Radiation April 2019
Comments
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@Rosie RO said to continue using water based creams. He also prescribed silvadene for the area that is opening to avoid infection. This pic was taken a day after rads and its definitely worse now. Peeling much more. Its definitely painful. I'm also super tight on shoulder. Im sure its because of the rads. But hopefully it will get better. But again I think its painful for since I have low white blood cells and recovery is longer for me. I wasnt expecting this much pain since everyone said rads was a breeze. maybe someone else whose been finished can share if it was pain ful for them.
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@wereflyn Thank you, I am stressed out about this. Enjoy your weeekend!
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Fritzmylove -- thanks - at least I know this is kind of normal.
Purplejc5 -- you are going to be so glad you decided on the hypo fractionated regime. I don't think I could have managed another 3 weeks -- just because I'm bored having to go there everyday. My skin is not even half as red as Sunocean's. I feel so bad for her. My areola is weird looking, but they say not everyone gets that symptom. I don't itch and nothing is sore. The peeling has not started yet. I really haven't used the lotion much -- maybe 5 nights before bed the last week or so. I purchased the Aquaphor (sp?) and it is so thick, it's disgusting! I put warm water on my breast before applying the lotion to assure hydration. You have to wear an old T-shirt to bed when you use the Aquaphor. You're not going to know you are receiving larger doses and actually you will receive a total radiation dose that is smaller than the 6 week regime..
FreeBee --- yep, that's kind of what they told me --- they will be permanent. That was also my first symptom before the pink breast. I thought what the heck are those small brown marks on one side of my breast. They don't tell you these things before radiation.
Sunocean -- I pray that that your skin heals up soon --- which it will. This whole thing is just a horrible, scary experience.
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@jessie thank you for the well wishes! It really looks worse than it feels. I posted the pic just for reference not to scare anyone. I did great the first 4 weeks. It didn't start getting this bad until the last 3 treatments.
Also I had a PCR with chemo (they took out 25 lymph nodes and all were clear!!) but rads was recommended as an added insurance since I had node involvement before chemo. I'm glad I did it, and even more glad it's over! Hang in there ladies !!!
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I finished May 1st so I'm about a week ahead in the healing process. The skin under my arm was dark brown with a dry spot like yours. The rest of my breast got darker during the first week and now it has what appears to be a white cracking “film" over the entire breast area. My underarm has a large healthy skin area where the brown skin has peeled away.
I have been using the steroid cream my RO prescribed twice a day and putting on Cetaphil as often as possible. I'm fortunate I am not experiencing pain. Thank you for posting your photo.
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Hi SunO-
thankyou for sharing the image-i only
envisioned what has been described- so its very helpful. My RO gave me a new
cream and was pretty
upfront about what to expect (i get
that its a delayed reaction- so her
reminders of this are important) I am
sorry you are in pain- I, too, have
a naturally low white blood cell count-
I wonder if that is a factor in
how fast/slow the cells turn over.
Hopefully you have reached a sort
of peak- and the pain is subsiding-
i see my RO on monday ( my last day)
snd will ask her about the white blood
cell thing- its a good question- hang
in there- the worst is over ! woot!0 -
For sore/peely/ weepy skin, there is a powder called Domeboro which you put in water to make a compress. Very relieving, astringent, and helps it dry out and peel. Worth a try!
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Oh my SunO, I feel for you. I just had a look and my skin is also getting worse. I will try to post for y’all to see. What a mess
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1 day post treatment
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Wereflyn on the lumpectomy board some one just posted that their C has returned four years post op in the same breast at the incision. YIKES!
Thank you, Sunocean and Rosiered for your pics. Ouch! Feel better soon.
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Thanks for photo shares and sending good vibes for a quick recovery. I hope you ladies are pain-free soon!
I had one out of two nodes show up positive on final pathology. It was an unpleasant and depressing surprise as I'd been told they were clear and had immediate reconstruction with implant. My Oncotype DX score was 20, which got me out of chemo but not rads, and my 9-year distant recurrence risk is 17%. Was hoping rads would lower that risk but when I asked my RO, he said it's impossible to tell as rads reduce the risk of local recurrence which then reduces the distant risk so it's an indirect impact.
Finished up my first week of five, four more to go. I'm lathering up, four times every day, on my right breast, breast bone and underarm. Let me know if I'm missing any area(s) I should be hitting.
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Cin17 - you may also need to put lotion on your right shoulder blade because that may be where the radiation exits your body. I’m having rads on my left side and I have an oval shaped pink spot on my left shoulder blade due to this.
