Radiation with tissue expander

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  • Debbi5108
    Debbi5108 Member Posts: 182
    edited July 2009

    Hello All, I haven't had a chance to get on as much as I'd like here lately, but I have caught up and wanted to say to jrgolomb I to had the problem with my throat and my rads doctor said it was definitely from the rads and so was the acid reflux as everyones insides are different and unfortunatley mine was hit by radiation so bad they had to give me lidocaine to drink just so I could swallow liquid and had to give me liquid pain meds so I could crush up Zantac to take for the stomach so YES !!! it can be due to rads, however that being said I will tell you It went away about 2 weeks after rads were done not the stomach issues but at least I can swallow things now and the stomach is getting much better, so do not think you are nuts as you aren't.  Also My last treatment was the 3rd of June they told me that I would continue to burn for approx: 3 more weeks and that was not the case in my situation I have actually been getting rid of the dark dead skin with peels or lotions and it is almost back to normal okay well as normal as possible lol.  Everyone has the right to cry, gripe, hurt and vent and I am here for you feel free to pm me anytime but, remember this as I have found it to be so true.   EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!!! HOW I or ANYONE ELSE REACTS TO SOMETHING OR HOW SOMETHING EFFECTS ME or ANYONE ELSE DOESN'T MEAN THAT IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!!!!!  Lynn I am sorry to hear that your armpit is sore as I did get a little sore but then I kind of doubled up on the lotion so to speak ( I used Natures Inventory Radiation Therapy oil) and it went away almost immediately and I never really peeled and I had 30 treatments so I was lucky I guess but again please feel free to pm me if you want to talk.

    Hugs and LaughsDeb

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Deb

    You are right, everyone is different.  I have six more txs of this and I will be glad when it is over.  I have a burn all the way up my neck to the base of my ear. It is not horrible, but I am surprised because there is a real clear cut line along my arm pit and breast.

     I read about the scatter bit occuring in rads and the blurb I found ( can't find it again , of course) mentioned our body creates the scatter inside. Does that make sense? 

    The lotion I use is skintherapy used for trauma burns and injuries that benefit from moisture.  I also slather on aloe and aquaphor in my arm pit and around the te so it will keep the skin flexible.

     Anybody here told to keep skin dry and dust it with powder?  I've read about that on a couple of posts.  So Deb, you are right again.  Everyone is different. 

    Hugs and laughs to you Deb and all other sisters going through rads with a TE.

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  • Roxi65229
    Roxi65229 Member Posts: 462
    edited July 2009

    Hello ladies,

    I had my expander placed last year in May. I received 28 treatments of radiation in October. Four weeks ago I had the diep procedure done and everything has turned out beautifully.  We used my skin from the stomach to replace the radiated tissue. I am very pleased with the results. My expander was in for over a year and it created a rather large pocket to be filled. I'm fortunate that I had plenty of stomach tissue to fill the gap. Hope this helps.

    Roxi 

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Thank you Roxi.  That is interesting to note.  I assumed I was going to get the saline implant.  I don't know if at this point in time, the level of contraction might screw that up.  i feel pretty good though.

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  • Debbi5108
    Debbi5108 Member Posts: 182
    edited July 2009

    Jess,

    I so agree about the scatter as I had it happen I too had the rad area( looked tanned for me never a real burn) from the bottom of my ear around to the front of my neckstraight down between my Breast and under my arem and top of my shoulder and believe it or not I burned on my BACK can you believe that?????  I thought What the He_l????? but rads doc said Yep it happens so I peeled in all those areas even though I never really burned just dried out so to speak.  As for keeping the skin dry they told me the opposite keep it moist but, who knows I would think however the drier it was the itchier it may become is itchier a word??? lol   Sounds as if you are using some pretty powerful burn creams so I think you are doing what you can just wish you didn't have to burn so bad, I wonder if the reason I didn't is because I tan so easy??? Are you fair skinned?? Just wondering if complection might play a role... anyways Hope the next 6 go quickly for you.

    Hugs and laughs to all,

    Deb

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  • Debbi5108
    Debbi5108 Member Posts: 182
    edited July 2009

    P.S. My daughters name is Jess

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Hey Deb and hi Jess!

