What to expect from treatment and ways to cope with side effects.
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Nov 8, 2019 07:38AM
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Kfmama2
wrote:
Hi,
I just had my 3rd treatment out of 20.I’m doing deep breath holds during treatments to move my heart out of the way. Yesterday after my second treatment, I had a bad headache, mild nausea, and brain fog. I had a lumpectomy a month ago and no chemo. Today I told the tech that I didn’t feel great yesterday and she said that the radiation would not have caused those symptoms. Anyone else feel flu-ish after radiation? Thanks
Dx
8/16/2019, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, ER+/PR+, HER2- (FISH)
Surgery
9/25/2019 Lumpectomy: Left
Hormonal Therapy
Radiation Therapy
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Mymomsgirl
Ohio
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Nov 10, 2019 03:25PM
Mymomsgirl
wrote:
Kfmama2 I did the deep breath holds and had no issues except once or twice I felt like I couldn't hold my breath the whole time , but I did it, I'm sure it was anxiety. Have you started any medication yet, like Tamoxifen, that can have those side effects.
Good luck with your remaining treatments.
DX @ 47, the same age as my mother. Surgery was Oncoplastic with IORT and my Oncotype score is a 9.
Dx
10/29/2018, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, 0/3 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Radiation Therapy
12/17/2018 Whole-breast: Breast
Surgery
12/17/2018 Lumpectomy: Left; Lymph node removal: Sentinel; Reconstruction (left); Reconstruction (right)
Radiation Therapy
1/23/2019 Whole-breast: Breast
Hormonal Therapy
3/18/2019 Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone)
gb2115
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Nov 10, 2019 03:51PM
- edited
Nov 10, 2019 03:51PM
by
gb2115
This Post was deleted by gb2115.
Dx IDC in October 2016, stage 2A, 1.2 cm ER/PR+ Her2-, Grade 2, 1/3 nodes. Mammaprint low risk luminal A, Lumpectomy + radiation + tamoxifen. Age 38 at diagnosis.
JO-5
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Nov 10, 2019 04:03PM
JO-5
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I had my radiation back in 04. They assured me that no way would it cause nausea.....but everyone is different.
I drove myself everyday and after the first day when I got so sick driving home, I learned to take crackers and ginger ale.
I would eat the crackers and drink the ginger ale in the car before heading home, then take about an hour nap as soon as I got home.
Yes indeed it made me nauseous and sick.
On the weekends I was ok, so I know it was the rads.....but they never would admit it was possible.
JO-5
Org dx 04 lumpectomy rads arimidex stage 1 grade 3 no nodes er+pr+her- 2014 rads induced angiosarcoma, wide excision 2015 angio recurrence, rt mast. Lat flap, 1/3 flap went necrotic, skin graft leg to chest Seeing dr every 3 to 6 months.
Sara536
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Nov 10, 2019 04:20PM
Sara536
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I so don’t get it when doctors deny or fail to mention possible and known side effects. Do they really think that side effects are “all in our heads” or that warning us will trigger a psychosomatic side effect? Once they have disassociated themselves and the treatments they have prescribed from our actual experience then aren’t they making it difficult to treat or provide relief? So much for trust...
Kfmama2
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Nov 10, 2019 04:24PM
Kfmama2
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Thanks for the validation JO-5!
Mymomsgirl, I haven’t started taking any meds yet.
Dx
8/16/2019, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, ER+/PR+, HER2- (FISH)
Surgery
9/25/2019 Lumpectomy: Left
Hormonal Therapy
Radiation Therapy
Kamboka
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Nov 10, 2019 06:58PM
Kamboka
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KFmama2: I had mild nausea about three weeks into radiation. I swore it was caused from rads but the RO said it wasn't. He said it was probably reflux. He prescribed something for the reflux and, sure enough, it stopped the nausea. I haven't had any nausea since and I'm finishing my six weeks tomorrow. Good luck.
Dx
1/4/2019, IDC, Left, 6cm+, Stage IIIA, Grade 3, 1/7 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- (FISH)
Chemotherapy
3/15/2019 AC + T (Taxol)
Surgery
7/8/2019 Lumpectomy: Left; Lymph node removal: Sentinel, Underarm/Axillary
Surgery
7/23/2019 Lumpectomy; Lymph node removal: Underarm/Axillary
JO-5
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Nov 10, 2019 07:14PM
JO-5
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Pain or difficulty swallowing and heartburn. If your esophagus is in the area being treated, it may become inflamed. ... Some people also get heartburn from radiation to this area. These side effects usually begin the second or third week of treatment.
