Hello everyone, Marian, how did you get on with your medications? My P.C.T.are being very difficult at the moment but I am still saying no to the generic so I am having mine on a private prescription from the Oncologist until I can get it sorted. I hope you have all had a good week with your rads, mine has been apart from a few delays and a machine breakdown but they did transfer me to another room so it kept me on schedule. Firecracker I am glad I did not have the start you did but at least you can see the funny side of it now. Jube have you had to start Arimidex yet? I am looking forward to my two days off now it is my birthday tomorrow so I am glad it has not fallen on one of my rad days at least. Hope you all have a good weekend.xxxPam.
Happy Birthday, Pam, gosh, fancy sharing birthday with the Queen!
Hugs, Mujum
Morning all,
Just waved my youngest son off back to university after the Easter break - will miss him but can slouch around a bit more now. Well one week down and 3 more to go -not doing too badly but swinging from feeling normal to sudden tiredness. I think I may need to rest a bit more this week which is tricky as I am still working when I can.
Pam I talked to my GP who gave me a lot of piffle about there not really being many generics available for Arimidex yet and its all Arimidex really! I didnt have the energy to argue and thought I would see what it is I get and I haven’t been back to pick up yet. I live in the sticks and the Drs also dispense the medication. I do think that I am already on a generic from my Onc as it is anastrozole! You wouldn’t think I was a health care professional would you - BC experience has muddled my brain.
I remain confused - but the sun is shining and no rads today. Happy birthday Pam - its mine on Tuesday.
Marian xx
AmysMum - Most of my appts are between 3:30 and 3:50. I’ll see how it goes. FIL is giving me a lift so he can drop me off if he can’t get parked. I’m not sure how easy it will be to change the times. Most of my bras are underwired as well. As I’ve still to have Mx I’m not too sure about what to replace them with, but as I have fluid built up in the breast they’re not very comfy, so have just bought a few cheap sports bras just now. That’ll be nice if you have some company for rads too.
Teresa - Hope you’re arm’s feeling better and phyio is helping.
Lemondrop - Good idea to take plenty of stops on the way. At least it’ll be nice to get away from it all. Hope you’re having a great birthday.
Mujum - I was warned about the sharp scratch too, but at least it was better than having to find a vein for chemo. It was a nice change not having to have blood taken or be injected with anything.
Jo - No one has mentioned nausea as a SE. Hope that doesn’t continue.
Marian - Hope the rest of your treatments go smoothly from now. It’s annoying having to fight over presciptions on top of everything else. It all seems to be about money these days, but we have enough to suffer with.
I hope you’ve had a lovely birthday, Pam. Happy birthday for Tuesday Marian.
I’ve had two rads, and they went OK, so far no side effects but early days?
Thursday’s session was delayed a little (30mins), yesterday’s delayed by 10mins, so not too bad.
I asked about creams etc, was given Aqueous and told it’s safe to use the brand name Simple products. I’ve bought Simple baby wipes to cleanse under my arm when out and about, handy to keep in my handbag.
It’s nice to have two days off; back to the unit Monday. On Friday I gave blood for a trial I signed up to, and next week I’m giving more blood for another trial! Good to give something back though, as feel I’ve received wonderful care.
My last rads is 17th May the day before my birthday, yeah!!
Looking forward to Monday as my elder dau is visiting from Berk’s for a few days.
Enjoy the weekend ladies.
Libby x
Good to know your first 2 sessions went OK, Libby - aqueous cream already in stock for my first one which is a week tomorrow. I’ll be there 15.48, when is yours? Strange how specific the appointment times are …
Good that ED is coming tomorrow too - enjoy!
Best wishes to all April ladies, hope you have a great day on Tuesday, Marian.
Hugs, Mujum
Hope you had a good ‘day off’ for your birthday yesterday, Pam? Lucky you for finishing just in time for yours, Libby! There’s a lot of us birthday girls about! Marian and I will be having lovely birthday radiation treats! 
I shall be visiting Arden Cancer centre for both mine, Friday, and OH’s birthdays, Mon 30th. I think we’ll have to have a pub lunch/dinner on way back to compensate?
First zapping Tuesday and I’m getting fed up of waiting now. Time seems to be going sooooo slowly - and the rain doesn’t help! - though I know the reservoirs desperately need it. Thinkpositive thinkpositive thinkpo…
Hi
Happy birthday, LemonDrop. I hope you had a good day.
Well, I went for the ‘Trial Run’ last Thursday. I think this might have been either because of being on the current Radiotherapy trial or because they don’t do the simulator bit at the Planning Session.
Anyway, it all went well. There was the inevitable delay so just went to get a coffee and brought it back, then got called in. The staff are so lovely. Once I’d got on to the table, which is so hard, isn’t it, I did get comfortable. I was pulled and pushed around gently, rather feeling like a lump of putty! 
I have to say, I did find I was able to enjoy a time of relaxation so I just hope I can stay in the same ‘mind-set’ for the duration.
So, Rads start tomorrow, for 15 sessions. Because it’s a trial, all the boosts are incorporated in these sessions! Hurrah!!!
I’m feeling much better now that things are underway. It’s just seemed such a long time coming. I’m trying to organise some friends to accompany me some of the trips, so the drive won’t get so boring.
So, hope everyone else is progressing well.
