Fall 2015 Rads
Comments
-
AusUSA, I think we're about in the same place. Good to hear things have cooled off for you! I've also been dressing the wounds myself (silvadene cream for the open wounds, aquaphor for the merely red areas, lots of gauze padding everywhere, surgical bra). But I'll be relieved to go in tomorrow so the radiation onc can take a look and the nurses can do the dressing.
Glad I sprang for the large size of Ibuprofen.
0 -
Tresjolie2, I don't have trouble swallowing just eating and food aversion. I am pretty sure it's the anastrozole.
0 -
Molly, I am not taking anastrozole but have noticed a bit of food aversion during the latter stages of rads and heartburn, which I almost never get, throughout. The techs said that the esophagus sometimes is affected during rads but it should clear up pretty quickly. My appetite has been a little off but not hugely significant (and I certainly had no trouble with high-calorie, delicious nibbles at the Xmas party last night--but then it was finger food and I could have very small portions).
0 -
rainyc, another woman going through rads with me completely lost her appetite.
0 -
Rain and Aus: Wow, I am so sorry you have had a hard time. My worst thing was itching. It is so strange how different everyone is with the reactions.
No one ever said anything to me about not using deodorant after. What's odd is, I barely need it. I haven't been using it much on my rads side and sometimes I forget to use it at all.
0 -
Hi everyone. My rads ended at the beginning of November. My energy is finally back for the most part and my skin healed within 10 days of ending rads.
A couple weeks ago my breast started feeling sore on and off especially on my lumpectomy and sentinal node scar. I randomly get weird sharp twinges and pains that come and go. I also have a pimple starting to develop on my breast...I think. Anyone else who is finished have weird pain and sensations around the radiated area?
Trvler - I also don't need to use deoderant on my radiated side. No odor. No perspiration.
0 -
SpriteB--I finished on December 15th. I also have weird, sharp pains randomly in the treated breast, but I had those even before rads. I notice it seems worse when I am cold, like going outside in cold weather. I asked my surgeon and RO about it and they both indicated that it was from the damage to the breast tissue and that it may continue to do that for several months to a year as it heals.
0 -
I have those random pains too but they aren't bad. I have no idea if they were caused by rads or surgery. I occasionally get them on the right side, too but not as much. I attributed it to nerve regeneration but I could be off the mark.
0 -
Well, my hope was that I would finish rads tomorrow and quietly go home and heal. It's a little more complicated than that. Yesterday things became increasingly painful, and sleep was very hard to come by. I have quite a few open areas where the skin has broken down completely. Then this morning, I got on the table for the penultimate session, and the rads techs took a look at my chest and said, "Oh, wow." The head tech said he was very uncomfortable treating me without the explicit go-ahead from the RO. Which she gave, and we put session 24 to bed. Then I went down to the RO's office, and her nurse took a look and said, "Oh, wow." Then the doc came in and I just lost it. By this point, I was in tremendous pain, as I hadn't used any cream this morning prior to rads, had come in on the subway, and had had the drafts of the radiation chamber playing over my chest for the last half hour. So we all had a long talk about painkillers and wound care, and I was brought down to the wound care specialist who took a look and said, you guessed it, "oh, wow." The upshot is that even though I'm done with rads tomorrow, I'm to come in daily through Thursday so they can dress it and take a look. And they may want me to see a dermatologist.
I guess, if it kills cancer cells, it's okay in my book, but the next week or two is going to be a bit of a challenge. Will report back in the hopes that the gradual improvement will inspire someone down the road. And let's hope there IS gradual improvement. And soon!
0 -
Sending very gentle hugs, Rain! That sucks.
Octogirl
0 -
rainnyc. That sounds awful. I hope you get some relief quickly.
0 -
Rainny: Oh, wow. (sorry!) More gentle hugs from me, from an angle that's comfortable for you.
0 -
Thanks y'all. I think gentle cyber-hugs are the only kind I could tolerate at this moment. Gonna take tylenol laced with something strong and see if I can get some sleep.
0 -
ack Rain, my doc said the same thing!!!! Luckily it was warm enough for me to wear tank tops inside. I know mine got worse just got a couple days afterwards, and then turned the corner quickly. I hope yours does as well. Moist desquamation was more painful for me than childbirth. Hoping for speedy healing for you. Sorry your skin has broken down so badly. I literally cringed reading your post
0 -
Gently sending hugs and prayers for a quick turn around for you rainnyc.
0 -
Oh Rainnyc! It sounds like you've beaten me too. I got the oh wow from my RO who promptly prescribed OxyContin for me to take to alleviate the pain, but the nurses seem to be a bit hardened. LOL. I really hope your last one goes well and you can manage the pain.
In the heat here in summery Australia, it's sometimes not easy when sweating like a pig because of the salt. Grr. Glad it got a bit cooler (it was 100+ for 4-5 days!) the last couple days. The nurses did say that it looked like mine has hit the worst it would be and is on its way to healing. I my last rads to the areas that have broken down on Dec 11th, so it's 11 days now. I still have some moist areas and still have pain, but the oxy really helps.
Good luck everyone!
0 -
Hi everyone,
Just thought I'd give an update. I finished rads October 27th. No real problems after. My boyfriend took me to France for the first 2 weeks of November and we had the trip of a lifetime! I felt fine, walked A LOT and ate well!!
