Radiation CT Scan and plan today

pinkkari09
pinkkari09 Member Posts: 877 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Good morning, so I have to tell you, my lungs are still really bad and no one has any answers. Today I have my appointment to get set up for radiation and I'm scared to death! What's going on with me, I've undergone 16 chemo treatments, already had surgery and that didn't have me feeling this way. Maybe it's all this stuff I'm reading about rads, the burning, etc... or maybe it's just another down in this roller coaster ride. I gotta tell ya, I'm sick of having cancer! Not being able to breath is really driving me crazy, they ran an antibiotic, I use an inhaler, I cough all the time and it's so painful to my incision sights, feels like I'm going to rip right open. I smoked for 25 years and never coughed, quit the day I went into surgery. They tried six times to get an I.V. in to run the die in order to look at my lungs, after six veins collapsing they just gave up. I pray it's me being paranoid, but I do wonder at times, did this beast get into my lungs? I wish they would get to the bottom of it. Anyhow, wish me luck with my radiation set up today, I know it's a painless procedure, I'm just being a baby and really getting run down. I need a vacation and rads are going to keep me at bay for 7 weeks, yuck!
~Kari

Comments

  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #2
    Hope this clears up soon
    OH, Kari, I wish you luck with your procedure and prayers that they get to the bottom of all this. I know what you mean about the panic. I am so intune to every single thing that feels out of the ordinary. I was never sick before all of this and now I am feeling aches, pains and discomfort everywhere. I have smoked for 30+ years myself and I have quit a few times since diagnosis but it never sticks. I last a week and go back. I am planning to quit again tomorrow. I read that the chances for mestasticizing (how the heck do you spell that anyway??) to the lungs during radiation is 50% greater if you continue to smoke. I'm hoping that's enough to make me stop for good! I have felt a pain that is coming from the lung area since I was doing chemo. My onco didn't seem to be concerned but I'm changing oncologists and will see what the new one says. Of course, I can't help but wonder if it's in my lungs. I hope you get an answer soon, as I'm sure it will clear up your breathing when you can relax your mind. I know problems can arise with your lungs from the anesthesia so hopefully that's all it is. Please let us know as soon as you find out.

    Hugs, Mar
  • pinkkari09
    pinkkari09 Member Posts: 877 Member
    #3
    Hey Mar...
    Those nasty little things are vicious. And I have to say the hardest habit to break, but it can be done. I tried a hundred times, it's been almost a month now and I hope to God I have it this time. Just got marked up today, think rads start on Mon. will see. Feeling a little better, I think what really kills me is that all the places I go for cancer are all the places I took my Mom to two years ago (lung cancer from smoking), I even sat in the same chair as she did for chemo, today was really bad, the place I went today is where they told me that "there's nothing more we can do, it's only a matter of time now". I bawled my eyes out, she was 62 and it had metastasized to her brain, she was my best friend. Anyhow, kick that habit girl, we can be support buddies on that too, I'm here for ya!!
    Hugs,
    Kari
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #4
    pinkkari09 said:

    Hey Mar...
    Those nasty little things are vicious. And I have to say the hardest habit to break, but it can be done. I tried a hundred times, it's been almost a month now and I hope to God I have it this time. Just got marked up today, think rads start on Mon. will see. Feeling a little better, I think what really kills me is that all the places I go for cancer are all the places I took my Mom to two years ago (lung cancer from smoking), I even sat in the same chair as she did for chemo, today was really bad, the place I went today is where they told me that "there's nothing more we can do, it's only a matter of time now". I bawled my eyes out, she was 62 and it had metastasized to her brain, she was my best friend. Anyhow, kick that habit girl, we can be support buddies on that too, I'm here for ya!!
    Hugs,
    Kari

    Hey Kari,
    Don't be so hard on yourself, you're definitely not a baby...you are recovering from three large surgies all at once. Anyone by itself is bad enough. It takes time. And I know you are sick of waiting to feel better. I really hate the loss of control over me, hving to do all these treatments and then wait for them to be over, to be well again. Just a few more weeks and you will be on the road to being boss over you again.

