2017 Diagnosed-- A Place To Share "Whats Next"
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Hi, everyone. I am on Day 5 after end of radiation therapy and have about a two inch long break in the skin beneath my breast. This being Sunday, nothing is open and our hospital is not on call. Should I leave it or put something like Calendula ointment on it. My hasband is gone somewhere with the car
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53Nancy, can you call the radiologist to see what they recommend? I had some open oozy bloody areas but they were just raw, not a split like you describe. They just told me to keep with the aquafor and span gel pads. It was much better after a couple days. Hope it heals for you soon!
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Legomaster, thank you. Am waiting for a call back now.Meanwhile, after googling Calendula, I have gone ahead and appplied it. I would have thought skin breakdown would occur hefore this. My last day of treatment, they told me they didn't think it would happen at all.
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Nancy, I'm so sorry! My RO said skin effects could happen as long as 4 weeks after the end of RADS since damage to cells continues. She recommended calendula cream so you are doing exactly the right thing. HUGS to you.
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53nancy-- when my skin was oozy,wet, and yucky, my skin care was aquaphor mixed with Radiagard (has lidocaine in it) and applied that over broken skin. The applied Tefla plan over the aquaphor to protect the area. I then wore a wife beater tshirt to help hold Tefla in place.
To clean, dipped sterile gauze pads in equal amounts of water and hydrogen peroxide and dabbed gently over the area because the aquaphor and skin became a gooey mess.
It all healed in a matter of days and all is good for me now
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Georgia1 and DodgersGirl, thanks for your helpful suggestions. I have some of your suggestions for treatment on hand, so will keep a close eye on things. Never even thought of peroxide! Still no call back. I will get through it; it's just a little scary because of where it is. I have gauze on it now and will need to up my lotioning. I'm wishing you the very best of results in future
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At the end of my radiation my skin was a mess. One of the RO’s at my office suggested Domeboro. I mixed up a batch and would wet a clean wash cloth and then lay it on my skin. It really helped a lot. I was told as long as I use a clean wash cloth I could keep my solution for a day or two in the refrigerator. I wish I had known about this early on. I also had silvadine too.0
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Nancy - so sorry to hear that you got skin problem after radiation, truly I didn’t expect that at all. However it makes sense just as chemo, last chemo took us weeks to get over it. Praying for your skin to heal fast.
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Annbee; thanks for info re: Doneboro I'll check tomorrow to see f I can find it or something similar.
Paulette, thanks. My last dayof RADS, I thought my skin looked good. I am applying Calendula ointment and I supposeit wiill take a day or two. I do have dome Hydrocortisone Cream, but someone yold me I shouldn't apply to an open area. So waiting til morning yo check with a local nurse. Never did get my calback. We have no place to go this week so can lounge around in my loosest clothing. :
Everyone have a good week, and Happy Holidays.
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Wow -- gone a day and this list has exploded with messages.
Someone asked about Tamoxifen. I've been on (except for 2 week break for Exchange surgery) it since May without any crazy SEs. I can tell a couple of small things -- but minor for the protection I feel it provides. (Just my 2 cents.) I'm peri-M...but imagine I'll stay on Tamox because I have osteoporosis. Seeing endo in Jan. Since I'm off the BC bus kinda for the moment, I'm hopping on the osteo bus for 2018
LOL (or not LOL, I'm not sure!)Hugs and welcome to all of you. You're my rock stars!!!!!!
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hello ladies
Next week gonna be my first week without any doctor appointment I feel happy I will do shopping with my daughter ( she is only 3 years old but she loves shopping like her mammy)
I stil have :herceptin every 3 weeks
Reconstruction surgeries
And prophylactic oophorectomy I am triple positive my oncologist want me to remove my ovaries I am 39 years old
Who did have oophorectomy? Please share your experience with me
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Treat. I've been on tamoxifen for three days and so far just a few more hot flashes. What a bothering me now is the axilla pain from the alnd two and a half weeks ago. Have a small seroma about side of large cherry and it hurts. Also nerve pain down back of my arm.. gabapentin 100 three times a day I guess helps.
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Tpralph - do you have lymphedema? Maybe you need a trip to visit your BS or Le PT. That’s one of the worry I have during radiation.
Gigilala - enjoy your time without doctor appointment, so wonderful isn’t it?
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Things are starting to return to normal. The only time I realize all that I've been through is when I look in the mirror and see the scars or the lack of hair on my head. Once I finished treatments and am now healing up from rads things do get better. Life will never be the same as before but then I don't expect it to.
I started Letrozole at the beginning of November. The first couple of weeks while my body adjusted to the drug I had a few side effects which have since gone away. The only thing I notice is that I have more muscle and joint pain than before all this started. But then who knows if it's the drugs, the surgery, the radiation or just plain getting older. I find exercise helps. Just walking on the treadmill. I do have hot flashes but then I had those before the Letrozole. I haven't noticed a significant increase in the hot flashes.
Good luck with whatever decisions you make. All the best for 2018.
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I had my first Zometa infusion today. With labs and a visit with my MO, I was there for just under four hours. The lab had a problem, so getting the Zometa started was a bit delayed. I picked up my Letrozole prescription and will start that tonight. I appreciated all the ladies who have reported their experiences with it.
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Mimi, now I look back the time first started chemo it seems like a long time ago but it wasn’t. I do not expect my life will be back to before DX, I just hope won’t be too rough to deal with Hormonal Theraphy. I do want to enjoy life again.
Dmjmom - I still have my port but I don’t want to keep my port for years because of the Zometa infusion. Soon I should look up all these SE .... not something I want to do now.
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Paulette, I don’t think you need to keep your port just for Zometa infusions. It was very easy and painless to just use my arm.
