Radiation recovery
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I finished my rads the first week of July. My skin is still very dark and very tender. The spot where the mass was removed is very hard. My arm contiues to have a numb feeling. I can not sleep alot of nights because of the discomfort. I have my "follow up" mammogram at the end of this month. I think this one scares me more than the first one I did.
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By the way, the three month mammogram...is that counting from when we finished the radiation? Will that be ordered by the breast surgeon? When should we go back to see the breast surgeon? I haven't been called and assume someone will contact me (that's the way it has been so far for every appt. basically).
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Hi Jenny my breast surgeon scheduled a mammogram for my cancerous breast, and an appointment with him 6 months after the surgery.
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Brenilea.....................Have you been checked for Lymphedema........don't want to scare you, but I would mention it to one of your Dr.'s..............I have it..................I would absolutely have it checked...........you want a Lymphedema specialist.......................Google it, and it will ask where you live, and show you who is in your area.........good luck
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Janis...where are you??? Last boost today! Join the party - it is great on "the other side" as the healing begins!
jenny - yes, it is three months from the last of your radiation. My surgeon scheduled a visit/mammo for six months after my last visit with him - and it just happens to work out that it's also three months from the end of my radiation. Please don't rely on them to call you; I work in healthcare and feel I should advise you to please call them; besides, that way you'll have your appt and it'll give you piece of mind to have a plan.
My skin is healing great now. Hardly any pain - still peeling. Still waiting for Tamoxifen to arrive in mail. Decided I'm more scared of a new primary or a recurrence than I am of SE... benefits outweigh the risks.
Hugs BC sisters!
Ann
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Congrats Janis and Ann. Ann my oncologists said nothing about getting a mammogram 3 months after radiation. What they did say was to get the mamo 6 months after surgery which is also when I had my last mamo. They told me that for 3 years I should have my cancerous right breast mamo'd every six months and my left breast once a year. After 3 years I can have my right breast mamo'd once a year. Everyone thinks differently, especially about Tamoxifen. Of course I am worried about a new primary, but I don't think a 2% reduction is worth the side effects. My doctor told me that I only have a 1% chance of a recurrence so I am not worried about that. I am 2 weeks post rads today. My non boost area is all cleared up. but my boost area is red and itchy.It took 3 weeks for my non boost area to clear up, so I am hoping that next week my boost area will be cleared up too. I never had peeling, blistering. or 1 day of exhaustion.
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Congradulations Janice and Ann!!! So glad your done and can join us here....Be good to yourself tonight... Have fun and try to forget... LOL Thinking of you both. HUGS, lisa
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I am finally HERE!!!!!!! Yippee! Let's get this party started!
My last rad was uneventful. Big hugs with my techs of course. I told them I was low on pain meds so they got me a fresh script from my MO. Also Domeboro soaks to help the burns dry out. I am all set to HEAL now. I was "ordered" to do one week of bed rest, arm elevated on the back of the couch as much as possible. I know I can't sit still for a week but will try my best. I just want ths burn gone for good. I see my RO and MO both next Thursday. Then I think he will write the script for Arimidex. I am with you Ann on these meds. I want the best odds possible to keep this crap from recurring! Of course I totally understand anyone who won't do it. It is a very personal choice!
So I am home, braless and slathered in Aquaphor mixedwith lidocaine. Messy, but I am not going anywhere for awhile. Let the healing begin!
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You sound a little like me. Everytime I was alone I wore nothing... hehe I started Tamoxifen Monday. So far so good... It is a personal choice but with cancer being in the family (Mom and Sis, Aunts) I felt it was the only option for me.
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Welcome to our rads recovery group, Janis. I hope your skin will heal quickly. FWIW, I have been taking Arimidex for five days with no SE's. I know I am new to the Arimidex party and SE's could appear at any time, but so far so good.
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Elizabeth that is great news about the Arimidex. I am hoping for the same. Not looking for a problem and so hoping I don't have one!
Irw.....you have such a bad family history! Sorry.....I agree, you need to take the meds. It buys a lot of peace of mind for sure.
It feels so strange to be on "the other side" but am happy to join you all!
Today my nipple area started bleeding a little. It has peeled so many times and now just finally cracked. Ugh......so sore, but i know i am in the home stretch and this will start getting better soon.
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Hey Janis! Glad to see you on this side of the fence!
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Hey all, just wanted to say that in 2 weeks I will start Aremidix but plan to start with less than a full dose to see how I do then work up. I am a bit apprehensive due to a very bad experience with Tamoxifen in the past. You gals on it be sure and take note if you start to have ringing in your ears or any feeling of dizziness. Call your doc.
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Thank you, Ann and Kate.
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Merilee - if you don't mind my asking, what problems did tamoxifen cause you that relates to ringing in the ears? I had not heard anything about that. Thanks so much.
