Radiation recovery
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p.s. Cindy,
I still only grow hair on about 1/4 of the surface of my underarm on the rads side, if that. It seems to have decreased my leg hair too...unless I'm just getting old! Or, come to think of it, maybethe arimidex is not only thinning the hair on my head but eliminating the hair on my legs!
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RMulu: thank you for describing what it's like! I know that's out there, but a lot of the descriptions I found were coolly clinical. easy off tops, check, moisturizer, check, how many fields, nothing on skin before treatment...but yoga pants? Is it the freedom to hop up on the table? stretchy fabric? something I'm missing?
Brookside: Yeah, I'm still in the OMG I'm buried in information stage. So thank you for mentioning the comparative roles of the MO and the RO, and that I'll be seeing more of the RO.
Let me sleep on all this and come back with questions.
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Queen mom - I had 2 fields- over each incision. Tiny tats like moles to help with alignment. Don't sweat stickers they come off and techs put on new ones.
Freedom. The yoga pants were comfortable, not tight, and made the adjustment easier...no love handles or muffin top. My techs were very sensitive to my care and modesty which I so appreciated. I'm all comfort and speed in and out. For free boobing I wore a Cani with the girl out and caressed by the cami.
Be kind to yourself and rewards...yes rewards...during countdown, and hydrate! Helps fight fatigue.
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OK: that makes sense, comfort in an uncomfortable situation. I'm not a terribly yoga pants-shaped person, though I suspect that undergoing any of the more physical and long drawn out portions of cancer treatment is not the time I should be concerned with Iooking pretty. Thank you for demystifying this: fear of the unknown really has been one of the things that knocked tranquility away from me.
I'll start working on the hydrating thing now; I think that's one of the reasons I've been shaky and queasy. Well, aside from having two lumpectomies in three weeks, the diagnosis of cancer, and it being July in Michigan.
i'll drop the hint to my husband about rewards during radiation: his parents sent us a chunk of money for pretty much just this purpose after surgery #2.
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queencat...I treated myself to an orchid and a bag of trail mix once a week during rads.....the orchids are still doing quite well.....so, I definitely buy in to the treats reward system. And, with the hydrating, you need to make certain you're eating plenty of protein daily...60 grams or more. It helps your system keep you going along with fighting the ravages of the radiation. And try to get a bit of exercise each day. It doesn't have to be strenuous, but it does help with the fatigue issues. Just a simple short walk does wonders for you.
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Monthlysew; (amused/interested) Orchids and trail mix? Not as peculiar as all that: I'd probably pick spring bulbs and Vosges chocolates, with maybe a day trip to Chicago when I'm done (my rads will probably run/end about the time I'd be planting bulbs) I'll admit that the fatigue is what I'm most worried about short term--though I expect changes in my poor surgified breast are going to be upsetting in the long term. But I've noticed I do feel better with a higher protein intake; I'll make sure to do that even if I'm having trouble eating.
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Oh, painful....just lost my almost-finished post.
Anyway, love the pet show here...the black cats are always favorites as we've had several. Josie, I love Hazel...gorgeous color and fluff. Sew, love your kitty too.
SAB, your big guys are looking great! They do not look old...you must give them lots of attention. I hope you find a home for the "guest" soon. I could never do what you and Diane do with the feisty dogs.
Cindy, your big guy got so big. Great photo!
I finally gave kitty a name - told the family I am still open to changing it but it had to be done. (we already call her by multiple other names).
So, wanting a special name for our Persian kitty who was rescued from Egypt, I decided to name her Hatshepsut after an Egyptian Queen. All that is just so I can call her "Hattie".Queen, you picked up on our chats about "normal things" - it is true that life for many of us is somewhat "normal" while we all still share our experiences with BC. It is the normal course of recovery to start to focus on everyday things once again. And here on BCO, we always have someone who will listen when we want to talk about treatment, side effects, or tests we face.
Be sure to ask all the questions you have. You should have a set up appointment and simulation before the radiation appointments begin.
