Anyone getting ready to start Radiation in Fall 2016?
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Hi
Was supposed to starts radiation in 2 weeks..now having second thoughts about doing chemo. My onco type was 20 but I'm premenapausal and i have LVI and no one can give me a definite answer about this intermediate onco range. I don't want to look back and wish I did everything..trying tons eek if there are any disadvantages to doing chemo. I just don't like the cells being found in my lymph fluid..My MO said it gave him pause!!
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lmencken If it gives your RO pause that says a lot. While chemo was a living hell for me, I have no regrets. Thanks to chemo, I had no evidence of disease by the time I had my surgery. As for disadvantages...just the awful side effects for me. Also, chemo isn't as effective for some as others. There are so many differnt kinds of chemo...I can only speak to A+C and Taxol. Have you spoken to a regular medical oncologist? They would be better at deciding on chemo than a RO. That said, I would do anything and everything to ensure this cancer never comes back. The thought of rads is daunting to me, but I'm still going to do it because I don't want to look back and think I could have done more.
Sabrina
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Sabrina, I'm a TN too with zero nodes involved, so I'm hoping for fewer rads but not holding my breath. Wish I could skip it altogether. Really worried about it causing future cancers. Did they give you a percentage for that?
Meet the RO tomorrow with sim immediately after.
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He said it was minuscule but did not mention a specific percentage. As side effects go, that's a pretty crappy one! But doing rads now buys me another 20 years, he said.
You're having your sim the same day? I wish i could. I just want to get it started so I can get it all over with. I want to be normal again, darn it! And I really want to go back to work. The novelty of staying home has long since worn off.
Let me know how RO appt goes and the sim.
Sabrina
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I am going in for a Lumpectomy 8/30 and am to start Radiation therapy beginning of October... so I will be reading and once I start ya'll be hearing from me.
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20 years isn't a long time in my mind. I'll only be 72! Based on family lifespans, I should have over another 20 years after that. Yes, since we have to drive 1 1/2 hours to the cancer center, they are doing the smith same day. I am going to tell them I can't start rads until week after next because I'm going on a photo trip with friends, and my husband is going to his cousin's funeral. She was a 15 year breast cancer warrior who finally lost the fight.
I feel pretty normal now, for having had a re-excision two weeks ago. But I still have some neuropathy in my fingers, and 7 of 10 fingernails lifting from the nail beds, plus one toenail. I have my energy back, but not my full strength.
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Had my RO visit today. They went ahead and did the tattoos (got 4 little dots). My first tattoos ever. What I found out that I had no idea before was the fact that radiation can actually cause lymphedema. They said it would take about a week and a half for the RO to perfect my radiation process and individualize it for me. So, I believe I will start after Labor Day. She said something about being able to see a lymphedema specialist, so I am going to take them up on that offer. I'm super nervous about radiation. I am having whole breast + axillary + clavicle.
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Hi everyone!
I am currently at rad treatment #17 of 34, so 1/2 way. I have had 8 rounds of chemo, lumpectomy and now radiation.
I am just now experiencing the tingling in my fingers and feet, quite a bit of bone pain and huge FATIGUE. Does anyone have any experience and suggestions as to moving forward?
Also, this may not be the correct thread but i am trying to get Social Security at least for a bit until the symptoms mentioned above subside. I have been denied SS any ideas?
Thanks all and sending prayers to all.
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Marcia, what type of chemo did you have? Are you finished with it? They say exercise helps with fatigue, so try getting out for a walk. I gladly quit my job, so I don't have any experience with disability.
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RO visit today. Going in for tattoos and sim on Sept 7. Best news is that I'll just be doing 3 weeks plus booststhe following week. Can't believe I'm in the home stretch.
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Hi everyone!
