Hi. I have had the same op and will be starting radiotherapy in a couple of weeks. I would love to compare notes once we start . All the best and let's hope neither of us have too many side effects. xx

Hi there,

I would love to compare notes with you as we seem to be in the same boat on this, although I have a feeling that you may be several weeks ahead of me, treatment wise.

My initial oncology appointment is not until tomorrow and then I'm guessing I have to wait a couple for weeks for the planning session and then another two to actually start the treatment. Why does everything always take at least two weeks?!

Anyway, hoping to find out a bit more on the timings tomorrow...

Fingers crossed for both of us and please do keep in touch.

xx

Please don't worry about scolding (as you put it) I honestly really appreciate all your help!

That's very interesting though because I asked if the hospital gave out any creams or lotions with the treatment and was told that they don't but she then recommended E45 to me.

Sorry to bug you but do you mind me asking what you use instead? 

xx

My oncologist gave me a prescription for diprobase cream.  I can use it in the morning before I go as long as it's absorbed :-) number five done and starting to look a little pink .

Thanks Daisyboo, I will look into that. x

like Daisyboo, I was given Diprobase cream by the radiotherapy team, use twice a day to keep the skin moisturised, I had dose 6 today and can't see much difference yet, nice to compare notes and advice, please all continue as every little helps!

Shirley xxx

Hope your last session of the week goes well for you and that you have a nice relaxing weekend.

Take care

x

Hi

Thanks, hope you have a good one too, just going to get my 8th session this afternoon, then a nice relaxing weekend, so have a good one.

Shirley

Hi,

Another week over for you then, enjoy your two zap free days!

Sorry, but a bit of a rant coming up now...

My appointments came through today and the 15 x 3 sessions are being done at a totally different hospital to where I had been going and is almost 40 miles away from home and over 50 miles away from  work!! The oncologist didn't mention this other hospital at all on Monday and we even discussed how convenient it was that I work so close to the hospital where we had our meeting. I called them but, after consulting with colleagues, had a call back to say that they could not change me back to the original hospital as it was fully booked up and I would have to go to this other place after all.

To add insult to injury, they had also booked me in for 20 sessions instead of 15 but, having doubled checked, admitted that it was their mistake and they will be sending me a revised schedule shortly!

As you can imagine, I am not happy about all this and am now going have to rethink whether I can work at all whilst having the treatment. I would like to try but my work is in the opposite direction to this "new" hospital so the daily round trip will be pretty horrendous, never mind if any side effects kick in as well.

I really think someone could have warned me that this might have been a possibility.

Still, my first session is not until 13th May so I have just under a month to calm down (!) and decide what to do about work in the meantime. I understand that they are changing some poor souls over from one hospital to the other mid-treatment which would be much worse for them so I guess I can count myself lucky in a way?

Apologies, rant over now!

Take care and I hope next weeks goes as well for you.

xx

Hi Shirley,

For some reason your last post didn't come through until after I had sent my rant so sorry to hear that your skin is starting to react now and I hope it doesn't get too uncomfortable for you.

Thank you for bearing the brunt of my ranting....as you say, there isn't a great deal I can do about it, it is what it is.

Take care x

Hi Shirley,

For some reason your last post didn't come through until after I had sent my rant so sorry to hear that your skin is starting to react now and I hope it doesn't get too uncomfortable for you.

Thank you for bearing the brunt of my ranting....as you say, there isn't a great deal I can do about it, it is what it is.

Take care x

Good for you, I'll be doing the same tomorrow! x

Hi Shirley,

Hope you have a good week and that the effects are kept under control.

Take care x

Hi Susu   I have had a good weekend, sorted out the garden, a bit late planting my flower seeds, so hope they come through! Also transplanted all my strawberry plants into the raised bed, so have been quite busy.    I noticed in the shower this morning the straight line the zapping has made, right from under the left armpit across the whole breast, so keeping an eye on that, hope your weekend was good?  Shirley x

Hi Shirley,

You've put me to shame with all that gardening, wow! I wandered around my garden a few times if that counts? No, didn't think so!! I did top up the bird feeders though and made sure they would be happy for a few days so that was something at least... it's been very breezy here so that's my excuse!

Sorry to hear about the zapping mark, I really hope it does't get any worse for you. Out of interest, have you had any issues with the skin on your back at all? You haven't mentioned it so I am guessing you are ok but I read in some of the blurb I was given that the exit site can also be affected by the treatment and wondered how anyone managed with that.  

Take care and have a good week, will be thinking of you  xx

Hi Susu

Interesting about the skin on the back, the way my machine is set....I am on a trolley and the machine arms move around me, the angle the head is set at means it only targets the breast, so if you can imagine lying flat with your arms above your head, the machine head goes way down under my left armpit pointing diagonally up and across only picking out the mound of the breast, then it moves round to my right side, diagonally pointing to the other side of the breast, so basically it is only targeting the breast area, quite a machine, though it has broken down twice in the last 2 weeks!

I had my 11th zap today and felt so food, I am just back from a 45 minute cycle! although most nights I just sit knitting and watching telly, but the sun is shinnng and it felt great, I will probably sleep well tonight!

take care

Shirley x

Hi Shirley,

Thanks very much for that and great to hear you're feeling so good. Not sure I could manage a 45 minute cycle ride at the best of times, good for you! Hope I catch you before you nod off.. (Mind you I am not far behind myself, I went full time this week at work and it's rather taking it's toll)

Great timing with your post too so thank you for that. I am off for my treatment preparation session tomorrow so it was very interesting to hear from you about how the machine actually works (when it's not broken) and I shall compare notes with what I am told tomorrow.

Take care and I hope tomorrow and Friday go well. xx

good luck tomorrow x

Hi Shirley,

As you can see form my reply to Sally, today was fine apart from the shoulder issue!

I would never have had the blooming thing done if I'd known all this was going to happen but, hey, ho, hindsight is a wonderful thing!

You were absolutely right about the angles for the treatment, they will be going across rather than through so no back issues to worry about there, thank you. I asked again about creams but no, they don't issue anything so I will get something from the chemist instead!

They have now manged to changed my session times to 9.00am rather than 4.00pm at the new hospital though so that's great and it means I will have the rest of each day to myself.  

How are you getting on, any more cycling today? At least it's Friday tomorrow so you'll have the weekend zap free.

Take care xx

Hi susu

Sorry to hear about your sholder issue, that must have been painful.  I would get your doctor to prescribe the Diprobase cream, think that would work out cheaper than the chemist?

I was out for another cycle yesterday, so feeling really good, skin is pinking up nicely, but keeping plenty of cream to keep moisturised, I don't find any problem with the treatment so far, so long may it continue, had number 13 today of 25 so now over half day.

I thought I was starting to feel more possitive about the diagnosis and treatment, as it can make you pretty depressed, then last night my niece anounced on facebook that her brain tumour, that had been removed a year and a half ago, had returned, was inoperable and her doctor was giving her 6 months, well I have been in pieces, she is only 42!   I have been so tearful, just thinkingy of what she is going through makes my eyes well up, cant believe that this is happening, this has really Knocked me for six, was blubbing at work all morning.  Thankfully I am meeting up with my brother and sister-in-law on Sunday.  I stay in the north east of Scotland and they all stay in Southport, and they just happen to be up this direction on holiday, so hopefully will learn more over the weekend, but I have lost any motivation for doing anything.

have a good weekend x