Fall 2015 Rads
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Hi Ladies ... New here ... 13 out of 33 radiation treatments done as of today. I see my RO on Fridays after treatment. She said I'm doing well, then offered me stronger pain medicine. I find that sort of strange sometimes , like it's her way of telling me the pain will get stronger... it's getting harder to use my arms ...I just had a lumpectomy on the right side in August. My esphogus burns after treatment , but she says it's not from radiation . But it gets better over the weekend. ...My chestbone hurts a lot too ... that does come from the treatments .I am also on Herceptin until next May and my body sure doesn't like it. I had 2 jaw teeth removed on Monday ... What a journey, the fatigue gets rough but better days are coming.
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Welcome, Sophie14! You're not alone in this, either the "normal" side effects of treatment that all ROs acknowledge, or those peripheral effects that they won't acknowledge but we'll confirm. As BrutersMom mentioned, chances are good that those peripheral effects are a result of a combination of things.
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I had to take a zofran tonight. I'm on day 3 of not being able to touch my dinner. I wake up and I'm still nauseous and not hungry. By lunch I feel like eating...then by dinner I have no appetite and am almost repulsed by food. It's like Groundhog Day. My rads is at 7:30am each day.
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Not bleeding yet!
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Hi all,
I got my simulation on Monday and can't wash off the stupid sharpie marks they put on me! The tech said it was fine to wash them off, but I've tried alcohol wipes, lotion, and plain old body wash, and nothing worked. All it did was smear it around so it looks like I have giant bluish bruises on my chest. I would just let it wear off naturally but I'm going to be at a resort with a pool this weekend and don't want to be sporting this look in public.
Any suggestions?
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I started radiation on Monday. Monday night my breast was already pink. I had noticed a swollen area (on the same breast as lumpectomy but no where near incision) on Sunday but was so nervous on Monday I forgot to mention it. The nurses were surprised on Tuesday that I was so pink. They said it was unusual to react that quick to radiation. I mentioned the swollen area. The ro came in to check me out and called the breast surgeon. I went today for a sonogram. The radiologist felt it was not suspicious and there was no sign of absess. He spoke to surgeon and she wants to see me tomorrow and I started antibiotics tonight as they feel it is an infection. Although she said its unusual over a month after lumpectomy. I'm still pretty nervous. My breast feels heavy and has increased in size and my nipple now feels super sensitive. I asked if it could be inflammatory cancer but the radiologist said no. Anyone experience anything like this
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Wildflower - Aquaphor takes mine off. I have a hard time keeping my mark on for 24 hours because of the Aquaphor. Slather it on, put a shirt on and let it sit. Hope that helps!!
Today is my 16 of 33 rads. So far I have some soreness and slight skin color change and some fatigue. I never asked how much radiation I was getting everytime and they have never mentioned boosts to me but all of you seem to have boosts of some kind so I'm going to ask the ro about it today.
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Radiation Tech: "How are you today?"
Me: " Good except I'm having trouble with my appetite."
Radiation Tech: "Huh - that's not Rads"
I'm going to make myself a T-shirt that says... "NOPE...Not Rads!"
For goodness sake people!
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thanks Goofyfoot for your info on amount of daily and total rads.............. if anyone else wants to share what their dosing schedule is [as I mostly just seem to see # of sessions and boosts] I would love to hear it -- I know our situations are all different, but nice to know the general range people are getting! Or if there is another site that goes over all that that anyone knows about......
and Pamela - loooove the bracelet
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Lol about the T-shirt! I want one for Rads and herceptin. It is amazing how different Ro's and Mo's perception of side effects can be. My RO always asks about appetite and says that reduced appetite is a side effect. And my MO says herceptin doesn't cause blurry vision but here I am a week later and like clockwork I have the blurry vision that will last for a few days and then resolve.
I asked RO about boosts today and I am having them. I have 26 whole Breast and then 8 boosts. So I guess I have a total of 34 treatments.
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Sprite: updated your numbers.
Phoebe (and whomever else might be interested): I got 275 centigrays per regular zap--fifteen of those-- and 300 for each of three boosts.
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Wildflower2015 - basically anything oily will take it off. I use coconut oil, rub a little, then wash off with soap.
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Does anyone else count the time of the zap? I always count when I hear it come on. What else is there to do, right? It was always a sequence of 10 seconds, then 5, then the machine moved to the other side and repeated. Today was my first boost so everything was concentrated on my scar area. It was a continuous 30 seconds, I can't imagine what this spot is going to look like!
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I'll be joining everyone shortly...simulation is on Oct 15 (this doesn't count the appt I had LAST week that was SUPPOSED to be my simulation, but then RO notified me that my plastic surgeon left the practice and that I'd have to have a consult with a new one before he'd do the simulation on me...but that's a whole other story!).
My RO really favors calendula cream so I figure I'll give that a shot first...anyone have a brand that they like?
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Welcome, Magnolia83!
I've been using a calendula cream called "My Girls" that I'm liking a lot thus far. I think someone here had mentioned it, then my PT mentioned it, and then when I asked about it at my second radiation appointment, the nurse gave me some samples to try. Couldn't hurt to ask if they have any samples...
