Radiation October 2018
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Hey RiRi11
WOOHOO!!!! You did it!
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Congratulations RiRi!!!
Hi mLghtn, sorry you have to be here, but good to see you. For me, rads has been a lot easier than chemo physically and tougher mentally and emotionally. We're here for you.
Palesa, RiRi, or anybody else that is done--what is the follow-up schedule with your RO after tx is complete? Do you go back for weekly checks or are you just supposed to call if you need something? Anyone using Mepitel--will you just let it fall off or will you continue trimming and replacing for a week or two?
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Thank you all 😘
Sidalee, my RO wants me to see the nurses a week from today (only because I have open wounds) otherwise it would just be a 6 week check up and of course call them if needed....
Gentle hugs to you all!!
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I had my first weekly visit with the RO since I started rads last week and he had his nurse put Mepitel on me, and my god I'm a hot mess. This stuff is not sticking at all. I already peeled one piece off because it just wasn't going to stay on. I also trimmed another piece because it just kept rolling up on itself. Let me tell you, holding it with one hand and cutting it with the other while trying to coordinate all of this with my mirror image was interesting. But still, it's just kind of tented over my skin in a lot of places and for whatever reason the mepitel itself is sticky on BOTH sides, and so whenever I try to stick it back to my skin it just sticks to my fingers...
The best part is that there's other pieces of tape underneath it, on which the radiation techs have drawn their alignment marks. So if the Mepitel does peel off I'll have to make sure the tape doesn't go with it.
As far as treatment-related anxiety goes, I don't seem to have any for a change. I am having anxiety about my nutrition and hydration though, I keep putting off eating so long I get light headed. And I'm not hungry at all. I think the disruption to my routine has screwed up my internal clock and I'm not getting hungry at normal mealtimes anymore. I was never a big foodie so without my internal clock going off i keep forgetting to eat.
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RiRi Congrats on being done! It's a big hurdle overcome and I am envious as I am just starting tomorrow.
MWlimelite- I'm so glad to hear your skin is holding up so well and you heard good things about the my girls cream. Do you wash your skin before tx to make sure there is no cream left on it---or how many hours after you use it do you typically go for treatment? From my understanding having anything on the skin during tx can worsen skin effects.
Sidalee and Spoonie-- thanks for your support, I know this will probably be more difficult for me emotionally/mentally than chemo (I wanted the neoadj chemo ASAP to keep it from spreading and I didn't know my lymph node status then). Sort of felt rads was only to prevent recurrence. I was so dead set on not doing it for fear of possible long term side effects that I considered a mastectomy after my oncoplastic sx. However all 4 of my doctors were against it in my situation and thought going forward with rads was best option. So, here I am now, starting tomorrow, the thing that i did not want to expose my body to after all the aggressive chemo. Fortunately I really like my RO and feel very good about his plan and the fact its through NCI designated center. Its scary though, the thought of lying under that machine and hoping all the calculations and settings are as they should be, hoping my body responds well...
thankful I can come here to everyone who understands
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Sidalee, I'm one week out from Rads, I saw my RO on my last day for a weekly check and will see him again in 3 weeks time. He said to call if anything bothers me before then. His advice was to leave the Mepitel film on and let it come off on its own, trimming it as I go. I couldn't help myself a week later I just peeled it off. I lather myself with aqueous cream twice a day.
I will also see the PS at the same time to discuss how things are looking. I had bmx with direct to implant so there are other things to worry about there. Starting Tamoxifen two weeks post radiation my MO said.
All the best to everyone.
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Hapa-- Glad to hear you aren't having any treatment related anxiety, thats great! I remember rads was something you were trying to avoid--like me. I wish they would use mepitel where I'm at, its really supposed to prevent the moist desquamation well. Also wish I was less hungry at times, trying not to react to my cravings for sweets. I know its difficult once the appetite is gone but to try to eat enough protein and vitamin rich foods as I'm sure you're probably aware it can help protect healthy tissue from rads. I've always been pretty healthy eater-- I made it my mission during chemo not to eat empty calorie foods except on occasion and of course sometimes I could only tolerate certain foods. So I'm going to make eating healthy sort of my job during rads and after. They said no supplements but as long as I eat a balanced diet vitamin e and c rich foods along with other antioxidants would be ok. I wonder if the tx is affecting your appetite? I feel like its also hard to make yourself drink a lot of water when the appetite is poor. Hydration was a challenge for me during chemo, will see how this goes...
wishing you wellness
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What kind of cornstarch do you use to keep your skin dry? Is regular cornstarch for cooking okay? I am having such bad hot flashes so i am always sweating!
