OCTOBER HOT CROSS BUNS

[julie_m]

Glad your much better Barb 😄 Hope everyone else is doing ok too 😉 Reiken, my breast consultant also works with genetics, so from my first appt he said I was suitable for screening due to strong family history, but final decision was mine x

[barb18]

Hi hope all oct and Nov hot cross buns are well. I am now all healed, bliss. Got a review on 7th Dec x

[didi]

hi Reikiran good luck with Rads today, would the lavender oil help with my blister on my boob do you think?? it doesn't seem to get any better , just keeps swelling , leaking continuously. A bit draining now after 3 weeks

Di x 

[Reikiran]

Hi Julie, did they offer you the gene test or did you ask for it?

Well done for finishing, i have my 10th today and 5 more to go. I have found the Aloe cream excellent and have put one drop of Aromatherapy lavender oil into the mix which has been amazing for healing. I use a lot of these type of oils, like peppermint oil rubbed on tummy for tummy ache, really amazing stuff. (Mixed with carrier oil of course, never directly onto skin). Lavender has many healing properties and is used a lot in alternative medicine as a natural antiseptic. 

I also use Aloe vera moisturiser from the health shop, its made by "Jason", (Pure natural hand and body lotion 84% Aloe Vera) its been amazing as the gel feels like more of a surfice treatment and doesnt feel like its sinking in. 

I can imagine it feels odd to complete the daily routine. Im dreading it as it also means moving house for me as well. Plus im dreading starting the Tamoxifen as well. Ive got a print out of side effects, weight gain is at the top of the list!! But from my research we must all try and give up SUGAR as cancer feeds on it, a sugar free diet from now onwards (part from the odd bit of cake) is definately the way to go for healthy living. 

Im off again now for number 10 so good luck ladies, nearly there now.

Love to all. Ran x

[julie_m]

Totally agree it's such a help to talk about things on here Barb, hope you're doing ok

Jo love the phrase "shut up shop" !! Mine's currently closed for refurbishment I think!! 

So that's me finished rads today too, feels very odd, been quite emotional today 

Got some rather fetching pink dressings and some aloe vera gel (my new best friend) for my poorly sore bits and looking forward to not having to do the journey over there tomorrow. Can't drink at the moment so might have a take away instead to mark this milestone!! 

Got follow up appointment in January, and I decided to have the gene test done on Tuesday after my genetics appointment, will get results in a few months, but at least it's hopefully all done for this year anyway!  xxx

[barb18]

Thanx u Julie. It's good to talk on here. Can say things without hurting people. I hope u get on well over the weekend, but nearly there. 🙂

[Jobey68]

Things get better ladies in all departments don't worry and don't rush yourselves, I completely shut up shop for a while! 5 months on from treatment all is well although hubby still needs reminding to be gentle with treated bits at times!! 😉 Xx

[julie_m]

Hi Barb, really hope everything improves for you very soon, it's such a rollercoaster of emotions isn't it.

I know what you meant about your hubby, I can't even think about that side of things yet, I'm sure it'll be ok in the end but like everything when we're going through this it all just takes time. Don't be too hard on yourself, you need time to heal.

They told me today that healing probably wouldn't start until about 10 days after rads had finished, deep joy!?! Got blisters on the sore skin under my boob today, asked for some gel incase it breaks down over the weekend. Last four blasts aren't on whole boob or that part so hopefully it'll calm a little bit, I can live in hope eh?

Take care, thinking of you and hoping you turn the corner very soon!  xxx

[barb18]

Soon b there Julie. Cream not helping it's getting worse but treatment is still working. Hopefully next week will see a change. So emotional. I burst into tears while in bed with my hubby. He has been so good and patient and is missing me if u know what I mean! I couldn't bear the movement. I just broke down. He felt so bad. 😞

[julie_m]

14 down 5 to go feeling it now, tired sore and emotional  

How are you now Barb? Is the cream helping now, I hope so!  x

[julie_m]

Oh Barb you poor thing sounds grim  Hope the new cream helps and quickly!! 

I'm kind of ok, 10 done but still got 9 to go and boob is grumpy,tender, starting to get red underneath and got a rash of heat rash type spots on boob which are staring to get itchy on top of the rather gorgeous blotchy red/pink colour it's going, dreading what it's going to be like by the time it's cooked!!! 

Highlight of my week was at my review when the radiographer told me they had changed their policy on deodorant and I could use it again!!!  

This thread was started by Reikiran when she thought she would start rads in Oct but hers got very delayed she's now starting in November bless her  I'm an Oct/Nov crossover so posting in both!!  xxx

[Jill1998]

Is it antibiotic cream then?I had hydro gel and dressings for under boob where skin had broken down and was weeping,sorry to put people off their lunch but there was a brown discharge which I eventually realised was the dead skin coming off !!!I ended up with an infection and got penicillin tablets from doc.You could pop into a pharmacy with it and ask.

