Anyone starting radiotherapy soon. I start next week. have had my marks put on and had a CT scan. am not as haprehensive as I wa swith Chemo. Good luck to all of you starting it.
Hi Melena
Yes, I am starting on Monday and am VERY apprehensive.
I had wle and snb early September and no chemo so the rads are terrifying me at the moment.
Good luck to you and keep us posted.
Hi - I start radiotherapy on the 4th November.
I had a WLE and SNB , I didn’t need chemo. I found the initial measurement and scan session very scary, didn’t like the position and felt quite anxious. But everyone on the forum seems to think that radiotherapy is easier to cope with than chemo, so fingers crossed and good luck to all of us !!!
Hi Ladies
I thought you might like to hear from someone who has just finished rad 3 weeks ago. I’m almost 61 and a small lump was removed at the end of July. I didn’t need Chemo thankfully so cannot compare. I had 15 sessions of radiotherapy and apart from a little tiredness in the second week I felt Ok. I had a little blip on the 2nd session when I thought “what am I doing here” and got a bit overcome. The first day I was asked If I’d like a gown but there was no changing space so I guessed my answer was supposed to be “no”. That day it felt OK as the were 3 females in attendance. The second day however it was 3 males. I’m not prudish but I think it was then that I felt as if I was a bit of meat on the butcher’s slab! The staff were always very lovely but I think it was that day that it really hit me that I had BC. We keep soldiering on saying “I’m fine” so much that we can almost believe it. Almost.
3 weeks on and I do feel normal now. My energy levels have returned and I want to get stuck into projects again.
Hopefully it’s all behind me now and the new year will bring good things to you all too
Very best wishes
Sian xx
Glad it’s all going well :smileyhappy:
I’m just over a week into a four week program of rads and so far it hasn’t been as bad as I was expecting. I’m starting to get a little sore and red and the area is feeling bruised but nothing too bad at all. I’m a terrible sleeper and constantly tired anyway so no change there then!
We’ve been told to use aqueous cream (provided) or aloe vera gel - but only to use one or the other, not both as they will cause clogging. I am also of the smelly armpit brigade, am using the crystal type one from H&B but it doesn’t seem to do much - I have ignored their advice of not shaving as I aleady feel ugly with the scar and I’m not making it worse with hairy armpits!
Countrybumpkin - I know what you mean about them being so young. I’m 44 and I swear everyone in the radio department are young enough to be my children. Such a lovely bunch of people though and it’s hard not to move when they’re making me laugh so much!
Good luck everyone
Glad to have found this thread I have recently had two WLE surgeries and now waiting for Oncologist appointment , it is a very funny feeling not really knowing what is to come but by reading others experiences it does settle my nerves somewhat.
Saw my onc today and she totally threw a spanner in the works by telling me that if I was anxious about the thought of recurrence I should go down the chemo route, but it is my decision and one I have to make by the end of the week. Am only 44 with family history (mum and sis, both had chemo and rads which is soething I brought up at the meeting) so I think that is why she is suggestig this as an option to consider…
My tumour was quite small (10.5mm) with clear margins and no lymph or vascular invasion, HER2-ve and ER and PR positive. The stats test she did showed without chemo there was a 5% chance of recurrence.
Am going to ask for a second opinion tomoro as wondering if she was just concerned about my worries but as the nurse in the chemo suite who rang me later in the day said, equally they don’t just give chemo on a whim…
Such a tough decision to make, really not sure what to do… xxx
Good evening ladies!
Just picking up on something Sian said earlier, about the moment when it really hit about BC. I don’t think I’ve accepted it yet that I have BC, it still feels like someone else’s problem, and not mine - even when I see my scars and miss-shapened lumpy breast. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had plenty of tears, and “why me?” moments but I know inside that I haven’t really accepted the truth yet.
What are your thoughts? XX
Ladies, the one bonus of rads is I no longer need to shave my armpits!!!
I just washed with simple soap or boots own brand.
