Finally cleared for rads!!
I'm so happy to be going to the next phase of treatment. I am no longer afraid, knowing the my docs will keep checking me and will be able to give me something if necessary. They don't think that I'll burn, maybe just tan (although my breast skin is virgin territory--never been exposed to the sun).
So maybe I'll be done with treatment by the end of March!!
While my doctor didn't use the word NED, he did say I could consider myself "IN REMISSION"!
I like the sound of that!!
Thank you all for your support we all travel down the road to recovery.
Hugs,
JoAnn
Comments
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JoAnn, that is wonderful
JoAnn, that is wonderful news. I am happy that you are going to complete rads. Soon, you'll be a member of the RADS GRAD Club. I know, another club you never wanted to join. If your rads onc is like mine, he will see you weekly to check your skin and make any changes to the creams, etc. I'll be standing at the end of the tunnel with the light waiting for you to exit. It will all be over before you know it. Good luck and sending a (((hug))) your way. Take care.0 -
I like the sound of it too!
Congrats Joann for being "In Remission". I will take that any old day! I can hear the band playing in the background and NED is on his way to your house, so, get your dancing shoes out and get ready for a very, very long dance!
This is my advice for rads, so, just remember that please.
Be sure and ask for cremes to use from day one. I used Biafine and Aquaphor right from the start and even though my skin got really dark pink, I never burnt, nor, did I tan. Biafine was for any burn, and, Aquaphor was to keep my skin moist, which you really want. I wore my hubby's old tshirt because Aquaphor is really greasy, and, I could just throw it away when I finished rads. But, only use what your OWN rads oncologist suggests.
Be gentle with your skin. Even though you won't see any changes for a few weeks, your skin is "cooking", and, you need to be gentle with the area that is being radiated. Don't scrub it when you shower or bathe.
No deodorant unless it is aluminum free. I used Tom's of Maine, but, didn't need it actually because rads killed my sweat glands. So, I have no hair under my arm anymore, nor, do I sweat. Cool, huh? lol
If you take vitamins or tamoxifen, be sure your rads oncologist knows this. Mine didn't allow me to take any vitamins while having rads.
The room where I got treated was freezing, so, wear long pants and even socks. The techs always had a warm blanket for me too.
The techs also let my husband watch when I was being treated. They had explained it all to both of us, but, he felt better seeing what was happening to me and I loved the idea of him just being outside that big steel door.
Well, enough of my advice huh? Good luck to you!
Sue
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Good adviceRitzy said:I like the sound of it too!
Congrats Joann for being "In Remission". I will take that any old day! I can hear the band playing in the background and NED is on his way to your house, so, get your dancing shoes out and get ready for a very, very long dance!
This is my advice for rads, so, just remember that please.
Be sure and ask for cremes to use from day one. I used Biafine and Aquaphor right from the start and even though my skin got really dark pink, I never burnt, nor, did I tan. Biafine was for any burn, and, Aquaphor was to keep my skin moist, which you really want. I wore my hubby's old tshirt because Aquaphor is really greasy, and, I could just throw it away when I finished rads. But, only use what your OWN rads oncologist suggests.
Be gentle with your skin. Even though you won't see any changes for a few weeks, your skin is "cooking", and, you need to be gentle with the area that is being radiated. Don't scrub it when you shower or bathe.
No deodorant unless it is aluminum free. I used Tom's of Maine, but, didn't need it actually because rads killed my sweat glands. So, I have no hair under my arm anymore, nor, do I sweat. Cool, huh? lol
If you take vitamins or tamoxifen, be sure your rads oncologist knows this. Mine didn't allow me to take any vitamins while having rads.
The room where I got treated was freezing, so, wear long pants and even socks. The techs always had a warm blanket for me too.
The techs also let my husband watch when I was being treated. They had explained it all to both of us, but, he felt better seeing what was happening to me and I loved the idea of him just being outside that big steel door.
Well, enough of my advice huh? Good luck to you!
Sue
Thanks for the tips.