[barb18]

It's for broken skin. I had bentovate which was a steroid to use before going to bed but it was stinging due to broken skin. Was advised to stop using and if the sore began to weep use flamazine. Nurse gave me pads at my last rads to put under my breast. When I removed it on Friday it was yellow. So phoned gp and told them advice from rads team. Picked up cream on sat but no directions

[Jill1998]

Didn't use that Barb is it steroid or for broken skin?The steroid was applied thinly twice a day,hydro gel twice a day also .

[barb18]

Can anyone tell me how many times a day u can use flamazine. Got it at weekend without seeing gp but was advised to by breast care nurse. No directions on box just as directed by breast care nurse 😡

[familytree]

When was October hot cross buns made? Not seen it until recently. It's November btw 😉 November fireworks? Lol x

[barb18]

Feeling sore Julie. Under boob is now weeping. Been given flamazine. How r u doing? 🙂

[julie_m]

How are you feeling today Barb?  xxx

[familytree]

Great news it's over for you Barb.. well done x

[julie_m]

Ha ha 'air those boobs' love it, just what I was doing tonight!! Lying on my bed looking for fireworks out of the window while my grumpy boob was having it's own private bonfire and fireworks display  Seems to have got over it's diva solo performance for now tho !! Here's to couple of days off  

[Fuffs123]

Well done Barb. Air those boobs!

[barb18]

Thanx Julie 🙂

[julie_m]

Well done Barb, pleased rads are all done for you, hope you heal up very fast!!  xxx

[barb18]

Thanx Jill. Really red today my little girl said looks like I've been on holiday 🙂

[Jill1998]

We'll done Barb !!!

[barb18]

Well ladies that is me truly burnt now. Last rads this morning. No more travelling woo hoo. Skin breaking down advised to stop using creams and gave me pads for under my breast.😡 Back for review in 6 weeks 🙂

[julie_m]

Nearly there Barb, sorry to hear you're feeling rough and low, hope it won't be too long until your feeling lots better and much less sore 😉 xxx

[Jill1998]

My boob looked like a raw gammon joint at the end of 15 sessions Barb and it got worse for about a week after I'm afraid..You will be relieved to finish but it is also quite emotional and weird too.

[barb18]

Last one 2 moro. Really feeling it now. Got flu symptoms which doesn't help. Lay there today tears trickling down my face with red raw boob.

[Jill1998]

Nearly cooked Barb!!!

[barb18]

Enjoying my weekend off. Last 3 next week, it has went so quick. 😊

[barb18]

I'm doing ok Julie. 3 more to go. Still tired and a bit pink. Roll on 4th Nov. Hope all goes well x

[julie_m]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the advice and support, you're all such a great help

3 sessions done now, todays was the quickest so far so hopefully they've got my measurements sorted now!

First session there was over an hours delay on my machine and it took over half an hour once I was in there as they couldn't get the x-rays right, but got there in the end and they do have to get things absoltuely spot on don't they. Next two have been almost on time to much better!!

Been slapping on the cream, 3 times a day I was advised, my boobs have never had so much attention!!!

Am having a pad put over my boob which they said intensifies the treatment on the skin as my lump was near the skin and that it'll make it sorer so that's something to look forward too, hey ho I'll keep slapping on the cream!! At least not having a nipple on that side anymore means it can't get sore, every cloud and all that jazz!!!

Thanks for posting about the vitamins Reikiran, I didn't know about that and I asked today and the radiologist wasn't familiar with it either, but we decided probably best to stop taking mine until treatment is finished, there's always something else to consider isn't there! Sorry you've had to wait so long for your appointment, hope it all went ok today and it's not too long till you start your rads, I'll still be going in November so can keep you company!!!!

Barbs hope the tiredness easies for you, day 10 already, well done!!! Apart from tiredness how are you doing?

Take care everyone  x

[Cookie]

Julie - I also get prickly heat in the sun but my boob has held up pretty well so far. I finished my rads yesterday, I've got a couple of bits that are a bit red under my boob but it's not itchy. I used Doublebase gel, the hospital recommended it. It was an odd day yesterday, feeling happy that I'd finished but also weird that I'm just left now until my follow up in December. I took a little thank you card and present in. The staff were really, really lovely. Can't say I'm going to miss the journey into London each day.
My underarm and arm are a little sore today so will have to keep moving it gently.
Hope everyone has a good day

[barb18]

Day 10 today. Feeling tired now 😚

[Reikiran]

Well girls I started this post called HOT CROSS BUNS, thinking it would be done and dusted or at least halfway there by now, but ive been waiting and waiting for my planning app which is now this afternoon.  

It has been useful to read all your posts so thank you for that, i am feeling scared and my emotions are all over the place. I know its a long appointment and i get tatoos as well.

I wanted to mention something about vitimins that ive found out from my doctor:

Radiation on the body works by CREATING free radicals which are highly energized molecules that damage the DNA of cancer cells. 
Free radicals in the environment can damage all cells, but in radiation treatment they are focused on the cancer cells. 
Antioxidants are the good guys and they STOP free radicals from forming (or they neutralize them if they do form). So if I take Antioxidant supplements such as vitamins C, A, D, and E, they will interfere with the radiation's ability to destroy any rogue cells floating around. 
Because of the potential conflict between the goal of radiation therapy (to make free radicals) and the goal of antioxidants (to neutralize free radicals), it makes sense to stop taking any antioxidant till it's all over. 

