Starting Radiation in July 2019
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hi girls. I’m wondering how many of you here had a a CT scan prior to rads
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Prehistoricmom - Loved the laugh! Thanks!
JulieSim - Thank you for the ilnk! Wow! I'm amazed at how different the recommendations are from practice to practice. I was told NOT to use antiperspirants; they have aluminum, which can intensify reactions - I can only use an all natural deodorant like Tom's. I was told TO use cornstarch to absorb excess moisture. I was also told to use aloe. Seems like there were a few other differences.... Crazy. Soreness is maybe a little better, or I'm just getting used to it. I spent most of yesterday in a cotton t-shirt with no bra and actually slept with no bra. I just had to be really careful when I rolled over.
Shadow63 - Congrats!
I didn't ring the bell when I finished chemo - not finished in my mind, since I still had rads to go. I don't really want to ring the bell for rads either when I finish next Tuesday. I know I'll cry! I cry at the drop of a hat these days. Hubby offered to go for my last one, but I don't really need him. A friend offered to come also, but I told her no too. I think I'm just going to sneak out
I am thinking about having lunch delivered that day for everyone in the department. The nurses and techs have been awesome. I feel like they probably get lots of donuts and would appreciate something else. Hugs all! It's almost Friday!
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Ooh boy, nipple anger starting to ramp up. Finished 11 of 16 whole breast (then 4 boost for 20 total) yesterday afternoon. Skin still good, hang in there skin! I just ordered some hydrogel pads (thankful for Amazon delivering them tomorrow!) to put in my bra against my nipple and will slather it with Miaderm and Mometasone to try to help it get through.
Been trying to exercise every day, feels really good. Outright running around the neighborhood not happening now, since the bouncing hurts and holding one's boob while running is uncouth, lol. Precor at the gym still good, though, and I'll play soccer tonight & just suck it up. It's the constant same bounce frequency of running that's uncomf.
I can't believe there's a specialist on the planet who does not endorse the breath hold technique to protect the heart on left sided cases!?!? Run, don't walk, to another specialist! My college bestie was here last week and my rad tech team (and they ARE rad!) let her go through the whole session with them, from positioning me, to seeing that highly dignified breathing contraption on my face (goggles, noseclip, snorkel tube) and taking the most ridiculous selfie (she posts online, she's excommunicated!), to going back in the control room during the rads delivery. She's a med tech teacher so medically fairly savvy and she said she saw the breath hold absolutely hold my heart out of the way of the beams, and that my heart could be at risk if my lungs weren't inflated like that. They have a CT image on you at all times during the whole process, so they can see in real time what's happening. She was very confident in the breath hold and the precision of the whole system, having had the opportunity to experience it live.
Great idea to have lunch delivered! I worry that I would't count right; I'm not that impressed with my -ists (doctors) but am super impressed with the techs & would absolutely want to feed them lunch as a tiny gesture - the docs can afford to feed themselves, lol.
KEEP AT IT, GET THIS DONE!! XOXO
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I so wish I could see the tech side of my treatment; that would be so interesting - especially the difference that breath holding makes.
I talked with my friend who is a med sales rep, and she said the office might turn their noses up at a simple lunch like a deli tray; they've come to expect high end restaurant lunches from the reps
So we agreed that something different might be better. I'm thinking of putting together a fruit and chocolate basket for the whole unit. That will be relatively manageable both from a cost and prep perspective.0 -
I saw my RO today. My skin is starting to pink up, so he was happy. 7 to go.
I almost wish I didn't have weekends off, so I could wrap this up quicker. I cannot wait to be done with this nonsense.
People keep asking what I'm going to do to celebrate once I'm done. Honestly - sleep! And relax.
My husband and I throw a pretty good party, if you don't mind me bragging a bit. I think people want us to host some kind of all out shindig, especially since we've been off the entertaining circuit for 10 months now. I think I need to suggest that someone throw US a party, rather than the other way around! I'm not of a mind to host anything just yet.
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kber, absolutely someone should throw you a party! I think all of us deserve a party, and a nap!
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Im with mountain mia kber - someone should throw you a rocking fabulous party but only after you have a nap. I'm supposed to finish next week (4 to go) and my hubby wants to know how I want to celebrate - told him I want a great big cake and a fork. Glad you are pink and that your RO is happy. Almost there sugar.
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agree x 1000 someone should throw you a party, during which you are allowed to nap or dance or eat cake with or without a fork.
Kber I hear you about the weekend: somehow the closer I get to being done the more impatient I am. I almost knocked myself out today sitting up before the machine had fully moved away - haha.
Giddy up almost there!!
Congrats to those who finished.