    I put on a goo on called skintherapy.  It has chamomile in it and other stuff.  Inbetween I put 100% aloe vera gel on and aquaphor.  Yup- I was told to put on stuff that keeps my skin cool and moist.  I've read about some other people using powder like corn starch.....

    When I was a kid I always burned before I tanned. Right now  My skin is a brown/red mix and right now it is starting to itch.  I am also burned on the back.  I have forgotten to cover that when I go outside and it does feel burned when the sun hits it.  Rad nurse said I will need to cover that part of my body with sunscreen for ever. 

    Happy 4th.

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  • Debbi5108
    Debbi5108 Member Posts: 182
    edited July 2009

    Hey, Corn Starch wow!! all the different stategies Who knows what works best LOL.  You have 6 more right?  Hopefully you won't burn much worse.  I seem to forget sunblock however I don't burn not even on the areas that have peeled as I have been sitting at the ball feild this season and there is no shade Whomever designed your average ball field was not a woman lol.  Aloe Vera has worked great from what I hear and I hope all goes well for you.  Hope you have a wonderful 4th and Jess says Hello.

    Hugsand Laughs,

    Deb

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited July 2009

    Ladies, the reason your backs get burned or tan.. this is where our radiation exits. I found it odd too. Just FYI.

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Thanks Estepp. 

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  • Carolyn2008
    Carolyn2008 Member Posts: 202
    edited July 2009

    Hi all have not been on in a while trying to catch up on all the posts well it sounds like we are all hanging in still (keep up the good work) i had tx #17 today and skin is looking good i can see the outline of the rads as well the sick feeling has now passed and now i am experiencing a sore throat anyone else with this i did ask the onc and he said the scatter by the time it gets to the neck area it is very mild and shouldn't have an effect so i said well guess what it is so maybe the weakness isn't so...lol anyway all else is well.  How is everyone else doing today anyone experiencing new things and the skin how is that what about the expander?

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    5 more days!!!! I will get boosts and will be there for just a few minutes.  One hour 15 minute trip for 5 little boosts.   BUt if it gets all the cancer out and it never comes back, I'LL TAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!

    Carolyn-I no longer have the sore throats, but I can see right where the line of radiation is-up along my throat and out my back.  I also don't have nausea anymore unless I eat too much like I did during the 4th!!!  LOL!

    My tissue expander is tight , but not much more than it was since the beginning of the rads.  I attribute a great deal to my stretching and exercising during all of this.  I also slathered on the lotions.......We will see what the PS says when I see him next week.  I will keep in touch!  Hope you all will as well.

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  • Carolyn2008
    Carolyn2008 Member Posts: 202
    edited July 2009

    Jess glad your throat is okay now mine is really sore and the nausea is back as well but 7 tx left for me and i am done skin is really tight what kinda stretching and execising are you doing?  Wow you see your ps next week i am not scheduled to see mine until Sept does that not seem to far away? yes please keep in touch would love to see you make out with your boosts and what the ps has to say

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Well, I guess I spoke to soon because my throat is sore again.  The BS saw me today regarding my "healthy" breast and said my te looked real tight and then she grimaced. I ask her is that a bad sign, it is so tight?  and she said no, she thought it must hurt.....It is sore, but about the same as in the beginning of each fill..

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  • Carolyn2008
    Carolyn2008 Member Posts: 202
    edited July 2009

    Jess,

     Well that sounds like good new's to me mine is also very tight but skin looks good little red but still soft and bumpy.

    Well have not heard how everyone else is making out with rads and tx how are we all doing?

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  • LynnVA
    LynnVA Member Posts: 174
    edited July 2009

    Hi ladies,

    I finished last Friday.  I didn't post for a while, I really didnt have anything good to say so I was keeping quiet.  I didnt want to be Debbie Downer and spread doom and gloom. I had a hard time the last 2 weeks.  I dont know if the TE had any thing to do with my skin reaction to rads  (prob not) and time will tell how my recon will turn out.  I did burn and blister, pretty bad.  I worked everyday of my tx but have been off since the last treatment.  I have to keep lots of goop on the area and can only wear over sized tshirts. I cant put my arm down to my side and have needed to take some pain meds for the first time since my surgery.  Everything went fine for the first 3 weeks or so then something changed and it all went down hill.  I'm so glad its over and I just want to heal up and get on with it. This has by far been one of my biggest challenges.

