I had a good radiation experience!

pupmom

Before my radiation treatments I read many, many horror stories here about burns and skin problems. So I was prepared for the worst. But, six weeks out from my last treatment my skin looks exactly like it did before radiation. My breast is smaller from the lumpectomy, but I have not shrunk at all since the radiation. In fact, I will be getting reconstruction and doubt my skin will have any problem with it. 

Anyway, my purpose for posting this is to let people know that it is not always the worst case scenario. I asked my RO about my experience and what I had read before hand. He said 90% of patients have my experience. For what it's worth.

momof3boys

That's good to know, thank you! I had my 24th of 28 today. I hope to have my exchange surgery later this summer or early fall....

pupmom

You're almost there momof3boys! I'll probably have my reconstruction next fall. 

Outfield

Yorkiemom,

Radiation is a very patient-specific treatment.  Where and if a person turns pink or "burns" is going to depend on their skin type, how heavy they are, the shape of their chest, and the extent of the fields needed.  It's just not possible to extrapolate from one person to another what the experience will be.  

For example, as a very thin woman with a locally advanced cancer, I had mild burns on my back from my supraclavicular field.   A friend of mine who is heavy but with similar skin tone had burns on the front from radiation aimed to hit the same supraclavicular bed of lymph nodes.  For that particular area, the intensity needed to be higher for her to drop off the same amount of energy in the supraclavicular area, so it burned the front more, and the intensity of the drop off died out well before it hit the skin of her back, because it was a longer distance from front to back on her than on me, so it didn't burn her back at all.

It's simply a matter of physics, but complicated physics.  Radiation oncologists want the area receiving the highest dose of radiation to be the area where they think the most remaining tumor cells are, not the structures above or past that layer.  

Also, an additional thing to know about radiation is that the damaged tissues continue remodelling for at least 18 months - even years - after it's over.  Remodelling is similar to what you see on the surface with a skin scar changing over time.  I wish you best of luck, but six weeks out is too early to know what remodelling will bring.

Spokanellie

YorkieMom - Thanks for posting. Even if you're the only person to ever have good results, it's nice to read some good news in a bad news (right now) world. I expect I'll have some wounds, but I sure won't be disappointed if my experience is like yours!

LouLou40

I had no problems with Rads either, my skin went pink like mild sunburn towards the end but no blisters or skin breakdown.

I'm now over 2 yrs since finishing rads and have no skin discoloration, lumpiness or skrinkage.

I'm fair skinned but my RO said that was a myth that fair skin people burn more.

pupmom

It was quite a surprise to me Spokanelle. My skin has always been pretty good. I'm fair but tan easily. Maybe that's part of the reason for my success. Hopfully you will be in the majority who don't have problems! Unfortunately it seems that people who experience problems with treatment tend to post. That's why I thought I should share some good news for once. Let us know how your treatment goes.

fredntan

Two more for ne too. So far so good. Having 25 total. I am pink or near red under bra band,arm pit. I try to keep my affected arm up stretched out a lot. Damn muscle always wants to clamp downon torture expander. I put ny jammies on when home and take off the little bralet

AnnieBear

I am with you - I was scared to death of radiation and I had 34 treatments and really took care of my skin by slathering it with lotion a few times a day and things turned out perfectly.  I am very fair skinned so I expected the worst.  My doctor theorized that lighter skinned people tend to use lotion and aloe gel more often and they have good experiences with rads.  It is not as bad as people make it out to be.  For anyone about to go through radiation - do not worry.  You will get through it and if you use plenty of lotion, you'll be fine.

pupmom

Fredntan,  I got very pink at the end too but it quickly faded to brown and now my natural color. Never had to deal with expanders. Sounds like the pits. 

Annie, I kept myself very well oiled too. Used Aloe Vera Gel during the day and Aquafor at night. Absolutely, everybody out there who needs rads will be fine!  

AnnieBear

Yorkiemom:  Yep - Aloe Vera Gel and Aquafor - a great combination.  The last few treatments I was pretty red and sore but nothing that was overwhelming - I sailed through rads and didn't even have the tiredness so many people told me I'd have!

Snoopsmom

Another good response here. I have only 4 more boosts to go. I didn't even start to turn pink until week 6. No pain or discomfort, no itching, no fatigue, no nuttin'! I've been using Miaderm, which I OK'd with my RO. She said to continue with it for two weeks after I'm done, then I can just use regular moisturizer. There is life after rads!

pupmom

Annie, I also did not have the tiredness. My RO kept asking me about this and I always said nope, still exercising every day, same as usual. 

pupmom

Snoopsmom, congrats on being close to the end! Glad you also breezed through treatments. The hardest part was arranging my life so I could be there for my 5 minutes of rads 5 days a week.

vivirasselena

WOW!  That's great to hear someone got through relatively well!  Congratulations!

Snoopsmom

Yorkiemom, I'm fortunate in that since I'm retired and a very eary riser, I was able to get a 7:45 a.m. appointment. I figured that I'm up anyway, I might as well get the rads out of the way rather than have to watch the clock all day to be sure I get there in time. I'm usually back home by 8 and the rest of the day is mine. The cancer center I'm going to is very accommodating. By the way, we have the same ideas for our screen names....Snoopy is the name of my cat!

schatzi14

I had 16 rads and had no SE's at all...used Glaxal Base 3 times a day during and for 2 weeks after. My "bad" boob looks just like the other one. I have to admit sometimes I feigned fatigue so DH would do the grocery shopping but what the heck, I am entitled right? Perhaps those with masts might be a little more sensitive to the rads...cream, cream, cream!!!

