Fall 2015 Rads
Comments
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Is it possible that I am experiencing fatigue after only 3 treatments? I went to bed at 6:30 last night and I am still tired and irritable today....I hope it's something else, or it's going to be a very long six weeks!
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I got bumped up to having my first treatment tomorrow!
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Great news Steflove! Sloan, I had itchiness in non radiation areas.
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Hi ladies! Congrats to the finishers, Sloan and almost Molly. I can see the finish line! Today is last regular one before 3 boosts and I am done.
Creative Vintage, I was exhausted for a day 2 weeks in, and realized I was not drinking enough - water, that is;) Make sure to stay really hydrated. Also, I wasn't interested in eating, and I think got behind on my food. Starting my morning with a third of a can of Rumble seemed to help. And, counterintuitively, do a little exercise that gets your blood pumping - seems to help me, anyhow.
Anxiety and worry. I, too, get down if I come on here too much. It's a catch-22 of support and anxiety induction. When I am getting more tense, I visit less and meditate and walk more.
A very good friend, good enough that she could say this, said to me "You are not dying." It might be harsh, but if you stop and think about it, and really examine your fears, it helps. It sure helped me. Because ultimately, that is our fear, isn't it, that it either we can't get rid of it, or it will come back, and we will die from this. But, we are not dying now, we are nowhere close to dying, we are a very long way from that. What we are doing is living. So, live your best life right now. Save worrying about the scarier stuff for when it is time, which is likely to be a very long time away from now. It also helped me be less irritable with my kids, because if what I fear most is my/their loss, it puts a new perspective on how upset to get about those dirty socks/uncleared dishes/cranky responses.
That's it for my deep thoughts today.
Hugs to all.
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Creative, it's certainly possible that you're experiencing fatigue. I have been finding that so much about rads is not about the actual radiation damage but the rather unforgiving routine. Maybe you're lucky and live down the block from the radiation center, but if not, it's a daily commute, and it's not as if the rest of your life goes away. The good news is that once you get the routine down, things fall into place and you know what to expect. A couple of us had nausea with the first couple of treatments, and then that went away.
Congrats, Molly!
Good luck, Steflove!
Zinny, I love the peanuts cartoon--thanks!
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Zinny--i love your perspective on worry, especially as it relates to your kids. I will think about that when I start to get upset with mine (I did just a few minutes ago over chores, or the fact that they aren't done). The fact that my kids were my first thought when diagnosed, I need to save the worry for the big things, not the small.
Creativevintage--Any fatigue (which wasn't much) I had/have seems to be more emotional/mental. I agree with Zinny that you might try increasing your water intake. This is one area I have trouble with because I don't like water unless it has lemon or flavorings. Hope you feel better soon.
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spring water can be delicious
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Abigail48-you're right. Spring water is great! We use to have an ice-cold mountain spring near our church when I was young and us kids loved to go there and drink. I haven't tried the bottled spring water.
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depending on where it's from it's good. I used to bring it down from a spring on the my here, then I thought I heard a lion once & quit climbing up there
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Congratulations, Sloan!
Creativevintage (I love your name), I started experiencing fatigue within the first week. It got progressively worse, but I seemed to have it worse than any of the other women in the waiting room.
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I'M FINISHED!!
My chest is covered with red, itchy bumps. Tonight I put 1% hydrocortisone cream on them and it seems to have helped, thank God. My left boob is red, and my nipple looks...weird. I don't even know how to describe it. Kind of distended and discolored and...weird.
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Ok, I have been lurking lately, but finally have a start date of Dec 29. I will do 28 treatments at 1.8 grays each so end Feb 5. I was told it's a bit gentler on my post diep boob to go a bit lighter and longer. Thanks for all your sharing
Zinny, I had two synthetic wigs during chemo, about $400 each. One I tried on in person and matched my own - darker blonde and straight shoulder length, and it ended up feeling really vice-grip tight so I had a friend nip a little cut at the back and that really helped. I too have a big head! The other one I took a chance on buying online, and it was my fave - beachy waves blonde with darker roots -- it looked very natural and sexy! Even a nurse drawing blood and standing behind me said 'you have such gorgeous hair - I can't believe you are doing chemo' -- she was shocked it was a wig.