Radiation Therapy to the Chest | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
I just posted this portion but it is a very long article. I just googled "does radiation cause acid reflux."
JO-5
Org dx 04 lumpectomy rads arimidex stage 1 grade 3 no nodes er+pr+her- 2014 rads induced angiosarcoma, wide excision 2015 angio recurrence, rt mast. Lat flap, 1/3 flap went necrotic, skin graft leg to chest Seeing dr every 3 to 6 months.
gb2115
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Nov 11, 2019 09:52AM
gb2115
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I had a lot of nausea too. Ignore them when they say it's impossible. I also had a scratchy throat the entire time, which went away not long after stopping radiation.
Dx IDC in October 2016, stage 2A, 1.2 cm ER/PR+ Her2-, Grade 2, 1/3 nodes. Mammaprint low risk luminal A, Lumpectomy + radiation + tamoxifen. Age 38 at diagnosis.
Bess57
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Nov 12, 2019 12:07PM
Bess57
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I had a very upset stomach and vague nausea and the Radiation Oncologist was vehement that it was not caused by partial breast radiation. When I told her I also had fatigue, she said that was not possible. That type of response from a health care provider is irresponsible.
I agree with gb2115, ignore them. You know what you are experiencing.
Kfmama2
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Nov 12, 2019 12:13PM
Kfmama2
wrote:
I asked the nurse (as opposed to the radiation therapist) today and she said the same thing. It can’t possibly be from the radiation. At least the nurse said she would confirm with the doctor and get back to me, but I agree that it’s irresponsible. When I look it up on multiple places online, nausea is listed as a rare but possible side effect. I don’t understand why they are dismissing me. It’s so frustrating
Dx
8/16/2019, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, ER+/PR+, HER2- (FISH)
Surgery
9/25/2019 Lumpectomy: Left
Hormonal Therapy
Radiation Therapy
SparkleGirl…
Savannah, Georgia
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Nov 12, 2019 12:16PM
SparkleGirl2018
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I did have nausea and an achy body. Radiologist had me take prilosec daily which did help. And drink A LOT of water. I could tell a big difference in how I felt when I really hydrated. I just kept water with me all day and felt better overall. Good luck with your remaining treatments. I am a little over a month out from having 30 treatments and feel so much better now!!
Dx
11/29/2018, IDC, Right, 3cm, Stage IIB, 2/2 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Surgery
1/21/2019 Mastectomy: Right; Reconstruction (right): Tissue expander placement
Chemotherapy
3/14/2019 AC + T (Taxol)
Radiation Therapy
8/20/2019 Whole-breast: Breast, Lymph nodes
Surgery
Reconstruction (left): Saline implant; Reconstruction (right): Saline implant
mitziandbub…
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Nov 12, 2019 12:23PM
mitziandbubba
wrote:
I felt all of those things during radiation and it happened after 3 days. The effect was not cumulative, I felt AWFUL. I think I was so glad to escape chemo that I assumed radiation would be easy.
Drinking TONS of water as SparkleGirl mentioned helped. Also eating a lot of protein. I gained some weight during radiation.
Surgery
5/9/2019 Lumpectomy: Left
Surgery
5/29/2019 Lymph node removal: Sentinel
Dx
IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 1, 0/4 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Radiation Therapy
Whole-breast: Breast
Wiggy84
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Nov 13, 2019 05:27AM
Wiggy84
wrote:
hiya. I finished my Radiotherapy 8 weeks ago . In the first week i felt a bit nauseated but they told me it was the Tamoxifen that i had started taking.Since finishing the 19 treatments i have been cold . Not just cold but very cold ! Ive gone from someone who was always warm to someone condidering wearing gloves indoors 🙄 im wondering if its somehow linked to the radiotherapy /Tamoxifen ? Has anyone else found this has happened to them ?
Moderators
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Nov 13, 2019 08:52AM
Moderators
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Dear Wiggy84,
Welcome to the BCO community. We are sorry for your breast cancer and the treatment side effects but so glad that you reached out to our members for their support. You may also want to check out the Bottle of Tamoxifen Topic in the Hormonal Therapy Forum for more input around effects of Tamoxifen. Let us know if we can be of assistance in helping you to get connected and to stay active here.
The Mods
Bess57
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Nov 14, 2019 05:56PM
Bess57
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Thank you very much for your reply posts. I really appreciate them. I am so glad to be part of this community. Good luck to all.
DorothyB
Houston area, Texas
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Nov 14, 2019 06:10PM
DorothyB
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I had nausea from radiation - not severe, but sort of "car sick" feeling. MD Anderson's website says that can be a side effect of radiation but my radiologist said it wasn't.
