Need some help - radiation after surgery

Had BMX with rt. axillary dissection on 12/14/09.

RADS started 2/1/10 and completed 3/16/10

I was given 32 rounds to chest wall, axilla area and upper chest where I had a mediastinal lymph node positive.  Needless to say I had extensive Radiation per my Oncologist.  The S/E's that I got were sore throat, indigestion (because of getting Rads to upper middle chest area)-- I did get a pretty bad burn because of having to wear a Bollus (a material placed on skin to get a skin reaction.)  My incision areas only got bright red but did not get painful or have any other problems with them.  My upper chest and underneat my rt. arm was the only painful areas that I experienced. 

In all that-- again we are all different-- and it depends on the amount of RADS you are given and how they are given on how our skin reacts.  I am now almost 2 weeks out from RADS and have started to see improvement in my skin after using much Silvadene Creme and applying Petrolatatum Mesh at night.

I also experienced fatigue at the end of RADS and still have a little fatigue today-- I was told my the nurse that sometimes RAD fatigue can last up to 1 year -- HOWEVER, I refuse to be tired THAT LONG:) 

Drink lots and lots of water-- get your rest when you can-- apply cremes that Rad Oncologist prescribes and you will get through just fine.  The good news is that some women do not experience any burns or fatigue:) 

This will soon be over Marm and you will be on your road to recovery.  I wish you the BEST.

Loretta

This is strictly in the FWIT department -- but I also had chemo, then surgery, then rad.  I had a lumpectomy, which isn't the same as your case, but like I said, FWIT:  my rad started about 5-6 weeks after surgery. I think 4-6 weeks is normal (mast. or lump.)  I had no real problems at all with my 38 treatments. My skin turned pink/red but never burned (no heat or pain on the skin even tho it was red), never blistered or peeled, and it was almost normal again a few weeks after rads ended. The scar got redder during rads but now is fading away and there was no pain with the scar. Check with your rad oncologist for what they recommend you use on your breast to keep the skin as moist as possible.  (If you do start to have heat/burning from rad, you can keep your lotion or whatever you use in the fridge for extra cooling!). My biggest complaint was fatigue but it wasn't anything near as bad as chemo.  I'm about 2 months out from the end of rad now and feeling MUCH better.   Talk with your radiation oncologist and tech team about your concerns, and don't stop asking questions until you have all the answer you need.  Hang in there... best of luck.