Itching after radiation treatment

cbmc

I finished radiation treatments 4 months ago and my radiated breast has recently begun to itch. Very annoying and nothing seems to help. Anyone else experiencing this?

BilateralBeauties

I'm almost a year out and I still have a lot of sensitivity. Itching was a phase. I tried on a bra yesterday and my skin still cannot take a bra with any seams. Ugh. Good Luck.

cbmc

Thanks. I don't have too much sensitivity just the itching. Guess I'll just grin and bear it and hopefully it will ease up soon!

Alirena

I went through an itching spell several months after completing radiation.  I stopped using heavy lotions and creams and the itching stopped.  I don't know if it was a coincidence or just the fact my skin needed to breathe.

LindaKR

I'm two years out and still have bouts of itching occasionally, it's really frustrating because I have no nerves there still so scratching brings no relief, but rubbing it with a dry, slightly scratchy (like it was dried outside, but a little softer) towel seems to help sometimes.  Make sure that you're using only mild soaps, lotions, etc... on it with as few ingreadients as possible. 

kdholt

I am 4 1/2 years post treatment and I have had bouts of my radiated breast itching like crazy since treatment ended.

Suz70

Yes, it's been three months for me since radiation and the itching is driving me crazy.  What's up with this?

mamabee

I've tried every lotion to help with itching and the one that works for me is Medline Remedy Skin Repair Creme. I buy it on Amazon and use it every day on the radiated area.

Anonymous

Came back to the boards to see if anyone had post rad treatment flares.  I am almost 5 years out from rad treatment and am just getting over a flare.  Really...certainly do not need any reminders of my treatment.    I have mild lymphedema that's reminder enough thank you very much!

Ann403

Glad to know I'm not the only one with this problem. I had radiation on both breasts and the itching is really awful. Benadryl doesn't do much to help and I wasn't sure that hydrocortisone would be ok so I guess I'll try it as well as maybe not using lotion every day since that seemed to help one of the women who responded to you.

floridatworeds

Thank God for these blogs, I thought I was going crazy or it was a sign the cancer was back. Breast itch like crazy sometimes three months out of radiation.

dlamb514

I am 7 YEARS OUT from my radiation treatment and I go through spells of itching like crazy.  It can be fine for so long & then suddenly, it's a patch of itching that I scratch like crazy - feels better when I do but the day after, it is EXTREMELY sore and tender.  I don't understand why it can be fine for so long & then out of the blue, it starts itching like crazy again..  I use lotion daily but when it starts, nothing I do seems to help ..    ugh..  that skin is so thickened anyway from the radiation .. it feels extremely uncomfortable.  Glad I'm not the only one with this issue at least .. 

Spookiesmom

I itched during rads, about 9 months out and nothing. Lidocaine helped a LOT during rads. Numbed it. 

blaznagility

Hi, I am three years out from radiation to my right breast. I had a lumpectomy for DCIS and needed 6 weeks of radiation. My skin didn't tolerate it well so I had to take a week or two off for the skin to heal before finishing so overall it was probably 8 - 10 weeks.

About 6 months after I finished treatment I started getting a crawly feeling in the middle of my back almost straight back from where the radiation was in the front. It then started to get itchy. I still have it to this day.

My breast doesn't get itchy but I am still tender near the scar area and my armpit is a bit tender from where they removed two lymph nodes. None of my doctors can say whether it's related but some do believe that it's possible due to nerve damage.

Newbie2thebigC

just curious how many people are aware that several titanium or titanium alloy marker clips are usually implanted at the site where the tumor was removed and sometimes where the lymph nodes were removed, too...and some people are allergic to them.

Evergreen333

Hi, yes I was told that there will be titanium marker clips implanted in the breast at the time of surgery 8 months ago. I had not been conscious of them until I bought a Fitbit band. I had so many tinglings in my arm and feelings of a lot of activity in the lumpectomy breast that eventually after several research I found out that the titanium clips can act as conductor for the Bluetooth so sadly I had to remove my Fitbit and now its in a drawer and my Bluetooth off. It's incredible all the newer symptoms of pain, that creeping feelings & activities and heaviness have disappeared. But we know there are still other problems of itchiness, tiredness, exhaustion post-Rad....that's a different matter. I hope that answered your query!

Welcome to the community

Denise-G

Evergreen333 - thanks for posting this - I never heard that before, so good to know!!

