Radiation Treatments

Hi Jean....I am not sure
Hi Jean....I am not sure what happend with others, but I will share with you what happend with me... My first appointment they took me into a room and laid me on a table... I hope your room is warm mine was freezing...of course they had me remove my shirt... they basically lined up the beam 5 or 6 times and each time they did they placed a small tatoo on my breast... they look like little black freckles.. they are permanent...I think I was there about 45 minutes for this appointment...they showed me the room where I would have the treatments.

The next appointment I went in, changed into a gown (was able to keep everything from the waist down on...even my shoes)... I went into the treatment area and laid on the table... the techs adjusted my position on the table until I lined up percisly with these little red lights... then they left the room and a machine (kind of looked like a big stand with an arm and on the end of the arm that extended out, was what looked like a xray machine)... it moved on its own around me and stopped 5 or 6 times on its way around (where the tat's were) and delivered the radiation... then it was done... it took more time to change into the gown than it did to actually receive the treatments... literally in and out within 5 minutes...and only in the treatment room less than 3.


Fatigue is one of the main side effects... it is accumulative... at first it wasn't bad, but as each week ran into the other I was exhausted. I had 30 rounds of regular radiation with 5 rounds of boosters so 35 treatments total. I am very fair skinned... I did blister at about the thrid week in... use lots of aloe jell (the pure stuff) they may give you another cream too...

All in all it is very doable... I will not say it was a piece of cake actually for me it was a little rough. But doable.

I wish you the best... remember to get lots of rest.. and try not to over do it... if your able to nap during the day take full advantage of it... your body will need it to heal.

Hugs,

~T

roseann4 said:

I agree with T.
I didn't have chemo so I don't know if the side effects will be different. I got through the experience just fine. I went at 8am and went to work after my treatment. Some redness which was controlled by aloe gel. I applied it before and after treatment. I would ask your radiation onc what they recommend. I would also buy some cotten t shirts to sleep in and no underwire bras. I found a brand a Kohls called Barely There which my nurse recommended. Soft and comfy a provides some support. Hugs.

Roseann

rads
As we are all different so are the results. It wasn't bad but I got e-coli in my breast wound. The wound from peeling and such. Not the surgery wound. So I was quite ill. Thought it was the rads until I had blood work and swabs done. As they all say fatigue is the worst. I am still fatigued and my last rad treatment was Nov. 9th. Probably because of the infection. Also I was on arimidex and had every side effect and more. Was not the drug for me. Waiting to see onco. on Jan. 7th. Hoping if I need a different drug it won't be so bad for me. Still having side effects and have been off arimidex for a month. They say I am one of a few that has so many side effects. Use lots of Aloe Vera and the gels they give you. I am fair skin and I burned quite a bit. The gels made it more comfortable for me.

Good luck to you. My prayers are with you. They say we all will get through it. So many here are helpful and sincere. I appreciate all I have learned on this site. I go to chat room also.

Wishing you a better New Year.

Diana

gagee said:

rads
As we are all different so are the results. It wasn't bad but I got e-coli in my breast wound. The wound from peeling and such. Not the surgery wound. So I was quite ill. Thought it was the rads until I had blood work and swabs done. As they all say fatigue is the worst. I am still fatigued and my last rad treatment was Nov. 9th. Probably because of the infection. Also I was on arimidex and had every side effect and more. Was not the drug for me. Waiting to see onco. on Jan. 7th. Hoping if I need a different drug it won't be so bad for me. Still having side effects and have been off arimidex for a month. They say I am one of a few that has so many side effects. Use lots of Aloe Vera and the gels they give you. I am fair skin and I burned quite a bit. The gels made it more comfortable for me.

Good luck to you. My prayers are with you. They say we all will get through it. So many here are helpful and sincere. I appreciate all I have learned on this site. I go to chat room also.

Wishing you a better New Year.

Diana

I'm in the minority
Hi Jean-

Like everyone else, I was as nervous as a cat covering ---- in a sandstorm before my radiation, but I experienced absolutely no side effects. I'm very fair and my breast did get quite red toward the end and tender, but my skin held up very well. I had/have absolutely no fatigue. In fact, after 2 major surgeries, chemo, and radiation (and being 63), I experienced no fatigue with anything. Go figure. Oh, I'm tired today after cooking and being on my feet for 2 days, but I was last year, too.

I also had a different radiation protocol than most - 21 treatments total - 16 regular and 5 boosters. I was given the same amount of radiation as the longer protocol, but shorter duration. My prep was as Taleena described. I totally lost any sense of modesty I might have had remaining during radiation. One day I bared my chest to 3 techs and 2 radiation oncologists, put my bra and top back on and went immediately to an appointment with the gynecological oncologist to take my bottoms off for exam and Pap smear! Sigh.

Jean, I hope your radiation experience is as uneventful as mine was. I had friends and my husband lined up to drive me (45 minutes) to treatment, but I was able to drive myself every single day just like a normal person . .

Suzanne

taleena said:

Jean, I drove myself
Jean, I drove myself everyday... I worked and then left at 2:30 everyday for my 3 o'clock appointment.... I did have someone meet me there daily... my husband most days and my daughter when my husband couldn't make it... just having someone walk in with me made me feel a little better... and being able to come out and say "all done, lets go"... it was nice having someone with me.

