So today was the day. I decided to start taking my tamoxifen ( hormonal therapy pills) today since I knew I would start radiation today as well. I swallowed that sucker with only a few tears in my eyes. Besides, I figured I wouldn't see any side effects for days. At 12:45pm, I went to radiation. I just laid on a big table with a machine above me. They took a bunch of x-rays and then did the treatment. It only took about 10 min. I just lay there and listened to an annoying buzzing noise. Easy. I then saw the doctor and she said she doesn't expect for me to have any burns or extreme fatugue until about the 4th week.
After I left, I noticed I was starving and I had just eaten lunch a few hours earlier and I had a headache. I almost never get headaches. Then, a few hours later, I had my first hot flash. It was mild, but I have had 3 more since this afternoon and despite some headache pills, I still have a headache. So much for thinking side effects wouldn't start for awhile. I will have to watch what I eat, find a headache relief pill, deal with hot flashes and more!! I give praises to women who have gone through menopause. Maybe I won't have all the other side effects! Yet, I tell myself I am lucky my tumor was estrogen postive so that I could take a pill to prevent reoccurrence. Others are not as lucky. I am also lucky that I was able to have the choice to keep my breast so that I could have radiaiton. Others do not have that choice. I think seven weeks of radiation and 5 years of hormonal therapy are not the worst things in the world in order to not have cancer!
Raditaion Plan: 1 down..... 34 more to go!!
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