Radiation April 2019
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happy mothers day to all you beautiful ladies!!
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What I meant was.....I had an MRI with contrast of the breast and nodes. I was told there wasn't any signs of a cancer in that area. I had a nipple sparring double mastectomy with permanent reconstruction.
The pathology came back with the expected 11mm tumor in my left breast and a 7mm tumor in my sentinel node. The MRI was closely re-examined by the radiologist, pathologist, BS and plastic surgeon at the weekly cancer board with the same results.
The plastic surgeon had to exchange the silicone implant with a tissue expander before I could start chemo therapy. Now that I have completed radiation I can have the expander removed and permanent reconstruction completed.
The breast surgeon says the MRI is rarely wrong but it happens.
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I had a false positive MRI just after surgery. I was told it happens all the time. I I’ll be having an MRI annually as a follow up as I have dense breasts.Better false positives than the alternative!
Off to see my MO today with a litany of issues to discuss, including one very messed up boob. I wonder if she can prescribe something to aid the healing.
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Hope everyone had a happy Mothers Day!
Starting week two this afternoon and I've already started to burn. Has anyone else had it start so soon? It makes me worried they're giving me too much radiation.
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16/33 today. Half-way there! I've started to get a small rash on the inner part of my breast, and under my arm. RO wants me to start hydrocortisone cream 2x daily. I also developed a small bump on the underside of my breast. It feels like a pimple, but when I showed it to my RO, he said he thinks it might be my TE puckering under the skin. He said he doubts it'll break through the skin... well that's reassuring...
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I was in countdown mode, 9 left of 33. Just as I was leaving they called to cancel because of machine breakdown. Very upset
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Rad 26/28 - You know your skin is not looking so great when one of your rad techs sees your skin and pulls a breath in through her teeth as if to say “ouch, that looks painful". Yes it is getting quite uncomfortable and my skin is changing all sorts of colors now. Only got 2 rads left!
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@Rosie lol!!! My therapist did the same thing!
I emailed my RO today about the pain. Omg this is bad. Hurts more than surgery and she said it takes 2 to 3 weeks to heal. I was feeling better and this morning I had major pain again. It's due to a new piece of skin coming off. This is intense. She said the majority of people dont experience this. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones! It hurts so bad I cant walk straight because if I do, it feels as though my skin is tearing. Very gross indeed!!!
@benji so sorry that happened! Hope they fix the machine soon!!
@fritz. Fingers crossed your expander stays in. Think positive!!! It will!!! Darn comments RO makes drive is mad.
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OMG SunO that is terrible and so very extreme.
Rosie - hang in there. This is tough. I felt like crying at the last session. I felt so battered.
I’m still in the Aftermath. A new countdown - Day 4 post rads. I am scheduled to see my RO tomorrow for some burn cream. It’s was the boosts that really finished the job.
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Cin17 - my burn started showing after session 3. By #4, I was very red but skin intact up until #16. And then the boosts. My skin started to blister. Horrible.
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Just started today! 29 treatments to go. Arm/Breast was sore still from surgery and keeping it up over my head for 40 min. Rest of the times will be shorter so hopefully easier. I started with Calendula Cream after the treatment and will put Emu oil on at night.
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Freebee -- that is just horrible. What did your breast look like before the boosts? I am done with the hypo fractionated treatment --- took a 6 day break from radiation and had my first boost today --- 3 more to go. The RO told me the rest of my breast should be done getting worse since it's been a week, but now we'll see what happens to the boost area. The rest of my breast is OK I guess - it's not great, but it doesn't look anything like yours or SunO's. One thing about the hypo fractionated radiation is that we get higher daily doses, but less total dose -- so that's good. I'm kind of scared now of what's to come in the next 3 days. Of course, I get scared about every single thing that has been happening with treatment.
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Cin17 --- when you say you have already started to burn after week 1 do you mean it feels like a sunburn or is it just pinkish. If it's pinkish I think that's OK, because that's how mine was after the first week and it was fine until almost the end. My breast looks like I have lots of tiny red freckles and is generally dark pink now. My breast does not burn. However, my incision is getting a little sore now and then. It's normal to be pink the first week.
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Jess - My boob was very red/tanned after 16 hypo sessions. I felt ok, which is why I went ahead with the boosts. (That and I was getting a lot of pressure from my family). Skin started to break after the second boost. I am afraid for my aerola. It is completely raw. I can’t imagine it getting worse, but it might. I was told it takes 14 days for the cells to renew. And then the real healing begins.
On the positive side, I am back at work and moving forward. I am glad not to have to return to the basement anymore - god forbi. I absolutely hated treatment. But then, who doesn’t.
