Question About Radiation**

GlowMore
GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
in Breast Cancer #1

Back in 2002/2003 when I had my Chemo and Radiation....they told me that I had had he Maximum Radiation that I could have.  (about 33 to 35 ....Daily except for Weekends) but I just read one of the Home Pages on here where a gal said that she had Radiation and then years later had another 35 hits...........so what I am wondering is this.   Is it possible that the Radiation is simply different for each of us and that the amount we are  Zapped with is also different?    AND NOW THAT I TYPE THIS ....I REALIZE...OF COURSE IT IS DIFFERENT.      This Cancer Beast is different for each one of us......but we all have to fight it with the same amount of strength and resolve....and help each other with the same amount of love and hope and encouragement.    

Comments

  • GMcD
    GMcD Member Posts: 134
    #2
    This is something I've

    This is something I've wondered about myself.  Your conclusion is probably right on.  We are all different and so therefore treatments are different too.  Best Wishes.

  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #3
    could it have been that she had rads on one side first
    Then had 33 more to anpther area?
    I had rads to hips,pelvic and tailbone. Then a year later repeated it. I asked and was told she did 13 treatments the first round, then the second time around did another 13 at max dose, so ow I can never have it there again. Then they did my right hip again with my right thigh and calf/knee but this time she could do a small area of the hip that was not done the first time around.
    And they did the thorasic spine. Now we are looking at my cervical spine and left calf/knee and thigh but cant touch the left hip bcuz of the amount that it got the first time.
    So who knows?
    A lot of this is like a puzzle, or as my rads onco says it is just spot welding!
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
    I was told close to 5 years

    I was told close to 5 years ago that I could not ever have more radiation to the area irradiated but if needed in the future for other sites, I could have it.

    There are different protocols for different breast cancers.  I had 25 and no Boosts.  Some will have more, some will have boosts some not.

    Actually, my rads after UMX was the second time I had had radiation (not for a cancer).  When I was about 18 mths old my tonsils were taken out and radiation was used to the area to supposedly keep them from 'growing back'. Didn't work - they grew back anyway and at 68 still have the healthy second set of tonsils.  Because of the rads to throat, especially when so young, the potential for thyroid issues were possible so I've been monitored all my life.  It was at least somewhat common to do until into the 60's.

    Winyan - The Power Within 

    Susan

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #5
    Rague said:

    I was told close to 5 years

    I was told close to 5 years ago that I could not ever have more radiation to the area irradiated but if needed in the future for other sites, I could have it.

    There are different protocols for different breast cancers.  I had 25 and no Boosts.  Some will have more, some will have boosts some not.

    Actually, my rads after UMX was the second time I had had radiation (not for a cancer).  When I was about 18 mths old my tonsils were taken out and radiation was used to the area to supposedly keep them from 'growing back'. Didn't work - they grew back anyway and at 68 still have the healthy second set of tonsils.  Because of the rads to throat, especially when so young, the potential for thyroid issues were possible so I've been monitored all my life.  It was at least somewhat common to do until into the 60's.

    Winyan - The Power Within 

    Susan

    Radiation...

    Thanks everybody....it really is something to think about.....I suppose we are tracked by the Oncologists and all that...but we probably need to be aware of this.    What they told me earlier was that Radiation was Cumulative....and that it did not matter what part of the body received the radiation...that we all can only have so much and then no more...or the radiation itself can cause cancers.  I worry even when they want to xray my teeth now....but then I shrug my shoulders and realize how Blessed I have been to live this long and....WTHeck Difference does it make to me now?  But no matter how old we get....we still would like to have a little more time...Way back when I was a little girl they had machines in the Shoe Stores that you would step up to and your feet fit inside and you looked in the top and saw the bones in your foot and you could see if you had enough room inside the shoe or not....the Idiots were using xrays on children...oh me.   And then there are all the clocks they sold with those luminous dials that would shine in the dark....those sent out radiation too.........ah well....  Time for a piece of Apple Pie....    :)

     

     

  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    #6
    GlowMore said:

    Radiation...