First week of rads for me completed today and everything went well. No SEs or skin irritation. During the first day I had a lump in my throat and thought it was related to irradiation but it turned out that I was so tight and stiff that I caused it to myself due to stress. The next day when I was more relaxed it just disappeared. I am using a tip I had learned once by my psychologist while having irradiation which really helps me to relax. I visualise the bad, awful cancer cells as a greyish black round mass which are clustered all together leave my body and go crash to the opposite wall. It's a really great technique and after applying it for four consecutive days today I felt totally relaxed and distressed. Also I drink loads of water, and fresh fruit juices to keep me hydrated. At the reception of the hospital there is a beautiful breakfast bar with fresh juices, tea, coffee, cakes and croissants, so cute and considering. Finally I walk half an hour after rads in the morning and half an hour in the evening.
Hope everyone is doing well out there.
Have a nice weekend.
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Had my RO meeting then sim today. Because I'm triple negative, I get the full 6 weeks. 5 full breast, 1 week of boosts. Since my nodes were negative, she isn't radiating my clavicle area, which I had been worried about. I didn't want my thyroid radiated. Anyway, virtual dry run late next week, then I start on 9/6.
She said I should take vitamin D, which I usually try to do, and stay active. She said fatigue and redness will set in around week three.
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Sounds like your RO is way more informative than mine! They still haven't set up appt for my sim.
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I had to post and run earlier. She said the risk of a radiation-induced second cancer was less than 1%. I will get a teaching session with her nurse after my dry run. She said they will give me calendula cream and aloe to put on my skin. She made it sound like other stuff too. She said her nurses are strict about making sure you apply them three times a day.
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Hi, sounds like you are doing great with rads. I wasn't given enough guidance on keeping area moisturized. I developed severe blisters under bra line, breast pain, fluid retention, and have thickening and scarring. It is 4 1/2 months post rads and still not right. Also developed lymphangitis with pain going down torso. With all the guidance you were given, sounds like you will be OK. I required chemo which compromised me in many ways. Best of luck
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I'm starting radiation this Tuesday. Looking forward to being done by the end of September!
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I am hoping to start in September. I go to my plastic surgeon tomorrow and radiologist on the 31st. I was scheduled for sim on 8/22 but hadn't healed from reconstruction/reduction done on 7/14. I still have a small scab under my nipple and a mass in my breast. I fear both doctors will say I must wait a few more weeks. I just want this over with.
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I have 6 more rounds of weekly taxol, my last round is scheduled for Oct 3rd. I am then scheduled for 25 rounds of rads ( I'm scared to death about rads)...my onc told me she believes I will begin radiation 3 weeks after finishing chemo. I also have TE but will not be swapping my implants until after I finish radiation, my PS wants to see me 3 months after completing radiation. Sending prayers to all of my warrior sisters as we continue our journey
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Well, today starts my every day trips to the hospital, I have a "dry run" today then actual rads start tomorrow. I'm doing it on my lunch hour, luckily the hospital is close. Not looking forward to it, but happy to get started to get it over with. Hopefully this goes as "well" as chemo and surgery did. Best wishes to you all
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I'll be thinking of you Lifealoft! I will also be interested to see how it goes getting radiation on your lunch hour, be sure to post on the efficiency and how you feel at work after (fatigue, soreness, etc.) as it progresses, I was thinking of possibly doing the same thing. But I have heard about midway through people feel tired a couple of hours after getting treated which may not work for me. Good luck!
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Thank you Imkopy2!! I will definitely keep you all posted!
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Hi ladies! I started my radiation today - I'm just getting 15 + 5 boosts so will be done by end of September. I started a new job 3 weeks ago so planning to work through the radiation - I'm able to have 7:45am appts and luckily my work is only 10 minutes from where I'm getting radiation.
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Hi all you lovely ladies! Well looks like I start rads next week, and will be doing Cisplatin at the same time. :^P Not looking forward to it but it's the next step in squashing my positive internal mammary nodes for good!
Miles - Good luck on surgery tomorrow!!
I'll be thinking if you!LifeAloft - Hope tomorrow goes great for you!
(And that the fatigue is manageable while you're working!)LoveMyVizsla - I had my tattoos today, have final sim on Friday. They recommended starting Miaderm (calendula/aloe cream) this week and gave me some samples.
