Fall 2015 Rads
Comments
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KellyAnne13: I've put you on the list with a tentative start date--that can be changed easily enough, though. And welcome to the group.
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Also, despite my whining, there is new skin in my armpit. I can't wait for my scar to start degrading! I have gell bandages, vaseline soaked bandages, dry bandages, a mesh tube top, regular old ABD's.....hopefully it will work! Seems like an easier area to bandage. The little dog ear there feels like its been beaten with nettles..the rest is ok.
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Thanks everyone! So glad to be done!
Love the bracelet Pamela!!
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has anyone else lost their appetite? I made dinner and then couldn't touch it. No appetite at all. This happened yesterday too. I'm slowly losing my desire to eat...
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Hooray, meezers and littleblueflowers! Ring that bell loud and long!
Take care,
--Sherri, aka EnigmaticFox
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Tresjolie: yes, I did lose my appetite a bit.
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Tresjoli2, I've found meat pretty disgusting since diagnosis.
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Tres, I lost my appetite with rads too. I lost 10# without trying. Small bonus!
Congrats meezers & lbf for hitting the finish line, hoping for quick healing! Continue your protein, hydration, exercise & rest. Fatigue hit me worse after I was done than during tx.
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I lost my appetite too, especially for meat. I made lentil soup tonight, but could barely eat. Finding it hard to get enough protein without an appetite.
Thanks OR, good advice!
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I've been having whey, rice, or pumpkin seed protein powder in my morning smoothie--it helps a lot.
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Congrats Meezers and LittleBlueFlowers!!!!! You guys did it; another milestone and big relief!
On the topic of appetites, today I had sour cream and chive dip (the entire container), popsicles, wine, and hummus. The 4 food groups, right? creamy, frozen, adult, and healthy.
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How interesting! I have lost my appetite and have a serious aversion to all meats and chicken in particular. Of course RO says... Not rads lol. I am really surprised to hear so many people say they felt the same! I wish I would have developed the vegetable cravings like some had. i have to force myself to get my protein and veggies all in
Sweetmamaj, I love those food groups! I have definitely had days like that
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I gained weight during rads. I didn't lose my appetite, but lost my desire to cook and clean up afterwards. So I did alot of the same food groups as Sweetmamaj. Salty, crunchy, sweet and creamy.
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Congrats Meezers and Littleblueflowers!!
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This might be an odd question...
If you have the non aluminum type deodorant do you wear it to rads or do you put it on after? I hate the thought of not wearing anything and stinking. My appointment is early after noon and it is still pretty warm here for fall.
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Hi courtleboo, Probably best not wear it before rads, and ask your RO if you can use it after rads. Most likely, if you were told to not use Al containing products, they would want you to refrain during your treatment weeks. But your RO may say it's okay after rads, or wait several hours, or only use on unaffected underarm, or a number of other things. My RO personally does not think it interferes with rads but the handout from the center that I go to says to refrain from using it. I've been using non-alumimun products for years, which works--somewhat.
There are a lot of products out there---try to get ones that have relatively simple ingredients --simply because some dyes, perfumes, etc can be hard on your soon-to-be sensitive and radiated skin. Basically, I try to think of my radiated areas as super sensitive newborn skin--which means laundry detergents, soaps, etc are free of blah blah stuff, just like the deodorant.
Maybe carry wet wipes for sensitive skin (like for newborns) if you feel that your deodorant is not working, but make sure you gently pat dry.
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So of course my nurse today asks me how I am doing. I tell her - well, I'm fine but I've lost my appetite. Her response - NOT RADS..
It's like the Soup guy from Seinfeld - No Soup for You! Geeshhhhh defensive much? by the way - this site says that next to fatigue, loss of appetite is the second most common side effect. *facepalm*
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Lol I love the "Not Rads" response! Especially when there are flyers in the dressing room for these exact things. My RO actually asked me if I could be pregnant last week because I was tired and my stomach felt upset. Sometimes it makes me feel like a hypochondriac or that I am being a big baby.
