Radiation April 2019
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I just wanted to chime in to tell you that I finished my rads in May 2017. The radiology department was really specific on what creams or ointments to use, so speak with them first. I was allowed to use Shea Moisture coconut oil which you can buy in any drug store. Near the end I used a spray aloe for some itching that only lasted a couple of days. I'm sending positive thoughts and words of encouragement. Take good care of yourselves. Rest when you need to. Light exercise helps with possible fatigue, walking or gentle yoga.I wore camis and button down shirts for comfort and easy changing. The treatments were not a problem for me. You can do this! Prayers and blessings.
Light, love, peace and strength was my mantra during my treatment sessions.They went by quickly,
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I had clear margins but 5 positive of 12 axillary nodes and am getting 28 regular plus 5 boosts. I am 70
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Happy Easter Girls!! Finished 10 treatments, only 5 left. No boosts! So far no SE. Maybe a little pink. Getting a little tired around 4:00 in the afternoon but continuing my exercise classes, walking and playing golf on Tuesdays.
More nervous about starting Femera in a month or so
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Thank you for clarifying for me about the boosts, Freebee & Elephant. I too have IDC of 1 cm, but did have 1 of 3 nodes affected, so I'm also having the lymph nodes hit with radiation as well. The next step is Tamoxifen pills. Elephant, I hope you're doing well on your Tamoxifen. Have you had any SE's? Happy Easter & thank you again for replying.
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Is there anyone here who is getting Photon Ionizing radiation? It's what they'll be starting me on in May.
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Hi FaithFilled: So far so good with the Tamoxifen. I have been taking 20mg a day for a week and have had no SEs at all. I hope it will be the same for you !
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Rad # 11 - Had images and rad today. Nurse checked in with me about my back. I’m doing a bit better, but still have spasms if I try to lay down on my right side.
I’ve been on Tamoxifen for almost 5 months. I take it at night and have had no side effects except a little heart burn when I first started taking the medication.
Hope everyone has a nice day
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Hi Cindr... i too am having 15 sessions
and then on to Femara.... starting today./ with rad)
I dont think I will take the femara...
side effects sound too brutal.
What is your recurrence risk cut
cut down by? mine goes from
2 % without and 1 % with femara0 -
I'm so glad you're doing well on Tamoxifen, Elephant & RosieRed. I had an acquaintance from radiation tell me she has been very forgetful since starting on Tamoxifen and was hoping it was just that she was overwhelmed with her diagnosis & not a side effect of the medication that I wasn't aware of. Best wishes to everyone on your treatments this week.
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Hi Cassicamada, you'll do fine with the RADS. I’ve had very few SE's so far. A few irritated red spot s that just started and a little fatigue around 3:30-4:00
I don't want to start for Femera either, very nervous about side effects although my RO and MO are insisting upon it. Saying my reoccurrence is 5% of 8% but then goes up every year?? It's it's very confusing, I decided I'm going to give it a try but if it changes my quality of life I will stop Let me know how your RADS. Saying a 🙏🏻 You'll sail through
Have a nice night. XXOO
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#13 today. still doing fine. Definitely feel tired but glad I kept exercising! Chest starting to feel a little tight but I'm stretching so that helps. Halfway done !
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WTG Sunocean!! I'm continuing to exercise too! Definitely think it's helping to keep my energy up! Breast is definitely feeling warm and some skin irritation but can’t complain. Could be worse!!Hang in there!!
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Hi friends,
Weighing in late here. Treatment 17 of 20 coming up today. All of the remainders are boosts, so 16 full treatments and 4 boosts. Was told the boosts will be easier and less time. We'll see. This is not very fun, is it? Very red, itchy, managing it with aloe, calendula, and a cream the nurses gave me called ARC. Saw someone caught a cold; I had one all of last week as well and am still coughing. Managed to jump on my Peloton some days. Sending healing and loving thoughts to everyone.
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Rad # 12 - all went well. Looking a lot more tan than ever before. Will see the RO tomorrow and see what he thinks.
Has anyone had a sensation on your radiated side where it feels like you burned yourself with a curling iron? That’s the best way I can describe it. Feels like that for a few seconds and then it’s gone.
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Rosie I have felt that. The miaderm helps me and it goes away once I put it on. My skin is definitely tan. But not red. My back feels itchy and radiation therapist said it's due to where the radiation exists. Weird.
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anyone being treated at Sloan? Anyone with tissue expanders in? Anyone with a second course of rad treatments? Hello to all you warriors !!
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Radiation machine is broken. Two days in a row. Is this normal?
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Celebris, I have tissue expanders in during rads.
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Hello compatriots!
Eyouch! 8/20 today and the blisters are starting to pop. Advise now is not to use cream but to continue to use cream. FAK. Starting to feel quite burnt. I ordered Calendula via Amazon. Finally arrived. Hope it helps.
Carpediem - my marchine broke down mid-session. I was told it’s happens regularly. I went in to finish the session after service. Unfortunately, this did not count as two sessions.
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Celebris - I have tissue expanders in while doing rads.
Carpe - the machine broke down the first day I was supposed to get treatment. I was rescheduled because once the machine was fixed, they had to get the people in who had already started their treatments. Broken two days in a row doesn’t sound normal to me.
