Radiation February 2019

hi Vivian4. Can you tell me why your MO put you on chemo and not just hormonal therapy?

Hi Vivian, you mean lymphodema, not lymphoma right? I am so sorry that you have to endure that. You have been through a lot. I plan to do oncotype as well. At what point during your treatment was it done? Before or after lumpectomy? I will be having lumpectomy on Mar. 20 or Mar 13th, need to decide on IORT where radiation given one time after tumor is removed. They say I am a good candidate for IORT. Take care, hugs. Pat

Upstate I did a combination of IORT and whole breast radiation. I think that my RO is doing that to hopefully eliminate the 2% increase. He also wanted to do that instead of an external boost because I was having reconstruction at the same time as my lumpectomy. I did 15 rounds of whole breast along with the IORT, if I would've had lymph nodes it would've been 25 rounds. My Oncotype came back low but if I would've needed chemo I would've started that after radiation. So if you are worried about the 2% you might want to ask about a combo. Let me know if you have more questions.

Thanks, Vivian, I will keep you updated. So much information to research. To top it off, I have a big fear of anesthesia at surgery. I have not had it since I was a kid having an appendectomy. It scares me being "put under" and not having control of what us going on. What was your experience? Pat

UGH! I'm so sorry you are going through that. This is the exact reason why I just can't get myself to do the Rads. However, I was diagnosed with DCIS Stage 0 with no nodes. I hope things get better for you.

Re surgical anesthesia fears: consider the alternative!!

Re lumpectomy, depending where the tumor is and how much they need to disturb tissue to get it, it can be a very moderate/easy surgery. My tumor was not deeply buried ... in my upper side boob. I took one pain pill on day one and was fine with ice after that. Tender for a few days and then fine. Talk to your surgeon and get all the specifics... how big an incision? how much tissue? How many nodes? How long a recovery? etc so you know what to expect.

I am becoming a convert to this natural skin regime I am doing. My pink has not worsened from last week. Right after rads it's sometimes redder but I apply the products and it calms down visibly. I put them on at least 4x /day. I am at 10/28 sessions today. Hoping to keep it tolerable!

For ladies with pain or bad redness, how long did that take to show up?

Thanks, santabarbarian, for your advice. Hope your skin care regime works for your redness. That has to be so tough on your skin. Do you sunburn easily? I don't, thank goodness. What is your skin care regime? Can you share it? Thanks for the advice. I think I am clear with most answers the surgeon gave. Mine is in my right breast, less than 6mm, buriedmidway inside outer breast at 8:30 position. I have read where most tumors are found in left breast. Whatever. Hope your treatments keep going well for you, and side effects at a minimum. Take care.

Hi All, had my 3rd session today. Skin holding up well thus far, but I feel like I'm having shooting pains in my left chest...anyone else have this feeling?

thanks. Santabarbarian. I just ordered some lavender oil today for another reason. Sounds like a good recipe for skin. Sorry I made you have to repost the recipe. Have a blessed day.

Thanks for the info. I am hoping not to have major issues but I was quite pink in the first week. The natural products seem to have turned it around. They recommend beginning 2 weeks before, rather than 5 days in, but it seems to be helping anyhow.

Just as a light at the end of the tunnel sort of thing:

I'm not quite two weeks out now. My skin has peeled and calmed down. It still looks weird and there's still sensitivity but it's much better. More importantly for me, I have had times where I feel much more like myself than I have in months. I still have energy crashes partway through the day, but for parts of some days I actually feel like doing things. There are little bits of happiness/optimism returning, which is a very weird feeling after months of feeling like I was under a dark cloud, head full of fog, etc. I'm scared of starting the hormone therapy because I know it'll probably change all of that again and I'm just starting to feel OK again, but it's a nice change to feel like I might someday be able to have a "normal" life again.

Hang in there everyone. You will get to the end of this.

Friday afternoon I got to RING THE BELL!! 20/20 done! Woot Woot! My husband and daughter went with me for my final treatment and got to be there! I must say I shed a few tears of joy as I lay on that table for the last time and then hugged my amazing techicians. Afterwards we had champagne with my son in law, and then out to dinner. The restaurant gave me flowers to share in our celebration, and my brother and sister in law drove 2 hours to surprise me at the restaurant. So more tears were shed! I can't believe my husband had kept that secret from me for 2 weeks! It was a glorious, emotional, exhausting day! I went to bed Friday with a full and joyful heart.

The redness and itchiness has definitely increased this past week. I have been using a triple skin compound for the itchiness my RO suggested I make and it does help. You mix an equal part of 1) clotrimazole cream (like Lotrimin) 2) triple antibiotic cream (like Neosporin) and 3) hydrocortisone cream (like Cortaid). The key is to get the same size tubes and mix them in a bowl that you can put a cover on. Apply it 3x/day. The hard part is that you are supposed to apply it 1 hour BEFORE you put on whatever moisturizing cream you are using. I try to do that but sometimes that just doesn't work for me.

HPFULL - I also found wearing a cami under my bra super helpful. For me wearing a bra alone is just too irritating. And my husbands old t- shirts are the best and softest to wear around the house. I'm so sorry you are struggling so with your skin! Hang in there!

Jen2Mom - You are almost there! I had a lumpectomy, and my boost area is more red and tender than the rest of my breast. But I was pretty much expecting that. I was also nervous about the boost. I'd feel protective of those mastectomy scars too! Actual time on the table is even less than a regular treatment, and the machine doesn't move like it does for the whole breast treatment.

Vivian4 - Celebrating those eyebrows with you!

santabarbarian - I've had zingers at my lymph node scar throughout. But I didn't start having discomfort in my breast until about 13/20. Now that I'm done I'm pretty sore/ tender/red in my whole breast area including under my arm. But your protocol is different from mine. Hopefully you won't experience pain for awhile, if at all! And I'm glad that redness cream you have posted is working. I have all of that and will give it a try if I'm still red when my Miaderm runs out.

mrsEO - Antigua sounds fabulous! Never have been there but have always wanted to go!

OTMom - You are 2 weeks ahead of me so it's good to read how you are doing. I am glad you are feeling better and have more energy!

This week is the first one in 18 months that I don't have some kind of therapy or doctor's appointment. It's been a long road, but I don't regret any of the decisions I have made along the way. I am so grateful for my team of doctors, family, friends, and the forums/threads here that "get it" like no one else does.

You can do this ladies!