    Congrats on quitting smoking! It's a big deal! When I quit I chewed tons of sugarless bubble gum and kept my mouth busy blowing bubbles and played with straws, tieing and untieing etc. and kept my hands busy. It was those rituals of smoking I missed the most. But keeping my mouth and hands busy really helped. I quit 26 years ago last month. YOU CN DO IT GIRLS!

    Good luck with rads and hope it's over quickly. Keep us posted on the lungs...

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • Different Ballgame
    Different Ballgame Member Posts: 868
    #5
    I'm Addressing Smoking That Cigarette
    I smoked for 42 years. I am hoping that what I am going to share may help you. As we all know smoking is an addiction, but it also is an association. Cigarette has many chemicals within the tobacco. Nicotine level can change within the year for your cigarette.

    Look for a vitamin that is called Stresstabs. It has multple B vitamins along with Vitamin C. This is an amazing vitamin as it has a calming effect on the body.

    It has been 9 years since I quit smoking.

    GOOD LUCK

    Lots of Hugs and Lots of Love,
    Janelle
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #6
    Different Ballgame said:

    I'm Addressing Smoking That Cigarette
    I smoked for 42 years. I am hoping that what I am going to share may help you. As we all know smoking is an addiction, but it also is an association. Cigarette has many chemicals within the tobacco. Nicotine level can change within the year for your cigarette.

    Look for a vitamin that is called Stresstabs. It has multple B vitamins along with Vitamin C. This is an amazing vitamin as it has a calming effect on the body.

    It has been 9 years since I quit smoking.

    GOOD LUCK

    Lots of Hugs and Lots of Love,
    Janelle

    I haven't heard about Stresstabs in years...
    I'm gonna check with my onc first and then get some. I love the idea of somethng non-narcotic having a calming effect. Do you take them every day?

    Thanks for the info.

    Judy :-)
  • Different Ballgame
    Different Ballgame Member Posts: 868
    #7
    Skeezie said:

    I haven't heard about Stresstabs in years...
    I'm gonna check with my onc first and then get some. I love the idea of somethng non-narcotic having a calming effect. Do you take them every day?

    Thanks for the info.

    Judy :-)

    Calming is Not The Word for Stresstabs - Magical is the Word
    I am married to an Italian - quick tempered before being on Stresstabs. He would react to the smallest, insignificant topic before Stresstabs. How does "Fly off the handle" sound? I made him take Stresstabs when he reached the age of 40. Sometime later (1-2 months, I'm not sure) I thought he had matured and was thrilled. I did not connect it to the Stresstabs at that time. A number of years later he started to act like he once had before he had matured. I said to myself, "Once you mature, you do not regress, you do not go backwards in maturity." Then I found out that he had stopped taking his Stresstabs. He didn't believe me when I told them the effect they had on his body. He would not take them for the next few years and then finally went back to them. He takes them daily. Guess what. Last year he (69 years old) became explosive again with the smallest, insignificant topics. After a few outbursts, I became suspicious and asked him if he was taking Stresstabs. He said, "No." I said, "Get back on them." He's taking them again.

    As for me, I had a period in my life that was so stressful that i thought more than once that I was going to have a heart attack. I took the Stresstabs and they did calm my body inside. Stresstabs does not get rid of your stress. Stresstabs helps your body to be calm so you can handle the stress.

    Stressbabs should have Vitamin C and various Vitamin Bs. Both of these vitamins are water soluable...so what your body does not need, it eliminates through your urine. If you urine is a bright yellow, that means you don't need the Vitamin B and your body is eliminating them. If you urine is not that bright yellow, it means that your body has used the Vitamin B. At least, that is how it works with my body.

    As with everything, whether it be vitamins, herbs, or drugs. you must be careful when you take them as you don't know if you are the person who could have an adverse reaction. In my case, I started taking vitamins when I became 40. Per my doctor, I started out with one vitamin at one time for one week. If I had no reaction, then I knew how to proceed. Always...with any new dosage in vitamins, if I increased my dosage, I always increased a small increments and once a week. Allergy reaction can happened up to 7 days from contact.