What helped me the most were my "props" to help me stay calm and still. I wore my iPod each day. And I used Listerine strips to keep my mouth moist while feeling a little anxious. I am really claustrophobic, and even though I wasn't confined, I did not like lying still. So I made up word games in my head each time to help the minutes pass by. It all worked for me and by the 3rd treatment I was OK with it.Joan
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Joan: and I do so appreciate the example here that we can have normalcy, that eventually we will come out from the emotional part as well as the physical, and start talking about pets, music, travel, whatever. But I will ask as I think of things.
Here's a picture of our 'new' cat, now nicknamed "M'sieu Poirpt-Nouveau"
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Queenmomcat, cute kitty and such a fancy nick name. You got such great advice from all so don't have much to add. Except remember some get nausea at first with the Rads and mine hit me on the weekend after a full week of Rads. It too will pass and you will again enjoy your food. I can remember having no appetite at times of a weekend. Symptoms are all individual . You may experience none or all of these. Just remember it will all be a distant memory soon. And we are all here if you need us.
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Joan, what a fitting name for your cute kitty.
Hazel can be quite the little stinker but she has her moments. But thank you she is a beautiful cat and we do love her. She has a special relationship with the dog and gives her free massages (aka..makes biscuits on her back) And the dog loves to gently nibble her fur. Stryper is my favorite he was our first kitty. And the kindest. Would never think of scratching or biting.
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Josie: thank you for mentioning nausea as a possible side effect of radiation. I've seen that mentioned in connection with radiation to the digestive tract (directly or collateral) but not elsewhere, There are a lot of things that MIGHT happen as a result of radiation, and I won't necessarily get, or be bothered by, the side effects. But given appetite loss is one of my standard responses to stress, it's worth mentioning to the RO. (We see him on Monday.) I mean, I could stand to lose some weight, but i don't want to start a physically stressful treatment if I"m nutritionally subpar.
Mr. Boy Cat's nickname came from a comment a close acquaintance made when she saw the photo--:in French, "But what will Captain Hastings and Miss Lemon say?"
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Joan, Hattie it is...her proper name sounds like the noise the Dog Whisperer makes when correcting an unruly dog....Diane and Sab, you've probably got that noise down just pat!
QueenMomCat....Your name for your Tuxedo cat is just perfect. What do you call him for "short", Mister? Anyway about rads, f you end up not wanting to eat, just keep buying foodie treats that have protein in them. I probably sampled every protein bar there is, or a smoothie made from Greek Yogurt (great source of protein is that greek yogurt). I made sure to have some Whey protein on hand to mix up, it actually doesn't taste bad and as long as you're not gluten free it is a great way to get that protein up on a day when you're not eating much. It will all work out, I'm sure. I was one who did have fatigue issues, and believe it or not, it is all still do-able. There were times when it was just too much to try to walk from my chair to the kitchen for dinner (my husband did the cooking, lucky me) but I got there. And usually when those times hit if I just sat still for 5 or 10 minutes the feeling would pass. I did have my husband drive me for the last 2 weeks of rads as I found that I was falling asleep driving home afterward. We text messaged back and forth and I would keep him up on my time schedule. The whole radiation appointment doesn't usually take more than 20 - 30 minutes by the time you go in, change clothes, chat with the other people getting rads, have your turn on the table (which is probably all of 5 minutes or less), put lotion on the girl, dress and walk out. Just go with the flow and don't stress about it, if possible. It's all part of the healing and it's how your body will react. I expect you'll do just fine. And we're here with probably many more tips when you get worried or stressed.
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Mostly: for 'short', Mr. Cat's either Bongo (his original name) or PlayCat.
But small treats with protein in them is a marvelous idea; I have a prodigious sweet tooth so things like Greek yogurt and protein drinks are good things to keep on hand, even now. (Oncologists haven't said anything about soy yet, so the soy/whey powder I have on hand already still apply.) Also trying to figure out what to do when BOTH of us aren't inclined to eat; poor husband's going through a hard time just now as well, not surprisingly.
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queencat..... It is hard on the husbands, they feel so helpless, and scared. That's why my husband really wanted to drive me as he felt it was a way to do something ...that and cook and clean of course which while the "meals" weren't much, I didn't have to do them
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Something, anything, concrete, yes!