Diag. 4/19/2019 ER+ PR+ HER2 neg Lumpectomy 5/29/2019 IDC w/ DICS 2.0 cm Grade 3
Kfmama2
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Nov 14, 2019 07:07PM
Kfmama2
wrote:
I finally talked to my RO. He asked me more about the nausea and I said it happened almost immediately after radiation. He said, “well then I think we have to assume the radiation is causing the nausea.” I’m glad he didn’t dismiss me. He took the time to show me images on the computer to show that my stomach is outside the field of radiation but agreed it could be a possible side effect. I also told him of the “brain fog” I have been having. He says he has heard that before but can’t explain it. Luckily, both of these side effects have been better over the past couple of days.
Dx
8/16/2019, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, ER+/PR+, HER2- (FISH)
Surgery
9/25/2019 Lumpectomy: Left
Hormonal Therapy
Radiation Therapy
Sara536
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Nov 14, 2019 09:32PM
Sara536
wrote:
There’s nothing like having your experience validated! A doctor who listens with an open mind builds trust.!
AliceBastab…
Missouri
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Nov 15, 2019 01:17AM
AliceBastable
wrote:
My radiation was late last year. I didn't have nausea, but the RO said the left side whole breast radiation would not harm my heart or lungs, and that it was precisely platted on the computer to miss those organs. I had to see a cardiothoracic surgeon in June for an unrelated matter. I mentioned the radiation (thinking more about the skin, should surgery be necessary), and he said it was good that I'd brought it up because of the heart damage it could cause. When I told him what the RO had said, he just gave me a pitying look and shook his head, gently explaining that there's always SOME damage. Then I had a chest and abdomen CT for another issue (yep, I'm falling apart!), and that showed a little scarring smudge on my left lung, new since the CT I had last year. My oncologist said it was from radiation. So I guess the RO lied through his teeth.
Endometrial cancer 2010, basal cell multiples, breast cancer 2018, kidney cancer 2018. Cancer's a bitch, but I'm a bigger one with more practice.
Dx
5/2018, ILC/IDC, Left, 2cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, 1/1 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Surgery
7/10/2018 Lumpectomy: Left; Lymph node removal: Sentinel
Surgery
8/7/2018
Radiation Therapy
10/28/2018 Whole-breast: Breast, Lymph nodes
gb2115
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Nov 15, 2019 11:37AM
gb2115
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I wonder if the nausea is just due to stress on the body. I mean, it doesn't matter that the radiation beams only hit your breast, your body is still going to mobilize what it needs to, in order to fix the damage. I feel like that could cause a systemic nausea. And if you think about it, nausea isn't necessarily caused by only one organ. It doesn't happen only because something is wrong with your stomach. I get it from headaches, inner ear things like car sickness, and stress--morning sickness during pregnancy, medications, etc. So it's not like it will only happen during radiation if a specific body part is radiated. Anyway, I always felt that was what caused it. I have no scientific proof of any of this, it's just something I've thought about a lot. I could be wrong though, who knows.
I had a scratchy throat for most of radiation as well, and it caused dry gums and dry eyes. The MO, the dentist, and the eye doctor all said that radiation "scatter" is real, and can cause side effects. For my nausea, the radiation oncologist and the nurse suggested that I had the flu. When I pointed out that one doesn't have the flu for 6 weeks with no other symptoms like a fever, with symptom improvement over the weekend only to start back over on Monday afternoon (several hours after treatment), they really couldn't say much. They stuck by their flu theory and I'm still disappointed by it. You would think an RN and MD would know better.
Dx IDC in October 2016, stage 2A, 1.2 cm ER/PR+ Her2-, Grade 2, 1/3 nodes. Mammaprint low risk luminal A, Lumpectomy + radiation + tamoxifen. Age 38 at diagnosis.
JO-5
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Nov 15, 2019 04:41PM
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Nov 15, 2019 04:43PM
by
JO-5
gb2115,
Interesting you mention scatter. The tech doing my rads told me that as hard as they try radiation does not stay in just one spot it kind of reaches its lowest point like water.
I have had esophageal problems ever since my rads were over in 04. When I eat I have phlegm. Not a lot and not every time. My dr and PO said it was from radiation. It is much much better now, but back then very scary.
I have a friend that went through rads about the same time I did. She has been dx w/chronic fatigue and her PCP thinks it is from rads.
Then there is radiation recall. It often presents as a rash, or the sick/nausea thing.
