Anyone getting ready to start Radiation in Fall 2016?
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Dara, sorry my post was confusing. I'm getting my rads at the hospital. My chemo was at a satellite. I would have had the chemo done at the hospital too but there was a freak flood and they weren't accepting new patients while they put in new drywall. The cancer center is in the basement. I remember when I had my kids at that same hospital, that it seemed a shame the maternity ward was on the top floor with a gorgeous view of the city. I thought that since new moms were generally already happy, the view would have been better used on cancer patients. Little did I know.
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Dizzy, I was tattooed and put the treatments off for a week, I shrank and they had to use the marker and tape... now i'm down to 2 more boosts and i'm DONE!
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I'm at an outpatient center. I walk into the changing/waiting room, the tech gets me and I'm in and out within 15 minutes. They don't ask me verifying questions but im one of their younger patients.
I'm at 28/33 just started my boosts. My nipple is peeling and the skin under my arm is getting itchy and a bit dry, but still doing fairly well.
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9/25 completed today. Still early days but more than 1/3rd done. Radiated side is looking a bit darker and my side boob on that side looks bigger as well.0
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Hi fellow sisters in radiation - I've had 8 of my 20 treatments and am glad my only concern so far is putting up with my own smell. I switched from antiperspirant to a natural deodorant and am amazed at the difference. My apologies to the entire world! So glad it is not summertime.
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24/25 today - and tomorrow is my last rads per the dr today. my skin is red, sore and blistered. I feel so much relief for tomorrow. now i know how you all felt at the ending.
I feel on cloud 9!
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congratulations BBG So happy for you
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Yay boobsbgone! I'm sorry your skin is not good and I hope it heals fast.
I am experiencing some tenderness in my armpit, right over the SNB scar, where there is no Mepitel wrap, so I'm just using a special cream the breastcare RT gave me. Apart from that my skin is great. My RT says the radiation effects may increase for another few days, but then they will subside. I hate to think what it would have been like without the Mepitel. (Can you tell I've turned into an evangelist for Mepitel? lol)
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Hi Amusing Soprano: i am getting ready for rads in a week or two and very interested in Mepitel ☺️ Do you have it on while being treated or before and after? There are so many different types of Mepitel which one are you using? Tyty for any help you can give?
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BBB, Congratulations! tomorrow is my Last... and I told them I only wanted to see them again if I was shopping.. I got pretty good burn underneath and my nipple is peeling, but overall not as bad as I expected and I was able to pry myself off the table today...
My RO gave me some Silvadene for the burn and Cortisone for the itching,, I'm taking a friend to dinner to celebrate!
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Whoo Hooo BBB and IHG--you are at the finish line! Good luck tomorrow and enjoy!
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WooHoo for being done ladies. What will you do with all your extra time
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congratulations IHG hip hip hooray
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Miko, the Mepitel goes on the whole area before you start treatment and stays on the entire way through (for me 25 zaps) just being repaired as necessary. When they did the first trials, they would do half the area with Mepitel and half without and apparently is was startlingly obvious that the Mepitel was stopping the burning to a significant degree. Here are some links for more info:
Original trial (thesis)
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tyty AmusingSoprano ☺️ I will look at the site, tyty again for sharing
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B"H
boobsBgone and IHGJAnn49congratulations! best news ever! it does take time for the healing (just beginning the process) but in a short while you will see there is a difference.... finishing RADS is definately a "milestone" and you sure deserve to go out and celebrate! just enjoy the moment! so happy for you!!!!
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Hi- I am going through radiation right now. I have gone through 30 sessions, and have 3 more to go. I can't wait until Tuesday comes. I was doing fairly well, and just experiencing a small amount of redness on my breast. He gave me some aquaphor samples to use, and told me that I could put it on my breast, but I was not supposed to put it on the crease underneath my R breast, or anywhere in my R armpit. Things were not bad until approximately session 24, when I noticed a fair amount of redness in my armpit. I showed it to the RO and he did not seem concerned, and he reiterated that he did not want me to put any aquaphor on the armpit, and did not offer any suggestions as to what to do instead. On Monday when I saw the RO again, I mentioned that my armpit had considerable more redness in it, and it really hurt when I lied in bed at night and slept on that side. He took a look at it again, and told me that he has seen lots worse, and did not seem to be concerned. He thought it was no big deal. Has anybody been told what to do about the pain and redness in the armpit? I am using aquaphor on my breast, and especially around the nipple, and it seems to be helping some. He told me that all the redness will eventually go away, and I will just be left with a suntan. I have been doing some stretching exercises on that arm, hoping that will help with the pain and stiffness. I am concerned I might have a small amount of cording in my R armpit though, and I am hoping the stretching helps with that. I don't love the RO. When when informed me that I was going to have to go through 33 sessions, he saw the look of displeasure on my face. He then told me that I could go to Northwestern or somewhere else for a second opinion, but they would just tell me the same thing.
How long do you have to wait after you finish radiation before you can use deodorant on the armpit or use deodorant bath soap? Do you have to wait until the redness all goes away? I have to go and see my primary care doctor tomorrow, because I am almost out of my lipitor, and I need to have some blood work done before she refills it. I will show her the armpit, and see what she says. Thanks, Nancy
DX: 5/13/16. lumpectomy 5/27/16 R breast, 2.3 CM mass IDC stage IIA. No node involvement. ER+, PR+, HER2-. Completed 4 rounds of T/C chemo. Started radiation on 10/20/16. I will start on Femara when I finish radiation.