Here's me dosing myself with beneficial healing vitamins thinking that's a good thing, when it turns out it's quiet the opposite. 

You LIVE and learn every day.

[Fuffs123]

Hi Julie

I've just had my 8th session out of 25 zaps and so far, the skin is holding up well. Just a little bit hot and itchy. I too have very sensitive skin so was scared that I would react badly. I started with the Aqueous cream about a week before I started and use it night and morning. I also slap it on the boob liberally before I shower and use Sanex un perfumed shower gel or the Simple one. The cream just protects it a bit from the shampoo suds more than anything. I was also very apprehensive about the rads but you do get used to the routine very quickly and the staff are very nice. Starting to feel more tired now I think but some days I'm quite lively! The emotional side of things is harder than you think it will be and I had a down day on Sunday. However, I just try and focus on getting through the rads and cross each one off the calendar, helps to see something physical for some reason. Sending you hugs x

[Eiljones]

Hi Ladies,

I had hardly any side effects from rads apart from a slightly pink boob and a slightly sore nipple which was ok after a couple of days and I started using E 45 cream for a week before I started my 15 rads. My radiographers said it was fine to use cream before rads as long as it was a least an hour before so that it had time to soak in.  I then used it after my treatment and again before I went to bed.  It is a bit of a bore but it worked for me and the radiographers said that my skin had done really well. They told me to continue using it for 3/4 weeks after and it is now 3 weeks since I finished and I still use it after a shower.  My skin is fine although it still looks a bit pink and under my boob it is darker than it was before treatment.  

[Jill1998]

Most people put cream on throughout the treatment best not just before you go though.First few sessions take longer ,about 20 mins as they take x rays to check they are getting exactly the right area and fiddle with their measurements ,after that you are in and out in less than 5 mins .Once they get you in the right position they leave the room for a few mins while you get zapped .the machine gives off a noise when it is zapping you ,I had 3 zaps on one side then the machine moved round to the other side and zapped me from that side.

[Jobey68]

I didnt until after my first zap Julie, and to be honest I wasn't very good at remembering to do it, I hate any sort of body lotion! Makes me cringe 😝 

[julie_m]

Thanks Jill and Jo x Did any of you put cream on before your first zap or just after? Not sure whether to start tonight, and/or tomorrow morning or if it's best to have nothing on boob at all? Sorry lots of questions tonight! 😉 xxx

[Jobey68]

Julie don't worry yourself about rads, they are painless and over in a flash! Once you have the first under your belt you will feel much better 😊 I've found all of this far harder emotionally than I did physically but I'm back to "normal" on both counts now and you will get there too love Xx Jo 

[Jill1998]

Good luck tomorrow Julie.

[julie_m]

Hi Everyone

Hope you're all doing ok.

Thank you all for your lovely replies after my last big whinging post!!!! Hopefully this one wont be as bad but who knows...!!!!! 

Sorry I've not been on much lately been a bit up and down, but have been doing a bit of reading to see how you're all doing  Think I go into denial mode sometimes, but reality hits home eventually!!

Starting rads tomorrow afternoon and not sure how I'm feeling about it.

Just starting to get my energy levels back up after my set back a couple of weeks ago and feeling better again and hoping this doesn't set me back again too much again.

Did a huge shop today so don't have to worry about food and everyone being fed if I'm feeling rubbish and got a big pot of aqueous cream and some sensitive skin shower gel in today just incase! My skin is sensitive, prickly heat in the sun etc, anyway so really not sure how it'll react, but it's got to be done. Others have to go through far more that I have so time to put on my big girl pants and get on with it!! 

On the up side my work have been brilliant, both jobs telling me to take as much time as I need and to get better properly before trying to come back, as I tried to go back too soon. So no phoning them each week now to have to feel like I'm letting them down again. Even though they don't make me feel like I am, it's rubbish having to phone each time and say you're still not up to it again. 

Take care everyone and good luck with your treatments!

Love & hugs

Julie  xxx

[barb18]

Day 6 today. Feeling good today. Picked up new car. I love it. Straight to an all day wedding tomoro after rads. They were fab today and squeezed me in a little bit earlier for tomoro xxx

[Fuffs123]

Yep Barb, day 6 for me today, 19 to go! Am crossing them off the calendar as we go. Hang on in there. I still find lying there topless quite difficult, as I'm big boobed and have always had a thing about it. Just take my mind somewhere else, usually the shopping list, lol. Xx

[Jill1998]

Keep going Barb every day is one less.

[barb18]

Day 4 feeling tired today. Bought myself a lovely new car today 😊

[barb18]

Day 3 done. Was also at the hospital with my daughter straight after. Quite tired with all the running about. Yeah I got given diprobase to use at least twice a day and bentovate at bed time 😜

[Fuffs123]

My daughter went to uni in Preston, we had many a trip up the motorway, trying not to fall foul of the speed cameras! Feeling quite tired and a bit out of sorts today, sure it can't be the rads already so probably just trying to do too much perhaps. Taking myself to bed for a nap!