Also re: breath hold - my RO showed me someone else's computer model so I could see the breath hold before I started, and it was very cool to see the heart get leftoutside the firing zone; they must record it or at least record the test? If you want to see it you should ask. I would like to see mine too.
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Congrats Shadow63!
I am learning a lot from you all & stocking up on lanolin, arnica & calendula cream, and aloe vera gel plus some unbleached organic cotton shirts I got from "SOS from Texas" (quick shipping). Also front-closure cotton bras. Do you have to wear a hospital gown for an MRI? xo
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what is a boost? I’ve never heard that mentioned by doctors. After four treatments I’m nauseous but that’s not supposed to happen till half way through, so maybe it’s not related or maybe I’m a case of early nausea
hang in there everyone!0 -
Hi together: I was nauseous from the start. My RO told me that about 10% of us get side effects from day 1. Soda crackers actually help.
I had a lumpectomy - a boost is where there give extra radiation to the area of the tumour bed only. Positioning seems to take longer but its a smaller area and there are only two zaps and you're done. Good Luck with your rads.
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Finished 19 / 25 today. One full week left, and one Monday.
You all have me thinking about thank you gestures to the staff. When I finished chemo, my husband and daughter brought in roses and chocolates for the chemo nursing staff and the lab.
I'm thinking bagels, etc, since my treatments are in the morning. Maybe I'll throw in a brownie plate or cookies.
At first I was bummed that I started on a Tuesday, and so would finish up on a Monday, rather than a Friday. It seemed like it would be a drag to schlep back in that one day! Now, I'm kinda glad. I'll finish Monday and then have the rest of the week to rest and perhaps start to feel more energy before my first "free and clear" weekend. Maybe by then, I'll feel like cracking open a bottle of prosecco or something.
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I’m Only day 4 but was already thinking of gratitude gift for last day! I think I’m stealing your bagel idea
hope that’s ok!0 -
I considered how to thank my chemo nurses, but there are at least a couple dozen at my clinic, and more than a dozen worked with me directly. I don't know yet how the rads clinic is structured for staff. Yesterday was my set-up day and there were probably a dozen involved with my appointment just then!
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I went to Dollar Tree and got a big basket. I'm going to fill it with fruits and chocolate and take it to my last treatment. They told me they have about 30 total in the radiation oncology department, so I wanted to do something for the whole group. I'll just buy some bags of apples, oranges, etc. and put them in the basket.
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That’s a great idea too!
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There are 200 radiation technicians in my hospital plus nurses plus admin staff etc. I have been assigned to radiation unit where I've been doing 99% of my treatments, and I am seeing pretty much same people every day. So far my interactions with the nurses have been very short. Therefore if things don't change I think that my thank you will be limited to my unit only. I just have to decide if it's going to be a basket with treats vs Starbucks gift cards.
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Finished 20 /25 today, so 5 sessions left. I can't wait to be done with this! (I feel like I've said this already, but it's more true now than ever!)
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Kber - love your picture. How are you holding up skin fatigue. You are almost there you can do this. I have two more left (28/30 today) My skin is super red but almost done. The last ones seem to last forever but they really don't. Good Luck
Julie - like you I have dealt with a specific team through most of my rads (sad but two of my techs are on holiday for the last week). So I am pretty much going to stick with them as far as thank yous. Just not sure what to get. Hope you are holding up well for your microwave treatments.
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Thanks - It's an old picture. I'm trying to symbolically return to my old self!
Skin is OK. It's a little pink / irritated, but nothing that interferes with my sleep or daily activities. My fatigue comes and goes, but I'm still working full time and generally managing OK. This weekend we helped my son move into his first apartment after college. Granted, he and my husband did the bulk of the work, but I helped a little and it didn't kill me.
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Good for you - I hate moving have done it more than 16 times so I am impressed you even showed up for it. Glad the skin is holding up. Still a great picture and a good goal. I am still working too but randomly need to lie down for half an hour which looks weird but oh well - I am the boss so what can they say lol
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we are getting there! 16/20 for me, 4 boosts start tomorrow.
Giddy up you can lie down and air that lady out and they can all deal with it
I am red, nipple darkening by the day, newly itchy, and headaches that may or may not be related, but honestly I’m also fine
Hang in there everyone!
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You ladies are getting there, it's almost over! I am at 14/25. Starting physio tomorrow to hopefully help me deal with tightness and swelling.
JLall - I've been experiencing headaches from day one of radiation therapy.. They say it cannot be related, but honestly I rarely experience headache.. Here I am talking about three weeks of headache with photophobia and nausea. I cut off coffee and black tea and I have been drinking at least 10 glasses of water a day. Hopefully headaches will go away when we are done treatment whether or not they are related.