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Yep - just regular cornstarch. I use a largish make-up "puff" to powder it on. I'm doing it over creams but I don't see why you can't just puff it on bare skin.
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Thank you!!!!
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mLghtn - I was told not to put anything on my skin 4 hours before tx. Since my appointment is first thing in the morning, it's not an issue because I shower and just go without putting any cream or deodorant on, then I slather on the cream right after tx and about 2-3 more times throughout the day. The nurse said that if my treatments were in the afternoon, it would be OK to put the cream on in the morning because it would be worn off by the time I got to tx. Ask your nurse what they recommend based on the time of your treatment and whatever else you're doing throughout the day.
Had my first boost today and no more goggles - I don't have to hold my breath for these so I can just zone out. 3 zaps, about 10 seconds each from different angles. I have 4 more txs to go and I AM SO READY.
Anyone else getting freckly? I have olive skin and have never gotten freckles from sunburn but I am getting a ring of 'em right now around my nipple. lol Also starting to feel itchy off and on. Can't complain!!!
Hugs to all my October rads sisters!
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I've been away from this forum for awhile, and so much had happened to you all! I'm sending late hugs to Spoonie, and congrats to ccxx for being done with rads. I had my last tx on 10/29 (yesterday)...15 total. I've got a rash on my chest, not where I got tx but from many sunburns. Itching is well controlled with Triamcinolone (prescription) which I'm supposed to use at least for a week after tx ended. During treatment and before, I used Eucerin Original. It's supposed to have same ph as skin. My skin looks great. I thought I'd switch to mygirls, and bought some, but the Eucerin did such a good job, I stuck with it.
On to Femara and a bisphosphonate after meeting with med onc this coming Friday.
And no fatigue......yet. Hang in there, ladies!
Mary
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Hey fixyourdog,
Congratulations on finishing your rads! Hope the next steps of your treatment go well.
Woohoo!
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I’m happy to say that I had my 20th and LAST treatment yesterday! My husband took me out to breakfast after my treatment to celebrate. My skin looks pretty good- pinkish tan, plus a couple of pimple-looking things that are hair follicles that got zapped. No pain or itching. I’m keeping up with the calendula cream for another couple of weeks, and I see my RO in a month for a follow up. I’m definitely feeling the fatigue, especially in the afternoons. Chatting with all of you this month has helped so much! While I’m lucky to have support from family and friends, there’s nothing like support from people going through the exact same thing. I send you all a heartfelt THANK YOU and a gentle hug
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Wowee! Congratulations!!
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congrats GreenHarbor!! 🎉
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I'm happy to join the "done" group today! I had my last of 32 rad tx and will not see ANY doctors for a full month! Then of course it's follow-ups with the MO, Surgeon, RO and more "stuff" but I'm going to fully enjoy a month off. Celebrating with a massage tomorrow and going to a comedy show - time for some laughs. Congrats to all finishing up and supportive vibes to those still going along. Stay strong everyone.
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YAY! cc738nj!! Comgrats
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congratulations!! One thing done!
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Congrats cc, fixyourdog and GreenHarbor!
hapa ~I had a similar problem with the Mepitel peeling up the first time they applied it. I had been using Miaderm twice a day for about a week before rads started and apparently that made me too greasy. My techs wiped me down with baby wipes the next time and now the film usually lasts for about a week. Also, if I get bubbles fairly soon after they first apply it, I have found that cutting a tiny hole to let the air out and then smoothing it back down works pretty good.Saw my MO yesterday and he had the chemo nurse give me my first monthly Zoladex shot to suppress my ovaries and then I will start Femara next month. If I tolerate this regimen well, we will discuss whether or not to remove my ovaries at the same time as my exchange surgery for my reconstruction.
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Congrats on finishing cc, fixyourdog, GreenHarbor
💃💃🌺💐💕
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Hooray, GreenHarbor!
Time to celebrate!
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cc - Way to go!
Have a great month of real life!
For those of us who continue on - there is now a November rads thread.
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Are we all moving on to November now?
Huge congrats to the ladies in the "moving on" category!! WOOHOO!
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Hi everyone -- Congrats to all who've finished! Whoooohooo!
I wish I had better things to report for me, skin wise, at least. Le Sigh.
