Don’t forget Samlou, the radiographers are lovely people and happy to answer any concerns you may have. When the time comes just talk to them about your worries and they’ll put your mind at rest. Nobody is going to risk unnecessary damage anywhere! (Hence pregnancy question, gail! - yea I’m getting tired of that one - starting to give flippant answers as OH been ‘seen to’ - but they don’t always see the funny side!)
I had my first zap today. I was glad OH drove me to the hospital as the traffic up through hospital grounds was stationary, so I got out and walked - don’t advise speed walking braless when you are my size - ‘support’ vest? pfft! Perhaps I’ll wear a bra after all, until I get too sore! I arrived 10 mins late, was called almost immediately and 15 mins later was texting OH to come back and meet me. (He parked at Tesco up the road! :))
The actual manoeuvring me about on the machine was the worst part. It’s so difficult not to help when people are trying to move you - (especially when one of them’s a bloke, you’re my size and topless!)and they specifically ask you NOT to help! They explained everything to me and I was totally relaxed about it. Zapping didn’t hurt - not sure I even felt it really at the time, but I’m getting nasty little twinges every so often now.
2 1/2 hour round trip for 10 min treatment! Looking forward to 15th May! All my appointments are at around 2.30, so the traffic will be hideous every time! Walking few hundred yards through hosp Ok now, but not sure when ‘fatigue’ sets in I’ll want to do it!! Appointment on Fri is at 3pm - wonder if they did that deliberately, as it’s the only later one and it’s my birthday! It gives us time to go for lunch on the way!!
I attend the Aberdeen Royal Infirmay for my treatment - have a round trip of 110 miles daily as I live between Dufftown and Keith. Lucky for me my oldest girl is home this week from Glasgow so she is taking me in and out but I am staying at Clan House next week so I don’t have to sort transport etc out.
Hugs to you all from
Alanaa and Cat xxx
Shame I can’t take my cat with me but she is going to be pampered by my neighbour so no worries about that.
I usually arrive at Cheltenham around 10am and leave about 11.30 when my travelling group are finished. It’s going ok so far just feel completely knackard!
Yesterday the transport was an hour and a half late picking me up and then I went from Cheltenham hospital to Worcester hospital for my herceptin so didn’t get home till about 6pm!!
Will keep an eye out for you at Cheltenham weme and Teresa xx
Pink Princess your name is Hayley isn’t it? What do you look like? Sure you must have been there same time as me as I arrived at 11:20!! Do you have wig or are you commando?!!
Yes its Hayley. I usually have a beanie hat on and sit in the chairs in front of the doors they call you from, well that is if I can find a seat. Are you in that area or round in the Worcester suite?
I normally wear black leggings and boots or jeans and am normally gas bagging to anyone haha xx
Had my 4th session today and again it went smoothly, I was in and out in no time. So far no side effects. The radiologists are all friendly and put me at ease. The worst bit is travelling in city rush hour traffic; my appointments are mostly late afternoon, fortunately the Hospital isn’t far from home, Parking hasn’t been a problem so far.
gail, this is going to sound stupid of me but I don’t remember what one of the trials is for (chemo stole my brain!), it involves giving blood samples periodically, so far I’ve given two samples and am giving another this week, the trial is for a Breast Surgeon Registrar. The second trial, which I’ve now completed, was for research students, I agreed to allow the tissue taken from my WLE to be used, and I had to give four phials of blood. My local Hospitals are both teaching Hospitals.
Mujum, here’s a link to the article which I found helpful
Just about to leave for number , then I will be just over half way through.
Hope to bump into you there Hayley, but if not Friday OK? I’ll let you know Thurs night what I’ll be wearing Friday (if I can make a decision that far in advance!!) Weme will be there Friday too, earlier than me about 11 I think she said. yes I’m in main waiting area too.
Hello everybody, glad you are all doing okay. Weme, a consultant I worked with years ago always told me if something has an action there has to be a reaction so a drug without any side effects is probably useless in the first place! I always comfort myself with this. I go to the Q.E. in Birmingham do any of you go there? I am on number 12 zap today and still no side effects! Marian I hope you had a good birthday. Gail5, Yes I so wish I was on H.R.H. salary especially until I sort my Arimidex funding. Happy Zapping Day to you all. xx Pam.
Thank you for the article, Libby, looks very helpful. He certainly appears to know what we are feeling …
Good to know that so many have minimal SEs from rads, and that appointments seem to operate well. Almost looking forward to no 1 on Monday, if nothing else as a landmark to get the process under way and completion that bit nearer. Managed to get the 2nd one’s time changed so I can get to a LGFB session, was surprised that they were able to do that for me, given how busy the machines seem to be.
GP has given me 5 more tunes of aqueous cream - should keep me going for a while, am still using it on my toes and feet after the tax chemo - so far, so good.
Only quick post today - a friend has just called to ask if he can stay the night and the spare bed, although made up, is covered with stuff we intend to take to Greece with us when we go next month!
JCJ - I know what you mean about trying not to help them move you about. At least my radiographers are all female.
Alanaa - You must be exhausted with such a long trip. That’ll be good to save on travelling next week.
PP - At least one good thing about the rotten weather is no one looks twice at you for wearing a beanie hat at this time of year.
Libby - No you don’t sound stupid. They throw so much info at us it’s hard to take it all in.
Teresa - Congratulations on meeting the halfway mark.
