Starting Radiation April 2017
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My daughter buys a big jar of it (which she uses in cooking) at Costco. I'll have to look for it!
MJ
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I've posted this a bunch of times but can't remember where. I bought Shea Moisture coconut oil at Walgreens in the skin cream section. You can also find it at CVS and grocery stores. It's sold in a round jar and turns liquid when you rub it with fingers. 100 % pure. I've been using it with great success.
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Elizabeth, have you had lymph nodes removed? You don't have your dx, treatments etc public. I had some swelling in my hands and I had to take my rings off for a month or so. I made sure I had my radiated side measured and there was no changes in my arm measurements, so no sign of lymphodemia. Did your BC Care Team measure your arms before and after your surgery?
My skin continued to deteriorate for 12 days after radiation was completed. Of course it's different for everyone.
Gentle hugs and healing prayers to All
Love you All to the moon and back!
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I was able to find a jar of 100% Virgin Coconut Oil at Rite-Aid Pharmacy. I have been using it since last night and it seems to be helping. The Aloe Vera that I have been using for 25 days suddenly began to burn when I applied it. This started yesterday when I used it right after my treatment. Not sure why because I don't see any breaks in my skin. Everything is really red today, kind of like a bad sunburn and for the first time the tissue inside the breast has started to ache a bit.
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Re: coconut oil, look in the grocery department for organic food safe versions. It will probably be purer and cheaper than the drug store. The ingredients list should only say coconut oil. I bought a canister a few years ago at Costco, but more recently got some at Sprouts in a smaller size better suited to my tiny bathroom.
Lyn
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16/20 done! 4 boosts and I'll be done! This may be a silly question, but do the boosts cause more skin damage than the whole breast rads?
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6cats - I'm on my last boost today!! Yeah! It has not caused more skin damage than the whole breast radiation. Don't get me wrong, I'm very red in the area of the tumor bed. However, I'm peeling under my arm now. Good luck, you're almost there too!
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I was wondering the same thing 6cats. I have 4 more treatments then 4 boosts. My skin is looking sunburnt but hoping it won't get much worse over the next few days.
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I should mention that when I get the boosts, the treatment time is shorter. Also there is an attachment added to the rads machine. It is positioned very close to my skin and they also put a wet wash cloth on my skin. I'm told they are using a different type of beam and it does not penetrate as far into my skin. For the boosts, I have not had to use the breath hold technique.
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ILSunrise - My RO mentioned a different type of bean for my boosts as well, electrons vs photons, I think? The skin is very thin over my tumor site so she is concerned about how it will hold up. It's my right side so I haven't had to hold my breath.
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Finished 28 treatments to whole breast and lymph nodes on Monday. Second of 8 boosts began yesterday. My skin was holding up pretty well until Monday evening. Supraclavicular area is nasty now. Red and crusty areas are worse and a couple of areas have opened up. Black and blue also. Had not heard of that happening. Doctor gave me Silver Sulfadiazine to use twice a day and is checking me every day now. I am having trouble finding clothes to wear that don't show all of this damage. The boost area is extremely red. They did xrays yesterday to get me lined up and were planning on doing more tattoos. No way was I going to allow that because of the sensitivity in that area. They instead used a marker and stickers. I feel like such a baby because I usually have a very high pain tolerance. I hope the rest of you are holding up better than I seem to be at this point.
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My radiation team tells me to slather on the lotion at least 2x per day (Medline Remedy Phytoplex Moisturizer Nourishing Skin Cream) and they will give me more if I run out. They encouraged me to use a lot. I'm on 15 of 16 higher dose treatments and only felt something like a mild sunburn for the first time last night, so I'm happy with the results so far. They also gave me Aquafor ointment to use if it gets to the point where it's significantly more irritated, like under the breast or underarms where it rubs more.
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Letsgogolf, be very careful with the silvadene. Do not get it on your healthy skin as it will remove it too.
Fallswalker, be careful with the Aquaphor. It's a petroleum based cream and it's very hard to get off before treatments and it was excruciatingly painful! I cried and never used it again.
My skin had turned black and peeled off also. Very painful and hard to keep it from being rubbed off. I did place nonstick Curad pads under my arm and it helped wonders!
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letsgogolf - I feel your pain.... My skin held up great for 16 treatments but has gotten red and itchy since then. I've done 22/25 and then have 4 boosts. So far, it hasn't started cracking, blistering or oozing. I've been told to use Glaxal Base which I keep in the fridge and now have a hydrocortisone cream for the itchy parts!
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letsgogolf - I feel your pain.... My skin held up great for 16 treatments but has gotten red and itchy since then. I've done 22/25 and then have 4 boosts. So far, it hasn't started cracking, blistering or oozing. I've been told to use Glaxal Base which I keep in the fridge and now have a hydrocortisone cream for the itchy parts!