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Congratulations cuddyclothes!
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Mazel tov, cuddy!
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Yay cuddyclothes! (And I had that itching the day after my last treatment. Ugh!)
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So the pool is a no (lol). I kinda knew but I suppose it was wishful thankful thinking. Still going to pursue it in January. Can't wait!
Itchiness has begun and RO said to use hydrocortisone creme. He told me to watch out for the area under my boob and I'm seeing skin breakdown. No pain but really itchy. Today I get measured for the boosts.
CREATIVEVINTAGE: I cried several times the first week. I just felt very overwhelmed by the entire process, frustrated with juggling work/life/rads schedule, and emotional over being almost done. I'm so glad you had such a supportive team. Once you get adjusted to the routine you may start to feel better. Fatigue is kicking in again but not like chemo fatigue. I just nap more these days. Took yesterday off from work to sleep more
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Hey Zinny - thank you for the pep talk! And you are so right - we are not dying now. so live life! I have moments where this crap gets me down but it is not how I want to spend my time - worrying about the future.
I am down to 7 more sessions of radiation. The dr asked me if I am tired.....I am always tired. I work full time, have a full time family, get up early to exercise and have radiation 5 days/week. Life is exhausting.
Skins still looks good. Counting down the days!
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Onebad: If the hydrocortisone cream doesn't help, go to the dermatologist and get some prescription steroid cream. My doctor prescribed one that didn't help but gave me samples of Halog and that worked. I would have gone insane without it. The itchiness was the worst thing for me. I am one week out (and two weeks out from some areas) and my itching has let up considerably but not 100% yet.
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YAY Cuddy!
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Thank you Trvler!!!
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zinny, so true! I love it! My best friend also told me something similar. We aren't dying. It's only hair, etc, etc, etc.
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I went for my first visit to the physical therapist today. I was going for a combination of lymphedema consult and tension in my radiated side shoulder from scoliosis. I thought maybe some of you could benefit from a couple of the exercises to reduce tightness. You stand in a doorway with your unradiated side foot about a foot in front and put your radiated arm straight up on the door jam. It really seems effective. The second one is the same move but you put your arms at goalpost position on the doorway. Hope these help.
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Congrats, Cuddy!!!!!0
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Tvlr that's what I've been doing after surgery to make sure it doesn't get tight or stiff. It's working. Stretch without pulling. It doesn't seem like much but a little PT goes a very long way.
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Ladies and Gents, I am finished day 9 of 21, (16 and 5 boosts) and I have had an early reaction. It started on the sunday after day 4. it looks like I have the chicken pox or some wicked acne on my chest and under the fold of the breast. I was told to use Glaxal and when they were thinking it might have been a reaction to the Glaxal, to use aloe vera gel. I have been using the aloe vera now for 2 days and there doesn't really seem to be any improvement and the 'rash' is spreading. I am also suffering redness and some small bumps in the affected armpit even though I'm not receiving radiation for lymph nodes. I specifically asked this of the RO if treatment would only be the breast or breast and underarm and he said breast only.
I'm just looking for your thoughts. I see the RO on Tuesday again but was wondering if you all had any tips. Some of the bumps are really blisters that have peeled. I've been told to use polysporin for those and they are doing ok. I don't expect any healing until after treatment ends but if you all had any thoughts ??
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I can't really recommend anything except for itching but I went to a dermatologist because I had a gut feeling my RO was out of her league on my level of itching. I was sooo glad I did. I loved her but I was surprised she wasn't better equipped to treat that symptom because I think it is pretty common after reading on here. Do you have a good dermatologist?
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My RO gave me a prescription steroid that worked great. I never blistered though. I would be concerned about that. Are you uncomfortable? You can always call the RO on call.
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The left side of my chest is covered with itchy red bumps. I finished rads on Wednesday. I've found using an OTC hydrocortisone cream on the actual rash plus Aquaphor on the general area helps. I've had severe itching throughout the process, particularly on my chest above the breast. I only started using the cream last Monday. It has really helped.
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abigail, good survival instincts there! Mountain lion trumps spring water!
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