Mujum - Have fun at the LGFB session next week.
I’ve finally gotten underway now too with first session yesterday. Get to have my first weekly clinic review today too. Does everyone else get weekly reviews?
I am timetabled in for 2 weekly reviews during the 5 weeks, Gail. It consisted last time of “do you have any side effects?” “no not really although I’m a bit tired” “fine then. see you next time, bye!” more-or-less!!
PP hopefully c u tomorrow
Mujum very jealous about Greece - love Greece sooo much. Enjoy LGFB it’s a good thing to do!
Lemondrop hows it going with the Arimidex funding? Is it a very expensive drug or soemthing?
Libby, love that article, have seen it before, but it’s good to re-read. I am hoping to go an art therapy class at my local day hospice and get some counselling too once I’m through the rads.
Gosh Alanaa, that is a long way for rads! Hope you are coping OK
JCJ yes i find it a bit weird when the radiogs are men, but liek anything else you get used to the indignity. I just keep telling myself they see it day in day out all the time!
Hi All,
8th session today and guess what - yes - the machine broke again that must be a record - 4 out of 8! yesterday was particularly stressful as I had a meeting in London to get to and was anxious I was going to miss the train. I had fortunately built in time for delay so made it by the skin of my teeth it does make trying to do anything normal a bit of a lottery. The staff themselves though couldnt be more helpful and are just as frustrated as the patients are. My strategy of using aqueous cream to shower with and lots of Aloe Vera afterwards seems to b working well at the moment. Cant wait for the weekend and a bit of a lie in.
Big hugs to all. Marian
I get my review on the 14th of 15 sessions. Bit late if there are any problems?!
3 down today, so I’m 1/5th of the way through! Suddenly felt ridiculously tired just as we got home. Too early for that, already, surely? - especially as I didn’t wake up until 9.15am today instead of the usual (since BC diagnosis!) wide awake and buzzing at 7! Mind you I am PMT so that doesn’t help!!
Asked the radiologists yesterday about when to start Zoladex and they checked with onc for me. They told me today (without me mentioning it again - (very impressed with all the people they see every day that they remembered!)to delay starting until after rads finished, and then start both Z and Tamoxifen together. Phew! That’s one less thing to arrange.
Time for a snooze before getting dinner snzzzzzzzzz
I have been getting really tired, I have no 10 of 13 tomorrow and my skin is getting very red and sore, rubbing aloe vera in 3 to 4 times a day as it is also peeling, the skin hasn’t broken yet but I think it may do soon. I didn’t feel like getting up this morning but my cat nagged me to let him out and get his breakfast so had to get up, once up I stayed up as I have been working throughout rads, it keeps the mind occupied. Got appointment with onc tomorrow, not sure what about but I guess all will be revealed.
Hi everyone, hope you are all okay. I had a bone density scan today after my 13th rad. Only two rads and two boosters to go now and then I graduate! My skin has been good so far, just using simple soap and E45 Cream I did not try anything else because this has been fine. I see my Oncologist again tomorrow so it will be a long afternoon. Keepthefaith, Arimidex is more expensive than generic P.C.T. will only fund it if I get side-effects to generic and as my Onc. started me on Arimidex and I have been fine I am not prepared to take the chance. The weekend is drawing close now folks and I hope you all have a good one. xx Pam.
Hi all
I had 9 of 25 today. For some reason the dept (and hospital) were stangely empty today. Far fewer men than normal with their polystyrene cups of water and 3 empty car-parking spaces in the bit closest to Oncology!
I have my appt with the onc every 2 weeks during rads - my first is next Monday. I don’t expect alot from it tbh (based on the ones I had during chemo), but I may ask for advise on hotflushes and general inability to sleep. I suspect I will need to see the gp about the sleep issues though.
I am working throught rads too - working from home as my appts are normally about 10ish and the office is over half an hour’s drive away - if I was going in, I wouldn’t get there until at least noon.
I hope everyone’s skin is holdin up well.
I’m now underway, having had 1st session at St James’ in Leeds today. Had a bit of a meltdown on the bed but then all was fine. I’m feeling sore, tired and tight chested already but I think this is probably due to stress. Went afterwards to see a spiritual healer who is employed by the hospital - wonderful experience just doing a bit of meditation and it definitely felt that she had healing hands. There should be someone like her in every hospital. Asked the student radiographer about aloe vera - she said they advised against it but the nurse said she would check out the one I use with the pharmacy dept. Always so many mixed messages.
Mujum - did your feet peel after Tax? I stopped mine at the beginning of Feb, but in the last week or so I have had mega peeling on my feet.
Well, I joined this group as was meant to be starting rads in April- but had my planning session today at St James’ and my first rads session has been deferred to 17th May due to slow wound healing from my op on 15th March - and then that will only be after being checked for healing by oncologist. Aaaaaargh! I feel like this whole horrible experience is being dragged out forever. Had seen a holiday we were thinking of booking for 11th June, but now I’ll be cutting it fine, especially with the 2 bank hols at beginning of June.
Any tips on wound healing gratefully received!
Looking forward to 15th May! All my appointments are at around 2.30, so the traffic will be hideous every time! Walking few hundred yards through hosp Ok now, but not sure when ‘fatigue’ sets in I’ll want to do it!! Appointment on Fri is at 3pm - wonder if they did that deliberately, as it’s the only later one and it’s my birthday! It gives us time to go for lunch on the way!!