Has anyone done MammoSite Radiation Therapy?

Linda, for precautionary measures against lymphedema, you will find many threads on this site.  I personally began shaving and using deodorant again on the affected side as soon as my skin could tolerate it.  Some women opt to use hair removal creams versus a razor. 

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR for boobytrapped's situation.  I'm so sorry that happened.  There but for the grace...  Thursday (day after tomorrow) go I ...to have the balloon inserted.  CT immediately after to see placement status.  Then... 2x/day M-F next week of Mammosite radiation.

I'm scared, but I know I'd be scared if it were external beam, too.  So, might as well get on with it.

I'm also concerned about how I'll manage getting to and from work and the doc's office twice a day.  But hey, it's only for a week.... IF all goes well.

All the best to all of you!

Linda, I'm sorry to hear about all your family being stalked by BC.  I can't imagine how that feels.  I'm so far the only woman in my extended family to have bc & I hope it stays that way.  I have two good friends who've lost sisters/mothers/aunts to bc.  Hope you make it through all this.  I'm glad you're mom is still kicking.  That must help a lot.

Karen/Boobytrapped!!   PM me, my friend, if you want.  Like Karen/Kdeit said, I couldn't get MammoSite either due to balloon issues, but I did the 3-week Vancouver protocol, which was so much easier to take than the 6-week.  I'm on the September rads thread & my skin issues have been much much less problematic than the gals there who've done the longer protocols.  I was very tired during the 2nd & 3rd week, so don't expect to be good for much else most days, but I also had come down with a bleeping sinus thing & had to go on keflex.  There are at least 3 of us in the September rads group, tho', who caught that bleeping thing, & the other 2 had longer protocols than me, so I think rads just lower your resistence for a bit.

Also, there are some women here who've done an external protocol that's like MammoSite in that it's 5 days, twice a day.  They've had good experiences with it.  If I find their posts again, I'll put the link on here.  My rad onc was concerned about the toxicity of that protocol but the gals here who've done it had no big complaints.  Your immediate SE's (skin/fatigue) will probably continue on for 3-4 weeks afterwards, but you'll be DONE with getting rads really fast.  So, ask your rad onc about that one, too, while you're at it.

Kdeit, I'm feeling much better, by the way.  Thanks for asking.  Started back to work two days ago & did okay.  Felt good, actually, to be useful again & to help someone else for a change.  I'm planning to get to work on my 2009 calendar soon!  Going to shoot some autumn foliage this week, I hope, so will think of you while I do.

Kathi

Hi boobytrapped,

I'm soooo sorry to hear you can't do the mammosite. I know everytime before each treatment twice daily I had to had CT scans. I finished last week but now having problems fluid build up where my lymph nodes were removed and have been drained twice already. Probably will again tom. and Friday. Haven't even seen the Medical onoc. yet but I know I will be having Chemo. Bummer.

Jerri

Good evening ladies! Linda after my SNB and lumpectomy I was told not to shave for about a week, but my scar was right under the armpit and I could not shave for about 2 weeks and that drove me nuts! As for doedorant they gave me this spray called Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal Spray Mist. You can buy it at CVS or Walgreens. It just keeps any ordor away. I was told to wear it for 4 weeks.

(((((((((((((((((hugs to all)))))))))))))))))

Thanks ladies for all the support. This stuff stinks. I actually had the Contura, not the Mammosite balloon, because they thought it would fit better. Had the balloon removed yesterday without any real problems. Rad onc numbed me up a little before hand as I was so anxious about it hurting. He seems to think the balloon burst too which I don't understand at all and put me on an antibiotic. He gave me an option of inserting another Mammosite which is in a football shape that he thought might fit better but to tell you the truth, I just can't face having another inserted and then removed. And I really hated the feel of the fully inflated balloon and the catheters hanging out. But I was willing to do almost anything to get over with in 5 days. Just not an option for me now. I've talked to the onc about the 5 day Canadian treatment but he didn't seem to know much about it but maybe I'll try that tact again. For now, I don't have any more appts for at least a week and rad onc appt is in 2 weeks.  I'm going to take a cancer vacation for awhile.  Thanks again all for your support and suggestions.

Boobytrapped, check page 7 on this thread.  That's where I put a link on my 9/27 post about the 5-day twice a day external beam therapy, so you can tell your onc about it (they do it at a bunch of US places) & there are posts right after mine from some other women on here who've actually had it.  The Vancouver protocol is the 3-week once a day one that I had, which had a post on the bc.org home page here a few weeks ago when they published their 10-year study.

Oh, how I can relate to taking a cancer vacation.  Going back to work this week has actually been a cancer vacation for me!  I get to be something besides a cancer patient for a change!  And I'm deliberately not starting Tamoxifen until next week so I can have a break before starting yet another phase in this long treatment adventure!