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Hi everyone,
I just returned from my one month post rads check with the RO and it went very well. There is still some breast swelling, but he said the skin looked good. He suggested waiting until the swelling subsided to get my first post BC mammogram.
I just realized today that I had gone a whole month without a doctor's appointment. Wishing quick healing to everyone.
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Merilee I will start taking Arimidex soon. I expect when I see my MO next week he will get me started. I will be very careful and watch out for SE's. I am hoping I won't have any.
MamaV I am happy to be here! I am in such awful pain today. The burn under my arm is so raw. When I showered this morning I was gently soaping up under the arm and skin just fell off in my hands. It was kind of gross! It is absolutely raw now and miserable. No bra for me today. I put a lot of my burn ointment on and am just taking it easy. It is terribly painful. I woke up twice overnight in severe pain...the underarm burns are "weeping" and my t-shirt sticks to my skin. OUCH. I am hanging in there though. This will get better soon.
For now going to lie down for a bit. Have a great days everyone!
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Elizabeth1889 I am glad everythin is going well for you. How long did it take for the redness to go away. I am 15 days post rads, and I am still red.
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Janis OUCH!!!! Good news is they are not going to burn you anymore! Every day is a day for healing going forward. Wish I could make it happen faster for everyone!
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My last radiation was September 19 and my radiated area is pretty much back to normal. I made the mistake of taking off the little round protectors that kept the lines intact for the boosts, and those areas were a bit sore at first. Other than that, I see to be doing well. I started back on Evista after visiting the Med Onc last week. He wanted me to do three years of Tamoxifen and 2 years of Armidex, but I told him I know too many women with horrible Tamoxifen side effects. He was very much OK with the Evista. I took it a couple of years before diagnosis, and did not have any side effects.
Jane
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Ceeztheday- I am among a growing number of women who lost hearing while on Tamoxifen. It is permanent, the FDA is currently gathering information. There is concerned that this is not listed as a possible side effect. My left ear is now Deaf, I was on Tamoxifen 6 weeks.
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I start Arimidex tomorrow...will keep you all posted!!
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Anyone have experience with proton radiation? It is supposedly less damaging to healthy tissue than typical radiation treatments, yet highly effective at destroying cancer cells, and I've been accepted into a study at MGH because I didn't get reconstruction (that was a main criterion). Fewer side effects, too, apparently. I'll be going in on Tuesday for my first long appointment and I'll keep in touch to let you know how it goes.
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KateHudson2: Thank you for your support. My redness was gone about two weeks post rads. The boost area stayed red a little longer than the rest of the breast. I hope your redness will fade soon.
Merilee: So sorry about the deafness in your left ear. You have had such a rough time of it. Hoping life will be very good to you from now on.
Sue53: Good luck with Arimidex.
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Merilee - Thank you for that information. I certainly had not heard of that as a SE. So sorry that you had to experience it firsthand. Again, thank you for your reply.
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I had a new blister pop up under my breast again... I thought I was past that. So strange. My bloodwork came back. Now I have high white blood cell counts and High liver enzyme. Whats a girl to do??? Something new everyday.
Merilee so sorry you are having to deal with that after everthing you have been through. Thanks for sharing. At least we know what to look for. Seems like we all have issues with the treatment we are doing. Some worse then others. I guess we need to listen to what our bodies tell us and stay on top of it. I am so Thankful we have this forum. I would go insane trying to make sense of this by myself...
Granuaile I am not familiar with proton radiation. I hope it is successful for you with little SE,s.
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I went to a follow up appointment with my radiation oncologist today. I am 15 days post rads and still red and itchy. He said it probably will take 2 more weeks for it to clear up. He gave me great confidence in my decision to turn down Tamoxifen. My medical oncologist said I only have a 1% chance of a recurrence of this cancer. He said I have an 8.9% chance of a different breast cancer, and Tamonifen woul reduce that by only 2.5%. My Ro said that the SE of only a 2.5% reduction would outweigh the benefits and I agree.
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JustmeJanis:
The only skin issue I had was that spot under the arm as well. RO told me almost everyone had that problem (the most common one). I woke up three nights in a row with the pain as well. After that, it just went away. Please make sure don't scratch it or anything that makes your skin come off. Just like everything else, the pain will go away. Except the boost area (I am two weeks out), my skin is back to normal...those dot..dot...dot (brown dots from the pores) went away as well. Good luck!
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So, Kate, I guess this is your final decision of not taking Tamoxifen then? I think that's what I am doing as well...but still can't just not doubt myself.
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jenny.....I wish my only skin reaction was a spot under my arm. My entire breast, under my breast, and underarm is peeling and weepy. My nipple peeled till it bled. The skin around my nipple is still peeling. My whole underarm is a nightmare. I have good pain meds though, Domeboro soaks, and lidocaine/Aquaphor. It all helps but I am still peeling....
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