018

    Live long and prosper! That's the spirit! Silly, I have also planned to reach out to new folks as I remember being petrified at the beginning. It was the hardest time for me.

    Hope it's smooth sailing ahead for you. Fair winds and following seas.

    Thanks all for your good wishes, confetti, balloons, and encouragement. This site has been a lifesaver. You guys rock

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  • Appyfan
    Appyfan Member Posts: 90
    edited December 2018

    Congrats sillyoldrabbit and egregious!

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  • PebblesV
    PebblesV Member Posts: 658
    edited December 2018

    A big paw congratulations to sillyoldrabbit and egregious (and all of us!) for being DONE!!! Woot woot!

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  • mLghtn
    mLghtn Member Posts: 101
    edited December 2018

    Congratulations to so many being done! YAY! Happy Holidays to Everyone! :)

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  • wlo002
    wlo002 Member Posts: 46
    edited December 2018

    Hi ladies. Glad to see so many finishing up radiation! I finished Wednesday and I'm so happy it's over. Driving an hour and a half each day was taking it's toll as my fatigue increased.

    I made it through radiation with a good pink burn and I could feel the skin cracking under my arm and foob although I couldn't see anything. Yesterday, those areas turned dark and feel like sandpaper. I'm keeping aquaphor on it but I feel sure I'll be losing skin in those areas. Just glad it didn't happen during treatment!

    I still have Herceptin and Perjeta infusions until May but the end of this mess is in sight! Best of luck to everyone and happy healing!

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  • egregious
    egregious Member Posts: 240
    edited December 2018

    Hey wlo - CONGRATULATIONS on being finished with rads!!!

    Hope the path ahead is smooth for you.

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  • sillyoldrabbit
    sillyoldrabbit Member Posts: 124
    edited December 2018

    Congratulations on being done, wlo002!!! It sounds like you've been thoroughly cooked, too. If you can get hold of some Miaderm with Lidocaine, it might be soothing. The Lidocaine numbs the uncomfortable sensations pretty well.

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  • PebblesV
    PebblesV Member Posts: 658
    edited December 2018

    CONGRATS wlo002 on being done with radiation! The good news is it’s healing from here. A

    Smiles for you from Domin

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  • urdrago71
    urdrago71 Member Posts: 559
    edited December 2018

    Wlo002, Sillyoldrabbit and Egregious, Its been a long road time to get back out there and have fun !!

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  • Wised
    Wised Member Posts: 351
    edited December 2018

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  • egregious
    egregious Member Posts: 240
    edited December 2018

    Hey urdrago and Wised,

    Thanks! Will try to remember this 'fun' stuff you are talking about.

    Got nearly my full walk today, 25 of the usual 30 minutes. Need to get this back soonest for fighting osteopenia. I would rather sit in my green easy chair and read and drink coffee, but the doctor says I have to walk.

    Can't imagine going through surgery and rads without you guys. Thanks for being there

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  • mLghtn
    mLghtn Member Posts: 101
    edited December 2018

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  • urdrago71
    urdrago71 Member Posts: 559
    edited December 2018

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    Update skin is peeling and im using everything offered by RO and than some; radiplex, aloe, aquaphor, and regenecare ..Any suggestions to stop the discomfort?

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  • egregious
    egregious Member Posts: 240
    edited December 2018

    Hi urdrago,

    There are over the counter products that have lidocaine in them, including miaderm-L and lidocaine patches (not sure if patches ok for rad skin). Sounds like you're there on the lubrication if you're doing this three times a day with lots of lube.

    Maybe up your pain meds? Discomfort counts as pain at a certain level.

    My skin is doing a little better, 6 days post-rad. This too shall pass. Keep us posted!

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  • journeyforward
    journeyforward Member Posts: 42
    edited December 2018

    Thank you so much. I wish you the best too!

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  • Lavenderlee
    Lavenderlee Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2018

    Hi! Checking in.

    Urdrago, I am with you on the pain scale. I have been using the Domeboro soak to help with the skin discomfort and Tylenol/ibuprofen with the throbbing pain. Also, indulged a lot this weekend since there was zero pain while drinking, but time to put away the holiday celebrations and get back towards my alkaline diet. Need to cleanse my liver! 😉.

    I have two boosts left and then I’ll be finished. Can’t wait to ring the bell. Now, I’m trying to Decide if I want to take the next step with the maintenance treatments - not looking forward to more drugs (tamoxifen with more side effects.

    Hope everyone is healing well and feeling better each day.

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  • urdrago71
    urdrago71 Member Posts: 559
    edited December 2018

    Lavenderlee, I feel the same way. Want this to be over. Yet need to continue treatments thru next yr. Plus...I get a break between radiation and oral pill Xeloda. Hope I get feeling good enuff to start exercising and motivated..

