Last Chemo today!!!! (but...)

billswife
billswife Member Posts: 33
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
It's almost 80 here in SC so Kathi, I could probably actually do a happy naked dance Now that my chemo is finished.
Maybe I was still in a fog but after my mastectomy
I thought that both my surgeon in NJ and my oncologist here were not recommending radiation after the chemo. I had 1 positive sentinal node and they took 8 more at the time of the surgery-- all negative. So today my dr says he like me to think about radiation-- I'm borderline I don't HAVE to have it but..
Considering we're about to start radiation with my husband's brain tumors and everyone is saying take advantage of the fact he feels good now, I just don't know what to do.
Has anyone done this type radiation after chemo? About how long is the treatment.
What do you think? (We're not doing anything for 3 weeks, when I go back to see him)
Kathy

Comments

  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #2
    Kathy,
    I had a lumpectomy so I had to do radiation. I found that it was not very bad. After Chemo it was a walk in the park. I had 33 treatments, they did one M-F of each week until I was done. The worst part was getting set up to start with. It did cause some problems with my shoulder.. sore... but other than that it wasn't hard at all. They may can line it up where when you go to the facility to get your husbands rad work done, they may can even schedule the two of you at the same time. They normally have a number of treatment rooms. Let us know how you do....

    But no matter what I will join you in a happy naked dance here in S.C. for you having completed the hardest part of your treatment.

    take Care... God Bless...

    Susan
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    I remember that day in 2004 I felt like all the ''c' cells were blown to pieces and I will survive!!!!! If you feel kind of scared thats normal because I HAD A BIG CRY BECAUSE i FELT SO SECURE BEING IN THE CHEMO CHAIR AND THEN i FELT KIND OF EMPTY AND MISSED THE PEOPLE THERE BUT GOT OVER IT AND KNEW IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON IT WAS HARD BUT YOU WILL MAKE IT AND YOU WILL HELP OTHERS WITH ALL YOU KNOW NOW .tHERE FOR YOU ,Brenda Snow
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #4
    Consider this...
    Congrat's on making thus far through your treatment phase. It is a mile stone to be able to endure all we have to this point. I have to say the only thing that brought radiation was my vote for it. They said don't fit criteria and percentage of gain small. I figured I had gone this far through hell and back and also thought any percentage was better than no percentage of helping keep this disease at bay. I figured they had missed it and let it spread so I had to do what I could to minimize my reoccurance and truly I believe that is all one can do.
    Just my two cents,
    Tara
  • vinniesmom
    vinniesmom Member Posts: 9
    #5
    First off congratulations!!!!

    I had Radiation, i had 32 treatments of it. I believe that it does do some good because it clears out all the bugs that chemo may have left behind.
  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #6
    Congratulations! As I understand it, radiation is automatic after a lumpectomy, if the tumor is 5cm or larger and if you have 4 or more lymphnodes involved. It is optional with less than that. So, I think it depends on the size of your tumor. There is some evidence that the 10 year survival rate is improved with radiation. Good luck with your decision.

    Hugs.

    Lesley
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #7
    Yippee on making it through chemo! As for the radiation, I have read that it may be recommended after a mastectomy to improve disease-free survival time. They are getting better at pin-pointing the radiation, but you might ask about the side effects, time and length of treatments, and what both the positive effects and negative effects of doing and not doing the radiation treatments might be. Also consider your particular philosophy and frame of mind. Will you have any regrets if you don't try this? My dad just had radiation for prostrate cancer (I know, a totally different kind of cancer) but we were expecting lots of side effects from fatigue to blisters and who knows what else. He just finished his treatments Friday and never got burned, hardly slowed down (he says he took a golf cart once or twice the last two weeks instead of carry his own bag), and never lost his appetite or skipped a social event. He's glad it is over but all in all it was not nearly as difficult as he had feared. Good luck making your choice! And congratulations again for making it through chemo!
  • kglmsmom
    kglmsmom Member Posts: 1
    #8
    Hi Billswife,
    Congratulations on finishingh chemo!!!!
    I had a bilateral mastectomy last March 28, followed with 8 chemo (A-C-T) (April - July) and then 30 radiation (Sept & Oct) only on the right side. I had one positive lymph node of 17 removed. I was treated at Duke UMC, best doctors around. There was no discussion, we did it all. I had treatment 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Absolutely no problem at all for 4 weeks, then began to be a little tired. I began to develop what they referred to as a rash. It looked like a sunburn, no pain. By the last day, the skin was beginning to break under my arm. It was a little scary for a few days, ooozing and blistering, but by two weeks, no sign of a problem. I'm "tanned" where the radiation occurred. My sweat glads have been affected. I had none of the bad side effects other than just the skin breaking there at the end. Glad I did it. Hope that helps.

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