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Queen cat-----keep the area under your boobs dry before you hop on the table. Wipe them on the gown they put you in, or with a paper towel. I was told by ladies here to get the wife beater soft cotton ments u-neck t-shirts with a sports bra a couple sizes bigger (all c otton) and to put the t shirt on first and the bra over the top---it kept me comfy and supported....
Greek Yougurt and also Rotissiere chickens make fast good protein meals.
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Redheaded: oo! Bra over soft cotton wifebeater is a marvelous idea if/when things start getting really cranky. Just met with my RO today, and apparently I qualify for the Canadian Protocol (half the treatments, 1.5Xthe dosage per treatment), so hoping that'll help a little bit with irritation. Or at least ease the "Crap, I have to do this how many weeks?" psychological aspects.
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Hope everyone is staying cool. queenmomcat - I can't really add any sage advice to the others about Rads because I was truly blessed when I had treatments. I pretty much sailed through it with no real issues or SEs at all save a little fatigue. Good luck with it!
Hot as all get out here. Yes it's summer and I live in the South. Brutal combo. Much hotter than last summer. Central a/c went outagain so we pulled out all our window units and even added one. Now we have one in every room. We have a story and a half house so the upstairs had to have one in the 4 rooms and bath upstairs. It's really comfortable but we are getting an estimate on replacing our unit. Shouldn't be as expensive since we have replaced almost all the parts. No more adding freon. We know there is a slow leak somewhere. Ugh! Going to try and avoid the expense for now given it's almost August and we have so many other expenses. I so need to win the lottery!
Canines are doing so much better. Not a single tug of war since the surgery. Fingers crossed. However, our rowdy one scared me last night big time. DH was putting a window unit in the computer room upstairs and opened the window and this daredevil jumped through the window off the window seat onto the roof and leapt off the roof! I was in full cardiac mode. DS went outside to get him. He was fine no broken bones. Unbelievable and scary! I'm amazed he wasn't hurt. He even went back upstairs to try and take another flying leap! Neither wonder I am a basket case sometimes.
Hope all our regulars are okay - Josie, Bunkie, Janis, Joan and everyone else who keeps our group going!
Gotta call and get my bone density results. Hoping no news is good news!
Diane
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Edwards: don't worry about not being able to provide any specifics! Just hearing from someone who didn't have any discommoding effects helps stop the "worry gerbils" from scurrying around my head endlessly. Hope your electric bill isn't too bad after all that air conditioner wranglng.
But also now contemplating a list of healthy tempting (and ideally high protein) foods to keep in the house, not just for me but for my husband. Stress affects both our appetites, though in opposite directions: mine vanishes, his spikes. Not to mention leaving both of us generally disinclined to cook, though at least we're in grilling season, so he can go play outside with his grill.
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Diane, just think of the fun if you were to place a trampoline under that window! I'm glad Daredevil Dog is OK (and that you are too!). What a scare! Also very, very glad that they seem to have settled down. Whew! Now if only your AC would behave.
I have the washing machine repairman coming tomorrow--$99 for him to walk in the door, then an hourly charge after that. Just learned that my BFF, just down the road, is having him right before me. You'd think we could ask him for a two-fer and split the show-up $$$. And now I have to clean the laundry room so it'll be all spiffy for him to mess up.
Queencatmom, I had the Canadian protocol, and, skin-wise, found it just Goldilocks right.
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Brookside: Thank you: I wasn't sure whether it was the length of treatment or amount of radiation which was the factor likely to cause skin issues. And it's nice to hear from someone who had few/completely tolerable side effects!
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I also do not know whether it is the length of time or the number of units of radiation, but it is for sure that it is better to exit stage right sooner rather than later.
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Haha good one Brookside. I kind of wish we still had one. Bought one when DS was a kid. Have to admit it was fun jumping on it and all his friends loved it!
Good luck with your repair. Hope it's something simple and cheap to fix.
Also, please pray for Chattannoga everyone. Daughter and 4 of our grandkids live there. Such a senseless and tragic thing to happen. The City is still in the state of shock. Heartbreaking for the victim's families. When, if ever, will this insanity end.