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  • Carolyn2008
    Carolyn2008 Member Posts: 202
    edited July 2009

    Hi Lynn,

    Sorry to hear about your skin reaction i have one week to go and i am getting quite red and have a few blisters as well not fun... so a week later and you are still having so much pain is the skin clearing up at all? Well i sure hope you heal up quickly and everything goes well and thanks for posting as we all need to know everyone experiences when do you see your ps?

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    One more day and I finwa!!  Will be anxious to hear what the PS has to say.  I know I am tight, hope that doesn't portend too much scar tissue.

    Hope you all had a great weekend.  

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited July 2009

    Well.. I am really tight too and I know it is scar tissue. My rads boob is only a pinch higher than my other TE.. so.. Ps says no big deal.

    Your PS will clean out all scar tissue at exchange. It is the high and hard boob AFTER exchange we need to worry about now.. if your rads boob is still in almost the same position.. I think your final outcome is looking pretty good girl!

    Oh the worries we all have huh?? A year ago, all I worried about was my life... then 10 months ago... I worried about chemo........... then worried bigtime about having a mast... then rads... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr now all I seem to worry about is a BIG RACK! LOL LOL LOL... the Lord works in mysterious ways.... Wink

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited July 2009

    DID i just say " high and hard.." OMGOSH.... now I know I am getting OLD... ROFLOL... oh brother... I have become a "dork"...LOL LOL HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

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  • kjbell
    kjbell Member Posts: 974
    edited July 2009

    Laura-did you have a double mast? T/E on both sides but only the affected side got the rads, is that right or did I misread your last posts? I never thought about that happening, but now that I read your post, I know it does. Owwww

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  • Carolyn2008
    Carolyn2008 Member Posts: 202
    edited July 2009

    Hi all,

    Well is anyone else blistered i can celled my rad appointment today as i didn't feel comfortable with getting rads with blisters and a few have opened anyone else I am sure my doctor will not be pleased but to bad for him as i am very nervous of infection my ps told me that we are prone to get infections with te in place has anyone else heard this i only have 4 more tx to go but i think i am not going to finish my skin is saying it has had enough

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Estepp---Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  hahahahahahahahahahah ROFLOL!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Carolyn---Mine blistered.  They had me put on more lotion and then said if the blisters started breaking open, they'd give me something else.  Sometimes the rad doc will have you take a break.

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited July 2009

    Yes, I had a double mast by my choice and had rads on the side that had cancer.

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  • living4today
    living4today Member Posts: 215
    edited July 2009

    Estepp,

    I had a double mast by choice--good thing as they found a 5cm DCIS in non cancerous side...so I drew the lucky card and am having rads to both TE's...PS was happy to hear that as she said I should have more uniform results...I don't start rads until next week and that is if PET scan this Thursday is clear. 

    Thanks all for sharing their road, it sure helps us that are going to be starting know what is ahead of us...

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    Wow livingfor today.......I just had two lumps drained on the "healthy" side and they found nothing, but the worry is always there.  I go back and forth, back and forth.  I agree with everyone, it does help to discuss what is going on.  It definately helps me cope.

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  • Carolyn2008
    Carolyn2008 Member Posts: 202
    edited July 2009

    Jess oh good it isn't just me having these problems with blisters they told me to do salt solution 3x day and to use this pro shield stuff but i am very nervous to dry out my skin as that is what the ps said causes all the problems with skin cracking then infections starts oh god i only have 3 days left when did you blisters start and how are you doing now?   what do you mean you had lumps drained? glad all is okay

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  • jrgolomb
    jrgolomb Member Posts: 1,236
    edited July 2009

    I had lumps drained from my healthy breast.  I am okay.

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited July 2009

    Wahooooooooooo Jess!

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