Starting Radiation January 2020
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Hello, January ladies! I just received an appointment for January 21st at 11 am, for a radiation consultation and a "planning". My radiation will be for my left femur (in my thigh), hips, and lower back, and is for the pain I'm experiencing where cancer has metastasized in my bones. I was wondering if anyone else is having similar areas radiated, and not the breast area. I had a full 30 or 33 day treatment for my left breast in 2004, with no side effects at all, except maybe a little fatigue. The radiation nurse asked me at the time what creams I was using so she could tell her other patients. I remember using Aquaphor and Udder Cream, but I don't recall how or when I applied them. From what I understand, my treatment this time will be different. Just 10 days, not as strong a dose, and different location dynamics with different risks. Can anyone suggest some questions I might ask to help me become prepared? Thanks! I'm already learning from all your great information. I hope radiation is treating everyone well
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Mouse57,
I ordered Calendula cream from iherb.com
I haven't tried it yet (except an allergy test), but this exact cream a nurse told me to use: Calendula cream, First aid by Boiron.
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MikaMika, Oncologist said he was reviewing my films and that's when he said he spotted an enlarged lymph node. I'm scheduled for a repeat breast MRI this Sat. I had my radiation mapping done yesterday but RO said I have to wait now until biopsy of lung is completed. Waiting to hear from that Dr's office.( because I smoke my primary orders a low dose chest CT every other year. I had it done in December. I don't think (if it turns out I have lung CA) that the 2 are related. I'm not a dr. I just play at being one. Anyways OC said lung thing is small and easily tx. Seems I should have quit smoking sooner! As a side note IDT it matters what kind of cream we use. Aquaphor is just expensive petroleum jelly. I did try Canendula cream for my hands last winter and it didn't seem to be any better than other creams. TexCat : best of luck to you. I do think radiation will be easier.
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KIDI919,
Wishing you good results from MRI!
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Thank you MikaMika. Kendrasue: I don't have any suggestions regarding rads but maybe if you ask on one other threads that has info on mets?
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I started my first radiation on 01/09 and will have a total of 30 treatments. RO told me to use Lansinoh cream. I don't like the cream as it is very thick and is difficult to apply
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fac03,
Good luck with your treatment! Wishing you zero SE!
I also started my first radiation on 01/09.
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Hello Fellow Rads, I started in December and with brakes in the holidays I have finished 20 of 30. I thought I was doing great until the last 3 or 4. They have about kicked me in the butt. I have very fair skin and large breast. I am having the biggest problem under my right breast from heat rash. My nurse has suggest that I use corn starch for it and it does help but it is raw. It hurts just to move. I did buy the Miraderm L from Amazon because it has lidocaine and I think it helps with the small “burns" and when I feel uncomfortable on the rest of my breast and I also use aquaphor. I had my lumpectomy with no issues and have felt good and done pretty good emotionally until this weekend. I don't know if has just now hit me or just the rads. Has anyone else had the same issue?
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Hello! I start radiation Jan 20. When I first met RO back in August she said she would do 30 treatments. Then my Onco test came back and I had to do chemo first. Now that chemo is done ( Dec 20), went back to see RO and she said maybe only 21 treatments needed. Wouldn’t know for sure until she develops the plan. Did my ct sim and I got 3 dots for tattoos. Told to use Aloe Vera or aquaphor.
She said no hot tub unless I only stick my legs in. Not sure I can do that living in Northern Minnesota!! I plan to workout every morning before work. I got my treatments scheduled near the end of my work day so could take a nap if I had to afterwards!
I am planning a trip to see my son after all this is done!! So that will keep me motivated. He is a freshman at Arizona State. Didn’t come home for Xmas as I knew I would be sick. So I am missing him terribly.
Thanks for starting this forum! Looking forward to everyone’s thoughts, tips, SE-good/bad.
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Hello, friends!
I start radiation on Wednesday. 28 sessions scheduled, which takes me through Feb. 21. Everyone in the radiation office says this will be a "piece of cake" compared to chemo and I'm certainly hoping they're right. (Although chemo wasn't as terrible as I thought it'd be.) My doctor said to use aloe vera at first. They may prescribe hydrocortisone if things get bad, which I'm anticipating they will with my fair and sensitive skin. I had a friend who went through radiation and said it is a grind. The last couple of weeks, she enlisted someone to go with her just to get her in the door because she didn't feel like going. I'm hoping the next 5 1/2 weeks goes quickly!
Good luck to everyone!
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Got through my first week which was anti-climatic. The setups the first couple days took longer but after that it was less than half an hour - maybe 20 minutes in the radiation room and probably only 10 minutes when the techs where out of the room and the machine was moving around. No skin effects yet (too early to expect too) - I am using aquaphor at night and aloe vera after the treatment. My breast already has some discolor and skin lumpiness because I had a large hematoma/seroma which they had to do a 2nd surgery to clean out - after that it healed up nicely though but the cosmetic result is not as good as it might have been.
My RO was out of town last week - a different doctor just popped in to say hi and see if I had questions. I think I will be meeting with him once a week or so. The two rad techs are both very friendly. There will be 33 treatment in total and my final date is Feb 20.
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1 down 18 to go ... 15 normal and 4 boosts ... I was supposed to start Nov 2019, but I had lumpectomy #3 instead, THEN had to wait for ultrasound because my CT showed mass near aux node, they say it is scar tissue now.
I still have infusions every 3 weeks with Herception and Perjecta (Triple Positive BC).
I am so tired. I was giving Aquaphor, but I requested a script for Hydrophor RX, which is less greasy and I know it works wonders for grandson severe eczema.
Here's to Us, may we have little to no side effects!!!