    Thanks everybody....it really is something to think about.....I suppose we are tracked by the Oncologists and all that...but we probably need to be aware of this.    What they told me earlier was that Radiation was Cumulative....and that it did not matter what part of the body received the radiation...that we all can only have so much and then no more...or the radiation itself can cause cancers.  I worry even when they want to xray my teeth now....but then I shrug my shoulders and realize how Blessed I have been to live this long and....WTHeck Difference does it make to me now?  But no matter how old we get....we still would like to have a little more time...Way back when I was a little girl they had machines in the Shoe Stores that you would step up to and your feet fit inside and you looked in the top and saw the bones in your foot and you could see if you had enough room inside the shoe or not....the Idiots were using xrays on children...oh me.   And then there are all the clocks they sold with those luminous dials that would shine in the dark....those sent out radiation too.........ah well....  Time for a piece of Apple Pie....    :)

     

     

    I had uterine cancer and when

    I had uterine cancer and when I had a recurrence back in 2009, we asked the radiation/oncologist if they radiate the area and it came back could we get more radiation.  He said no.  Once that area was radiated, I could not receive any more radiation to that particular area.   My husband ask then what happens if it comes back to that area?   The radiation/oncologist then said it would be fatal.   Needless to say, I did not get radiation, nor chemo.  In fact, I went to another facility all together and had it surgically removed (I was told it was inoperable).  And since then, I have been on a wait and see approach.    At least I didn't have to make that decision at that time.

    But you are right, everyone and every physician's treatment is different.   Last year I had to go to medexpress and was told that I probably had pneumonia but they didn't want to do an x-ray on me.  I said What?   Do you realize how much radiation I have been through?   I little x-ray wouldn't hurt me.   The assistant said, either way, the treatment will be the same so we prefer not to do an x-ray.   Go figure!

    So this year alone, I have had a CT Scan, Chest X-ray (for a surgical procedure), CT during a biopsy, 2 PET scans, 1 PET/MRI, CT during stent surgery, and I will probably have another several x-rays and possible one more PET scan this year.  Luckily, the ultrasound I just had doesn't have radiation!  lol

    Gee - maybe I should call myself GlowMore2  lol  - just kidding!!

    Send over the pie!!!

    Kathy

    P.S.  By the way, the physicans do not really know what the long term effects of radiation are.  I had 3 HDR brachytherapies in August of 2006.   Well I just got one of the long term effects.   My left ureter located near my bladder was blocked.  Originally, they thought it was the tumor that my ureter was going through, but the urologist said no its was near the bladder and is probably related to the radiation I had 8 years ago.   

    Sorry I am rambling!

     

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #7
    Kaleena said:

    I had uterine cancer and when

    I had uterine cancer and when I had a recurrence back in 2009, we asked the radiation/oncologist if they radiate the area and it came back could we get more radiation.  He said no.  Once that area was radiated, I could not receive any more radiation to that particular area.   My husband ask then what happens if it comes back to that area?   The radiation/oncologist then said it would be fatal.   Needless to say, I did not get radiation, nor chemo.  In fact, I went to another facility all together and had it surgically removed (I was told it was inoperable).  And since then, I have been on a wait and see approach.    At least I didn't have to make that decision at that time.

    But you are right, everyone and every physician's treatment is different.   Last year I had to go to medexpress and was told that I probably had pneumonia but they didn't want to do an x-ray on me.  I said What?   Do you realize how much radiation I have been through?   I little x-ray wouldn't hurt me.   The assistant said, either way, the treatment will be the same so we prefer not to do an x-ray.   Go figure!

    So this year alone, I have had a CT Scan, Chest X-ray (for a surgical procedure), CT during a biopsy, 2 PET scans, 1 PET/MRI, CT during stent surgery, and I will probably have another several x-rays and possible one more PET scan this year.  Luckily, the ultrasound I just had doesn't have radiation!  lol

    Gee - maybe I should call myself GlowMore2  lol  - just kidding!!

    Send over the pie!!!

    Kathy

    P.S.  By the way, the physicans do not really know what the long term effects of radiation are.  I had 3 HDR brachytherapies in August of 2006.   Well I just got one of the long term effects.   My left ureter located near my bladder was blocked.  Originally, they thought it was the tumor that my ureter was going through, but the urologist said no its was near the bladder and is probably related to the radiation I had 8 years ago.   

    Sorry I am rambling!

     

    Hey Kaleena

    Thanks for the information on your Radiation .......and so sorry for all that stuff you have been and are going thru...........I was reading your page and then this post and THEN I remembered that you came to our BC board because of your Mom I think it was right?   So how is she doing?  As for the rambling....we all do that here but you know that  :)    I'd send you some pie if I could for sure  but here is a HUG instead  (((HUG)))   ***  Hang in there..........

     

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