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My RO gave me Carradres gel sheets to use as a barrier for under my arm where the skin peeled away. It is soft and makes it more comfortable by decreasing friction. I have a wrap I put over it (kind of like a vented tube top - ha ha) to hold the gel pads in place. I use these at night when I sleep. The gel sheets are a wound dressing for 1st and second degree burns. I also have use the Silvedene cream in conjunction with my the radiation cream I've been using the whole time (Tri-derma). The Sivedene cream has helped with my pain and I was going to start peeling anyway before I started using that creme. I haven't had any blistering though.
Hugs to everyone.
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I just completed my rads! (25 + 5 boosts) I am so happy to be done. My clavicle is the worst area, and is very red and crusty in some places. But this evening it feels as if it's starting to heal and dry up somewhat. Using lots of Miaderm and occasional Triamcinolone ointment on the itchy parts. Also, my upper back is very red. They told me to keep using the Miaderm until there is no more redness.
I tell you what, I am NOT going to miss that long drive!0 -
Congratulations on being done Siciliana! Looks like we finished rads the same day! I had 28 + 9 boosts (lower dose over longer period of time due to having chemo first). It certainly was nice to ring the bell at the end. I am not going to miss the treatments but I have to say I was very impressed with how nice and caring the rads techs were to me.
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Siciliana, awesome!! Congratulations! Time to relax and let your body heal!
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Yipes! I am so itchy and red under my breast! 19/20. The last 4 are boosts. The rest of my breast has a fine rash. Finding it hard to figure out what to wear for support and can't go without a bra because it hurts (and I'm larger busted).
Just got off the phone with on-call RO. Going to try monostat and hydrocortisone.
But seriously, what do you ladies wear for support? Itch recommendations?
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6cats - I've been using hydrocortisone cream on the itchy parts. Most of the time, I've been going braless and wearing big cotton T shirts. Even the shiort brushin agianst my nipple hurts though..... The times that I have had to wear a bra, I have been wearing a racer back style that sits lower under my breast.
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On my phone, it is hard to go up and down so forgive my not addressing people by screen names. About our nipples, mine started peeling 3 days after I completed my rads (this past Tuesday) It doesn't hurt but is peeling. The burns on my clavicle seem to be healing and while I hesitated, I did use the aquafor and had no problem with it. Those burns are almost healed just 5 days after my last treatment. I was told that I could have SES for 4 to 6 weeks after treatment but my skin feels better already. I am still dealing with post surgical pain, 8 months after my lumpectomy but am hoping that ending the Rads will stop traumatizing the area. Congrats to all those who completed and lots of luck to those still being treated! I am also getting my bone density and starting hormone blockers so will be glad if that thread is started.
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hi ladies,
Hope everyone is doing well on this thread. Just wondering what are boosts ? I see people have written about them ? My mom is starting soon and I want to get as much info as I can for her beforehand
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Sorella - I feel a bit more hopeful about my nipple after reading your post. Thank you!! It's still super sore and tender today... Hope the surgical pain goes away soon.
jgio2960 - Boosts are radiation treatments that target the tumor cavity specifically.
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jgio - I'm just starting my rads tomorrow. My surgeon told me I'll have some boosts at the end. As I understand it, boosts are more powerful and target the area of the surgery. I believe they are given at the end of treatment. Guess I'll find out!
MJ
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Yes, the boosts are at the end. My boosts start Wednesday after my 25 whole breast treatments are done. I'll be getting 4.
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Thanks, WenchLori, for the tips re: Aquafor. Luckily, the lotion worked really well and I didn't have to use anything else, so I did not use the Aquafor, and won't! Your experience sounds awful--sorry you went through that. I think the fact the I had the short course probably minimized the damage to my skin. So far it's no worse than a mild sunburn, although the RO said it will probably be the worst about 3 or 4 days from now.
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The boosts were quicker and easier at the end. I didn't have to do the holding breath thing which seems to vary from center to center. My RO told me that during the boosts the areas which were not targeted would have a chance to start healing. This seemed to be the case, even though my techs told me the Rads could continue SEs after treatment. I can't really sort out what is needle pain from rads and what is from my surgical pain. But my neurontin is supposed to take effect by this weds so I am hoping for some relief. I think if not, they may up the dose.
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Sorella - Your dx is similar to mine. Is it the where the lymph nodes were removed that is still painful? I only 5 removed and healed quickly!
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6cat: I don't like racer back because the top goes too high for most of my shirts. The bra that has been best for me is the Playtex Funwinder bra. I bought it at target but then couldn't find it again there. I just searched for it online and lots of places come up including Amazon (but not target). I am 34DD and the medium fits me. I'm trying to decide whether to buy more or not since I only have a week left of radiation and maybe I can go back to normal underwire bras soon, I hope.0