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B"H
peaches1 great you are almost done! i also did 33 (finished just over a week ago) so I know it is a long haul and it feels great to be at the end!
about the skin - where i got my treatments the hospital policy is NO cream whatsoever during the RADS treatments. it drove me kind of crazy all the time reading here about all the creams women were putting on like four times a day - and I put on nothing .... the RO claimed that the creams don't help and can sometimes even hinder... when i asked the technicians, they said "what can we do? it's the hospital's policy not to use anything"....
but the truth is, from whjat i have read here, maybe the RO is right - sounds like I was no better yet no worse than the women who use a lot of cream etc. during the RADS. What I can recommend - since finishing I have been using A LOT of coconut oil - melting it and then putting it on heavy on the breast armpit and where I was red on the side of my neck.... and i can see it is improving. The armpit which was very sore and red by the end has more or less within like a week returned to its "normal" color, and amazingly my scar there has almost disappeared! The nipple and surroundings is red (I guess its new skin?) but I just keep putting on the oil...
What I have discovered - the coconut opil is a great replacement for deodorant - it is so effective (believe me I was suffered during the treatments, i always got so embarressed when the tech would say "lift your arm" and the smell....) that I have started smearing it under my "good" arm as well .... I guess you have to like the smell of coconut lol but it really is effective. I think it is fine after RADS to use a "healthy" deoderant (no aluminium) which I guess we should be using always.... but I do highly recommend the coconut oil - at least during the time when in any case you are using it on the breast....
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WOW so sorry to hear that you both had "not so nice" experiences with your RO. I believe they have been on the job too long. It's the last thing I want to hear is something coming out the mouthof an unsympathetic medical person. BC is bad enough. Even if you cannot do anything for me, a little understanding and a wee bit of sympathy makes it better. GO FIGURE 😳
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Hi everyone: just back form my first visit with oncologist. He is going to run a genome test on my tumor and the results will be available in 2 weeks. In the meantime he asked me to read up on testing at genomichealth.com. Apparently it is for early and newly diagnosed IDC covering up to stage 2a. Haven't read it yet, but will after I type this. He said the test will be better able to determine if chemo is indicated to address recurrence. I am stage 1b and have microscopic cancer cells in my 1 sentinel node. So he said the test and getting my onco score is important. NOW I have to wait again for rads as well. Wait wait and wai some mor
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IGH: yeah for you too! the relief feeling is great.
I can hardly wait to see more of you saying you are done. Everyone reacts different with creams, the Radioplex worked for me pretty well, I broke out in sores just a couple days ago, and he prescribed me a new cream for those spots for 7-10 days. I expect to be healed by then. I really just want my energy back and feel more human. bedtime and asleep at 8pm, really? most of the tv shows I like come on at 9 and 10! so, i guess I watch reruns later LOL
may you all be well and sleep tight!
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Miko, I had the genomic test as well. I was sure I wouldn't have chemo, but the test came back that I'm high risk for recurrence. I firmly believe it's best to wait and make sure we get exactly the treatment we need. The wait is so hard, but you'll have some critical information. Good luck!
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It's SO GOOD to know I don't have to go monday for another treatment... It's Good to be Finished! and Yes... I look forward to more "Finishers!
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tyty Dara, the wait is difficult
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Just got notice that my second lumpectomy had clean margins! So I'll be starting some sort of hormone therapy and meeting my radiation oncologist. Can anyone tell me what the first couple of visits are like? I'm supposed to get radiated over my whole great, armpit and over the clavicle area. Will this mean that my daily visits will take longer or can they do it all in one shot
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my rads was postponed but I was told that the first meet and greet is to plan the treatment and get possible tattoos. After that the actual treatment should be fast. So 1 hr initally and 15-20 minutes for subsequent treatment on a first come first served basis.
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Congrats Judy on finishing! Now on to real and fun life!
Artymom, the treatments are still very short. You'll either have two or four bursts of radiation from 2 different directions. I have whole breast and side under arm, and I'm still in and out in about 20 minutes. You'll find out if your RO uses the regular number or the shorter duration which quite a few people have. You normally don't have any SEs for the first couple of weeks. I just finished #18 and I'm a bit more tired and my skin is just beginning to react this week. I have a rash of sorts that itches, but nothing that keeps me from doing anything. Most people who work continue to go to work throughout rads. Your RO will talk to you about creams and ways to avoid SEs or to deal with them if you get them. You'll be fine. Just ask any questions.
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Oops, forgot BBG, congrats! So glad you're finished!
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I got a calendar with all my appointments for the month..made it easier to plan things..
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My treatment is from mid chest to collar bone to axilla and comprises about 10 bursts from four different directions. There are two bursts about 10 seconds each and the rest of them are just 1 to 3 seconds. I also have a bolus which is a plastic mold on my chest. A quick day would be 5 min and a long one about 20 min. The different length of treatment is due to machine difficulties. It normally takes me about an hour door to door. The radiation place is about 15 min from home
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