How many rads did you have ?

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TP123
TP123 Member Posts: 53
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am in the process of completing chemo (3 more Taxol to go), then surgery and then rads. How long (how many weeks?) between surgery and rads and then how many rads? I know we are all different but just wondering what everyone has to say. THANX ahead of time.
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  • smalldoggroomer
    smalldoggroomer Member Posts: 1,184
    #2
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    I finished chemo on the 12Th
    I finished chemo on the 12Th of Sept Had surgery on the 1st of Nov and I still have to do Radiation also. I will be having 30 treatments. They will be everyday ( weekdays no weekends )for 6 weeks. I know at the end some of them are boosters but I don't know what that means I haven't had them yet. I am sure some one will be along that can explain it better then I. Take care and good luck.
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #3
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    I had 33.
    I went 5 days a week for several weeks. Wasn't that bad for me because I did not have chemo. Be sure that you buy some aloe get and use it often.

    Roseann
  • Snowkitty
    Snowkitty Member Posts: 295
    #4
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    I had 33 rads, with the last
    I had 33 rads, with the last 6 or 7 being boosters. Boosters just radiate the scar site, so your other parts heel up quickly. I got more exhausted with each rad, although it didn't hit me that I was till about my 25th or so and I had some near car accidents and had a hard time doing routine tasks. Last rad today, and I am feeling great...more peppy.

    Good luck, cindy
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #5
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    8 wks radiation
    I had surgery April 3-started radiation may 12th finished June 28th...(so about 40 treatments I think)5 days a week
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #6
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    disneyfan2008 said:

    8 wks radiation
    I had surgery April 3-started radiation may 12th finished June 28th...(so about 40 treatments I think)5 days a week

    Hey TP
    I had 30 rads 25 all over and then 5 boosters. The boosters are just of the incision site. I had a lumpectomy followed by 4 rounds of chemo then just a little over 3 weeks after the last chemo I started rads.I did get tired at about week 4-5 but not just terribly so. I burned some but not bad enough to delay treatments. The boosters were not to bad and the other area started to heal. It really does go faster than you think it will at the begining. Best of luck! God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #7
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    We're all so different!
    I had 25 rads starting 1 week after the last of 12 weekly Taxol.

    The 'time line' depends on your type of BC, you and your Drs. For me (I'm IBC) - everything went quickly. DX'd Aug 8, 09, port in Aug 25, next day started 4 A/C 2 weeks apart on Aug 26, 2 weeks after last A/C had mod. rad. mast.. 3 weeks after surgery started 12 weekly Taxol and started 25 rads the week after last Taxol. I had no 'booster' as they are directing at the tumor site not the overall area when the area actually involved is small - not possible in my case. You really need to discuss with your Rads Dr as only he/she will know your personal situtation.

    Good Luck

    Susan
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #8
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    Thanks for asking this
    Thanks for asking this question, as I have rads to look forward to also. I know everyone's treatment plan is different, but it does give me a broad idea of what to expect.

    Hugs everyone,

    Linda
  • beetle25
    beetle25 Member Posts: 150 Member
    #9
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    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Thanks for asking this
    Thanks for asking this question, as I have rads to look forward to also. I know everyone's treatment plan is different, but it does give me a broad idea of what to expect.

    Hugs everyone,

    Linda

    I had 33 radiation
    I had 33 radiation treatments with the last 8 being what they call the booster shot. I went 5 days a week, had to take 5 days off due to burn and extreme fatigue. I started radiation treatments about 1 month following my lumpectomy. Saw the medical oncologist 2 weeks after surgery and then saw the radiation oncologist 1 wwk after that and then it took about two weeks to get everything set up.
  • heidijez
    heidijez Member Posts: 441
    #10
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    just started rads this week . . .
    i had almost eight months of chemo, had my mastectomy on september 15, and just had my first radiation treatment this past monday. so i have three under my belt and 29 to go. i am also ibc (inflammatory breast canccer)
  • GayleMc
    GayleMc Member Posts: 311 Member
    #11
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    heidijez said:

    just started rads this week . . .
    i had almost eight months of chemo, had my mastectomy on september 15, and just had my first radiation treatment this past monday. so i have three under my belt and 29 to go. i am also ibc (inflammatory breast canccer)

    After chemo I had 33 rad
    After chemo I had 33 rad treatments, 8 of which were boosters. It sounds like so long when you first start but it does go quickly. Rest and use your creams that are recommended and you'll be a rad grad before you know it! Best Wishes.
  • MNLynn
    MNLynn Member Posts: 224
    #12
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    27 rad treatments . . .
    . . . this was after a mastectomy. I had 25 treatments to the whole area, and 2 boosters at the end. They used a bolus on some of my treatments (every other one, if I remember right) and that's what made my skin burn the most . . . they actually changed my treatments toward the end because of that. I used Aquaphor ointment (usually at night with an old shirt - very greasy) and Aloe Vera with lidocaine during the day. The good news was that once I was done with the treatments, my skin healed quickly (although I did use some prescription pain meds toward the end of my treatments). Hope that things will go well for you . . .