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JulieSim, I absolutely had headaches the first week and then intermittently after - I love that "not related" bs. I often feel a bit hungover or cognitively fatigued (not physically) but it's really been very tolerable. The rads field feels sore & swollen inside, too, but again, not a big deal.
I'm at 14/20, so 2 whole breast left, then 4 boosts. Skin still barely affected, keep it up, skin! I still praise the Miaderm/Mometasone 1-2 punch as skin miracle workers (and vigilant application, of course).
It's fun that the July rads thread gals are either finished or finishing!
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Good morning all! I agree with those of you who are complaining about headaches. i finished #20 today, and I've had an intermittent headache since day 1. "not related"? humph..... Well after 20 rounds, I am a bit red, but I don't have open sores or blisters - at least not yet. I was fatigued at the beginning, but I think that was more chemo hangover than radiation - maybe a combo of the two. That side effect has gotten better over the last three weeks. Exercise is helping too. My biggest complaint is that my boob and nipple are soooooo sore. My boob is like post-surgery sore. I'm riding in the car with a pillow under my seat belt again. Bra - can't live with it, can't live without it.
The staff enjoyed the fruit basket. I overheard one of them say, "It's so refreshing to get something besides donuts." So I think I made the right choice. I did throw in a few small containers of cookies and some bite size chocolates.
Hugs and prayers to all for a week of successful treatments and minimal side effects!
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GenX - I brought up headaches to my RO, and got a similar dismissal at first. However, he confirmed that radiation is dehydrating, and a hangover is basically caused by dehydration, so in the end he got the logic that radiation could, in theory, cause headaches.
If I am really on top of drinking my water, I have better days. Like others, I cut out alcohol and cut way down on caffeine (1 cup of green tea a day) and it seems to help. Cutting out alcohol also seems to cut down on the fatigue. I have had a small glass of wine or two during the weekends and frankly, it puts me right to sleep! (Like do not pass go, do not collect $200, go straight to bed!)
Right now, I'm anticipating a similar issue to one I had when I finished chemo. Many of my friends, family and work colleagues made the assumption that I was "done" and therefore should be all better, fully recovered, and ready to start taking on responsibilities that I was not ready for. From reading here and talking to the doctors and nurses, symptoms often get worse for the 2-3 weeks following radiation before they start getting better. I'm trying to prepare folks for the likelihood that 2 weeks out from radiation, I'll be *more* tired and sore that I was on my last day and they need to have some patience and understanding that I'll not be leaping any tall buildings in single bounds just yet.
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had my 6th today then doctor after, didn’t even acknowledge there could be side effects yet Wasn’t possible Weird
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I once saw a sign on Facebook or Reddit that was supposedly in a doctor's office that read "Please don't mistake your google search for my actual medical degree!" Someone had posted under it "Please don't mistake your class 15 years ago on my condition with my 15 years of actually living with it."
I suppose the best way is somewhere in the middle. I respect the heck out of my medical team, but one reason I do is that I can talk sensibly with them and ask questions and they take me seriously. Sometimes they patiently explain why I'm wrong, which is fine, and sometimes they consider what I'm asking and change their minds - like with headaches. Rather than just dismissing me, he now tells his patients something like "Although there's not much in the literature about radiation causing headaches, I've had several patients complain. Radiation is dehydrating and that can cause headaches. Staying hydrated can mitigate that, and can also help your skin stay healthier in general. Drinking 10 - 12 cups of water or other liquids a day doesn't hurt and might help, so I'd recommend doing it."
See - how reasonable is that?
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Hi all!
I was in the May group of RADS thread but wanted to let all of you know about a Recommendation that works for me if you’re skin gets really bad…My last day of radiation was July 4.
I didn’t drink alcohol during my 6 1/2 weeks of radiation, I drank a ton of water and each day I rode my bike to and from treatment... I think this is what helped me not get headaches and not be tired and I literally had zero skin issues until the last week of radiation… My skin was only slightly pink, but then the last week and during the boost my complete breast turned dark purple/red and began to blister and itch ...it was very painful and irritating! I tried every prescription cream they gave me but nothing helped.
The only thing that saved me was a prescription for Xeroform medicated gauze...it's used on burn victims and i'm telling you it was: Complete relief and I noticed an immediate healing beginning...not sure why they waited to give this to me so long!? I would put the moist pad over my breast, then a non stick gauze pad over that, and then a comfy bra. I applied these 2x/day, in the morning and then before bed, for about 3 weeks (24/7, The only time they were off was during a shower) and it completely healed my skin. I am totally back to normal with no skin damage. Ask your docs about getting this if you have a bad skin reaction. My skin healed so quickly and it was such a relief to put the pads on my skin.
Good luck to all!
Barb:)
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