    Good Luck,
    Janelle
  • Different Ballgame
    Different Ballgame Member Posts: 868
    #8
    I Do Wish You Luck
    I do wish you all the luck with your radiation treatment. You are not being a baby. You are tuned into your body and you want answers, and rightly so. Unfortunately, there are times when we cannot get an answer and that's what drives us crazy. May those 7 weeks fly quickly.

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #9
    pinkkari09 said:

    Hey Mar...
    Those nasty little things are vicious. And I have to say the hardest habit to break, but it can be done. I tried a hundred times, it's been almost a month now and I hope to God I have it this time. Just got marked up today, think rads start on Mon. will see. Feeling a little better, I think what really kills me is that all the places I go for cancer are all the places I took my Mom to two years ago (lung cancer from smoking), I even sat in the same chair as she did for chemo, today was really bad, the place I went today is where they told me that "there's nothing more we can do, it's only a matter of time now". I bawled my eyes out, she was 62 and it had metastasized to her brain, she was my best friend. Anyhow, kick that habit girl, we can be support buddies on that too, I'm here for ya!!
    Hugs,
    Kari

    Your subject
    Kari, thanks so much for your offer to be my support buddy, as God knows, I can use all the support I can get! Thank you.

    I didn't mean to change the subject of your post and hope that we can all keep this focused on your concerns. You've quit smoking and that's terrific! Let's stay on this... we know we can't keep smoking with cancer already having been in our bodies!

    How difficult it must be to be surrounded by those memories of your mom, Kari, but it's terrific that you are taking the step to make things different for you!

    I WILL stay in touch with you!

    Hugs, Mar
  • laurissa
    laurissa Member Posts: 773
    #10
    Hi Kari
    I'm sorry to hear about your lungs causing you problems. Don't worry about radiation. You've been through the worst I think. I'm right behind you with rads. Those 7 weeks will fly by. Take care.
  • natly15
    natly15 Member Posts: 1,941
    #11
    Kari you vent as much as you
    Kari you vent as much as you want, that's one of the reasons why we are here. I hope they come up with a reason for your coughing. I coughed a lot when I was getting A/C. It could just be all that your body has been thru with chemo, surgery, anesthesia etc.

    I'm rooting for you and Marlene to stay off those cigarettes. I know how hard it is. I quit 30 years ago, but started about 4 years ago to take one here and there with the gals at the office. My husband would absolutely flip out if he knew this. Sometimes I wonder if those cigarettes smoked in those 4 years contributed to my current situation. If it did there is nothing I can do to change it. I would start again if I knew they wouldn't or couldn't harm me, but I refuse to take that chance again. Cigarettes are an absolute addiction and that includes the mental and physical.

    Hope you had a good day with your first radiation. Tomorrow I get my 7th chemo with one more to go. I'm also looking forward to getting on with my life. I want my hair, I want to be done with treatment, and I want at least some of my energy back along with a not so foggy brain. We will all get thru this and come out the other side of the tunnel and see the sunshine.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #12
    natly15 said:

    Kari you vent as much as you
    Kari you vent as much as you want, that's one of the reasons why we are here. I hope they come up with a reason for your coughing. I coughed a lot when I was getting A/C. It could just be all that your body has been thru with chemo, surgery, anesthesia etc.

    I'm rooting for you and Marlene to stay off those cigarettes. I know how hard it is. I quit 30 years ago, but started about 4 years ago to take one here and there with the gals at the office. My husband would absolutely flip out if he knew this. Sometimes I wonder if those cigarettes smoked in those 4 years contributed to my current situation. If it did there is nothing I can do to change it. I would start again if I knew they wouldn't or couldn't harm me, but I refuse to take that chance again. Cigarettes are an absolute addiction and that includes the mental and physical.

    Hope you had a good day with your first radiation. Tomorrow I get my 7th chemo with one more to go. I'm also looking forward to getting on with my life. I want my hair, I want to be done with treatment, and I want at least some of my energy back along with a not so foggy brain. We will all get thru this and come out the other side of the tunnel and see the sunshine.

    after you stop smoking do
    after you stop smoking do you cough to get rid of the "crap" thats in your lungs? like a detoxification.? Your lungs have taken a battering from the long surgery and you didnt quit that long ago. I am not an expert but I would think just finishing chemo, you would not have symptoms to this extent so soon.

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