How lovely - to dance!! Was it Abba!!?
I am doing the exercises properly now and have noticed an improvement, I dont know if we will ever be normal, do you have any feelings under your armpits and do you have that awful feeling in the top of your arms?
hmmm, I’m blushing, I was actually dancing at home in the lounge to some dance music, something that was on MTV. I like to dance, it lifts my spirits.
I don’t seem to have any surface feelings under my arm, if I push hard then I can sort if feel something. As to the tops of my arms - sorry, I don’t have that.
K
PS. I do like Abba tho
Hi Sheba
Was interested to see you are having lower dose rads for 3 weeks - targeted - as I am convinced I am being given too much for my circumstances. I don’t like it that they are zapping my node scar when I didn’t have any affected and that this could give me lymphoedema or nerve damage etc.
Do you know what the lower dose is that you are having? I am having 40 Gray over 4 weeks - 2 Gray per day - 5 days a week. When I see my onc (next week) I will mention this study and ask for more localised boosters I think.
PS My tumour was Grade 1/Stage 2 - 19mm (with Intermediate DCIS surounding it - totalling 33mm) no nodes affected out of the 17 taken.
Jo xx
Hi all
Can I join your club.
I will be starting rads this thursday. I will be having 20 sessions over 4 weeks, 5 of them are boosters to my scar area.
Was dx Dec 2007 (at 37 yrs old) with a grade 2 tumour 4cm. No lymph node involvement. Responded very well to chemo, 4 x ac & 4 x tax and then had surgery.
The only thing i am not looking forward to going to the hospital every day. It is going to cost me an extra £20 a week on fares. Pity I can’t get it back. At least this is better than chemo. The other thing I am not looking forward to is not being able to spray perfume etc. At least it is not the height of summer.
I am looking forward to speaking to you all.
Take care, love & hugs
Chrissie xxx
Hi Chrissie
Does your radiotherapy unit/hospital not do patient transport? I have to travel approx 10 miles to the radio dept at Royal Preston hospital from Blackburn where I live. I have access to the patient transport and they pick me up, take me to the unit and wait for me to have the treatment then bring me home.
Ask your BCN if she can point you in the right direction for this FREE service
Anita
PS - perfume tip - spray a bit on cotton wool ball/pad and wipe behind your ears. This way the ‘spray’ will not touch your afftected parts.
Hi Anita
I have looked into getting the money back and I would have to be on a low income before they even consider giving me the money back. I will be going back to work straight after rads. I dont think patient transport would take me back to work instead of home.
Thanks for the advise and tip, I will try that one. Cannot go without a bit of perfume.
Chrissie xxx
Hi Ladies,
My skin is now starting to get quite sore and tender - especially on my side, the nurses keep on looking at it. But after about 20 zaps, I can’t complain. How are you all going?
Karen
Hi everyone,
Hope you’re all getting on ok. I can’t believe I’ve now had 8 out of my 25 zaps - time is flying in. So far so good - touch wood - no soreness/redness. The radiotherapists (or is it radiologists?) did say that I would probably not notice any side effects until at least 2 weeks in, so looks like they may be right!
Hope you’re managing to relieve the pain with fans/cool cloths Karen - is that you done now or have you more to go? Looby, how you getting on? Good luck on Thu Chrissie.
Take care ladies,
Ax
I still have 5 to go…hmmmm, I can’t count, I think I have had 18, so have 7 more to go. It’s a bit sore, but not enought to register it all day, just every now and then.
I went shopping today (nothing exciting, just bits for the house) and noticed my hand a wee bit swollen - now that scared me, but it has gone down now. So a reminder to all of you, to watch out for swelling!
K
so how is everyione doing. My chest is getting sorer.
K
Hi All
Just had no8 out of 20 and so far so good…no soreness, just slightly tender moments just like pre-menstrual breast. Seen my Onc for a check up and she has advised to get some dressings for under my breast and use them to prevent the splitting of skin. As I have a large breast this is more likely to happen and if it does I won’t be able to go swimming on my holiday in 3 weeks. That is something I don’t want as I need to be able to cool down!