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I started my Treatments on January 7th, tomorrow will be 9th. Starting to get red, my scar and my axilla are getting sore, stinging and burning. Honestly, I don't know if I can make it through. 30 treatments 25 + 5 boosts. Anyone else feel the same? Taking gabapentin to keep down the nerve pain. I can't imagine another 21.
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Redhead403, sorry for your struggle.
What cream or oil are you using?
I do aquaphor 4x a day and Lidex RX at night, I am only on #5/19 but I do feel sore and tingling. I asked to treat it like sunburn whereas I use apple cidar vinegar for sunburn, I was told no LOL
I have read in other groups where they used silvadene RX, calendula cream, coconut oil, castor oil and or aloe vera juice. Everyone is different, ask for something else if yours is not working.
I like my Lidex, it has a steriod to help with pain, redness and itching.
Hang in there!
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Using aloe aquaphor calendula lidocaine. Radiation is making my nerve pain worse so I have increased my gabapentin . Thanks for responding
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I'm just throwing this out there but maybe it's not a good idea to put an oily cream on an area that is being raditated. My mind just keeps picturing the days when we rubbed ourselves at the beach with baby oil. Aquaphor is petroleum jelly which is made from oil. I'm putting on Gold Bond hand cream on after my tx (only had 3 so far) and that's it. Everyone's skin is different so that maybe a factor. I'm a freckled redhead but not super pale. Thankfully I don't have much nerve pain -- surgical area kind of numb.
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I think the standard instructions are universal, the radiation area be clean and dry atleast 4 hours prior to treatment.
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I finished radiation January 2019, my RO told me to order
Oronine H Ointment from Amazon, it worked great.
Right after treatment I would dap a warm green tea bag over the entire breast then apply the prescribed cream (like cortizone) I think. Every evening I would apply the Oronine Ointment and also apply it again before going to bed. I had no major skin problems.0 -
I’m actually using petroleum jelly (which is just like Aquaphor, really) and organic calendula 3-4x day. Applied hydrocortisone 1% a couple times only. So far this is working great. I finished 12 of 21 treatments with no side effects other than a tan that looks like a “five o’clock shadow” in the radiation field from under my arm to the middle of my chest.
i will try to post an article I read from Yale University Med center recommending petroleum as moisturizer. Also, our RO did not have any time restrictions on moisturizing before treatment so I’ve done it up to one hour before. There’s also research on this - you’d have to put on a really really thick layer before it interferes with treatment, and most women don’t do that.
I agree with other posters that there’s probably a wide variety of moisturizers that can help, so try different ones if needed
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Link to Yale's Onco-Dermatologist discussing skin care: "Use of moisturizers helps to promote skin rejuvenation and healing, which is important because many chemotherapies and radiation therapy result in dry, itchy skin. Lotions with a petroleum base tend to work the best . . .." https://www.yalemedicine.org/stories/onco-dermatologist-helps-cancer-related-skin-hair-and-nail-problems/
Link to research findings regarding OK to apply moisturizer just before treatment as long as not too thick: "Based on the results of this study, the use of topical agents just before radiation therapy can be safely liberalized, which may improve quality of life for patients undergoing radiation therapy, but very thick applications of topical agents just before radiation therapy should still be avoided," https://ascopost.com/News/59460. My RO agrees with this and I have been doing it.
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Thanks for the info!
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Starting radiation tomorrow - 33 with the last 5 being boosts. My radiologist said no antioxidants and only use Aquaphor. I’ve decided to use 100% aloe gel before and after treatment and Aquaphor at night. I’m a rebel, lol. They don’t use tattoos, just a marker. It stains my bra and camisoles so today I bought men’s t-shirts to wear under my work clothes (less expensive than women’s). Hoping everyone has minimal or no SEs! 💜
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Hi ladies! Since no one seems to provide written instructions I thought I'd share what I got from Johns Hopkins. Best wishes to you all and it will be over real soon!
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Boys undershirts make a great substitute for a bra.
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I am sorry for asking such a private question. How do you shave your underarm area? Nurses told me to use an electric razor, but I don't know which one is good, i.e. safe.
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I start 4 weeks of radiation tomorrow. I have the tattoos and am just fine with it. Am glad to be going through this with you all
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I was told not to shave RADS underarm. After 5 treatments my hair is now gone, RT (RADS Technician) said I may never have to shave that arm again, 1 small silver lining.
So I asked if they could hit the other armpit, oh and my legs too... everyone chuckled a little
while they all said No.I also have 2 tat dots on each side, looks like freckles to me.
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Best of luck everyone. Finished day 5 out of 16 this am. My skin looks ok but my breast is sore when I lay on it now. (belly sleeper) It had been getting better. Feels like the area around my incision is getting harder. I have 3 tattoos on my back (tx position is face down) but that's ok cause I have other tattoos elsewhere and plan to get another when this shit is done.
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mikamika I was told not to shave under the arm where the breast is being radiated. I’m not getting lymph nodes radiated so I don’t know if my underarm hair will go away or not. As for an electric razor, I tried a men’s rotary and it just about tore me up. I would just do an online search.
Wish I had the little dot tattoos and my chest and breasts weren’t all marked up.
One down and 32 togo.
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I started Radiation yesterday and was happy to be told I will only 21 treatments rather than 30!! Mar 2 should be my last day! My naive self was totally expecting the treatment to be more than what it actually was. I was on the table for 7 minutes. Didn’t feel anything. They had some 70’s music playing. I have 3 tattoos (dots) to line up the laser beams. I hope the rest of these sessions goes as smooth as the first. I have aloe Vera gel and Aquaphor and use them as I have read others use them.
Kelly
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