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Thank you sweetmamaj. I have just started using the aluminum free deodorant in the last 6 months. I love Schmidt's deodorant but they are in a pot that you scoop out, broke the little spatula so I bought myself a back up Tom's of Maine. I'll just stick to showering and using it after treatment.
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Its like they think we are going to refuse radiation if they admit to side effects....um...duh. no, we aren't. A little validation would be nice though!
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Like House and "it's never lupus".....It's never rads.
My two cents on the metal-free deodorant is "Check with your facility, and be very specific in how you phrase the question."
I asked something to the effect of "Am I to NOT wear deodorant which includes metal at any point during the month of September, or only during the actual treatment, as with mammograms?" The staff at my facility made clear that I could wear whatever I wanted during treatment....as long as it didn't have metals in it. My RO's general take was "as long as you haven't got skin breaks, you're good to go".
But I gather he was unusual. And, I suspect, so was I: I swam for three of the four weeks )the Y was closed for renovations during the first week of my rads), used alcohol-based gel antiperspirant when not actually on the table, wore my regular bras...and ended up with only two reddened areas, about six square inches total.
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QMC, the chlorine toughens the skin as well as the lungs. Makes it easier to breathe in diesel fumes. At least for me. hahah <cough cough, as I give my clean diesel vw the hairy eyeball>
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LBF, agreed--a little validation would be nice! Or at least, if they insist on the "not rads" mantra, then some empathy.
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Skysquirrel: You're four weeks into rads and your RO asked if you were pregnant when you mentione being fatigued and queasy? (splutters incoherently in outrage)
Sweetmamaj: sympathetically/amused) yeah, I've been following the whole VW [bleeo redacted bleep]. Though I'm now contemplating the possible effects of diesel fumes on breast skin.
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QMC, way ahead of you. have gathered many articles. I could go on, but this is probably not the right board.
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Done 15 of 20.
So tired! My tank went empty last weekend. Now fuzzy-minded, still working. Leaving early, cancelling anything I can. Moderate pain, using Advil & cooling towel as needed. Skin is just pink and a little bumpy. Bought soft bras (Bali One Flexible Bra works great). I wear two when I ride
Think I may be one of the lucky ones. Counting down days
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Had my last whole breast treatment today! Eight boosts to go and I'm outta there. I'm so glad that the section to be treated with the boosts isn't in the area under my arm and down the side where the skin is most damaged. The only part that worries me is that the top half of my areola is in the field. The whole areola is very damaged and right now feels thickened and leather like. It's also very, very dark.
Eight more times, I can do this.
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You can do it Pamela! You can do it Horsegirl! Just a little bit longer. I finished 14 of 16 today. 2 more to go and I'll be doing the happy dance--but slowly. Can't even seem to walk fast these days. Plan to exercise early on Saturday and then sleep until Monday morning.
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I have not posted before. I am on day 8 of accelerated radiation. 12 more to go. Hump day is Friday. I to have had some symptoms not listed as common side effects. I have felt light headed and experiencing some loss of appetite. I discussed this with the radiation oncologist yesterday and he suggest that I try ibuprofen 15 minutes before radiation. He said he never heard of light-headedness with radiation to the breast area and I am not on any other meds right now but he has found that some peoples bodies treat radiation like an attack on the system, which it is, and over react to the treatment. I tried it today and actually don't feel as bad. I think my lack of appetite is related to the overwhelming fatigue that I am beginning to feel after the treatment. I have no desire to make dinner or let alone eat. I have also considered that the lack of desire for food is related to feeling somewhat depressed about having cancer. But I will make my self eat because I have a job I love and tonight I am getting together with some friends. Life will not stop for cancer.
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Brutersmom: welcome to the group and to the boards....sorry for the diagnosis that's brought you here! Appetite loss resulting from a combination of factors does make sense--fatigue plus depression plus diagnosis plus [insert your choice of personal reason here].
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