Radiation Boost help!

I actually found the boosts much easier than the WBR. Don't worry too much about it. Just keep a good eye on your skin and tell the RO if you are having trouble.

To piggyback on this topic....I have had 25 of 33 treatments and today started the boost. I'm wondering if others have had what I noticed: a couple hours after today's treatment, I was suddenly hit with major fatigue. Plus some nausea. Up until late last week, I had no fatigue; then, I started noticing a little, not too bad. But today! Wow, it came on fast and was major. I've spent a lot of time lying down and feel quite a bit better now, but am thinking it may be a very long week and a half. Anybody else had this experience? Does it resolve pretty soon after finishing the boost? Any input would be appreciated.

Meadow...well, I've had a cold for the past week and a half, but it's (SLOWLY, oh so slowly) getting better. Plus, I have MS, so I suppose it could be the radiation interacting with that. I'm just going to have to grit my teeth and get through it. Thanks for the cheerleading!

Juniper, the boost targets the actual tumor bed - the tissue from which your tumor was removed. (As I'm sure you know) To my way of thinking, it would be tragic to go all the way through radiation and decline the boost.

If you are seriously concerned/thinking about doing so, please have a good sit down discussion with your RO and/or your radiation nurse.

I actually found the boosts somewhat more tiring than WBR but the skin reaction was less, which I think has to do with the type of radiation they're using and the way it's targeted, which is quite different than for the whole breast radiation.

Like Ms. Pharoah, I found the rest of my breast fading quickly during the boosts and the boost area did not turn as pink as I thought it might. However, if you're having real problems with the WBR, you might ask your RO about taking a break from the WBR by doing the boosts now and then completing the WBR.

Good luck - I know it's a pain and it's hard to make oneself turn up each day, always wondering just how much worse it will get. However, you're totally entitled to as much help as you need from your radiation team to get through this. Never forget that.

Thank you, Meadow!

Juniper, I hope that salve helps a LOT. PLEASE do not beat up on yourself; RT is no picnic and having things get worse by the day IS grueling, physically and emotionally.

So much, too, depends on your build, your skin, the tumor location - we all hurt our way through it to varying degrees. The best thing you can do is speak up and get the help you need. Enjoy your weekend of recovery, ok?

My RO promised they would not let my fair freckly skin burn and they didn't, no worse than sunburn, but everyone is different and some do have a more severe reaction. I used only Elta light cream that the RO supplied and had 33 sessions including boosts. The only affect was fatigue and a few weeks for the sunburn and minor peeling to clear up. Make sure to discuss all your concerns with your RO.