Radiation April 2019

I got 2 pin size tattoos, they did not hurt at all. Started peeling under my arm on the 20th treatment, a bit raw and red but just a slight stinging when I move my arm. Winding down, 2 regular and 5 boosts. Ready to be done with this phase....

Isn't it amazing how fast it gets better once it's done getting worse??

Hay Keywestfan, today is my last day too! I had 16 regular treatments, and will have had 4 boosts. I'm glad your skin is still intact, as mine is, although I am quite red under my arm and around the areola. On Friday the RO told me once I'm done to start using vitamin E oil, coconut oil or shea butter to start soothing all those areas. I'm going to continue using the Auqaphor for a while, too, to keep it all hydrated. This will all be so much easier without all those nasty stickers getting in the way!

No bad fatigue for me, although the last week or so I've been happy to lay my head down for a short nap soon after the treatment. But I suppose that could change, too, as you say.

With all the talk of delayed side effects, or peaking after the end of treatment, I can't help but thinking of a cooking analogy: take the cake out of the oven just before it looks done because it'll continue to cook for a while on the rack. That's us!

bravo to finishing!

Keywestfan and piper kay --- I'm two weeks past the full breast (16 day) part and no peeling or sores. I took a 5 day break before the boost and Thursday will be one week since that part - still no peeling or sores. I also have continued the aquaphor at night. I do still get kind of tired in the late afternoons. Keywestfan --- I also have that horrible anxiety gene and I'm terrified of that upcoming pill we have to take. Make sure to get a Dexa before you start so that you can monitor the Osteoporosis side effect. Looks like we got through the radiation pretty well.

Carpe, I did my appt by phone, as I left the area...

Thanks, everyone. What a relief! I rang the bell, said good bye to the amazing staff, and rode off into the sunset! Then had a wonderful celebration dinner with my hubby - with a glass of champagne! - and started ridding myself of those stickers which all of a sudden didn't want to come off anymore!

Will continue to use the Aquaphor for a couple of weeks based on comments here and my RO, adding in the vitamin E oil to help soothe the savage breast. Lol! But I do think I've come out of this pretty well, considering, though we'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks.

As for seeing the RO again, I've got a follow up appt with her next month, and maybe we'll have another appt after that, but the MO said that some ROs like to manage the imaging schedule for a while. Just depends on the doc. I think my MO is more hands on (she likes to say that she is a micromanager) than my RO or BS, and I like her the best, so I'm going to let her handle as much of my continuing care as she will do.

Good luck to those of you still going... Soon you will have your days back too!

Hang in there Itshandled, it may get worse before it gets better, but it will get better. I finished 16/4 2 weeks ago. My boob was/is a mess, but the healing is rapid once it’s starts.

I sometimes wonder if we’re using a sledgehammer to crack a peanut. Treatment is rough. I’m back at work but at half capacity. It’s all I’ve got right now. Brain fuZz and exhaustion combined.

Finished, graduated, done with 33. Red and a little peeling but I think I got off pretty easy

Congrats Benji69! I am right behind you, Hugs!

Hi Ladies,

I’m a few weeks out from my last treatment. My last post basically said that I got through radiation pretty much unscathed. Easy peasy. That was before my last treatment, at which point I was told that the skin would continue to worsen for another two weeks. I think I looked at the team with a somewhat confused face when they said that ... like how bad could it really get? Well, my nipple pretty much turned into something that looked like a burnt marshmallow, but since my nipple is still numb from surgery I didn’t even feel it. My breast continued to redden and the top layer of skin under my arm is gone and i have no more hair there BUT again, very little real pain. Clearing up now so all good.

Good luck!

Jess - I am exhausted. I could fall asleep right now.

Fritzmylove and Freebee I am 3 weeks post rads and I am exhausted every night after work. I have a new sunburn that is brighter than any burn of my life after 4 hours under a cloudy sky! Applied sunscreen before work knowing I would be outside. Grr

Thanks everyone -- Good to know I'm not the only one with ongoing fatigue. I never have been able to take a nap because it reminds me of being sick -- but I sure do go to bed earlier every night and I sleep really, really hard. When my surgeon gave me the choice of lumpectomy or mastectomy she may have forgotten to tell me what radiation is like.