My rads are WAY past due, I'm stressed.

[Chelee]

I have some issue going on with my anatomy and all the doctors can't agree on what to do with me and time is going on. Its stressing me out to no end.

I was told I have to start rads 3 to 5 weeks after my last chemo. This is already week EIGHT & I still have NOT started. I am worried because all I am on is herceptin..I need to get through rads to get started on femara or tamox or whatever they decide on? I need to stay on top of this.

I had a motified radical mastectomy on the right side. That same side I am missing ribs which means I don't have a normal chest wall. So if they radiate it will take out some of my lungs. Permanent damage they say.

I already have breathing problems as is. They sent me for a lung function test and said I have about 39% use of my lungs right now. So my pulmonary doctor was concerned about them hitting too much more lung. They wanted to do rads on incision, axilla, and collar bone. But they pretty much decided the incision will be impossible without hitting far too much lung.

But to do the axilla & collar bone they said it would still hit up by the tip of my lung...and they didn't know how much of that I am using? So they sent me for ANOTHER test Wednesday. Its a V.Q. lung scan. Its to see what part of the lung is using the oxygen and blood flow. (More radioactive gas to inhale and an injection of radioactive stuff.) I will have more cancer at this rate!

But as they continue to DEBATE this issue...does ANYONE know what happens when you go past the 3 to 5 weeks to start rads? If I used the 3 week mark since I have an aggressive cancer...I am six weeks LATE to start as of this coming Monday. (8-7-06) (this is really scarying me!)

Is there any point to even do rads this late? I can't find any information on this subject and when I asked my rad onc doc...he just says that they do like to start earlier...and there really aren't any studies about starting late. (That doesn't help me one bit.)

You all must know why I am stressed? Its that feeling that I am NOT actively doing anything. (I know I can't help it...but its just me really concerned, worried and upset.) I have three doctors involved in this...every time they have me do another test...I have to sit and WAIT for them to get back to me.

They said if they can't resolve this...or if they find they will hit too much lung...they will have to scratch my rads altogether. That scares me since the recurrance rate is SO HIGH. But being this LATE to start worries me too.

If I can't have rads...does everyone always recur in those areas? Did anyone else start rads THIS LATE? Help anyone.

Chelee