Diane
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Diane,are you sure that dog isnt a cat in disguise? I have only known cats to jump from roofs without broken bones. So glad he is ok.
Had my 6 month follow up with my MO. I think she was happy seeing me feeling so much better on Lexapro. I did ask her though if it lessens the effectiveness of tamoxofin. She said yes.That kind of worries me and makes me uneasy but what can you do? I have to live and be able to function . I dont know of anyone who can function when driving along with panic attacks almost daily. And depression.so trying to not have any regrets.
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Welcome Queenmomcat. Did anyone recommend gentle exercise yet? Helped me TONS with energy, and helped me start to lose tons of weight too! I am another example of someone who had a pretty easy time with rads. Just some random fatigue, and it passed.
OK, I promise, last pet post :-) Cindy--LOVE the picture I could smoosh that dog. Brookside and Joan, great names. I did let my daughter (dd the elder) name our cats one time. She named one Ubasti (also Egyptian I'm told) and the other one King Carlos of Spain because they (King Carlos and our cat) both had twisted legs. When we took him to the vet they asked what the cat's name was and we told them King Carlos of Spain. They wrote down Fluffy! Buttheads.
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SAB: not yet, but that's almost certainly due more to my asking "When may I start (lap) swimming again? How about weight lifting?" during every intake interview than because they're not thorough, patient-centered medical professionals. They're important to me, true, and I do wish to resume them as early as possible, but I figured out last year that it's not fair to the medical professionals to ask simply "When may I resume normal activities?" without giving them a hint about what you consider normal! THEY can't guess what you consider normal. For all they know, one of your hobbies is sky diving.
Still haven't figured out why exercise helps alleviate fatigue, but I'm glad they and you are all suggesting it. So counterintuitive!
But I don't mind the pet pictures.
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Haha I do think he needs to unzip that dog suit Josie. That dog is fearless. Scary. He bounced back from the surgery overnight but our other one suffered a bit and had swelling. Fine now.
You do have to be able to function Tamoxifen notwithstanding. Lexapro worked pretty well for my DS. Hope things are better at work.
Called my Onc's office Tuesday to get results of my bone density test. Of course they haven't called back. I have had to appeal to the supervisor of the West Clinic where I go and complained to my ONC that it takes an act of Congress to get her staff to return calls. Make no mistake I will find out today. I wish now in retrospect I had them send the results to my OB-Gyn as well. They would have already called me. Changed GPs and haven't seen her yet so didn't want them sent there. Not worried just anxious and want to know.
Good for my state - Tennessee. They passed a law that you can break a window in a car to rescue kids or pets and not be prosecuted. About time. They need to throw the book at the people who are doing it. Thoughtless and criminal.
Shout out to everyone! Stay cool!
Diane
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Hey Josie this question is for you mainly since you are familiar with bone density tests. My ONC switched me to Tamoxifen from Arimidex several years ago because I had borderline osteoporosis. Two years ago my numbers were up but the test I had last week showed they weren't as good so ONC wants me to use this nose spray would you believe? Fosamex won't work for me because I have dental issues and from what I understand it can make them worse. Disappointed because I doubled my intake of calcium at least through food and it didn't help. To be fair I was not always diligent about taking the full 1200 mg a day.
What did the doctors recommend where you worked? I also know they have this shot you can get twice a year but it's pricey like 1200!
Anyone else dealing with this?
Diane
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Diane, try not to take too much calcium. You should only absorb 600mg at one time Also if you already have bone loss getting more calcium is good but also they recommend weight bearing activities like walking ,climbing stairs and lifting weights if Dr oks the weights. Where is the Osteoporosis? In the spine or the hips?
Yes there is a shot called Prolia that actually improves your T scores but it is expensive. See if you qualify for discount card through Prolia. Remember also that when eating Calcium rich foods or taking supplements you can improve your absorbtion by adding magnesium with it.
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Thanks Josie. I do walk and climb stairs a lot but haven't done weight bearing.
Don't know where it is. I am going to ask my ONC's office. Also will check out the Prolia and add magnesium. Appreciate it.
Diane
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