    Im posting bcuz the skin is healing so its tight, peeling and bleeding. Im putting antibiotics on it for moisture not sure if I should be. Ive never been burned kike this and silvadine doesnt give my skin enuff moisture to stop cracking and bleeding. Any ideas??

    Egregious, the only time we talk about lube, its not sexual, or for the car..lol

    Sending Cyber Hugs...

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  • egregious
    egregious Member Posts: 240
    edited December 2018

    Hi urdrago,

    We can talk about lube all we want! It's good stuff. Sorry to hear that you are having trouble with your skin. That sounds really rough. What does the radiation team say? Sounds like you are doing the right things. There is new skin growing underneath that will replace what's peeling off. But it must be painful, what you have now.

    Anybody got ideas for urdrago?

    VERY gentle hug

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  • Lavenderlee
    Lavenderlee Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2018

    Urdrago, please try the Domeboro solution soak - it’s in the poison ivy section. I feel like it really made a big difference these last days.

    I finished yesterday and rang the bell!!! Celebrated a little too much and am couch ridden today - tired gal over here!

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    Hope everyone is doing okay, and those who aren’t find relief soon. Thinking of you all as we close out 2018.

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  • egregious
    egregious Member Posts: 240
    edited December 2018

    Hey Lavenderlee -

    YOU DID IT!!!!! HOORAY!!!!!

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  • urdrago71
    urdrago71 Member Posts: 559
    edited December 2018

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  • PebblesV
    PebblesV Member Posts: 658
    edited December 2018

    Congrats Lavenderlee!! What a touching video. I know we usually see Domino here but Tucker’s expression is better suited to you ringing the bell so here he is!

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  • kdrake1007
    kdrake1007 Member Posts: 77
    edited December 2018

    Congrats, Lavenderlee! I’ll be joining you in ringing the bell tomorrow morning! Just squeaking in under the wire to be done in 2018!


    Just want to thank everyone here on the board! I don’t post often but I read your comments, suggestions and encouragement with gratitude! You’re all awesome and supportive, even to those of us lurking in the shadows.

    Happy New Year to all!

    Kim

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  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited December 2018

    Ringing bells for all who have finished recently!

    No bell at the facility I went to. The technicians said "Congratulations" as I walked out. Poo.


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  • Lavenderlee
    Lavenderlee Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2018

    Thabk you all and congrats to those of us finishing up and healing!!

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  • Suzyshacklechick
    Suzyshacklechick Member Posts: 64
    edited January 2019

    hello everyone! A member recommended me hopping into this site as my next step is radiation. Hello 😊

    I had lumpectomy 12/27/18 and have my follow up Tues. Goid news is no lymph node involvement and clear margins. Hoping I can breeze thru this radiation. Thank you for all the information. I will get schedule Soon I guess

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  • egregious
    egregious Member Posts: 240
    edited January 2019

    January 2019 Radiation

    Hi Suzy!

    Welcome to the radiation section. This is the November group, we would love to see you with us in the January group.

    Hope things go well for you in your treatment!

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  • PebblesV
    PebblesV Member Posts: 658
    edited January 2019

    Hi SuzyShackleChick! As egregious mentioned, the January thread is probably more active now with people going through rads the same time as you.

    I'm one of the lucky ones who mostly breezed through radiation, and I had a very full 30 sessions! So it’s possible.My advice:

    1. Lotion lots. Miaderm, Aquaphor and 100% pure Aloe Vera gel are some lotions that helped the group here the most.

    2. Even though I never got burned (only tanned), I stayed diligent about applying Miaderm immediately after my radiation treatment. Might be part of why I never burned.

    3. Hydrate lots.

    4. Keep up the lotion regimen at least 2 weeks post treatment.

    5. Don't mind if you get fatigued - totally natural! A lot of us got fatigued during treatment, I didn't during but after treatment it seemed to all hit me, needed those afternoon naps.

    Best of luck as you go through treatment. The actual radiation treatment is super fast and painless. The set up session and first session will be the longest, after that it will probably take longer to change than the treatment itself.

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  • sillyoldrabbit
    sillyoldrabbit Member Posts: 124
    edited January 2019

    See the source image

    To Lavenderlee and everyone else who has come out the other side!

    I had some rather gross peeling for a few days after ringing the bell, but the pain was trivial. Now, a little more than 2 weeks out, the skin is completely back to normal. My lumpectomy scars are barely detectable, and I have enough hair that I don't run away screaming from mirrors. Except for some lingering fatigue, it's almost like nothing happened last year. Hmm, maybe it was all just a really really bad dream.

    I literally burned 2018 on a piece of paper at the stroke of midnight on New Year's, and the bit of paper left over that didn't burn was flushed.

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