How many rads did you have ?

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  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #22
    Hubby said:

    More Than Half Way
    Donna is doing a newer protocol with higher doses and fewer treatments. 16 whole breast + 5 boosters; 12 out of 21 done!!! Last chemo was Sept. 29th; rads started October 26th. A little fatigue setting in, but NOTHING like chemo. She can function. You are obviously going to be different from her, having surgery in the middle. Good Luck!!

    Bob

    Wow! Didn't know about the higher dose possibility for some people. Helps to know before discussion with rad dr. Did she lose hair with rads? Mine is just starting to grow back in even while I'm on Taxol! Sorry, meant to post this to "Hubby". LOL!!
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #23
    Double Whammy said:

    21 for me, too
    I'm on the same protocol as Donna. I started Nov. 1. Tomorrow is a holiday and I also have the Thanksgiving break off (Th, Fri) so I won't be done until Dec. 2 since they add the missed days on to the end like "snow days". I have completed 8 of 21 and no side effects at all yet.

    I'm wondering 1) when to expect the onset of any potential fatigue or burns; and 2) how long does it hang on after radiation is completed? I've asked both the radiation oncologist and her resident and they tell me not everyone has side effects, especially breast cancer patients. Well, they haven't had the treatments (and they're just children!) so I'll check in with the folks who have actually experienced radiation - you gals!

    Suzanne

    Thanks for letting me know
    Thanks for letting me know about your experience so far and for asking more questions that i hadn't thought of yet. Knowledge enhances power over the "beast" and I WILL WIN!
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #24
    disneyfan2008 said:

    8 wks radiation
    I had surgery April 3-started radiation may 12th finished June 28th...(so about 40 treatments I think)5 days a week

    Thanks for letting me know
    Thanks for letting me know another experience and what might occur. I just had no idea.
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #25
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    Hey TP
    I had 30 rads 25 all over and then 5 boosters. The boosters are just of the incision site. I had a lumpectomy followed by 4 rounds of chemo then just a little over 3 weeks after the last chemo I started rads.I did get tired at about week 4-5 but not just terribly so. I burned some but not bad enough to delay treatments. The boosters were not to bad and the other area started to heal. It really does go faster than you think it will at the begining. Best of luck! God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    Thanks Janice
    Thanks for your input and encouragement. I didn't know about boosters. Just helps to know these things, ya know?!!
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #26
    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Thanks for asking this
    Thanks for asking this question, as I have rads to look forward to also. I know everyone's treatment plan is different, but it does give me a broad idea of what to expect.

    Hugs everyone,

    Linda

    Gabe and Abby Mom-
    So glad to hear I am not alone. We are on the "same page". Thanks for the support.
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #27
    Rad count
    I had 6 weeks of (30) rads the first cancer bout and ten additional weeks (50) of rads the second time around. Be sure to avoid direct sun light on any area's (like the neck) that may be exposed as it may increase the possible burn. I also used aloe and it was very soothing along with sween cream. My best to you!

    RE
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    #28
    TP123 said:

    Wow! Didn't know about the higher dose possibility for some people. Helps to know before discussion with rad dr. Did she lose hair with rads? Mine is just starting to grow back in even while I'm on Taxol! Sorry, meant to post this to "Hubby". LOL!!

    28
    so...how do they know how many treatments to give?

    Just wondering...
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #29
    RE said:

    Rad count
    I had 6 weeks of (30) rads the first cancer bout and ten additional weeks (50) of rads the second time around. Be sure to avoid direct sun light on any area's (like the neck) that may be exposed as it may increase the possible burn. I also used aloe and it was very soothing along with sween cream. My best to you!

    RE

    Thanks for the info and tips. Hey, do you know if a tattoo affects anything with rads?
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #30
    MNLynn said:

    27 rad treatments . . .
    . . . this was after a mastectomy. I had 25 treatments to the whole area, and 2 boosters at the end. They used a bolus on some of my treatments (every other one, if I remember right) and that's what made my skin burn the most . . . they actually changed my treatments toward the end because of that. I used Aquaphor ointment (usually at night with an old shirt - very greasy) and Aloe Vera with lidocaine during the day. The good news was that once I was done with the treatments, my skin healed quickly (although I did use some prescription pain meds toward the end of my treatments). Hope that things will go well for you . . .

    ♥ Lynn ♥

    35 radiation treatments for
    35 radiation treatments for me, and, 5 were boosters. It varies with everyone as to how many they have. Good luck!
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #31
    TP123 said:

    Thanks for the info and tips. Hey, do you know if a tattoo affects anything with rads?