Take care,
--Sherri, aka EnigmaticFox
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Pamela: oh, yeah! I counted! though that was as much to calm myself that I could really hold my breath that long as it was plain curiosity.
Magnolia83: I've put you down for October 19 as a start date, though that can be changed easily enough.
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Thank you Sherri, I will give that a shot!
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my rads were 2 grays per day (200 centigrays) for 25 days. I then had 5 boosts of 2 grays per day. I had 7 treatment fields and had the bolus used every day. Today was my last. I said I would post weekly pictures, so I will continue to. I debated posting these, but everyone reacts differently. Some have it worse, some are similar, and many are not as bad. Nevertheless I will post them so that hopefully those who are this burned in the future will see that things will improve... In other words, I am hoping things look better and better each week. I will keep posting weekly pix for a while. These are just the areas I am willing to post online. Silvadene helps a little. Mepilex dressings are seeped through by morning, but do really help so I can be comfortable and sleep.
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Congrats on being done, KBeee! I hope you heal quickly!
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Congratulations on finishing KBeee. Thank you so much for posting pictures. I start soon, it really helps to see photos.
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KBee: Congrats on finishing ! I hope you heal quickly. I started on Sept 8th (finished on the 1st) and this has definitely been my worst week pain and itch-wise, but my fatigue is doing better.
Pamela: I counted 30 long seconds per side, plus extra xrays first which were quicker zaps. I was getting a "double-dose" for the accelerated plan so they may have been longer zaps.
Also, I have to thank you for the Recticare suggestion for pain and itching - as you said it has 5% lidocaine and is the only thing that stopped my itching of everything that has been named on this Fall Rads board - I tried them all ! I brought it with me to my 1-week follow-up appointment with the RO and assistant, and they were impressed and had never heard of it ! They offer 1% lidocaine, or prescriptions for 2.5% lidocaine, but didn't know about this - I said I had not researched the inactive ingredients but I was happy with it. It really saved me from going insane from itching. The RN/assistant was going to mention this to her patients with vulva radiation as well (ouch - and, I didn't know that was possible).
Magnolia - you will want to check that the calendula cream doesn't have alcohol as the first ingredient. One of the main brands recently changed their ingredients - my RO did not know this either until I brought it in and showed them the tube, along with a tube from 3 years ago that did not have alcohol.
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GoofyFoot, thanks for the tip about the alcohol in calendula.
I have another question that maybe you ladies can help me with. I had a unilateral mastectomy and am wondering what I should wear during rads. I know lots of ladies like to wear tank tops but I will look super lopsided with just a tank top on! Even if I cover up with something over a tank top, it's pretty noticeable (plus, I live in SoCal and it's still crazy hot here! Combined with my superfun chemopause at 32 I don't know how many layers I can stand). Currently I wear sports bras and just stuff my "stump" side with a cotton boob-form thing I got at the craft store (made for lining a dress...yes I have been too lazy to get fitted for a prosthesis!). But, I am thinking that having that boob form on won't feel good during rads, nor will the sports bras? Will I need something looser than a sports bra? Anyway, if anyone has any insight into this it would be greatly appreciated! I work full-time or else I'd totally just go lopsided and free around the house
Although my office is casual so I don't have to get too fancy...just trying to look "even" and not be in pain during rads is my goal!0 -
Kbeee, glad you're done; thanks for pictures; ouch! Heal soon.
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Kbeee Congrats on making it through rads!
I hope you heal up quickly.
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Congratulations Kbee!! Hope you heal quickly!
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Congratulations, Kbeee! I think after reading your description that I'm on the same dosage as you (I think my RO just gave me the total grays instead of per visit). I hope you heal up quickly and feel better ASAP!
Magnolia83, I've been wrestling with the same question of what to wear (another unilateral mastectomy, no reconstruction). For now, I've just been going without anything under my shirt. I can get away with it because I'm wearing black (doesn't show up as much), and it's been chilly here so I can also wear a fleece jacket loosely over top and that disguises it as well. Plus I'm lucky in that I work from home so the only time I'm really out and about is when I'm with the other parents picking up my daughter at the bus stop. Or at my radiation appointment, but they don't care.
Right now the area under my arm is already getting really sensitive to touch, so the very idea of wearing a bra is uncomfortable. I did order a "radiation comfort camisole" that should arrive soon. I'll let you know how that works out!
Take care,
--Sherri, aka EnigmaticFox
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Congratulations, KBeee! You've rung the bell...again. Thank you very much for posting your pictures.
(Edit: was it "again"?)
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Congratulations Kbeee! Hopefully this is the worst and you heal up soon! Girl, even with that level of burn you still ran a race? You are truly an inspiration
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Kbeee! Congrats! Doing the happy dance for you!
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EFox, I do think we have the same protocol they are following. I remember thinking that when you posted your dosages. Are they doing the bolus every day? Do you know which areas they are radiating? I had chest wall, intramammary, axillary, and Supraclavicular. I hope all goes smoothly for you. I looked ugly around weeks 4/5, but it was not that uncomfortable until week 6 when moist desquamation occurred. I am hoping you avoid that.
Queen mom, we do not have a bell for chemo or rads at my facility. We just get a certificate. Very anticlimactic. So I now have 2 chemo certificates and 1 rads certificate and I'd better never add to that collection again !!!!!!!!0