    ♥ Lynn ♥
  • Hubby
    Hubby Member Posts: 325
    #13
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    More Than Half Way
    Donna is doing a newer protocol with higher doses and fewer treatments. 16 whole breast + 5 boosters; 12 out of 21 done!!! Last chemo was Sept. 29th; rads started October 26th. A little fatigue setting in, but NOTHING like chemo. She can function. You are obviously going to be different from her, having surgery in the middle. Good Luck!!

    Bob
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #14
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    Hubby said:

    More Than Half Way
    Donna is doing a newer protocol with higher doses and fewer treatments. 16 whole breast + 5 boosters; 12 out of 21 done!!! Last chemo was Sept. 29th; rads started October 26th. A little fatigue setting in, but NOTHING like chemo. She can function. You are obviously going to be different from her, having surgery in the middle. Good Luck!!

    Bob

    21 for me, too
    I'm on the same protocol as Donna. I started Nov. 1. Tomorrow is a holiday and I also have the Thanksgiving break off (Th, Fri) so I won't be done until Dec. 2 since they add the missed days on to the end like "snow days". I have completed 8 of 21 and no side effects at all yet.

    I'm wondering 1) when to expect the onset of any potential fatigue or burns; and 2) how long does it hang on after radiation is completed? I've asked both the radiation oncologist and her resident and they tell me not everyone has side effects, especially breast cancer patients. Well, they haven't had the treatments (and they're just children!) so I'll check in with the folks who have actually experienced radiation - you gals!

    Suzanne
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #15
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    smalldoggroomer said:

    I finished chemo on the 12Th
    I finished chemo on the 12Th of Sept Had surgery on the 1st of Nov and I still have to do Radiation also. I will be having 30 treatments. They will be everyday ( weekdays no weekends )for 6 weeks. I know at the end some of them are boosters but I don't know what that means I haven't had them yet. I am sure some one will be along that can explain it better then I. Take care and good luck.

    Thank you for your response,
    Thank you for your response, it really helps.
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #16
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    roseann4 said:

    I had 33.
    I went 5 days a week for several weeks. Wasn't that bad for me because I did not have chemo. Be sure that you buy some aloe get and use it often.

    Roseann

    Thanks for the tip on aloe,
    Thanks for the tip on aloe, I will be buying some. Love the scoop from "those in the know".
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #17
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    Snowkitty said:

    I had 33 rads, with the last
    I had 33 rads, with the last 6 or 7 being boosters. Boosters just radiate the scar site, so your other parts heel up quickly. I got more exhausted with each rad, although it didn't hit me that I was till about my 25th or so and I had some near car accidents and had a hard time doing routine tasks. Last rad today, and I am feeling great...more peppy.

    Good luck, cindy

    Thank you for letting me
    Thank you for letting me know about the fatigue. I asked my onc's NP and she said,"no, not like A & C. I had LESS fatigue with A & C than I did with Taxol. So I'm concerned about rads in that respect (will I be able to work?). Just have to wait but appreciate knowing some people experience it.
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #18
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    disneyfan2008 said:

    8 wks radiation
    I had surgery April 3-started radiation may 12th finished June 28th...(so about 40 treatments I think)5 days a week

    Thanks for letting me know.

    Thanks for letting me know.
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #19
    Options
    Rague said:

    We're all so different!
    I had 25 rads starting 1 week after the last of 12 weekly Taxol.

    The 'time line' depends on your type of BC, you and your Drs. For me (I'm IBC) - everything went quickly. DX'd Aug 8, 09, port in Aug 25, next day started 4 A/C 2 weeks apart on Aug 26, 2 weeks after last A/C had mod. rad. mast.. 3 weeks after surgery started 12 weekly Taxol and started 25 rads the week after last Taxol. I had no 'booster' as they are directing at the tumor site not the overall area when the area actually involved is small - not possible in my case. You really need to discuss with your Rads Dr as only he/she will know your personal situtation.

    Good Luck

    Susan

    Thanks. I will discuss with
    Thanks. I will discuss with rads dr. but won't be seeing him again until a while after surgery (Prob mid or late Jan. 2011).
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #20
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    heidijez said:

    just started rads this week . . .
    i had almost eight months of chemo, had my mastectomy on september 15, and just had my first radiation treatment this past monday. so i have three under my belt and 29 to go. i am also ibc (inflammatory breast canccer)

    Thanks for responding. Best
    Thanks for responding. Best of luck to you.
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #21
    Options
    MNLynn said:

    27 rad treatments . . .
    . . . this was after a mastectomy. I had 25 treatments to the whole area, and 2 boosters at the end. They used a bolus on some of my treatments (every other one, if I remember right) and that's what made my skin burn the most . . . they actually changed my treatments toward the end because of that. I used Aquaphor ointment (usually at night with an old shirt - very greasy) and Aloe Vera with lidocaine during the day. The good news was that once I was done with the treatments, my skin healed quickly (although I did use some prescription pain meds toward the end of my treatments). Hope that things will go well for you . . .

    ♥ Lynn ♥

    Thanks for responding. I
    Thanks for responding. I love your tips on shirts and hope for healing quickly. Best to you and hope all goes well for you too.

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