May we all get thru this as quickly and painlessly as possible!
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Hi, I've healed well from lumpectomy, finally made the decision along with oncologist to skip chemo. I have a positive margin on the chest wall but the oncologists feel they can take care of it with radiation. I should start rads in next two weeks. Trying to move up my appointment that is set for end of September. I am super torn about work. I have a a very supportive work environment and full pay medical leave but I am feeling really guilty. I feel like trying to bus to work and then bus to the hospital and back to work would be tiring. Am I selfish to take the time off if I'm physically able to work. I know I probably shouldn't feel guilty but it's super hard to feel like I can work but not be working
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chelle44 I know what you mean about work guilt. I took leave starting in March for chemo. Went back for 2 weeks in August and am now back on leave again until November for surgery recovery and rads. I feel perfectly fine right now and could work, but it is easier to extend a leave of absence than start a new one. The lady I spoke to said that since I don't know how rads will affect me, I should just assume the worst and just come back to work early if it turns out the side effects aren't too terrible. I'm sure the first week or two won't be bad, but I hear week 3-6 are notorious for fatigue (I have hour long commute which turns my 8 hour work day to a 10) and open blisters. I absolutely have to wear a bra to work! Can't be dealing with blisters and work.
I'm extremely fortunate to work for such an understanding company and my district manager fully supports me taking this time off. She would rather me come back 100% better than me come back with work restrictions or have to cut back my hours.
At the end of the day, you have to do what's best for you, but I would wait and see how you're going to handle rads before making the decision.
Best of luck!
I go in for my simulation tomorrow. Excited to get this started. Can't believe the first tattoo I'll ever get is blue freckles lol
Sabrina
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I suppose I'll be starting sometime soon. I saw the oncologist today, and he tried to get me in with the RO, but after waiting for an hour and a half they rescheduled. I'm glad, since I came here and saw that I want to ask for a referral for a physical therapist to prevent lymphedema. I hope that will work out.
Originally I was supposed to start rads 3 weeks after my lumpectomy, but I'm almost a week out from a re-excision, and it isn't healing that well. Still, I think I'll probably start sometime in September.The facility is a bit of a drive for me, so I hope it's not too tiring to drive there and back. I've heard so much variation on what to expect. They tell me since my thyroid is low, I might should expect fatigue. I'm glad to hear that exercise helps - I'm really looking forward to starting something up again! Glad to hear the tips on moisturizing too ... I'll go ahead and start on that.
Looking forward to getting past this part too, then hopefully I am all done!
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Hi y'all - After a clean report on my re-exision earlier this month, had the imaging stuff (the simulation?) and first treatment today. I'll get 16 treatments and 4 boosts to the incision site. Pretty psyched to get this done and in my "rearview mirror" (although the cancer threat really won't be until 5 years from now.)Thought I'd have 6 weeks of this, and was happy to learn it was way less. My radiation oncologist is great. Doesn't act like he's God and is very forthcoming. One thing I didn't know that he shared at my consult appt. is that fatigue is less the smaller you are. An upside to being a flat girl! A little worried about the "sunburn" part. My doc recommends Aquaphor to start out with. I do not want to deal with blisters! I'm going everyday at 7:15 a.m. on my way to work. Hopeful I'll be able to keep doing what I do every day. Going to ramp up on the exercise part. Will be interested to hear how everybody is doing. Good luck!!!!
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I'm doing kind of the same thing, every morning on the way to work. Hopeful that we can power through it! Good luck.
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Last Friday I got breathing training since my treatments are on my left side. Anyone else have this? A sensor is placed on my belly. I take a deep breath, and a camera tracks the sensor to measure how high I raise it. My goal is to keep the height of the sensor within a small range based on my deepest breath for 30 secs. If the sensor goes outside of this range, the treatment automatically stops. The range will be set at my next appointment this Friday for the simulation and tattoos. I wear goggles that display the chart with sensor's height. The added fun is sometimes the battery on the sensor goes out. Hope I don't hyperventilate!
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