The past couple of weeks my breast, under arm, and lumpectomy scar has been very sore and a bit swollen. I saw my RO last week for a follow up and he says its quite normal along with the sharp stabs. He said all of this can go on for 6 months or more. Bleck!!
I started tamoxifin the end of October also and have no real side effects yet. Maybe a little creakier in the joints but I haven't noticed anything else. I see my MO next week and we will prob talk about ovarian suppression and an AI. Yay.
I wish all of you well and very happy holidays!
0 -
Rain: Ugh, I am sorry. But I am glad they are having you come in to treat your wounds so you minimize any chance of infection.
0 -
Well, I'm done with the rads. The two techs on duty today were awfully nice--they all are--and I said goodbye to the sweetheart elderly desk clerk, who has bright red hair and a Caribbean accent. No bells to ring at this facility, which is fine with me. I doubled up on ibuprofen before the rads and while it was painful (my program had three applications of the bolus, yuck), at least I knew what to expect. Going in tomorrow and Thursday for wound care and then going out of town, so I'll have to dress everything myself.
AusUSA, believe me, this is one contest I'd rather not win! I can't believe you have to deal with summer temperatures, too.
KBeee, I thought about childbirth pain and actually did some Lamaze type breathing on the table! No cute little baby at the end of the experience, though. Thanks again for your pictures and the timeline you posted--really helpful.
I've heard estimates of 2 days to 2 weeks for the amount of time before it turns around and starts to heal. I'm expecting the worst and will hope to be pleasantly surprised if it heals sooner.
Thanks everyone for your good wishes and support!
Mira845, I'm so glad you got to go to France! What a wonderful way to celebrate the end of treatment.
0 -
Rainy...SO very sorry for all that you are dealing with ...very gentle cyber-hugs and healing mercies sent your way.
0 -
Tomorrow is my last boost, last active treatment. I'm pretty pleased about it. Looking forward to Christmas and some family time. I will head back to work full time on Jan 4th. I'm ready for that too.
As with HappyHammer I was told anywhere from 10 days to 2 weeks before the breast will stop cooking and start to heal. I have to say even though it's only boosts I'm having now the breast is on fire. No wonder we get hot flashes.
I can start the tamoxifen when ever. I suppose I should fill the damn prescription tomorrow. At least then it will be in the house when I am ready to start it.0 -
It has been almost 3 months since my last radiation treatment (Oct 1), and my insanely itching rash in the treatment area returned a couple of weeks ago. I had to look back on this board just to see what I said worked for me (Recticare!) but it is sad that the itching, and internal pain as well, has returned.
I see people have said that their ROs advised that the issues can continue for several months to a year, but I really thought, once I was healed from the original burns, I was done. I didn't think it would return out of nowhere and start anew.
Radiation therapy, the gift that keeps on giving...
0 -
Rainny and Aus - I'm so sorry about all you're going through. R - I hope getting out of town will help a bit.
I had my last whole-breast treatment yesterday. Boosts begin today - I'll have eight as opposed to five, which was the original plan. Apparently, the posterior margin is 1mm rather than 2, so they want to give it the max treatment. I honestly don't remember anyone telling me this, but I may have forgotten in the post-surgery haze.
Goofy - the gift that keeps giving indeed! My lovely PT said to me yesterday - your skin is holding up, but if you could see what was going on in there...
0 -
Goofyfoot: gift that gives on giving indeed, my bleep. Can you ask your RO?
Molliefish: don't overthink the tamoxifen. Obviously, I can make no promises about side effects....but a medication's easy enough to stop if you can't stand it. Though that said, can you wait until the aftereffects of rads have faded somewhat? (that's what my MO suggested, so we could better distinguish side effects of one from the other)
Pennsygal: glad you're approaching the end! Much of what I was told sank away in post-everything haze, so my sympathies there.
0 -
I'M DONE!!!!
0 -
Congrats, One!!!
Ugh, I had no idea you could have aftereffects like that. I still get bouts of itching now and then.
I am wondering how strictly people are adhering to the stay out of the sun for 6 months thing. I want to take a trip and all of them ending up being places where sun is part of it. I could put on a hat and cover up, I guess.
0 -
One: cheers loud enough to be heard from Michigan! You're done with rads!
Trvler: were you interested in beach activities? (Isn't it the area that's recieved rads that needs to be covered?)
0 -
one bad boob - yay! What a relief to finish!
Goofyfoot - The flora on your skin changes a lot with treatment. Since your 2+ months out of rad treatment, the rash could be something else. If cortisone doesn't make the itching better, you could have a fungal infection in the skin. If you get hot flashes at night, the skin may get moist and develop a fungal rash. Ask your doc or try over the counter Lotrimin cream. It's about $7 at the store. My son was a wrestler, and the doc always said skin that gets moist should be watched. If a rash doesnt get better with cortisone, it's fungus and needs Lotrimin.
0 -
Yes, with the kids, I wanted to do something beachy.
0 -
Yaaaayyy, One!
Today I’m exactly a month post-rads. Got some freckling around the areola (pinpoint, not moles), pinkish tanning in the radiated area, and a hard enlargement of the side where the tumor was. Definitely some fibrosis, hopefully encapsulating seroma, not lymphedema. During my Amsterdam-Detroit 8+-hour flight I got electric “zapping” twinges in that breast (especially in the area around the nipple, since that’s where the tracer injections were).
0