Hope everyone is well and coping
Anita
Hi everyone
I have had 2 out of 20 sessions. So far so good. I have a lovely picture to look at when laying on my back. It is of a park scene with loads of trees & flowers and a little lake with ducks on it. I kept looking for a squirrell but could not find one so just imagined it was there. Had nice music playing in the background which they did say could be changed if I wanted it changed.
Hope everyone else is doing ok.
Love & hugs to you all.
Chrissie xxxx
I have now had 12 of my 15 sessions - nearly there!!! I haven’t had any probs at all - so far, my skin underneath the breast is a bit pink - but not sore at all. I get an occasional prickling feeling inside - but that’s it. I do get tired quite easily if I’m out - but ok at home and work.
Guardianangel - I notice that my forefinger on affected side swells quite often when I’m walking - it soon goes, but this didn’t happen before.
Glad everyone seems to be doing pretty well - just keep looking after yourselves and we’ll soon all be through this.
Positive vibes to everyone.
Looby xx
Hi Looby,
Good to read that things are going well for you and that you haven’t any problems.
4wks post rads and still peeling around the nipple area and boob sore but back at work and starting my course 15th Sept.
Hope the journey isn’t too tedious.
Good luck.
Jo
My last session is tomorrow - I would have had 25 in total. The nurses are impressed on how well my skin has tolerated it - it is red but not that bad. Although I have got minor swelling around the arm/chest area, but it should go down.
Looby - I’ve noticed that my hand is starting to swell just a bit and as soon as I notice it, I try to raise and help drain my arm. Make sure you mention it to the hospital - it could just be a side-effect.
Hope it goes well,
Karen
Hi everyone - I finished today woo hoo!
Toffee - sorry you still sound sooo sore! Are you managing ok at work? Good luck with the course.
I am mainly tired - funny how we are all affected differently. I saw a nurse today because the radiographer thought my skin looked sore - it doesn’t feel sore though. It does prickle so I have got some gel pads to keep in the fridge and put on - I gather it will get worse before it gets better. There are a couple of areas which may break down apparently and I have the name of some gel I have to get from the Doc - Intra site - if that happens. I’ve also been told to up the aqueous cream to four times a day for the next month.
I’ve also got lots of freckly moley things come up on the rads breast - has anyone else? Radiographer said this does happen with some people.
I forgot to mention my finger Karen! Good luck with your last session. I am waiting for a follow up in 4 weeks - have they said anything to you yet?
Hope you’re all ok, Looby x
Hi ladies, I am at the rads stage at long last ! Had my tattoos and measuring done and will start on 11th Sept for 20 sessions( 5 of them booster rads). I had grade 3 IDC 2.5cm lump in left breast dx in February so had chemo up til middle of August. Now on Arimidex. It is good to read the threads to see what i can expect from rads. Good luk all rads ladies
Rach
Hi Rach
Good luck for next week. I hope it will be fine for you. You will get into a routine going and it’s nice to see the same people every day - both those waiting for treatment and staff, in fact its kinda sad to say goodbye! Another stage in life completed!
I am now starting to think of life after treatment - am I going to make any changes - it is a good time to reassess everything and hopefully improve my quality of life and relationships. Having something like this has really made me think about what is important!
Make sure that you get enough rest and put lots of cream on. You also need to drink more fluids - I don’t think this has been mentioned much.
Keep on posting - your experiences will help others! Looby x
Looby - well done for finshing, I have now too.
I’m now tired, or am no longer motivated? I had to commute everyday with trains and tube to get to the hospital in London, so am leaning to the lack of motivation on my part rather than being tired due to the treatment.
Everyone is really impressed on how well my skin coped with it all - it is darker and tender, but that’s be expected. i do note quite a lot of swelling near my mx scar, near the armpit, am hoping that this will going down in due course.
also, looby, thanks for mentioning the follow-up doc appt, as after my last rad treatment I walked out of the hospital and completely forgot to book it, even tho they reminded me.
I have also now noticed freckles on my chest - but I guess it makes sense, as we have had in effect, sun damage and that is what freckles are. I will mention it to the doc tho in the follow-up.
K x
how is everyone else going?
must be close to finshing time?
K