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Freebee -- why did they say you needed the boost --- your cancer diagnosis looks good. I would not have needed it if I hadn't had one margin that was 1mm --- darn that!
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Jess - Darn it indeed! But you’re doing well. When is your last session?
One of my margins was right up against the chest wall and thus only 1 mm. Plus I am very close to 50 at 52. And thus protocol dictates extra crispy.
I just saw the nurse. She said I was doing well. On a scale of 1 - 10, 10 being the worst, I’m a 4! I suspect we may need to change our machines up here in Canada.
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How can you be a 4 -- would hate to see a 10. Yep, need to change machines because that means 60% of people have worse SE's and yours at a 4 looked really, really bad. Today was my second boost -- just 2 more to go. Now we have to learn all about that dreaded pill that we will be taking soon. I have 3 friends on the pill and they are not having sore muscles or bad SE's at all. So maybe it will be OK.
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I just started Tamoxifen today - for10 years. I expect this to be a cakewalk by comparison. I was prescribed 20 mg daily. Is that standard?
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FreeBee I am sure I will be following you down the Tamoxifen road. My appointment is coming up to se the dr. I have a ton of questions. I have learned there is no exact mg that is needed per day, women are cutting their pills in half or taking a 20mg pill ever couple of days. (I have been reading and taking notes on the Hormone boards). SE suck....weight gain, blood clots, stroke, sleeplessness, fatigue, night sweats, hot flahes...UGH! I am very concerned about this.and so not looking forward to it.It took me a month to get this appointment, what if after I start I decided the SE are too much....how do I get another appointment? Go take a look at what women are saying on the Hormone boards. GGGggggrrrr when does this #@&% nightmare end!
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Carpediem56
I'm not on Tamoxifen but on Letrozole and my MO says it should be taken every night because it only stays in your system 24 hours. Many drugs you have to build up a thereputic level apparently Letrozole isn't one of them.
People tolerate the drug in different ways, a positive attitude and keeping busy can help. Also my MO gave me Venlafaxine to help with my hot flashes and mood swings. You might find it helpful. Best of luck.
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My poor armpit. I’m 17/33 and my axilla is getting pretty red compared to the rest of the treated areas. I can now clearly see the borders of where my skin will be effected.
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I’m DONE!!!!! 28/28. Good thing too because my armpit is starting to peel and I am very purple under my TE. Got a prescription for Silvadene and the nurse gave me instructions for Domeboro soaks. Will do whatever I can to care for my poor skin.
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I’ve been on Tamoxifen for 5.5 months now and haven’t had any bad side effects. I take it at night and I actually sleep better than I have in a while. Hope everyone has it as easy as me.
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yay Rosie!!!! So happy you are done !!!
I too have the silvadene cream and use it on the open areas. I have also used the domeboro soaks and those have been great. I'm so happy Santab recommended them. They have helped my skin peel faster and get rid of that tight skin feeling. Hang in there!! It does get better.
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Hurray Rosie!!! Time to celebrate
SunO - I am going to try domeboro. Glad you're feeing better.
Fritz - Hang in there! It’s not pleasant, but it will be over. Mine still looks terrible, but I can see new healthy skin on the way.
Carp - Thanks for the info. I am pre-memo, so I am expecting many of the SE anyway. I don’t understand why I need to take Tax for 10 years. It used to be five.
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Wereflyn, yes i know be positive....but realistic....Thank you for mentioning Venlafaxin. I will ask about that if needed.
Yay! Rosie best wishes for a speedie recovery and thank you for telling me your experience with Tamoxifen. Did I mention I am an anxious person anyway?
@Fritzmylove ((((((HUG))))) Prayers, one day at a time. What lotion are you using?
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Carpediem, they still just have me using aloe. I can use hydrocortisone cream for itching, but that’s it so far.
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I’m at 16/33 its getting red but just itchy not painful yet. I use Miaderm and it works pretty good
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I had my first rads today. I find it so odd that my RO said no amount of creams or lotions would “prepare” my skin for it. I’ve read that elsewhere too, though. He did say they have a closet full of creams if it gets too uncomfortable. Has anyone used a Zinc supplement to promote healing? I’ve been taking one since my lumpectomy. One good thing is that they said the breath holding is working for me. My heart is out of the way, thankfully!
19 more to go!
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Fritz - my RO said only aloe too, but when I mentioned Miaderm, he was good with me using that as well. I know it’s a little pricey, but I think it helped me get all the way to the finish line with only my armpit peeling and that just started today. Hang in there!!
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