    :-)
    I really do not know, but there are lots of folks here who have tats and I have never heard it was an issue. Be sure to ask that question when you go to meet the radiation doctor and I am sure he/she can give you a good answer.

    Hugs,

    RE
  • sparkle1
    sparkle1 Member Posts: 242
    #32
    I'm almost done with rads.
    I'm almost done with rads. After today 2 more to go out of 33. My skin however is very raw in some spots and hurts terribly. I've been using biafine, betamethasone, aquaphor, and now silver sulfadiazine. Hope your experience is better. On a positive note I didn't really get the fatigue until around week 4-5. My sister and cousin are treating me to a trip to Jamaica when this is over.

    Sparkle
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #33
    sparkle1 said:

    I'm almost done with rads.
    I'm almost done with rads. After today 2 more to go out of 33. My skin however is very raw in some spots and hurts terribly. I've been using biafine, betamethasone, aquaphor, and now silver sulfadiazine. Hope your experience is better. On a positive note I didn't really get the fatigue until around week 4-5. My sister and cousin are treating me to a trip to Jamaica when this is over.

    Sparkle

    Hope you're doing better
    Hope you're doing better soon. You deserve Jamaica! How nice!!! Knowing about how the fatigue was delayed gives me a little hope. Thanks for the input.
  • Sunrae
    Sunrae Member Posts: 808
    #34
    TP123 said:

    Hope you're doing better
    Hope you're doing better soon. You deserve Jamaica! How nice!!! Knowing about how the fatigue was delayed gives me a little hope. Thanks for the input.

    Had a masectomy first, then
    Had a masectomy first, then 12 weeks of Taxotere and Cytoxan, given once a week. Had a 4 week rest, and then had 7 weeks of rads, 5 days a week, total of 35 inc. 7 boosters. Just finished 2 weeks ago, got burned real bad toward the last 2 weeks but now starting to heal good and burns are healing up. I don't think tattoos will affect rads one way or the other, in fact I was tattooed in a few places to mark where the rads were to be done. Best wishes to you.
  • TP123
    TP123 Member Posts: 53
    #35
    Sunrae said:

    Had a masectomy first, then
    Had a masectomy first, then 12 weeks of Taxotere and Cytoxan, given once a week. Had a 4 week rest, and then had 7 weeks of rads, 5 days a week, total of 35 inc. 7 boosters. Just finished 2 weeks ago, got burned real bad toward the last 2 weeks but now starting to heal good and burns are healing up. I don't think tattoos will affect rads one way or the other, in fact I was tattooed in a few places to mark where the rads were to be done. Best wishes to you.

    Thank you
    Your comments are appreciated. I went ahead and got the tattoos. One says,"hope" with breast cancer ribbons worked into the script and it's no bigger than a playing card. Hope is my middle name so I love it even more. And I got a tattoo that says, "No needles, No B/P" on my left arm so that after my surgery I won't have to wear a medical bracelet that says it. I'd forgotten that sometimes they tat your areas to rad. Hope you continue to do well.
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #36
    TP123 said:

    Thanks for the info and tips. Hey, do you know if a tattoo affects anything with rads?

    I had the tattoos with rads.
    I had the tattoos with rads. It marks the spots for the techs to line you up with the machine, so, it is a good thing. It also will alert any medical person that should ever work on you that you have had radiation on that side or sides of your chest. They are so tiny that you can barely see them, but, people in the medical staff are aware of them.

    I can barely see mine now. I really have to look. LOL
  • cwillnow
    cwillnow Member Posts: 12
    #37
    TP123 said:

    Thank you
    Your comments are appreciated. I went ahead and got the tattoos. One says,"hope" with breast cancer ribbons worked into the script and it's no bigger than a playing card. Hope is my middle name so I love it even more. And I got a tattoo that says, "No needles, No B/P" on my left arm so that after my surgery I won't have to wear a medical bracelet that says it. I'd forgotten that sometimes they tat your areas to rad. Hope you continue to do well.

    Hi..I had a lumpectomy on
    Hi..I had a lumpectomy on July 27,2010 and started rads on Sept 30th. 33 treatments in all (23 whole breast and 10 boosters). Just finished today!! WOOHOO...Got tired fast and burned around treatment 21. Healing very well now. Make sure you start using your creams right away. Don't wait until you get burned. Good luck.

    Carol

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