Cheers
Good evening to you all
I have had my first 2 sessions of rads last Thursday and Friday and so far so good. I have been posting on the March thread for a bit as I was supposed to start then, but due to my wound healing so slow it dragged into this month.
Hope you don’t mind me joining you
Hugs from Scotland from
Alanaa and Fat Cat xx
Hi everyone, Hello Alanaa, JCJ, good luck for tomorrow, I am sure it will be fine. Marian have a lovely birthday on Tuesday. Thank you all for your good wishes, it is nice sharing mine with H.R.H. although we do not exchange cards, at least I had the day off for my birthday, thank goodness for leap year! I hope everyone has a good week, happy zapping. xx Pam.
Me again! Hi to Mujum and Gail5, Chocdrop, Good Luck for today, what is involved in the trial you are taking part in? LibSue enjoy the time spent with your daughter too. xx Pam.
Hi everyone,
A very quick update. My rads session today went very smoothly, I arrived ten mins early and was seen straight away. Very stress free! Hope all my sessions are as easy.
Lemondrop, thanks for wishing me a lovely time with my dau, we had a super family supper this evening, most enjoyable.
Mujum, my app. 30th is 5.00pm.
Take care everyone, and wishing you all stress free rads.
Libby x
Good to know, Libby. Glad all going smoothly.
Possibly we may see each other on 30th if my treatment is delayed at all, but we shall see …
Seroma still there, but I am told it won’t matter since tattoos done and site already mapped out.
Hugs, Mujum
Hi all,
I’m still getting chemo and won’t start rads until June. I was just wondering - is anyone having rads to inner left breast area and are there any specific precautions they take to protect your heart? I’m giving myself nightmares worrying about it.
Thanks
Sam
Hi all
Quick update - had 6th session yesterday, 7th due tomorrow, then I will be just over half way through. Am feeling OK, but increasingly tired, have low energy reserves (but I think I had those anyway!!)
Sam what I hadn’t appreciated is that the radiation comes out in a flat plane, not as a single beam, so it is like a sheet of paper if yuo imagine it. I had Mx so your experience may be different but the beams come out at different angles across the chest wall (i.e. virtually flat from the side) so that no rays are directed at your heart, so don’t worry. In the side effects chat they mentioned that some may impact on the lung, and there may be a few problems in the trachea, but the heart not mentioned at all, so try not to worry.
Libby glad everything going well for you
Lemondrop, Alanaa, JCJ, Mujum, Gail5, Marian and everyone else (can’t scroll that far back!) hope you are all coping OK.
Teresa xx
Hi Teresa
Even with the Rads it must be different for everyone depending on the area being zapped as they didn’t mention trachea to me but it does say that there could be issues with the heart but as a long term any time in the future it may happen, they mentioned the lungs as well and it does say that there could be issues with the arm swelling up on my list of possible se’s as well. I had no 8 yesterday, I have 3 sessions this week and next week which will take me to 13 altogether. I also have a gel pad put on area being zapped every time.
As I opted to have most of my sessions first thing all around 9ish I have up to now been leaving the hospital before my appointment time even starts most of the time. Long may this continue!
I find the thing that gets me most is that throughout all the treatment, most of what is thrown at us causes effects which requires some other treatment to be given to counteract it. Why is it so often medication causes more problems that need to be fixed? It doesn’t do any good to worry about it so I just go with the flow and assume that they wouldn’t be doing any of these things unless they thought it was for the best.
I hope you’re all coping well with the treatment.
Weme
Good afternoon Ladies
Sam, I am getting rads to 3 different spots on my left mx side and I get protection over the heart area when I get zapped as I am getting deep zapping as well. All precautions are taking and once you had your planning appointment with the team you will feel so much more comfy and assured about the whole procedure.
Had my 4th session today and so far so good.
Hope you are all doing fine with your treatment so far
Love and hugs from Alanaa and Fat Cat xxx
Libby - What are the trials you’re on? That’ll be good to finish in time for your birthday. Hope you’re enjoying your daughter’s visit.
Mujum - Hope the seroma clears up soon. At least it’s good to know it won’t delay treatment.
JCJ - I’m with you on waiting for treatment. Good luck for today. I’m having my verification check today and first real zap tomorrow. Seems a long time since my planning appt, but just really 2 weeks.
ChocDrop - Not sure if the trial run is what I’m getting today on the verification check. They didn’t give me too much detail. Hope your first session went well. What does your trial involve?
Alanna - Where are you based in Scotland? I’m in Edinburgh so go to the WG. Sorry you’ve been delayed but it’s good you’ve finally started treatment. Deep zapping sounds a bit scary, glad they give you some protection.
Pam - Pity you don’t get HRH’s pay as well.
Teresa - I thought it would be like a beam as well.
Weme - Yes, I was feeling on chemo that most of the drugs in my cabinet were there to counteract SEs of medication taken to counteract the SEs of chemo. Suppose we can’t worry too much about what the treatment might do in the future as might not have a future to worry about if we don’t do it.
keepthefaith and alanaa thank you so much. I feel so much better now:) xx
Just back from the verification check. Not really a trial run, more x-rays taken to confirm the ones taken at the planning session match them and given another tattoo. Starting to get fed up with being asked to confirm I’m not pregnant before I even get my first treatment.