My radiologist has given me aquaphor and told me not to use deodorant before treatment (I'm hoping to schedule it on the way to work in the morning), but to bring it if I like. I bought Tom's of Maine and while it is not my favorite I live in Florida so I must use something as the weather warms.
I'm not allowed to take any vitamins except 2000 IUs of vitamin D until treatment is done (I wasn't allowed any during chemo either).
Thank you all again for all of the support!!
Hugs,
JoAnn0 -
I'm dancing for you!!!
GREAT news!!!
Before you know it, all of this will be like a fading dream!
I had 33 rads for my breast cancer, 20 rads for my rectal cancer...and I'm well enough, 5 years later, to run thru the airport to make my flight to London!!! Yea!!!
Dutch expat hugs, Kathi0 -
Ritzy gave you great tips.joannstar said:Good advice
Thanks for the tips.
My radiologist has given me aquaphor and told me not to use deodorant before treatment (I'm hoping to schedule it on the way to work in the morning), but to bring it if I like. I bought Tom's of Maine and while it is not my favorite I live in Florida so I must use something as the weather warms.
I'm not allowed to take any vitamins except 2000 IUs of vitamin D until treatment is done (I wasn't allowed any during chemo either).
Thank you all again for all of the support!!
Hugs,
JoAnn
Ritzy gave you great tips. The only other one I can think of is to make sure that your rads oncologist sees your skin, at the least, once a week.
Good luck JoAnn!0 -
Good job, JoAnn!KathiM said:I'm dancing for you!!!
GREAT news!!!
Before you know it, all of this will be like a fading dream!
I had 33 rads for my breast cancer, 20 rads for my rectal cancer...and I'm well enough, 5 years later, to run thru the airport to make my flight to London!!! Yea!!!
Dutch expat hugs, Kathi
You're going to do great with the rads. So glad you get to continue on this journey and that you'll finish soon.
Hugs, Renee0 -
I had a thought, check with
I had a thought, check with your doc. They told me no deodorant at all until after radiation is complete. I stopped wearing it mid Aug 2010 and have only put it on twice recently when we went snowboarding. I am not normally a sweaty person but am surprised how I don't sweat anymore.0 -
You're almost there!joannstar said:Good advice
Thanks for the tips.
My radiologist has given me aquaphor and told me not to use deodorant before treatment (I'm hoping to schedule it on the way to work in the morning), but to bring it if I like. I bought Tom's of Maine and while it is not my favorite I live in Florida so I must use something as the weather warms.
I'm not allowed to take any vitamins except 2000 IUs of vitamin D until treatment is done (I wasn't allowed any during chemo either).
Thank you all again for all of the support!!
Hugs,
JoAnn
I'm so happy to see you're starting rads and will soon be done with all your treatments. I'll be praying that it goes easily for you!
JoAnn0 -
I will check with my doc.EllenaMaria said:I had a thought, check with
I had a thought, check with your doc. They told me no deodorant at all until after radiation is complete. I stopped wearing it mid Aug 2010 and have only put it on twice recently when we went snowboarding. I am not normally a sweaty person but am surprised how I don't sweat anymore.
It was the rads tech that told me I could put it on if necessary after treatment--I'll double check. I know that I don't sweat as much as I used to except when a hot flash (what I call a tropical heat wave) hits.
I appreciate the suggestion.
Hugs,
JoAnn0 -
I couldn't put anything onjoannstar said:I will check with my doc.
It was the rads tech that told me I could put it on if necessary after treatment--I'll double check. I know that I don't sweat as much as I used to except when a hot flash (what I call a tropical heat wave) hits.
I appreciate the suggestion.
Hugs,
JoAnn
I couldn't put anything on the area being radiated for hours, I think 6 hours before. So, no deodorant, no cremes, nothing. Be sure and ask if you can or can't. As far as I know, you could afterwords, just like you can put your cremes on afterwords.
Wishing you good luck,
Kylez0 -
HOPE all goes smoothly-JoAnn
MY drs have nevered used the word NED , remission or anything..they just say ALL looks good..
