Fall 2015 Rads
Comments
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Trvler: plz post here what you find--others might be curious also. (no, you're not the only one who itches like stink!)
Molly: hoping you do better over the weekend!
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Georgi- love the work you did on the pillowcases! Who taught you to crochet? Just not that many people do handwork anymore. You gals have inspired me to pull out the knitting needles-it's been YEARS!. Just need to find some happy yarn to work with. I've been working on some Christmas gifts- painting ornaments and signs but the knitting can go along to doc appts, so I'm not so bored. I always get great ideas from these boards.
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When I had really bad itching after surgery last week, I took benedryl caplets. I believe it helped.
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Today is #10 of 15 for me. I'm not sure if I'm on accelerated or not. I had rads before in '08 and think it was 28 or something like that. My RO said I'm only doing 15 now but it's a higher more concentrated dose than before. Well, I'm definitely feeling worn out. I drive to the center every day at lunch (some lunch!) and I'm dragging by the time I get home from work and barely able to stay up past 9. It's my sternum that is getting treated so I have a nice pink burn going on right between both breasts. The only way to get it covered with aloe is to apply and then lay flat to give the girls some room to "breath". lol Oh, this is so NOT fun! I'm praying and sending positive energy to everyone - hoping that treatments go well and SE are minimal. I feel like I'm doing okay but know that there are others that are having a more difficult time with it. XOXO
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Brutersmom, Yes I felt 90% better after downing 16oz of water. I realized I had not drank enough. I dragged myself out of bed this morning, took the dog and I out for a walk, that helped a lot. Thank you! TGIF!!
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Lainey; sounds like the short form rads to me, but I'm hardly a medical professional.
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To manage itching, I've been taking oral Benadryl (Just 1 capsule! The one time I took 2, I felt out of it the next day) before bed and applying cortisone cream (steroid based) liberally throughout the day (but not right before rads, of course). I just finished 14 of 19. One more whole breast and then 4 boosts. Only moderate discomfort so far.
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Thanks HappyHammer! I think Knitting and Crocheting are one of those things - like riding a bike. I can go years without doing one - get reminded how to do it - and away I go. I wish I would have thought of it sooner - I'm finding it very therapeutic- especially with some gorgeous yarn!
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wooohooo. 7/28 done:) 1/4 of the way there. This slow going protocol is good so far - not expecting S/E for a week.
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I'm finally jumping in! Was diagnosed just over a month ago; have had lumpectomy; and have been reading (and gleaning) as much and as fast as I can. I feel like I already 'know' all of you special ladies. I am about to meet again with my MO and RO this coming Tuesday and hope to have a plan set in action. I think I've written down every single cream/salve/balm/ointment suggestion and just today I ran to Trader Joe's. ~ I love the support that is shared, encouragement provided, and shoulders offered. I know we will all get through this and I also know that sometimes WE are the only ones to truly understand. There is a team aspect here.....of which I hope you will allow me a spot.
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No pain or itching yet. I'm on #15 of 30 -- yay 1/2-way-- and I'm a little pink today. The underside of my breast is a little hot, but I read one of the articles on this site that the blow-dryer on "cool" setting feels good. So, I tried it and it really cooled the breast down. I'm not tired yet, either, and I'm still walking 4-5 miles a day. Perhaps that is helping with my energy. Oh, and I was told to stay hydrated, too!
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I used a cooling towel. I am at 13 of 33. I am quite red. A little itchiness but I used the aloe Vera when I got home after the cooling towel. So happy for the weekend. I am exhausted.
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Had #5 of 16 today. I now have a hard knot beneath my SNB incision, where the sutures from its rupture (and seroma-geyser) were removed last week. Pretty sure it’s scar tissue--told the rad therapists today and they’re not worried. There’s a seroma building up behind it again, and my entire breast is pretty much a seroma itself. It’s swollen to a J cup size (used to be an H, left one is an I). Good thing I still have some of those size bras from when I was heavier. Still have some pinkish-tan cast to the irradiated skin, but the skin itself doesn’t hurt. I found some 100% pure aloe gel (no alcohol, dyes or scent) in the Kellogg Cancer Center outpatient pharmacy and today switched to Basis unscented soap and a velour washcloth on my right side. (Had been using L’Occitaine citrus verbena bath gel on a nylon shower puff on the rest of my body and just letting the water and suds run down my right armpit & breast--will use only that plain soap & washcloth on the treated area from now on). At bedtime, I had tried Jason’s 84% aloe cream at first, but I hate the tacky-stale-perfume scent it leaves behind (like faded fabric softener); then I’d mix CVS aloe gel (green) with pure coconut oil, but the RTs think I might have a sensitivity to either or both products. So last night, I applied first the pure aloe and then the Aquaphor. Didn’t get any redder this morning. Skin itself doesn’t burn or itch--it’s the tissue beneath that feels tender. I take Zyrtec & Singulair every night anyway for allergies & asthma, so I’m hesitant to add Benadryl to that. (In the past, I’ve found Benadryl cream better than hydrocortisone to relieve my itching--but even the cream can cause drowsiness). I also apply Aquaphor (the RTs gave me about 5 small tubes, and I’m about to finish the first one) immediately after each treatment before I put my clothes back on.
Off to bed now--have a full day tomorrow, driving out to the burbs and leading a song circle.