JO-5
Org dx 04 lumpectomy rads arimidex stage 1 grade 3 no nodes er+pr+her- 2014 rads induced angiosarcoma, wide excision 2015 angio recurrence, rt mast. Lat flap, 1/3 flap went necrotic, skin graft leg to chest Seeing dr every 3 to 6 months.
Levron
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Nov 19, 2019 12:08PM
Levron
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I had 30 rads & throughout rad treatments I felt great! The last few rads I was burning a bit (like a bad sun-burn) but tolerable, not much pain, small amount of fatigue & overall at rad completion I felt wonderful. THEN a few weeks after rad was done BOTH my arms developed EXTREME pain! I could not sleep & was screaming in pain a lot! THE WORST PAIN EVER! Dr diagnosed it as "neuropathy". I had surgery to cut nerves in both wrists, instantly the pain stopped & I mended well with no further problems. My point is no one told me neuropathy could be a possible side effect of rad. When I asked rad Dr why this isn't disclosed he said if his patients knew all the POSSIBLE side effects they would never agree to be treated with rad.
JO-5
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Nov 19, 2019 05:35PM
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Nov 19, 2019 05:36PM
by
JO-5
Levron
Absolutely the exact same answer I got when I asked my BS why patients were not told that Secondary Angiosarcoma was a possibility. Quote: "Because no one would have radiation and lives would be lost."
I am not sorry I had the radiation because without it I might not be here today.
I was just one of the very few that got sec. angio.
Only 1/2 of 1% ever get angio from rads but I still think we should be told all the possibilities. Ignorance is not bliss!
JO-5
Org dx 04 lumpectomy rads arimidex stage 1 grade 3 no nodes er+pr+her- 2014 rads induced angiosarcoma, wide excision 2015 angio recurrence, rt mast. Lat flap, 1/3 flap went necrotic, skin graft leg to chest Seeing dr every 3 to 6 months.
giggs
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Nov 29, 2019 06:33AM
giggs
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I'm so sorry we've all been through this. I had radiation this summer. I've had a hard time emotionally because people can't "see" the effects of radiation and think I'm fine. Emotionally radiation was so much harder than I thought it would be, and I'm still dealing with that. I had no immediate physical SE from radiation. A couple months ago I started having skin pain. No breakouts, nothing you could see, just nerve pain. All the time. RO nurse told me that it's common. Well, I wasn't told about it. I went to a skin care class at a cancer wellness house and purchased the products recommended, safe for BC, and they did help if I used them all the time, all day. It still comes and goes.
surgery invasive ductal carcinoma 3/28/19
Dx
3/1/2019, IDC, Right, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, 0/1 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Kfmama2
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Nov 29, 2019 07:33AM
Kfmama2
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Giggs, it’s been difficult for me, too. I feel guilty complaining because it’s such an easy treatment compared to others. There is something about lying on a table, exposed, unable to move or speak (due to the snorkel tube in my mouth for breath holds), and being poked and prodded, that is emotionally difficult. Luckily the initial nausea went away after a few treatments and never came back. Instead, the itching and fatigue have set in. The fatigue is making me feel easily winded. I’m in good shape, but now even walking the dog feels like a trek. Only 3 treatments left
Dx
8/16/2019, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, ER+/PR+, HER2- (FISH)
Surgery
9/25/2019 Lumpectomy: Left
Hormonal Therapy
Radiation Therapy
Sara536
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Dec 2, 2019 02:01AM
Sara536
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The talk about radiation scatter has me wondering why my left chest and thyroid were not covered when my right chest was treated with radiation. Dentists cover us when taking dental x-rays. Are RO’s less careful for some reason? Has anyone here been covered with the kind of “lead blankets” used by dentists?
Nargaret
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Dec 5, 2019 10:31AM
Nargaret
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I had my radiation in May. You know how you know you were having side effects from the radiation even though they tell you " you should not be having any"? When they start going away. It's been 6 months for me and I am feeling like I am just now getting some of my energy and stamina back. I look back and think about how tired I was! If I went to the store after work I would have to hang on to the cart for support and drag myself home to the couch. I was not on Letrozol during radiation and I was have killer hot flashes, sun and heat sensitivity, depression, fatigue and but most especially tiredness. I really feel that all of those things have subsided. So why do "they" not want to acknowledge us when we do ?
It makes you feel like you are going crazy and so unsupported, adding one more unpleasant thing about the process of trying to survive.
My opinion is YES you will most likely have side effects from having live radio active material put in your body, I don't see how you could not. We are all different and it will effect each of us differently. I am grateful after 6 months that some of my issues are subsiding and hope they continue to do so.
To 'they" I hope they start listening and acknowledging their patients and what they are feeling is real and start supporting them though it instead of denying they exist.