Celand

I am almost 7 months out from my radiation treatments and sometimes experience itching on my radiated breast but it is on the opposite side of where my surgical scar is. Wonder if Radiaguard would help with this. Now I see that others have had this issue.

beautycountershari

I am so glad I came across this! I finished radiation 8 months ago and out of the blue, I am having the same symptoms. My Dr did tell me tgat this can happen. Crazy, right

LVLinda

I went through 27 rounds of radiation in 2010 after both breasts were removed. My chest still itches. I've gone through many t-shirts scratching until they have holes in them. I'm now using anti-itch lotions which do help. I hate to use them every day, and on the days that the itching isn't as bad, I give my skin a break from the lotions. But, my oncologist said this might never go away. Hey, I would rather be itchy and be alive, so I'm not trying to complain. Just thought I would add to the discussion. Everyone is different, some will itch, some won't. Afraid I am one that itches.

pmintpat62

I finished my radiation in December and am experiencing the same thing. My PCP told me to try benadryl.

October22017

Like someone else said, thank heavens for this site! I finished radiation 3 months ago and my radiated breast just began getting itchy this week. Ugh! I, too, worried about reoccurrence or problems due to a change in my breast like this. Thanks for all the sharing. Benedryl has helped a little & I’m hoping it’s just temporary. Also, I assumed the metal markers were removed during surgery. More questions to ask during follow-up! Thanks everyone

Moderators

October,

Thank you so much for joining and sharing with us -- we look forward to hearing more from you! We're all here to help you as best we can. Please let us know if you need any assistance at all while you navigate our amazing Community!

--The Mods

PrincessButtercup

So relieved to find this thread today! I have been itching for the past two or three weeks. Nothing seems to help, except temporarily. I did find some Benadryl anti-itch gel with lidocaine that lets me sleep at night, but it's a real mess and hard to use during the daytime. Anyway thank you for your posts here as they make me feel less crazy!

LindyM

I finished radiation about 5 months ago. My radiated breast is a shade darker and redder than the other one. The skin isn't bumpy at all, but it's itchy. I wake up in the middle of the night itching. I also notice that it's very red after I wear a bra for more than an hour. I'm trying to determine if it's a skin or nerve issue. I've tried cortisone cream, but stopped because I was afraid it would thin my skin. Now I'm mixing diaper rash cream with Aquaphor. It has helped a lot, but I think it's just masking the issue. Does anyone have a similar situation and do you know if it's a skin or nerve issue? I've been to a few dermatologists as well as my radiation oncologist. They seem baffled because my skin looks pretty good minus some redness.

Moderators

Hi LindyM! We want to welcome you to our community here at BCO, but we're sorry you're experiencing this side effect! Some of the previous posters mentioned Benadryl providing some relief, have you given that a try? It does seem to be a common issue among our community members, but we understand that it can be annoying and aggravating! Hopefully you find something that gives you some relief!

The Mods

LindyM

Thanks for the quick response. I saw notes on Benadryl. I wasn't sure if the oral med or topical works the best. I noticed some comments about the itching being a reaction to the markers that are placed inside of the breast. I've been to dermatologists but not an allergist. Has anyone had luck with a particular type of doctor with this issue? I feel like I'm getting shuffled from one doctor to the next. The radiation oncologist passes me to a dermatologist and the dermatologist says he doesn't specialize in radiation issues. So he passes me on to another clueless doctor. That's why I'm now trying to figure it out on my own. I guess I can try the Benadryl since the creams don't seem to work in the long term. Any idea of how long it takes to work? 

Denise-G

My removed breast area itched constantly before, during and MUCH AFTER radiation. Cortisone cream helped some, but the thing that helped the most was gently tapping the area. But I am 6.5 years out from rads and I still itch which leads me to believe it is nerve damage. I still get bouts of it occasionally. GOOD LUCK!

Spookiesmom

try a sunburn gel with lidocaine in it. I get it at Walmart has aloe in it too. Numbs the itch, my RO approved it.

LindyM

Thanks so much for your responses. I will try the tapping and the sunburn gel. I just wish that breast didn't look two shades redder than the other one! I hope that fades with time. I feel like sunbathing the other side to make them match! I'm a bit vain I suppose :-)

Petersonjcp

you are all lifesavers! I am EIGHT years out of radiation and probably 2-3 times a year I get unbearable itching that lasts several days. I always suspected it had something to do with cancer/radiation but it’s so nice to find validation. If only I could find relief and perhaps what causes flare ups!