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Thank you both for your confidence in us to share your pictures. I feel so bad for you. It also makes me angry. Is all this barbaric treatment really the best and only way. It’s asking a great deal. I hope it’s worth it
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Benji, I agree. This is totally barbaric. I am not sure this is worth it or if I would do it again I am amazed at how much we know about cancer - except the cause and the cure.
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it is barbaric. I regret doing it considering I had PCR but I felt that if I didnt I would always live with the "what if" scenario. I wanted to be sure I did everything in my power to never ever get this again. Even if it mean staying flat. It's sad what fear draws us to do.
Hang in there ladies. My skin is worse. I can post a new pic but dont want to gross anyone out.
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If you are miserable and can find hyperbaric oxygen in your town, that helps the skin heal a lot. I did a few sessions right after rads.
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Chiming in regarding domeboro soaks. I have one more session left (#28) on Monday. my armpit is peeling, as is under my breast. The soaks are helping with the itching and pain. I did get mine on amazon, which was slightly cheaper than Walgreens. I'm very nervous about what this next week brings.
Are you allworking full time? I have taken the last couple days off to rest, including Monday. But I am not sure about the rest of the week.
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I was super exhausted the week/10 days after rads. Needed to sleep and heal.
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I am going back to work FT Monday. Had the last 4 weeks off to do rads. House has never been cleaner
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Those of you who are nearing the end or finished, do you think you’d be ok to travel 2 weeks post-rads? I have a trip planned to FL almost exactly 2 weeks after my last treatment. We had to use the flight credits on Southwest before July 1st from a cancelled trip when I was first diagnosed. We won’t be doing much, and I plan on spending a lot of time in the shade while my kids play in the pool.
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I have been off work since January and dont plan on going back to end of June. Theres no way I could have gone back on Monday with my skin this way. BUT everyone is different. some women work thru rads with no problem.
@fritz I think you will be ok! Today I'm 3 days past rads and I although my skin is worse the pain isnt as bad. 2 weeks sounds like plenty of time to recover. You may not be 100% but well enough to travel and enjoy time with the family
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I agree they make you feel that you have no choice and you want to do everything you can but there are no guarantees. I’m on 13 of 33 so my skin isn’t bad yet not looking forward to the next 20. Be well everyone
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It sounds like you are hitting all of the areas, don't forget the side area under your armpit. My RO treated that area last before the boost and I neglected that area a bit.
The same thing happened to me about the nodes....they were cancer free until they weren't. Ugh I had to have my silicone implant exchanged for an expander because of the radiation.
Can I ask how old you are? I only ask because my Oncotype DX score is a 15 and my MO said they follow a different protocol when it is the nodes (1/3) including chemo therapy 33 rad and Letrozole.
No one has explained exactly what the score means and why run the test if it is going to be ignored.
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What do you mean when you say your
nodes were cancer free until they
werent?
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I'm new to this site and am seeking other people who have "been there, done that." I start my radiation on May 20th and am not looking forward to it, at all. I understand it's for preventative reasons and radiation itself does not hurt. Is there anyone else who has dreaded going to radiation and how did you, or did you ever get over the mental aspect? During my "marking" appt, the techs were great and sensed my apprehension. When asked what scared me most, I replied, "the word radiation." I do have an appt set up with a counselor at my local Cancer Care Center and am hoping that will help me through this mental stumbling block.
This is what I know about my treatment: 16 treatments plus 4 boost (was told the boost are because of my age). I will be laying on my stomach for whole breast radiation. They have Pandora/Spotify and said they can play pretty much anything. My treatment center only allows shoes/socks/underwear to be left on. Two gowns are worn, one facing front and the other to the back. During the marking appt I know they had to keep pulling the gown down as I was so hot/flushed they were trying to cool me off. Not sure how covered I will be during actual radiation. They offered to allow my daughter (16 yrs old) to see how mom is set-up for treatment on my first day (would stay with the nurse the entire time back in the radiation area instead of waiting in the waiting room).
I've been on Tamoxifen for a month now. Night sweats have been the extent of the side effects this far.
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Fritz - I would take that trip. It will be good for you and for your healing.
Sallie - I also was prescribed 16/4. I am still not convince it was worth it, but what else is there?
I will be starting Tamoxifen next week. I already have night sweats. Should be breeze by comparison.
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Happy Mother’s Day. I hope by next Mother’s Day this part of our lives will be a distant memory
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Happy Mother’s Day!
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