NOT AGAIN DITTO

Ingrid K

Tonsil Dad said:

Don't worry......
I know its easier said than done, but you will be fine. I was scared to death
At the fitting and going through the CT machine all strapped up like Hannibal
Lecter, but when I went for my first rad session I had asked if he would cut
The eyes and mouth out and he had it ready so when they put it on me it was
No where near as bad as the first time and also the room was nice and bright
With music ( Jimmy Buffett one day Billy Joel the other ) and the machine was
All open that rotated around me so I had no problems from then on.

You WILL be fine and it will soon be history,
By the way I still have my mask.

God bless
Tonsil Dad,

Dan.

open and you don't go into a tube thingy
Ditto, Dan brings up a GREAT point, not sure it was mentioned before... UNLIKE a tube to slide into, the rad machine goes around you....it is all very open, so it reduces the claustrophia sensation. My room was all very bright while they were getting me fitted on the table and the mask into place, and the techs asked me if I wanted the lights on or off. Left them ON the first 2 times, then shut them off (after talking to them, they said most patients want them out... easier to zone out)... plus most will offer to play whatever CD you bring with (just ask)

phrannie51

Ingrid K said:

open and you don't go into a tube thingy
Ditto, Dan brings up a GREAT point, not sure it was mentioned before... UNLIKE a tube to slide into, the rad machine goes around you....it is all very open, so it reduces the claustrophia sensation. My room was all very bright while they were getting me fitted on the table and the mask into place, and the techs asked me if I wanted the lights on or off. Left them ON the first 2 times, then shut them off (after talking to them, they said most patients want them out... easier to zone out)... plus most will offer to play whatever CD you bring with (just ask)

I chose dim lights for the same reason as Ingrid said...
..far easier to zone out. What I've learned over 3 weeks...is that the mind takes on the rads as part of the daily ritual...just like going to work...but far shorter duration. It just gets easier and easier....and the time seems shorter and shorter....

p

ditto1

phrannie51 said:

I chose dim lights for the same reason as Ingrid said...
..far easier to zone out. What I've learned over 3 weeks...is that the mind takes on the rads as part of the daily ritual...just like going to work...but far shorter duration. It just gets easier and easier....and the time seems shorter and shorter....

p

Lights out
Thanks to all of you. Just need to get there. Hey P good job. Im so proud of the way you have gone from a nervous rookie to an inspirational Veteran of this new world.. I still feel like a rookie, guess I will get on the Field tuesday for Chemo.

phrannie51

ditto1 said:

Lights out
Thanks to all of you. Just need to get there. Hey P good job. Im so proud of the way you have gone from a nervous rookie to an inspirational Veteran of this new world.. I still feel like a rookie, guess I will get on the Field tuesday for Chemo.

You and I'll be doing our chemo's at the same time...
I get my second one on Tues.....so while you're getting yours, keep in mind you aren't there alone that day....you've got a bus mate doing the same exact thing!!

p

ditto1

phrannie51 said:

You and I'll be doing our chemo's at the same time...
I get my second one on Tues.....so while you're getting yours, keep in mind you aren't there alone that day....you've got a bus mate doing the same exact thing!!

p

Ok
will look forward to knowing the Bus is able to park on tuesday while we get it done. Again thanks for being a friend.

Mikemetz

ditto1 said:

Ok
will look forward to knowing the Bus is able to park on tuesday while we get it done. Again thanks for being a friend.

My mask experience
As always, those of us on here have very different experiences at every stage of treatment, and beyond, but for what it's worth, I had no problems during the mask fitting session. But the first time they put the hardened mask on, it pressed against my tumor and I went into a total white-knuckle panic. The techs were great to cut part of the mask away until it was comfortable for me and still worked for them. I took Atavin for the first week or so, and then stopped once I did the 'mind over matter' thing and got comfortable with all the whirring and zapping going on around me. It was no piece of cake, but a lot of other things were (and have been) a lot worse for me along the way.

Mike

Jims_wife

Ingrid K said:

take 'em
Ditto: TAKE THE DRUGS....don't try and go without, since you are so apprehensive. TAKE THE DRUGS.... oh and by the way, TAKE THE DRUGS. like phrannie says, that's what they were made for. At for the first time, for sure take the Ativan before the fitting and maybe session #1 until you can actually see what's involved. It's not fun, but very do-able.

Definitely take them
Your basic concern right now should be to get through your treatments. This is what our doctor told us because Hubby was very concerned about what was being prescribed.

My husband is finally through with radiation and chemo. He would start choking on his saliva every time he laid back on the radiation table, and he knew he'd have a problem starting when they fitted his mask. A Xanax taken one hour to 1/2 hour before radiation did wonders and he got through all seven weeks of radiation with no problems. (Chemo was another story.)

If you're on Ativan or Xanax for a short period of time, you should be okay. If you stop and you find you have withdrawal symptoms, just keep cutting your doses in half every other day.

Good supplements are (to relax) Valerian, Suntheanine, True Calm and (for sleep) Melatonin. We either asked our doctor or brought in our supplements and let his nurse practitioner go through them. I don't know who was more surprised that they actually worked - me or Hubby.

PS - I've been lurking on this forum since December and the information I found got us both through some really bad times.

katenorwood

Mask...
Hey, it's a real experience....they show you one before hand, but until your on the table you have no idea. It's not too bad just funky feeling....and yes they do the scan after to make sure the sites for rad., are exact. I actually had several once rad started, due to the site of where my tumor had been. Good luck, and I'm sorry you have to go through this...but you will be able to help the next person going through this. Katie

Skiffin16

Jims_wife said:

Definitely take them
Your basic concern right now should be to get through your treatments. This is what our doctor told us because Hubby was very concerned about what was being prescribed.

My husband is finally through with radiation and chemo. He would start choking on his saliva every time he laid back on the radiation table, and he knew he'd have a problem starting when they fitted his mask. A Xanax taken one hour to 1/2 hour before radiation did wonders and he got through all seven weeks of radiation with no problems. (Chemo was another story.)

If you're on Ativan or Xanax for a short period of time, you should be okay. If you stop and you find you have withdrawal symptoms, just keep cutting your doses in half every other day.

Good supplements are (to relax) Valerian, Suntheanine, True Calm and (for sleep) Melatonin. We either asked our doctor or brought in our supplements and let his nurse practitioner go through them. I don't know who was more surprised that they actually worked - me or Hubby.

PS - I've been lurking on this forum since December and the information I found got us both through some really bad times.

Welcome - Xanax
LOL, to both...you first Mrs. Jim...

But I took Xanax also for the first week of the mask..actually I started halfing them after the second day.

Didn't need them after the first week.

The wet mask initially is like the "waterboard torture", LOL... But with a caring nurse, it goes by quickly and is less dramatic after the mesh hardens and dries for treatment.

JG