Finally cleared for rads!!

joannstar
joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
My PET was clear and although my tumor markers are at 41, I reminded my onc that I had a sinus infection at the time the blood was taken. So he and my radiologist decided I could start my 33 rads treatment on Monday.
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
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Comments

  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    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.
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    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 :)
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    Ritzy 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 :)

    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
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    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
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    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.
    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!
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    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

    Good job, JoAnn!
    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, Renee
  • EllenaMaria
    EllenaMaria Member Posts: 69
    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.
  • JoAnn4818
    JoAnn4818 Member Posts: 83
    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

    You're almost there!
    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!

    JoAnn
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member

    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.

    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
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    JoAnn,
    I felt the same way as you, I just wanted to move on. Rads is a whole lot easier than Chemo...at least for me.

    You do fine!

    Keeping you in prayer,

    Sylvia
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    There ya go!
    On the last leg of the journey, JoAnn. Keep your eye on the finish line, you're almost there!

    Hugs,
    CR
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    joannstar 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
    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,


    Kylez
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    sea60 said:

    JoAnn,
    I felt the same way as you, I just wanted to move on. Rads is a whole lot easier than Chemo...at least for me.

    You do fine!

    Keeping you in prayer,

    Sylvia

    Good luck with rads! Keep
    Good luck with rads! Keep us posted!


    Hugs, Debby
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    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
  • midnight10
    midnight10 Member Posts: 74
    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

    vitamins
    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.
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member

    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
    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.
    Stef
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    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

    Good news and good luck with
    Good news and good luck with radiation!


    Hugs, Jan
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    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

    Good news and good luck with
    Good news and good luck with radiation!


    Hugs, Jan
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    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

    You're welcome JoAnn!
    Sue

    You're welcome JoAnn!


    Sue :)
  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000

    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!
    Good luck Monday JoAnn!


    Hugs, Megan