I hardly got any tan... but I was surprised at end when I did notice it...big square box type tan...I never really thought of it during treatments but I THOUGHT it was a pin pointed spot not the whole area.!
good luck....
Denise W0 -
vitaminsjoannstar said:Good advice
Thanks for the tips.
My radiologist has given me aquaphor and told me not to use deodorant before treatment (I'm hoping to schedule it on the way to work in the morning), but to bring it if I like. I bought Tom's of Maine and while it is not my favorite I live in Florida so I must use something as the weather warms.
I'm not allowed to take any vitamins except 2000 IUs of vitamin D until treatment is done (I wasn't allowed any during chemo either).
Thank you all again for all of the support!!
Hugs,
JoAnn
My radiation oncologist told me to take D, which I was, but also a stress vitamin with B-6 and B-12 in it and extra vitamin C. Guess every doc is different! My brother who is a respiratory therapist said the B vitamins can help prevent lung damage from radiation.0 -
Positive thoughts that yourdisneyfan2008 said:HOPE all goes smoothly-JoAnn
MY drs have nevered used the word NED , remission or anything..they just say ALL looks good..
I hardly got any tan... but I was surprised at end when I did notice it...big square box type tan...I never really thought of it during treatments but I THOUGHT it was a pin pointed spot not the whole area.!
good luck....
Denise W
Positive thoughts that your rads is without any problems. I only browned and peeled. I used the creams liberally keeping in mind that they shouldn't be used 4 hours before rads. I would slather on the aquaphor as soon as I was in the dressing room. To keep it from going onto my bra and clothes I cut up old tee shirts into pieces and put them in my bra between the bra and skin. After I was all done I heard someone say they used nursing pads. I also put the cream under the arm area but did it lightly until I was home.
Good luck with rads and be sure and tell your doctors if you have any problems with skin, fatigue, or anything else.
Stef0 -
Good news and good luck withjoannstar said:Good advice
Thanks for the tips.
My radiologist has given me aquaphor and told me not to use deodorant before treatment (I'm hoping to schedule it on the way to work in the morning), but to bring it if I like. I bought Tom's of Maine and while it is not my favorite I live in Florida so I must use something as the weather warms.
I'm not allowed to take any vitamins except 2000 IUs of vitamin D until treatment is done (I wasn't allowed any during chemo either).
Thank you all again for all of the support!!
Hugs,
JoAnn
Good news and good luck with radiation!
Hugs, Jan0 -
Good news and good luck withjoannstar said:Good advice
Thanks for the tips.
My radiologist has given me aquaphor and told me not to use deodorant before treatment (I'm hoping to schedule it on the way to work in the morning), but to bring it if I like. I bought Tom's of Maine and while it is not my favorite I live in Florida so I must use something as the weather warms.
I'm not allowed to take any vitamins except 2000 IUs of vitamin D until treatment is done (I wasn't allowed any during chemo either).
Thank you all again for all of the support!!
Hugs,
JoAnn
Good news and good luck with radiation!
Hugs, Jan0 -
You're welcome JoAnn!joannstar said:Good advice
Thanks for the tips.
My radiologist has given me aquaphor and told me not to use deodorant before treatment (I'm hoping to schedule it on the way to work in the morning), but to bring it if I like. I bought Tom's of Maine and while it is not my favorite I live in Florida so I must use something as the weather warms.
I'm not allowed to take any vitamins except 2000 IUs of vitamin D until treatment is done (I wasn't allowed any during chemo either).
Thank you all again for all of the support!!
Hugs,
JoAnn
Sue
You're welcome JoAnn!
Sue 0 -
Good luck Monday JoAnn!disneyfan2008 said:HOPE all goes smoothly-JoAnn
MY drs have nevered used the word NED , remission or anything..they just say ALL looks good..
I hardly got any tan... but I was surprised at end when I did notice it...big square box type tan...I never really thought of it during treatments but I THOUGHT it was a pin pointed spot not the whole area.!
good luck....
Denise W
Good luck Monday JoAnn!
Hugs, Megan0
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