Deodorants - be careful and ask at your clinic, as these ‘pure’ ones are a pure aluminium salt, so not good during rads. Look at the contents list…
All the best to all of you, I found it OK even tho it was a160 mile round trip every day for 3 weeks!
Grumpy
Hi lilginge
What a tough decision. My only advice would be to talk to everyone you can (good idea to get a second opinion) and keep an open mind.
Sending lots of hugs and posiitive vibes X
Thanks Lucy, I notice you’re the same age as me, can I ask what treatment did you have? Been awake half the night going from one to the other in my head… Xx
lilginge so sorry to hear about your less than reassuring oncologist visit, I suppose it just goes to show that even when we think we know what will be next it can change. Hope you make the decision that is right for you and your own personal situation …x x
Hi lilginge
I had WLE and SNB on 6th Sept - clear margins and no lymph involvement. I did ask if I would need chemo at my diagnosis and was told it would be like cracking a walnut with a sledgehammer as my tumour was so small (12mm). Now nearly half way through 4 weeks of radiotherapy and started on Tamoxifen.
I am glad I wasn’t given the choice as I really don’t know what I’d have done.
Good luck to you and to Dana1 with this decision XXX
Hi CountyBumpkin I was recently diagnosed with BC on the 24th sept and had a lumpectomy and Sentinal Node Biopsy 2 weeks ago at Castle Hill Hospital and everyone there was very friendly and helpful im still waiting on pathology results from biopsy which has been stressful to say the least! I dont know what treatment im gonna need yet but wish they would just hurry up and let me know then I can get back to a bit of normality! … lol… xx
I had WLE & SNB mid August. Had quite a wait for various test results. Decided not to have chemo. Had rads planning 3 weeks ago. Hospital cancelled start date last week. Had to buy (I see some on here are given it) acqueous cream, but I think it’s making me a little spotty. Started rads today & hospital told me that they’ve had new guidance & they’ve been told there is no evidence of cream making any difference. Also, just to report my experience, no gown offered at my hospital as you just go in the room with the machine & strip off, same with the planning session. They also told me no shaving & no deodrant unless it’s Pitrok or similar which I’ve moved to anyway which doesn’t contain aluminium or parabens, but just washing at the mo with Simple soap but gonna give the cream a miss for now. I will be having bone density scan before I start hormone therapy once rads finished.
Hi,just wanted to add my experience .i had the rudest surliest man,who told me to pull my knickers down as he stared at me while I did it in front of him while lying on CT table for planning and dots. I cried all through scan and was very upset and humiliated .I have complained to BCN who contacted the hospital where I had my radiotherapy. The “boss” rang me up to apologise and say she would have a word with him. Also she would now offer patients long gowns and something to cover up with.
Hopefully something positive will come from this.After the shock of primary and bone mets at the same time being humiliated by awful man was one thing I could do without.
Sorry to hear that Dana and Catlady have had such bad experiences - this disease and it’s treatment is bad enough already, without having extra problems from less than sympathetic staff.
Big hugs to you both xx
I’m starting radiotherapy on Thursday, don’t no what to expect but just want to get it started now. My scare opened slightly so I got inodine on it the nurses at my doctors are hoping it does the trick and heals over just keeping my fingers crossed.
Hi Pink-lady and welcome to the BCC forums
Along with the support and shared experiences you will find here please feel free to call our helpliners for further support on 0808 800 6000, lines are opwn 9-5 weekdays and 10-2 Sat
Here’s a link to the BCC radiotherapy information with a link to our publication which you may wish to order, I hope you find this helpful:
breastcancercare.org.uk/breast-cancer-information/treating-breast-cancer/radiotherapy
Take care
Lucy BCC
Hello ladies I’m ment to start radiotherapy tomorrow but my scare has come open very slightly my macmillian nurse has told me to go up to the hospital and show them and see what they decide. I’m expecting them to tell me wait till after the weekend. I just want to get in done in time for Christmas. Feel down about it at the minute. Did anybody else have this happen.