My SEs continue to be awful, hence why I've not been on the board for a bit. My nipple is just raw mush at this point. The fatigue is all consuming. To where I am out of breath just talking....granted, I have multiple chronic illnesses that were in existence prior to my cancer, but still....it's just debilitating.
I saw my cancer rehabilitation dr this morning and am now to be put into a physical therapy schedule for weekly visits for the next three months. This will include lymphatic massage, as my breast lymph system is apparently not working correctly to drain the fluid building up in my treated breast...AKA Breast Lymphadema. Ugggh. Didn't know that was a risk of RADs but she said it defintely is and I definitely have it! PT will also include adhesion work, and measures to slow the rate of cording I have going on between my two incision sites. Yeah, I got all the good stuff going on...ugggh.
On the bright side, my treatments are over and I rang the bell!!!!! I left my team with a nice card, thanking them for all their comfort, reassurance, and help in getting me through this time period. As I walked out the door, it was a GREAT feeling to know I no longer have to go THERE daily anymore. Now weekly I'll just go to the building next door for PT. LOL.
Also, did ya'll know that it can take up to 6 months for the effects of RADs to fully develop or clear even?
That, I did not know.
So my rehab doc explained a few things to be on the look out for -- like extreme tightening in the rib area, which can onset as much as 6 months down the road. Also to be on the look out for shortness of breath, chest pain when breathing, or dry cough -- all of which can be signs of Post RADs Pneumonitis.
On Wed, I was discharged from Radiation with the following directions --->
- to continue to hold off on my antioxidant related supplements for another 2 weeks
- finish the antibiotics I was put on to minimize risk of infection due to SEs
- to see RO in 6 weeks or sooner, if SEs are not healing
- to REST when needed and to not push myself to much, that can and will slow healing if I do
- to continue to apply the Calendula/Aloe Vesta/Miaderm 3 x daily until the redness/inflammation I've experienced is gone
- once redness/open skin areas have healed, use (Lubriderm, Eucerin, Cocoa Butter, etc) for AT LEAST 6 months after treatment
- if there is any sun exposure be sure to use SPF 30 or higher
So yeah, the active part of the RADs journey is done.
I've graduated....see my diploma??? LOL my team was amazing!
Glad to have it behind me. Now to focus on healing my boob up!!!!! Can't wait to get out of these compression sports bras, to have healed skin, no redness, no open wounds, and just be me again! Wishing us all luck as we finish up and start another healing journey!
Gentle hugs to all!
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Congratulations, Spoonie!! I’ve been thinking of you. So glad to hear you’re moving on to the next stage of your treatment. You’ve gotten more than your fair share of side effects. I wish you an uneventful recovery!
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Congrats Spoonie on graduation rads. I hope you feel better and soon. Also to all the other ladies who are done with radiation.
Yesterday was my last rad. Done with radiation. I have my next appointment with RO in 6 weeks. Have pain on and off on the boost site.
My radiation nurse told me to apply a thin paste of baking powder and water, keep it for few mins and then wipe it off in case of itching. I do not have much itching so I have not tried it yet
All the best ladies.
I believe the Nov group is for ladies starting in Nov
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Congratulations to the graduates! I am almost there, only TWO treatments left! I was just wondering today if I would get some kind of certificate LOL. Spoonie, good for you! Hubby plans to take me out for a nice dinner Monday night to celebrate.
I saw my RO for the last time yesterday and she gave me discharge instructions. A lot of what's been mentioned here already. She also said I should continue to stretch my pectorals and raise my arm over my head to stretch the muscle below my breast, which can get tight from rads. She warned me that some women feel a bit adrift not doing something active to fight the cancer, or increased fatigue as kind of a "let down" of adrenaline like after you complete a big project. I feel like that will NOT be the case but I suppose, you never know!
I'll also share the 2 resources that she recommended for helping to manage mood/stress/depression without drugs and tips for a healthy lifestyle going forward:
http://tlc.ku.edu (the Ted talk on the homepage is quite enlightening)
https://www.amazon.com/Anticancer-David-Servan-Schreiber-MD-PhD/dp/0452295726/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
I won't see RO again until January of 2020. I'll see the various doctors in 3 month alternating intervals and she's last. Which makes me sad, because she's my favorite. I was surprised to hear that I won't be getting another mammogram until July, one year after my diagnosis. I'll take this as a good thing!
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congratulations to all who are finishing!
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Congratulations Frog and Spoonie!
Wishing you good luck on the path ahead.
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