After Radiation
Comments
-
Blackgama - Welcome! You have found a wonderful group of ladies with all kinds of information they can share with you. I do think part of our underarm gets radiated no matter what. I know at least half of mine did and my nodes were also clear. I'm not sure it can even be prevented.
I had some sharp burning/stabbing pains that started about a month after I finished rads and after seeing a pain specialist found out it was permanent nerve damage from rads. Have to take meds for the pains and will have to stay on it for the rest of my life.
0 -
Congrats on finishing rads, Blackgama! Yeah, they do get a part of your underarm when they do radiation. No way to avoid it. I also had the sharp pains after treatment, but that has gone away almost compeletly. Keep taking good care of your skin, it will get better.
0 -
Congrats Blackgama on finishing rads. This is a great group of ladies. if your pain comes and goes and feels itching that is your nerves reconnecting. If it is unbearable pain that does not go away be sure and tell your Dr's about it. I too have permanant nerve damage. The pain is different for reconnecting and permant.
0 -
new here. I finished my 33 rounds of rads on friday. I was wondering if you could tell me how long I will be peeling. Every time I think I am almost done, more skin comes off. My armpit is doing better as it has had a week off during the boosts. I am still very sore. what are you all putting on your skin after being done with rads? I have wrecked so many shirts with oily lotions.
thanks
0 -
yorelh welcome to after rads. I am sure you will get many comments. My RO had me continue my creams that I used during rads for two weeks post rads. At that point he said to use a good vitamine E cream. I have since changed to a 1/2 vitamin E oil and 1/2 coconut oil that I use twice a day. The visiable skin healing usually takes one to three weeks depending on how bad you were burned etc. However your skin and your tissue in your breast takes months and months to heal. In fact my RO said it would be two to three years before everything got back to normal.
0 -
yorelh - Congratulations on finishing your rad treatments. I want to share a tip I learned from my "sisters" in the May 2011 radiation thread: Soak your shirts in hot water with Dawn liquid in it before you wash them. It's a miracle. The oil stains come right out. It lifts the grease and that will lift your spirits. Try it overnight for the first wash if the stains have been there a long time.
I kept up with the Aquaphor until the rash was completely gone. For me, that was actually more like a month. I didn't have peeling though, just the rash. I wore very soft cotton camisoles instead of bras for (believe this) 2-1/2 months.
Be well.
0 -
welcome newbees---congrats on finishing rads.let the healing begin
WELCOME HOME DUCKY----been thinkin of you...glad you are in one piece.
Ill be home tomorrow.miss my sistas.this puter suks.
hope everyone had a nice Labor day....
Texas sistas----prayin you are all safe....huggggggs K
0 -
Wow, gone for a few days and I miss so much! I went o Ohio for a wedding this past weekend and the hotel had horrible WIFI and I couldn't get online to check on anyone. I got home late last night and am finally getting online to see what I missed!
Welcome to the newbies: yorelh, janinnj. blackgama! Sorry that you have to be here in the first place, but glad you found us! So many wonderful women with such good advice, You can come here anytime you want and have a ear to listen. Be gentle with yourselves...let your body heal and it will...
First mammo after active treatment will be next month (not looking forward to that one either) and now I'm catching up on other appointments that got pushed back due to active treatment (gyno, eye appt, dermo, etc).
One thing I have noticed about my radiated breast....if I wear a bra for too long, the breast gets really hard/tough. Once I get out of my bra for the night and in my words, "let her breath" overnight, the next morning my breast seems almost normal in the way it feels...maybe it's all in my head, but that's the way it seems.
The HOT weather has finally passed and we are getting cooler days and wonderful chilly nights now....It is nice that is for sure!
duckyb1-I know how you feel..those pity parties sneak up on me when I least expect them. I can go a few days when I'm doing well and then BAM! I'm in that dark place and feel like I'm suffocating...it's a bitch to get out of that hole, but I manage to do it time and time again and just keep on chugging along. It's always a blessing to come here as well. I know I rant and rave and not get judged...these ladies accept me not matter what I I feel so lucky to know them all.
Well, gotta get unpacked, do laundry, vacuum...all that fun stuff!
LOVE, HUGS and PRAYERS to my sistas!
Tori
0 -
Tori I had a baseline pet scan done but it was between surgery and starting rads.
0 -
Hey Granny.......................yea, home and in 1 piece................this friggin rain really sucks.................tired of Mother Nature, and her shit.......................nothing more enjoyable then being stuck in the house alone.................I have done all the crossword puzzles I care to do at this point, and TV stinks too......................Hell think I'll go find the Vodka..............
0 -
ducky send the rain our way we desperatly need it.
0 -
Tori - Nothing wrong with getting a baseline of anything. I had my gyno do a baseline transvaginal US and I am sure glad I insisted on it. Ended up I had to have a hysteroscopy D&C done - all was clear with that. So many things do get put on hold when you are going through active treatment. I have not had a doctors appt since the end of June and I have to tell you, it feels great.
Glad you had a good time - missed you
0 -
I have a question for all of you-
I am now two weeks past treatment (radiation 36 rounds) and am feeling the fatigue- sometimes- and the redness and blistering is slowly going away, but I am having crying jags and memory loss (post chemo and therefore hormone related, they say), and have times where I just lose everything that was in my mind - and that can last for long enough periods that my job as a teacher would not go well- my disability was extended for healing by one month and I am therefore scheduled to return October 1st, but I hate the thought of standing in front of 32 second graders wondering what I was about to say...., and also, I go on these crying jaggs- and my onc says that is depression- another common side effect....so what I am asking is (I hope this is clear), does anyone have advise for either extending my disability....or just barreling through by going back to work and muscling past the effects??? I am leaning towards staying off work as long as I feel the need but how can I do that?