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I had #17/28 yesterday. I was really itchy. I tried the aloe leaf last night and it looks less red and it isn't as itchy so far. We will see. I will use it again this am. Did I mention I love Sat and Sun? I am pretty sure next week I will start taking Friday off unless this aloe become a miracle cure. I can't handle the itchiness. I don't want to take Benedryl because it makes me drowsy. (After chemo, I never want Benedryl again, quite frankly).
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Travler- so sorry you are so titchy- it can drive you batty! Did you have trouble with the Benedyrl during chemo, too? I HATED it and how it made me feel...thought I was going to die or something.
Literally had a panic attack during the first chemo treatment due to uncontrollable twitching and shaking caused by the IV Benedryl. They gave me IV Ativan once they were pretty sure the reaction was from the Benedryl and not the chemo and I was "lights out" for about 2 hours. Thank goodness my Onc decided it was dose related and cut my dose in 1/2 from there on out.
Ugh...I've been itching all over and it's driving me crazy- think it's the Herceptin treatments. Finally took a Benedryl tab yesterday-was scared it might make me weird but it didn't and helped the itching. However I took a 2 hour nap and felt out of it after that. But, today am itching again- have too much to do to nap so not taking the tab.
Does anyone know if you build up a tolerance to Benedryl so it doesn't make you so drowsy? Just trying to figure out if it's worth it to keep taking it if so?
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I hated the chemo Benadryl, too; it made me sleepy and high: not a good combo. And my lips got all numb during the infusion. Finally said something to one of the nurses and they switched me to hydroxyzine. Made a huge difference. I will not take Benadryl again if I can help it.
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I took Claritin for the itching with Rads. That and cortisone cream really took care of the itching. Doc thought Benedryl is better but I wasn't willing to deal with the side effects. I can't take Benedryl. I can handle one every 24 hours but that is about it. It make me nervous and edgy.
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I'm taking Claritin every night with my anastrozole. Hopefully that takes care of most of the itchiness because Benedryl knocks me on my rear end. Even if there's petroleum in aquaphor I really don't care. I think most of those studies are long-term use not short term. It's the only thing besides the CVS aloe Vera with lidocaine that works.
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I was one who burned horribly during rads. I can tell you that 1 week after I was still burned but in less pain, 2 weeks after I was 80% healed, and the pictures I'll post now are 3 weeks post rads. Completely healed. I have run a half marathon and a 5k in those 3 weeks and I am about at my prechemo times. Walking and running are my means of coping with stress. But... There is life after this crap is done. Healing does come.
Those pictures look a lot better than my huge patches of moist desquamation. And I am back to work at my very physical job
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So good to see you all healed up Kbee! I've been wondering how you were doing.0
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Karen: You are amazing, woman!
I didn't have a bad reaction to Benedryl. I just associate it with chemo I guess. My friend takes it to sleep. She takes large doses of it. I think she said anything under 50 mg doesn't make a dent. Yikes.
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trvlr you can always try half a pill
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Exhaustion seems to have set in the day before my 10k race. Just woke from a nap and still can hardly move. Not happy about this.0
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Outrunning: Oh no!
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I have lurked here for months. I had 28 rads with 5 boosts starting in August and ending September 21st. Reading everyone's radiation experience really helped. I also had a lumpectomy with a axillary node dissection in June. Now my treated breast is enlarged and feels heavy. It is slightly tender. I messaged my surgeon's office and the nurse said that this is normal after surgery and radiation. Has anyone else experienced this?
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I think I am going to need more than half a pill. I might take a big dose today to see if I can knock out the reaction. I can only do it when my husband is around to oversee the kids.
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Pjay - Well, you are 1 1/2 months post rads, so it seems that something is up. People will talk about an infection, a seroma, etc, but I'm going to talk about truncal lymphedema. You had your lymph nodes radiated, and sometimes radiation (and surgery) can change the lymph system so the fluid doesn't drain easily...and the tissue swells up. If no one else responds here, try posting in the truncal lymphedema thread. I wear a sleeve for my arm for lymphedema, and some people wear a lymphedema bra during and after treatment for when the breast swells. If you ask people in that other thread about your symptoms, they are really helpful. My surgeon didn't want to admit that I had lymphedema, so I insisted on going to a lymphedema physical therapist. It sounds like your doctor's office is like that, too, so if it is lymphedema insist on a referral to a lymphedema physical therapist (PT). My PT was great and showed me what to buy, and how to gently move the lymph fluid out of the tissue. If you Google truncal lymphedema, don't be put off by the pictures because I learned that the worst looking pictures make it to the Internet and are pictures of people who go years and years without getting help. It's very manageable if that is what you have. Here is the link for reading more about it:
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/side_effects...
So, my advice is to read about it and ask some questions in the lymphedema forum on this site. Obviously, if you have a fever or other signs of infection you should go to the hospital. It may not be lymphedema, but it took me a long time to find out about the wierd pain in my arm, and the ladies in the lymphedema thread helped me. I don't want anyone else to be left in the dark. Good luck!
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Thanks Sloan--I will check it out! I really appreciate the advice
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Rads start today! I think there were a couple of girls with me on starting today, GOOD LUCK!
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Good luck, ThePrincess! I'm one week behind you!
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