Me too
I also drove myself to all my appt.
I didn't have anyone show up for the appt as I knew that Hubby and Son knew where I was and what was being done so I didnot want them to have to actually see me go in for any of the treatments - be it the chemo, rads or scans. Had I asked/needed - they would have been there but it wasw easier for me to not have them there. Hubby was there when port was put in because I had to have someone drive me home. Hubby and Son were there for surgery and Son drove me home the next day.
We're all different!

Susan

Had skin breakdown just after radiation ended.
I am also fair skinned. I did not start getting red until the 4th week our of 5. I did have my skin breakdown after I completed my 5 weeks. It was quite painful, but I was amazed at how fast the skin regenerates. I made sure to put lotion on every day as recommended during the treatments. Actually my husband was the lotion applier in the deal. After the skin breakdown, I wore gauze over the area and wrapped that with an ace banadage so it did not rub against my arm and wore baggier shirts to work. Most of the breakdown was in the underarm area. I knew I needed to keep putting lotion on but was worried about pressure being put on the affected area. I bought a silicone basting brush and that is what my husband used to apply lotion. It was soft and spread the lotion around without having the uneven pressure of a hand. It made me less apprehensive and my husband felt better there was less potential to hurt me. I guess the only thing I can say is if your skin does react, it is temporary and the skin does heal.

taleena said:

Hi Jean....I am not sure
Hi Jean....I am not sure what happend with others, but I will share with you what happend with me... My first appointment they took me into a room and laid me on a table... I hope your room is warm mine was freezing...of course they had me remove my shirt... they basically lined up the beam 5 or 6 times and each time they did they placed a small tatoo on my breast... they look like little black freckles.. they are permanent...I think I was there about 45 minutes for this appointment...they showed me the room where I would have the treatments.

The next appointment I went in, changed into a gown (was able to keep everything from the waist down on...even my shoes)... I went into the treatment area and laid on the table... the techs adjusted my position on the table until I lined up percisly with these little red lights... then they left the room and a machine (kind of looked like a big stand with an arm and on the end of the arm that extended out, was what looked like a xray machine)... it moved on its own around me and stopped 5 or 6 times on its way around (where the tat's were) and delivered the radiation... then it was done... it took more time to change into the gown than it did to actually receive the treatments... literally in and out within 5 minutes...and only in the treatment room less than 3.


Fatigue is one of the main side effects... it is accumulative... at first it wasn't bad, but as each week ran into the other I was exhausted. I had 30 rounds of regular radiation with 5 rounds of boosters so 35 treatments total. I am very fair skinned... I did blister at about the thrid week in... use lots of aloe jell (the pure stuff) they may give you another cream too...

All in all it is very doable... I will not say it was a piece of cake actually for me it was a little rough. But doable.

I wish you the best... remember to get lots of rest.. and try not to over do it... if your able to nap during the day take full advantage of it... your body will need it to heal.

Hugs,

~T

Taleena described it
Taleena described it perfectly, so, all I can add is use the creams your own rads oncologist prescribes from day one! I used Biafine and Aquaphor, and, they worked!


Get lots of rest too, rads will wear you out.

Good luck,

Jan

I did not have
chemo so I can't compare the two. I can only tell you that for me the fatigue was bad. I started telling the rad onc I was feeling tired after the 2nd week. He kept trying to convince me that I should be. I pushed myself so hard trying to keep up with work and home that I almost collaped. I ended up having to take off ten days and then start at 4 hrs. a day and work my way back to 8 hr. work days. As far as my skin goes I did get pretty red but did not blister or peel. What I did every day was put on Calendula Gel right after the treatment. I found this to work well since it is not greasy and did not get on my clothes. I would then really cover myself with Aquaphor when I was getting ready for bed. You can do this so don't worry too much.

Hugs,
Georgia

linpsu said:

radiation
I know we are all very different; I am just telling you my experience. Radiation for me was nothing compared to the chemo. I burned pretty badly near the end (I am fair-skinned -don't know if that makes a difference)and oozed and peeled. It healed quickly. But I never really had any fatigue that was any worse than from chemo (4 A/C and 4 Taxol, dose-dense).
Linda

I never burnt, but, got
I never burnt, but, got really dark pink and was very tender. And, I didn't get the tan that some others talk about. After a couple of weeks when rads were done, my skin looked and felt like a baby's behind. You will do fine.


Hugs, Lex

sbmly53 said:

Jean
My experience was alot like Taleena's except I was not tattooed. They used sharpies and put clear tape over the markings.

My 33 rads were done in less than 5 minutes. I was very tired by the 2nd week. Started burning by the 3rd. I blistered and oozed. Used peroxide mixed with water and creams. Since I had taken FMLA, I wasn't working and 'air dried' at home. I was extremely fatigued. I did not have chemo.

We are all different and you should know best case/worst case to prepare yourself for what may happen.

While the machine was buzzing, I counted - 1 Mississppi, 2 Mississippi - to figure out how long it took. After the first few days, I chanted (in my head) a mantra -"Kill the Cancer, kill the cancer"! It worked.

Sue

Everyone has posted anything
Everyone has posted anything I would say. I did get the tattoos, which I can barely even see anymore. I got lots of rest, even took naps, and, that seemed to help with the exhaustion. You are not only tired from rads, but, tired from just going everyday. I also exercised to keep my strength up, and, that helped.


Wishing you good luck with rads,


Debby