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Celebris466
I have a tissue expander and can’t wait to have it exchanged for the permanent implant.
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hi all
randomquestion:
todays rad position def felt different
than previous ones.. totally flat
versus slightly raised on right side.
i will ask tomorrow...but just windering
if it matters or is normal et
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Cassie - I’ve been put in the same position every time so far. Definitely check with the rad techs and see what they say. You got me curious about why they did it differently.
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#15 today! Definitely getting red/sunburn but doesnt hurt at all. The RO said by end of this week it should be bad. I'm like really? Why jinx me or why be negative ? Smh!!
@cassie all my rads have been same positioning. definitely speak up and make sure they know what they're doing.
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Rad # 13 - Saw the RO today. It was a little unnerving when he looked at my skin and said, “looks like your skin is still intact, that’s good.” I know that they want to see a reaction to the radiation, but I’m not looking forward to my skin possibly not being intact. Going to lather up as much as I can to keep the skin healthy. I guess that’s all I can do.
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Hi!
Tomorrow is my last treatment, #33!!! Yes, I am thrilled to be done, but I am also very anxious. Now the waiting game begins, BS, MO and RO appts in May, and I guess there will be testing to see if this all worked. Its funny, between surgery, chemo and rads I was not as anxious. I felt that I was helping my body to fight this fight, but now for two weeks, I am doing nothing.
As far as the radiation goes, whatever cream you are using, just keep applying it and keep your skin moist. I used Aveeno and Aquaphor, and after I applied it, I rubbed the excess on my hands....and they have not been this smooth in years!!!
Be well everyone!!0 -
Rad #8/20 Yay, the machine was working today. Feel sorry for all the people who missed their appointments. Dr. said some drive 5 hours! Well I live within a mile so I said, "yes!" to a Saturday makeup appointment.
Freebee I am a super fair skinned red head.....no blisters by dr. said this will be a tough week ahead. I did have a 4 1/2 nap on Saturday...I am experiencing fatigue especially just after rads....I get home and could fall asleep at 4:30 p.m. Felt bad for my three college daughters who came home for Easter, I was so tired all weekend. I canceled all family invites....poor grandparents are 98 and I missed Easter with them.
Cassie: Do you have the tattoos? Mine seem to be all lined up the same. Please check.
Rosiered: I am putting on Aquaphor and Calendula after each appointment. Dr. says I will have skin changes red, and itching.....nothing about blisters. YIKES! Feel better!
Anyone else using anything else that works well for those of us with super fair skin?
Congrats!! Flower216! I admire your strength.
Thank you everyone for being here. I am one of ten children myself and I have only told one sibling. My daughters don't need to know just now.
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I too am worried about the future...I had breast cancer 2016 ...found it on my own 2 days after my 18th mammogram….(18 years of doing mammograms) but didn't show up on mammogram found it doing my own circular motions while lying on the bed...went back in and had second mammo ...nothing but lumps were felt ...had mri….lite up like a fire cracker on mri ...knew it was cancer before biopsy opted for double mastectomy and at that time they took 2 lymph nodes and sent them to pathology ...free and clear...reconstruction then done....this year a couple of months ago lump shows up under left arm same side had original cancer find out cancer in nodes...only contained to under arm...all lymph nodes under arm removed and 2 of 14 have some cancer along with some soft tissue around them...lymph nodes were clustering together to help get rid of cancer I presume...now my risks is higher because it either came back or was never found the first time...had a pet scan second time but not first...so I had this second cancer treated at Johns Hopkins...wonderful hospital...but now I have to face the treatment and I am confused on how to deal with all of it...im 60 years old and very active...do not smoke and only take vitamins...I do not like the thought of radiation in the near future esp because of the lung risks and damage possibly...also the drug for 5 years afterwards...ive been reading on the site listening to a lot of you and I feel like most of you...I don't want to do it...they try to give the odds of low percent of people having lung damage etc after radiation..50 /50 that the cancer will come back and with the every day estrogen blocking pill that my odds go to 75 percent...im just still not convinced...and im told if I don't have it done if the cancer returns it can be stage V and no cure....I wish there was a natural way to do this....I love working out and am a hard worker....I have 2 weeks to decide and im trying to figure it all out ...whats the right way ...whats the wrong....totally confused.
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I just completed 12/20 (16+4 boosts). I felt great in week 1; really good in week 2, but noticeable reduction in energy; this week I have even lower energy but not horrible. M My breast is starting to redden and dry out. I haven’t used creams up until now, but I’m starting to use Lubriderm now.
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Bmw1958 -- I was also very worried about the radiation because of heart and lung damage. My cancer is on the left side so that also exposes my heart. They took a long time to simulate the radiation. After my first treatment the radiologist showed me the pictures of my heart and lung and it also showed how much radiation they received. My heart is getting NO radiation and my lung is getting 1mm along one side. He said not long ago they tried to aim for no more than 2cm's of lung involvement. My lung is getting 1/20th of 2 cm's. The articles were have both read online don't necessarily pertain to how things are done today with the new computer programs . Even the older articles report that lung cancer in non-smokers 10 years after treatment is only 0.3%. I don't want to die in the next few years of breast cancer.
I'm on treatment 8 of 20 and so far so good. I might be a little tired, but I'm not sure because I get tired all the time from the stress of this horrible experience.
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