Topic: May 2012 radiation

Jun 3, 2012 10:40 AM Joanne_53 wrote:

mckenna and neeners --- had to laugh at the scissors .... lol  -- I too tried to figure out what you meant by that.

Jun 3, 2012 12:33 PM etherize wrote:

jnbg88, if I were you, I'd call my MO and tell him/her that the RO isn't going to irradiate your supraclavicular lymph nodes and see what he thinks.  I agree with you, with 22/22 nodes positive -- plus you have grade 3, like me -- it seems only reasonable to get those nodes, too just to be on the safe side.  At least talk to the RO again and tell him everything you've said here.  You deserve a more thorough, well-thought-out answer, imho.  You have every right to be upset about the sudden change.  

BLinthedesert and sbelizabeth, you ladies are making me itch to get outside and go hiking or something!  I love seeing wildlife, snakes included as long as they're at a safe distance.  Last summer a California king snake left his (her?) skin in our yard and I saved all 5 feet of it!  I know that visual is probably making a lot of women here shudder.  LOL  

Jun 3, 2012 01:24 PM AEM47 wrote:

Is everyone else getting x-rays once a week to check on positioning?  I was surprised that my RO would be doing this - apparently lining up the skeleton once a week after being positioned to make sure everything is still the same.  On one hand, it sounds like it makes sense...on the other hand - really another 6 x-rays on top of rads???? 

Jun 3, 2012 03:53 PM Cindyl wrote:

Yes.  They did the weekly xrays to make sure that the radiation was hitting the right places and not hitting the wrong places.  After my first xray they started getting a lot more vigilant about my right arm placement.  Apparently it was getting scatter...

Jun 3, 2012 04:55 PM etherize wrote:

Welcome, Diana!  

AEM47, I feel the same as you about the weekly X-rays.  Seems like a good idea, I guess, but my cynical side wondered if they were a little cavalier about doing extra X-rays, figuring, "she's already getting radiation, what's a few more x-rays?" ;-)

Jun 3, 2012 05:13 PM AnnieM353 wrote:

I am so proud of my daughter, she just ran in a 1/2 marathan which benefitted breast cancer today in San Francisco.  She finsihed in 1 hour 52 minutes, so proud.  This has been a hard trip for her too but she is getting through it like a trooper. 

A question for you women, I have had a lot of leg swelling, almost every day, not just in my ankles but my leg from the knee down.  It seemed to get bad after my third chemo treatment and has contined now even though I finished chemo on 4/19.  Is anyone else experiencing this side effect from radiation?  My dr. (oncologist) prescribed some water pills but only 30 and didn't want to renew the Rx.   I have gained some weight (felt better during chemo if I ate, good but not good), but I don't think that would make my legs swell this much.  Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this as well. 

Enjoy the rest of your weekends....

Jun 3, 2012 07:47 PM Goodie wrote:

So mckenna how have you lost 21 lbs?  That is so awesome!

Jun 3, 2012 07:59 PM, edited Jun 3, 2012 08:00 PM by BLinthedesert

mckenna, that is a lot of weight - congratulations.  (sissors - ha ha, I like it).

Neeners, good luck tomorrow!  It will be fine, and we will be here to hear all about it  

Congratulations to your daughter Annie! 

We aim to make people smile Lagata! 

I hear you on the x-rays - but I guess since the actual radiation amount is so small compared to what we are getting every day, I have thought I prefer that to getting too much radiation to any place outside of the breast area during treatment.  I am terrified of lung problems (since I am a runner) ... originally, only 1 cm of lung is supposed to be in the field (I made the tech show me after my original CT scan!), and I would prefer this to be the case (or even less)!  I am not really sure how the x-ray helps determine scatter field though, I am going to ask on Tuesday when I see my RO.  

My breast is finally looking red, and my nipple is sore, but I really can't complain, nothing is purple or black (although I actually like the color purple, I would prefer my breast stay its boring beige color ).

Good luck next week ladies ... my hope for you is on time appointments, no baked breasts (with gravy), privacy at work/home/on the radiation table, and lots of support from the May/June RADs group!! 

Jun 3, 2012 10:57 PM Joanne_53 wrote:

sbelizabeth -- thanks for the laugh -- did the lady do anything after ....

Jun 4, 2012 06:06 AM Neeners815 wrote:

sbelizabeth - thanks for the laugh!  Wow!

Jun 4, 2012 08:01 AM Neeners815 wrote:

OK, I'm back from my appointment, embarrassed!  Today wasn't rads, it was xrays and measurements.  I said "I thought we did that last week with the tattoos?".  Do'h!  Apparently those were just measurements with the Cat Scan machine and not the measurements with the radiation machine.  Sigh.  I'm slightly bummed.  I really wanted to start today.  So tomorrow is my 100% real start date.  Sheesh.

Jun 4, 2012 08:36 AM, edited Jun 4, 2012 08:38 AM by Joanne_53

Neeners -- shave now and you will not have to shave after .... my rads started on April 10th and might have shaved once during -- when my armpit was still good (and not broken out)  and I have not shaved since .... not sure if the hair will grow back from some others posts.

As for creams -- my RO told me to use Glaxol base --- just like you said ... get your breast conditioned ahead -- not to wait until it is already blistered.  Now I used it immediately after rads - in the change room -- my breast, under the breast, the nipple and the underarm.  Do not put any on for at least 2 hours before your treatment.

Good luck with them -- it is tiring because of the daily routine and they are fatiguing but you will be fine !!!

Jun 4, 2012 09:18 AM mckenna wrote:

neeners, i got my first rad dose the day they did all those xrays and things.  so i am guessing i need to change your end date.  my rad team had me start the second day of rads (mostly because that was my see the RO day) but i am only putting the two creams they gave me, topicort and vanicream, at night.  when i had the irritation under the boob they also gave me aquafor.  i used that friday and saturday and sunday seemed better and i did lots of stuff that had me warmer or sweating so i went back to the corn startch during the day and that is doing well.  the irritation under the boob seems better from keeping the mixture of aquafor and topicort on with that surgery pad and no rads for two days.  i have a feeling it will be back to the way it was in a day or two but i don't like having the creams on all day, i much prefer the creams only at night.

i have been continuing to shave but only about once a week.  i think i am only getting scatter under the arm so my hair is continuing to grow but the area closest to the boob seems to grow very slowly.  i just shaved this am and i will see how long it lasts.

10 MORE LEFT!!!

Jun 4, 2012 03:22 PM silviazara wrote:

sbelisabeth :-))) you made me laugh. I am being told by my friends that now can I use mens bathroom if there is a wait at ladies... haha how funny they are.

So I have 3 boosts to go! They are still using bolus on me, now thicker than before. Skin in that area looks terrible now.. the upper layer peeled off and it's all raw pink.  I cannot stand looking at it. It doesn't hurt though unless I touch it of course. I don't know what to put on it anymore. Miaderm stings. I didn't get any special prescription creams. Doctor said it's best just to let it dry and heal itself. Any thoughts? Is there anything that you're using on peeled skin?

Jun 4, 2012 04:53 PM Joanne_53 wrote:

jittersmom -- I have heard both weight gain and weight loss ..... so I am hoping for LOSS !!!