ANy help on this would be appreciated- PM me if need be. Thank you!
0 -
Elizabeth - I sent you a PM.
0 -
Torry----missed you honey...glad to see you back.we need you here cause you were one of our originals who helped start this thread......come often.Go for that pet scan.no one will tell you not to go...at least i hope not....
Ducky---my sista/friend.i thought of you a million times since you left.prayed too.gosh i wish you were my neighbor!!!!we live so near in both places and yet so damn far.I would keep you behind busy with the exercises and yoga,playin cards and all the good stuff us retired sistas do besides worry about b/c and our families.
Sherry and JO---what would we do without you.Thank you sistas.you 2 are a world of information.AND you always come throu...
If i forgot anyone blame it on my kids and grandkids even GGson.ha.I love all of you and pray for all the sistas on BCO every day.God bless us.Yes we did it....God bless.huggggggsK
0 -
Granny - We all thank you for starting this thread. The information on here is invaluable.
0 -
could not have done it without all my dedicated sistas.Everyday we find out something new and very informative....BUT the most important thing is WE DID IT....huggggggggs K0
-
Granny thanks for starting this thread and Torri we do miss you when you are not here
0 -
HELP: I am so depressed right now....(Note ladies I am 2 months post rads) I went out to find myself a "loose" cotton bra and some light weight shirts to wear on a trip next week to train for my computer job.... All I managed to do is litterally make myself sick (dizzy and shakey) Got me a few pieces of cheese and nuts, got to the car and went home... Didn't find anything in this town that fit.... All I want is my life back!!!! I am so exhausted I can't believe it.... Can't stop crying....0
-
Easy does it GMAFoley----have you any idea how many bras i have bought????I lost count...keep tryin I know you dont have too much time but you will find at least 1 or 2 that will be comfortable.just breathe for now....tomorrow is another day....Do you have anything to calm you down????
I was told to go to wallmart,Kmart all the cheap stores....Im still buying new bras and i finished rads in Feb....Your life will settle down as all of ours will eventually...JUST REMEMBER YOU ARE AT THE FINISH LINE..I pray for you to have a peaceful nite.Tomorrow is a brand new day...You will find what will be right for you...
pleasant dreams and God bless you.hugggggs K
0 -
GmaFoley....{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} surrounding you...prayers being said for you too. I so understand what you are feeling and going through (we all do)....
WE LOVE YOU!
Tori
0 -
Gma foley-Sorry to hear you are down. Try shopping on=line. Maybe Kmart.com. Have you tried a cotton cammie with a bra shelf. I have just been wearing T's underneath to the office but I have never been all that large on top. I know how nerve racking it is going to training and meeting new people and responsibilities. remember everyone else there is just as nervous including the trainers. Your words were an encouragement to me going through Rads. I know with the fight on attitude you showed me you'll make it over this next hurdle.
0 -
GmaFoley - I am so sorry you are down. It is frustrating and there have been some good suggestions. Surrounding you with (((((HUGS))))
0 -
Just so you know - My son is my trainer LOL - Its just I'm tired of the shelf bras because you have that layer then a blouse and it gets too hot..Us Oregonians aren't used to heat LOL... and I hurt... my ribs seem so tender that any pressure (band on the bras) just don't feel good.. I need this job and want to be successful... Son has no question I will do fine... The big boss is in CA so I just work through my son at the moment. Thanks for putting things in perspective ladies and yes I am still bummed and crying... Just a hormonal night i guess.
0 -
GmaFoley sorry you are having a rough time right now. Do you think part of it is the stress of having to get back to the job and all of the training. You/we have been through so much lately, adding something else on top of that is pretty stress provoking. I have a couple of cotton type bras made by Olga, they are kind of a soft knit fabric with no underwires. One is blue the other is pink. They are very comfortable for me and I am two weeks out of rads. I have been pretty red and peeling, but the emu oil has been a God send. Today was one of the first days I have felt normal in the breast area. I haven't started the tamoxifen or AI though. I fear that is going to be a challenge for awhile. Try to take some time to just relax and take a deep breath a few times a day. I'll be thinking about you and sending you some positive energy.
0 -
I'm 3 weeks out of rads I am still wearing sports bras & I actually wear them inside out so the inside is smooth & the seams are on the outside - under shirts, no one can tell anyway.
Martha
0 -
GMA Foley
I know how you feel .I am 3months past rads and still uncomfortable in bra all day.I wear a sleep bra alot.I found these at target in the maternity bra section.They are really soft . Give a little support.I hope this helps you.Hugs:)
0 -
gmafoley so sorry you have been down. You have gotten alot of good advice on bras here. I am very small chested so only wore cammi's for a long time until I felt I could wear a bra again. Good luck on your new job.
0 -
Gma.........hey girlfriend.sending big hugs your way........I finished June 15th with rads, and I have not felt even close to normal in the breast area since..........I know what your going through, and it sucks............I have my grandaughters wedding this Saturday..........feel like a whale, and also look like one............feet hurt from the swollen ankles and legs (thanks to the meds.)........because of the weather the knee is acting up................and we won't even discuss the "bra".............or the fatigue.......................I'm right there with you girlfriend, so go ahead and cry, whether it is over the friggin bras, the job, the ribs, or whatever the hell it is............you earned the right.............I thought once the bullshit treatment was over, we would get back to normal...........................tell me "what the hell is normal after BC"..................I'm praying for you dear friend.........................hang in there...........isn't that all we can do.......
0 -
Granny..................I too wish we could get together..............what a wonderful neighbor you would be.............it does get lonely.........husband passed, kids with lives of their own, and dealing with the bullshit of cancer..........................we could have a lot of fun, well at least we have BCO, and all the ladies..............................hugs to you dear friend.
0
