Radiotherapy twice in the same place?
Hello, so I was surprised today when my oncologist raised the possibility of further radiation in the same place as previously (I had 5 weeks of radiotherapy at the beginning of 2019) due to a new recurrence. I was a bit confused as I had thought you could only have a course of radiation treatment once? Has anyone had radiation treatment more than once? Is it even a thing???? Star xx
Radiotherapy burns hospitalisation
I’m wondering if anyone has been admitted to hospital for treatment for radiotherapy burn treatment? As I live alone and the excessive pain, skin breakdown and dehydration- I feel as I have private health cover - could I ask to be admitted for burn dressings, pain medication etc ? I’ve so had enough if i still have 2 -3 weeks of this - doing it all on my own? Would love to hear if anyone has done this . I’d go to hospital now for a rest from this nightmare.
Scarring from radiation
Hi all hope everyone is well. Im 41 and been given option to do 4 or 6 weeks of radiation. My initial reaction was to just do 4 weeks to get it over and done with but I unfortunately googled things now I’m freaking out!!!! I didn’t realise the radiation covered entire right side of my chest and how significant burns are??? I’m assuming everyone reacts differently do scares / burns go away or get worse? I live and hour from treatment so only real reason to shorten course ... am I being paranoid?! Any thoughts or peoples experiences greatly appreciated 😊 also I ride horses for a living so am trying to weigh up side effects keeping I’m mind I bounce around on horses all day 😂💃💃
Radiation therapy
Hi My first post - diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in January 2020. Have been on Chemo which is clearing the cancer from my lungs and liver, but now have spots on my brain I am having my first Radiation therapy to the 12 tumours in my brain this week- any tips on how to cope and how to deal with the fear Sonya
Starting Letrozole, stomach gripes and other side effects
I am at day 9 (tomorrow) of Radiotherapy (25 sessions) and started Letrozole 7 days ago. I have gone to bed (take my tablet then) and woken twice now with stomach aches and then diarrhoea. Last night it was 2am before I went back to sleep. I thought it might be the effects of the RT but now realise it's probably the medication. I have read all the info on this site and see there are lots of side effects of inhibitors. My husband is FIFO too, I am feeling a bit flat this week after managing with a positive attitude since my mastectomy last Aug. I suppose COVID is not helping either? My oncologist wanted me to go on a trial but I just thinks it's all too hard now (can't drive to Perth at the moment either)
Vulnerability
Hi all, I'm almost finished my radiotherapy treatment, 17 sessions done and only 3 to go.. hooray! So relieved and happy to be near the end. You would think by now I would be getting used to the routine wouldn't you but hmm anyway.. At my original planning appointment in the CT I couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability I felt. Eventually I became overwhelmed and I ended up crying (not sobbing, just tears kept pouring out of my eyes) which made it very difficult to do my deep inspiratory breathing as I couldn't breath through my nose! I think it was the combination of being naked and exposed from the waist up & having my arms fixed above me whilst several people were very close to my boobs, touching, measuring etc. I've never felt this at any of my other appointments or treatments - I was even fine in the MRI scanner. I have always been a very private person so I guess this is a major part of it. For the most part, I have been able to just get on with things each radiotherapy session since, and at least they are faster than the planning appointment. However, today after the RTs left the room they took much longer to start the machine & I was left lying there for what seemed like ages with no-one telling me what was going on. Then when it was finally all done & they came back in, one of them started giving me advice about my breathing and said that I seemed to be moving my back too much (although no-one had said this throughout the session). He did this all whilst not having told me they were finished so I was still lying there in that naked vulnerable position, then he finally took the breathing monitor off my chest so I could cover myself up. I apologised to him then as I was leaving I could hear him talking about me to his colleague and how he'd re-explained how I should breathe. So, to cut a long story short I've spent the afternoon being very emotional about the whole experience again.. annoyed that I still don't seem to be breathing correctly and feeling unable to shake the feeling of vulnerability even after all this time of exposing my breasts. I know I have so much to be grateful for - I'm so lucky to still have my own breasts, plus radiotherapy is one of the 'easier' treatments but I just cant wait till its all over, thankfully I'm nearly there.
On the receiving end
Tomorrow I start my Radiation Therapy. Having been planning and delivering other people’s radiation for 10.5 years I admit that this is the part of my treatment that I have been stressed about the most, wheras I thought I’d be fine about it. Last wk I had my simulation session, all went fine except both my arms went dead about half way through and when I went to put them down my hands were so floppy I literally hit myself in the face - sooo embarrassing!!! i found it quite stressful seeing my friend/colleague having to have long discussions with my Rad Onc whilst I was pretending not to notice and getting on with my work. Turns out I wasn’t a straightforward plan but RO is happy with it. Hearing “nice and still we are watching you at all times you won’t see or feel anything just hear a buzzing noise” and not walking out the room tomorrow will be strange.
Prevention of side effects rads
1.Does anyone have experience with use of Mepilex to protect the skin during radiotherapy? what should I do to prepare my skin and incisions in advance? It will be 8 weeks since lumpectomy and 5.5 weeks post sentinel lymph node biopsy when I start 15 treatments over 3 weeks. 2. Have long awaited overseas holiday planned but have to change departure date. How long should I wait after radiotherapy?
Costs of follow up scans and how many is too many?
I had my 18 month post surgical review yesterday. I still find these appointments rather depressing. Each time you see a different doctor (my surgeon is on long service leave) they have to trudge back over things that I have mostly tucked away at the back of my mind. Quote. "18months with the invasive cancer you had and no recurrence. You've done well." unquote. WTF. That was inspirational. Seriously what goes through some doctors heads? Isn't that why we get chopped, poisoned, nuked and hormone manipulated??????????? There needs to be a class at med school on "how to not be an unsympathetic dick" Anyhoo. The point is back for another mammo, u/s and MRI. I haven't rung up for this years prices yet but last years costs were: Mammo gap between $180 and $220 depending if there is any need for biopsy. U/s gap $125 MRI $575 no medicare rebate. Seems I am no longer in the high risk group...hahahahaha so nothing is bulk billed. So if you think you might have cancer or a strong family history you can get bulk billed, if you have had cancer you no longer fit the "high risk" check boxes so you get to pay I also wonder how many tests is it safe to have? I counted up in the last 18 months I have had 7 mammograms, 6 u/sounds I think, that could be more and 3 breast MRI's, 2 brain MRI's, 2 CT's and 2 bone scans and 1 bone density test. Whack the radiation on top of that and am I nuking myself into more problems??????
Pain/mood management
Pain is an issue for all of us at (most) times during treatment. I've taken the usual assortment of painkillers on offer and they all work on me. They come on slowly and then wear off and I try to hurry home (if I'm out which is usually the reason I take a painkiller). The last 2 weeks I've had a patch put on me and it's lifted my mood. It's stopped me crying whenever I'm alone AND has taken all my (physical) pain away. I didn't ask for it. It was put on me by my radiologist who knew what was coming up next (lots of blisters). Has anyone else been given pain patches? I'm wondering why I wasn't offered them earlier and saved myself 12 months of tears (I have been seeing a cognitive therapist). Am I getting better or is the patch tricking me into feeling good? I'm worried about returning to my teary emotional self once the patches are ceased. I don't see my therapist until next month.