So, do something nice for yourself while you're off.

Kathi

Sheri,

The one thing that really bothered me about my balloon insertion was that my surgeon merely "numbed" the area and then made a totally new incision for the catheter.  She either didn't wait long enough for the shots to take effect, or I needed more shots, because I definitely felt it, so even though your surgeon used a different method than you had expected, I'm glad that you didn't feel anything.  And your nurse was very smart to give you that tip!!

LindaBusEd - please check your PM's - I'm not going to be here when you are in Orlando, after all.  My 6 year old granddaughter has to have surgery Friday so I'm driving to Atlanta Wed. and will be there a week to 10 days.  Have a great vacation, and don't get too scared at Universal's Fright Nights.  The billboards advertising it are really creepy.

Hugs,

Karen

Hi LindaBusEd,

I bet you will be Glad to have that Ballon in and Gone soon. Are they going to give you Local Anth. or will you be sleepy?? When will you hear about your oncotype?? Sorry about All of the questions. I'm waiting on mine as well and then see the Glorious numbers. My husband is a numbers person. Sure not me.

Jerri

Pinkladdy,

Don't know yet how I will be when the catheter is put in but I kinda think I will be kinda aware as they are to do the day surgery thing at 7 am and I have an appt. with the onco. radio. at 9 am (across the street).

I go to day surgery registration Monday--I am definitely going to ask!!!! After registration, I go see my surgeon--he will tell me. (I might have to take a double dose of my blood pressure medicine!!!) Hopefully I will get my results of my onco test Monday. I am kinda stressing on this!

All take care, Linda

PS: Vacationing in Orlando this week--weather is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(((((Shari)))))

I'm so sorry that you are having to wait so long to begin your treatments.  I did have leakage, quite a bit, that seeped around the catheter tube, from the incision.  It seeped so much at one point that my sister-in-law, who is a nurse, suggested that I put a period pad over the incision area so that it would be absorbed better.  It was a pinkish/red color.  If you are in any doubt at all, please go ahead and call your doctor - you don't want to take the chance that you might have an infection.

I hope you'll begin your rads soon.

Hugs,

Karen

Got the call yesterday afternoon.  Had my first tx this morning.  No pain.  A little scary, but that's it.  Back this afternoon.  They are going to treat me over the weekend.  Yay!!!!  Two days I don't have to take off twice from work and run back.  And no rush hour traffic!  One down, nine to go!!!!

I am so very happy to find this site.  I had my partial mastectomy October 7 and go in for my balloon catheter implant October 31, with the treatments November 3-7.  I will be reading everyone's experiences with great attention.

One reason I believe a lot of people don't have the treatment (as well as the narrow parameters for qualification) is insurance companies.  My insurance company refused the treatment as experimental.  If my office had not gone to the insurance administrator and convinced them to change their mind, I would not have been approved for the procedure.  In fact, it was delayed a week because of the insurance company.

The cost is approximately the same as traditional 33 treatment radiation, so I'm not sure why the insurance companies are so reticent to approve the MammoSite.  It was FDA approved in 2004.

My understanding is that the procedure is done optimally within 3.5-5.5 weeks of the surgery.  They can do it up to 7 weeks after the surgery.  In time the cavity will close so they need to do it before that happens.

If anyone else is having insurance issues and wants additional information on what I did, please feel free to post or send me a PM.  I'm new to the site so I'm not exactly sure how to do that, but I expect I'll figure it out.

Susan

Linda

 I find out Monday about the chemo.  I'm part of the TailorX study so we'll get the oncotype DX (I think that's what it's called) results Monday.  Are you having chemo?

 Sounds like we'll be able to compare notes as we go.  All the best to you as we start this new journey.

Susan

Best wishes to both of you, Tiger and Linda!  I have now completed 4 tx out of the total 10 (twice a day for 5 days/10 treatments).  The procedure itself is not painful at all.  First they take an xray to make sure the placement and all is well with the balloon.  Then they take a long tube that runs from the "radiation giver" machine to the tube hanging out of your breast.  Once it's hooked up, you hang out there for less than 10 minutes while the machine, operated remotely, sends the seed down the tube and into the site and then retracts at the end.  Once you're done, the radiation is back in the machine... no seed is left in you... and they check that with a geiger counter.  So holding babies and kitty cats is ok afterwards... and no glowing...  There's a bit of noise as the machine does its thing, which can be unsettling, but none of it hurts, and it only lasts about 6 minutes.

BRAC test showed no mutations

Oncotype DX showed a 34% recurrance--most likely chemo

Mammosite on Thursday (at least I will be put under); 2 hours later an appt. with radiation dept.