Radiation appts/schedule?

Hope this helps
Hi Wolfi! When I had my first appointment, it was to meet my radiation oncologist, the techs and to show me the room with the machine and explain how it works to me. He went over all of my records and told me how they would treat me, including the tattoos and how many rads and boosters I would have. He examined me and gave me all kinds of advice and samples of what to use on my skin. He also gave me a lot of literature to read, all about radiation treatments, the machine, diet and exercise, what to do and what to expect and what to do when I am done with rads.

He then scheduled an appointment for me to come back to get my tattoos and my simulation. I got 4 tattoos. They were just like a little pin prick. They are done with a very tiny needle with blue ink in it. I barely felt them. I did not have molds, so, I can't help you with that. This was also what they called "my simulation". That is where they set you up or line you up for when the rads actually start. This "simulation" appointment took awhile, probably about an hour or hour and a half. You lay on the metal table that you will for your daily rad treatments and they start lining up the machine by their computers to fit you and the area that they will be zapping. Then, they scheduled me for my daily rad treatments, starting the following week.

My rads oncologist told me that if I were to get any dental work done, to let him know, as he would need to prescribe antiobiotics for me. Your mouth can spread infection thru your whole body. Only wear a non aluminum deodorant, like Tom's of Maine. I didn't wear any. I barely sweat and the rads killed my sweat glands so I only sweat on one side now. lol He told me to get lots of rest. I stay up late and he told me stop it. lol

Ask to see the room and the machine. It will ease your anxiety. And, have them explain all of it to you. It just makes it seem so much easier. Hope this helps!

Sue

Ritzy said:

Hope this helps
Hi Wolfi! When I had my first appointment, it was to meet my radiation oncologist, the techs and to show me the room with the machine and explain how it works to me. He went over all of my records and told me how they would treat me, including the tattoos and how many rads and boosters I would have. He examined me and gave me all kinds of advice and samples of what to use on my skin. He also gave me a lot of literature to read, all about radiation treatments, the machine, diet and exercise, what to do and what to expect and what to do when I am done with rads.

He then scheduled an appointment for me to come back to get my tattoos and my simulation. I got 4 tattoos. They were just like a little pin prick. They are done with a very tiny needle with blue ink in it. I barely felt them. I did not have molds, so, I can't help you with that. This was also what they called "my simulation". That is where they set you up or line you up for when the rads actually start. This "simulation" appointment took awhile, probably about an hour or hour and a half. You lay on the metal table that you will for your daily rad treatments and they start lining up the machine by their computers to fit you and the area that they will be zapping. Then, they scheduled me for my daily rad treatments, starting the following week.

My rads oncologist told me that if I were to get any dental work done, to let him know, as he would need to prescribe antiobiotics for me. Your mouth can spread infection thru your whole body. Only wear a non aluminum deodorant, like Tom's of Maine. I didn't wear any. I barely sweat and the rads killed my sweat glands so I only sweat on one side now. lol He told me to get lots of rest. I stay up late and he told me stop it. lol

Ask to see the room and the machine. It will ease your anxiety. And, have them explain all of it to you. It just makes it seem so much easier. Hope this helps!

Sue

Thanks for this explanation
Thanks for this explanation and the tips. I appreciate it.

Angie

Good luck to you with your
Good luck to you with your rads appointment Wolfi!

Hugs

e_hope said:

Hi... I am new to this
Hi... I am new to this site..
I had my first consult in April, where we just went over medical records and her plan for me. Then I did my 5 months of chemo. and just meet with her again last week. Where she answered the numerous questions I had and I signed for consent.. Then I went for ct scan and the tattoos. and will start radiation this coming Tuesday.

Some of the questions I had asked her included....
Why does she feel I need radiation and why the number of treatments, what exactly are they radiating(I had a double mastectomy), side effects and what we could do to reduce those effects, long term side effects, risk for lymphedema( I had lymph nodes removed), working while going through treatment, choices if I didn't want the permanent tattoos...

I would recommend sitting down and brain storm any possible questions and write them down. That way you won't forget anything... That's what I did and she took the time to answer all my questions and I wrote down all her answers that way I wouldn't forget anything..

Lots of good advice and
Lots of good advice and experience here!

Lex♥

Ritzy said:

Hope this helps
Hi Wolfi! When I had my first appointment, it was to meet my radiation oncologist, the techs and to show me the room with the machine and explain how it works to me. He went over all of my records and told me how they would treat me, including the tattoos and how many rads and boosters I would have. He examined me and gave me all kinds of advice and samples of what to use on my skin. He also gave me a lot of literature to read, all about radiation treatments, the machine, diet and exercise, what to do and what to expect and what to do when I am done with rads.

He then scheduled an appointment for me to come back to get my tattoos and my simulation. I got 4 tattoos. They were just like a little pin prick. They are done with a very tiny needle with blue ink in it. I barely felt them. I did not have molds, so, I can't help you with that. This was also what they called "my simulation". That is where they set you up or line you up for when the rads actually start. This "simulation" appointment took awhile, probably about an hour or hour and a half. You lay on the metal table that you will for your daily rad treatments and they start lining up the machine by their computers to fit you and the area that they will be zapping. Then, they scheduled me for my daily rad treatments, starting the following week.

My rads oncologist told me that if I were to get any dental work done, to let him know, as he would need to prescribe antiobiotics for me. Your mouth can spread infection thru your whole body. Only wear a non aluminum deodorant, like Tom's of Maine. I didn't wear any. I barely sweat and the rads killed my sweat glands so I only sweat on one side now. lol He told me to get lots of rest. I stay up late and he told me stop it. lol

Ask to see the room and the machine. It will ease your anxiety. And, have them explain all of it to you. It just makes it seem so much easier. Hope this helps!

Sue

Good job Sue
Sue explained it just the way it happened with me too. The only thing I could add is don't try to follow their conversation when they are doing your simulation. The numbers they throw out at each other will boogle your brain! (LOL) ♥ Pammy

Akiss4me said:

Good job Sue
Sue explained it just the way it happened with me too. The only thing I could add is don't try to follow their conversation when they are doing your simulation. The numbers they throw out at each other will boogle your brain! (LOL) ♥ Pammy

huh? Mine didn't throw out
huh? Mine didn't throw out numbers. They adjusted me by just looking at the computers in the room.

Sue

survivorbc09 said:

Hi and welcome e_hope. My
Hi and welcome e_hope. My rads oncologist pretty much had everything I wanted or needed to know for me. He had each of his patients always write down questions, no matter how silly they might be, and, he uses them for others. Love my rads oncologist!

pretty much the same
I went for my consult with the radiation oncologist where he reviewed my records, answered questions, etc. Then we set an appointment for me to go in for the set up appointment ... when they put me on a table in a room with a cat scan machine. Then they lined up things and took "imprints" of where my shoulders/arms were to be in the correct position. (The "imprint" things turned into molds for my treatments ... so that I was always lined up the same/correct way) I did NOT have tattoos ... instead they put marks on my in serveral places and covered each mark with clear round little "permanant" bandaid things.

After that ... every appointment/treatment was very routine. I'd put on the hospital gown ... open in the front, go into the room with the BIG machine ... get up on the table (which was covered with a sheet) ... lay down and fit into the "mold" ... put my arms up over my head and hold onto 2 poles ... then the techs would move the sheet I was on to get me in the correct position for the radiation beams ... using the markers to line things up. Then the techs would leave the room ... and the treatment would start. Didn't take long at all. Took longer to get in and out of the hospital gown than the treatment took. :-)

Personally... I found the whole experience fascinating. I was totally amazed at what that machine could do.

hugs.
teena