Califgirl12

I am so happy to find this thread. I am 13 treatments in with 22 left to go. I keep waiting for something bad to happen. How sad is that? I had some fatigue but then realized hello it's my menstual cycle so that's totally normal for me.



Can I ask you ladies, did you follow any special diet or add anything to your routine, besides Excercise? I walk about 30 minutes a day at a brisk pace.



thanks!!

pupmom

Snoopsmom, great minds think alike! 

pupmom

Califgirl12, I didn't do anything unusual with my diet, but like you exercised every day. My RO said that was probably one reason I experienced so few SEs.

bubbe

I found radiation to be easy - I had 4 weeks with the last being the boost.  I used Aveeno daily moisturizer and my skin, while red, was fine.  My breast got a little larger and hard, but that has gone away since the treatments stopped about 6 weeks ago.  The worst part, other than having to go for these treatments, was getting on and off the table.  My doctor and his staff were wonderful, they never made me feel like I was sick.  While no one should ever need radiation, my experience was very positive.

Alicethecat

Yorkiemom

Thanks so much for posting your experiences of radtiation treatment.

I feel sure it will help other women like myself who are due to start rads later this year.

Best wishes

Alice the Cat

purple32

I am very fair , but not as worried about my skin as my lungs. ( ongoing concern)  I have impaired lung function and would love to know if others with left breast rads . had any <lasting> shortness of breath after rads - ESP those who have asthma or other lung issues.  But hearing from anyone on the subject would be helpful to me .

 I think I am about 5 weeks away from starting.

 Many thanks to any who reply!

Elizabeth1889

purple32, I had left breast rads and I have the chronic bronchitis form of COPD. I honestly do not notice any lingering breathing side effects from rads. Good luck. I hope you will have a safe and gentle rads experience.

schatzi14

purple..

I also had rads on my left breast...16...and I had NO SEs at all....not even any redness...I swear by GLAXAL BASE...3 times a day (not before rads tho) and for 2 weeks after. I hope you have no SE's as well. I spoke to several gals sitting with me waiting for their session, and none had any SEs. I also have Pulmonary Embolism and even that didn't cause any shortness of breath. I wish you well

katyand4

I am 5 treatments away from finishing radiation.  Last nine treatments are boost to left breast area.  My skin has held up very well.....itchy and very red like a sunburn but no peeling etc.  

Infobabe

This is good news for me. I had a re-do of my lumpectomy yesterday to get a clear margin on the top side.  I see the surgeon for a post op next week.  Then, when the breast is well healed up, I will go on the 25 rads, actual number to be decided.

However, it is the left breast.  How did all you women do to preventing from burn of the lung and heart?

 This is a big consideration for me.

SelenaWolf

I had no problems with radiation either.  It went smoothly and I had no problems, and healed quickly- and well.

Infobabe... you will, probably, have what they call a "planning" consultation, where your radiation oncologist will use some sort of imaging (mine was a CT scan) to "map out" your chest area, i.e., where your heart- and lungs are situated in relation to your chest wall to minimise those organs exposure to the beam as much as possible.  In particular, they'll take a good look at how deeply your heart is situated in your chest; if it's not deep enough to avoid the beam, then they may ask you to practise deep breath-holding techniques before your treatments.  If your heart lies too close to the chest wall, then a deep breath pushes the chest wall away from the heart and takes the heart out of the beam's path during treatment.

ckk

33 rads, absolutely no skin issues here too. It was a breeze, frankly. I am fair and had only a bit of pinkness from the boosts by the end. I had a bit of fatigue, but that resolved very quickly post-rads (in about a week). I also have asthma, and have found that my asthma has actually improved since chemo! No adverse effects from rads, and I was left-side also.

BLinthedesert

I wanted to bump this up.  It is a little early to tell (2 weeks out) whether I am completely healed -- but my short-term side-effects are gone.  Skin pretty much cleared up (still a little itchy and peeling -- but completely tolerable).  I had a moderate skin reaction (painful, itchy rash) -- but the RO and nursing staff helped me out, and it healed pretty well once I stopped getting treated.  I would be happy to share my experience with anyone -- post here or send me a PM.

I ran (~20% less than I normally would) and worked all the way through treatment -- was a little tired the last 2 weeks, but I just napped when I could (I did take 3 1/2 days the last week) and really caught up on the weekend and made it though the work weeks just fine.

I am still cautiously optomistic (long term effects don't show up for a few months out) -- and very pleased with my decision to do radiation.

I think it is important to keep track of positive experiences, so that people are not so worried going into radiation therapy.

And, joining a BCO group (whether for chemo/rads/hormone therapy) is the most wonderful thing of all.  It really helps to have other people that can understand what you are going through.  It is a bond that you make that is pretty special, in my opinion.

Good luck everyone. 

Shayne

I had a great rads experience as well.  Internal rads.  Some fatigue.....but not too bad.