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paulette,
Thank you. You are absolutely right. Besides, I believe there is a reason my maker spared me. Waiting for the big revealation.
In the meantime, I am doing really good w diet. Antinflammatory concoction I made helped me lose 3 pounds despite min 4 meals any day.
Exercisewise I walk 10,000 steps almost every day.
Aromatase Inhibitor- if you sisters want to try, go w brand name. I had to chuckle when I saw the lot # on the bottle is the same as the one via Arimidex direct. Femera has copay card also. Initially had insomnia (possibly due to surgical menopause), mild bone pain (gone after regularly taking Claritin). The only SE remaining is frequent eating. I counteract this by eating healthy stuff such as pumpkin and V8 juice and drinking water always helps.
I know jury is not out yet for AI. The reality is I have to be on Arimidex for 10 yrs even with bone issues. At this time, I am counting my lucky stars
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Paulette. No lymphedema yet but I am at high risk due to 21 lymph node removal.
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It is Mimi again sisters.
Hormonal therapy is very personal decision. There is a second SE for me which is AI is a daily reminder that I had this crap.
If you decide for it but concerned about SEs...
1. Believe it or not many antidepressants help w bone pain somewhat. I am saying this because many of us take wellbutrin etc due to BC related PTSD.
2. Claritin helps a bit more. Amazon has the best price for brand name. I take Claritin at night. Loratidine which is generic Claritin should help also.
3. Melatonin is another one.
4. Exercise helps. If I dont walk I ache more. I know I want to snack all the time. In a way AI makes me more conscious about diet and exercise. I am embracing both. I was really upset that I gained back 15 out of 26 pounds I lost due to chemo. When I saw my scale going down again, I was happy.
Speaking of exercise, I only.have 9100 steps today. Going to make 900 steps.before the night is over.
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Mimi-- thanks for taking the time to post all that info on AIs.
I see my RO tomorrow. Should be last appointment and mean rads are finished as well as healing.
Then I see my MO on Wednesday. I am expecting her to schedule a bone density test so she can watch me for bone loss. She also wants me to consider a clinical trial on everolimus with AI for non stage 4 patients. I don't know anything about clinical trials but have read about everolimus and the SEs concern me but the i will listen to what MO suggests.
I have PT Friday morning, still working on cording
Hope that is all for this week. Hoping for no surprises at MO appointment
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Mimi, I wonder if you would tell us more about your anti-inflamatory concoction? That is going to be my focus in future. Before I found this website not long after my diagnosis, I felt so hopeless but now I look forward to the new year with hope! And realization that I must work hard to avoid inflammation and recurrence, if I can.
Paulette, so glad you have the end of radiation and healing in sight. Sure hope everything goes right when you see your MO. I am scheduled for a bone density test on January 24th, and see my MO on January 29th, so hope she has the results by then.
I hope everyone has a good holuday season and better years ahead.
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Dodgersgirl I can’t seem to get rid of the cording. My ROM is good but now my hand swells astound the thumb. And stretching still “pulls” the cord. PT tomorrow. Hope it’s my last one but I kinda doubt it
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I wonder how the cording started, I asked my PT before, I can’t remember how she explained to me. chemo brain again!!
Nancy, I still have 22 more session for radiation to go 😭😭 will finish close to the end of January. Just praying my skin will hold up fine. Being Asian I don’t have fair skin, hope it helps.
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just left my last RO appointment. Skin is healed and looks really good.
So another chapter in this BC trip has been completed!
Tomorrow, MO will tell me what's next. Hoping for no more doctor appointments in 2017!!
Planing Christmas dinner. Going to be as easy as possible as I feel like we have been through enough so don't want the stress of a big fancy dinner. So looks like we are having a backed ham, Brussels sprouts in the crockpot, baked potatoes that will cook along with the ham, and dinner rolls. DH is talking about making the mulled cider cranberry relish that he made (and everyone loved) for Thanksgiving for Christmas. Sounds complete enough without being too much work in the kitchen.
Hope everyone is doing well. 2018 is almost here!!
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Congratulations DodgersGirl! My skin is still pretty bad - hoping for improvement to begin any day now since my last dose was 6 days ago. I follow up with the RO on Jan 4th and the breast specialist on Jan 8 where I expect to be put on hormone blocking meds.
Christmas for us is going to be as simple as possible - sadly not feeling in the spirit yet.
Luckily for me, I work at a college and have winter break off when the college is close from Dec 22 - Jan 3rd. Looking forward to some much needed rest.
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DodgersGirl, I seem to remember that you had a bolus each time? I do too. When your skin started getting bad, did they contine with the bolus? Just noticed a few little red pin prick-like marks and am guessing it is starting, I am half way through.
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How are gals here handling seeing family over the holidays? I am feeling a little anxious about seeing my brother-in-law and sister-in-law this afternoon, when they get in from the coast. I haven't seen them since my father-in-law's funeral last spring, a couple weeks before I was dx. I guess I am feeling apprehensive about coping with their response/reaction to me. Like I don't have the reserves to carry that weight too. Does anyone else have this kind of feeling or situation?
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I went home to see family for Thanksgiving. My brother cried when he saw me. My parents just kept hugging me. I’m staying put for Christmas. I will miss my family but I’m looking forward to relaxing.
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OCDAmy- yes, I had bolus everyday and the desired results is skin breaking down to rid the skin of any lingering cancer cells.
My bolus was stopped after session 20 of 28. Regular rads continued until 28/28. Bolus was stopped early because RO could see they had achieved the goal of killing off that top layer of skin. It took almost 2 weeks after stopping bolus for the skin to be almost all healed
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