questions about radiation

I burned some, but it was manageable and not until a couple of weeks in.  I think it varies from person to person though.  Good luck!

I was told to use Glaxol cream following rads but to come to treatment with dry skin. It worked fine for me.

I did not have much burning until about treatment 21, then it was a like a bad sunburn.  I just finished #33 (last 5 were boosts) this week and this week has been the worst.  I have some blisters and skin peeling, even though I've used aloe and Bag Balm religiously throughout the whole thing.  It's not horrible - just like a very bad sunburn - very ouchy and the blisters weep, then burst.  Today is the 3rd day without a treatment and the skin is heeling up nicely now.  I keep it slathered in Bag Balm and that seems to really speed the healing.

Have faith...you CAN do it.

I had a total of 36 radiation treatments. After the first 5-7 TX it was as if I had a mild sunburn but no blistering. At about TX #25 I began to blister, mainly in the fold under my breast. By TX #30 the blisters were kind of open oozing sores and I was very tender in my underarm. So I had about 10 pretty uncomfortable days. The skin began to heal really quickly as soon as rads ended and things had healed within a couple weeks. I stayed somewhat swollen for 3 months, with less swelling as time went by. My treated breast is still a little fuller than the other side and was not before at all. I am 9 months post radiation.

Wishing you good luck,

pam 

Hello Icy:  I like Pam above was somewhere around 25ish.  I have very fair skin, and normally very sensitive.  My redness patterned was WEIRD. I had a MRM with some muscle removed so I have a concave area, in the area that in concave was where the most damage to the skin occurred, my incision opened up and I had a heck of a time getting it to close, mind you chemo for me was first, surgery second and radiation last.  I am almost 1 year post radiation and I have skin still in the concave area that it splotchy red.  Everything did eventually heal but my skin still is sensitive and I will get a red mark if there is any pressure like from an under-wire bra (which I don't wear often).  Make sure you use the cream your Radiation Oncologist tells you to us, mine recommended Udderly smooth and AquaPhor.

Good luck to you and wishing you wonderful skin!  

Susie

just finished 3rd week -- 15 treatments -- and the first redness showed up after 10th treatment, which was a Friday, and was gone by the following Monday. Then all of this week I see a light redness, not a problem, just more color than the other side.

I'm so sorry to hear you have stage 4 cancer. Do you have mets to teh cervical spine? Is this why they gave you rads to the spine?

I would say ask your oncologist what the exact situation is in your case.  They should be able to explain very clearly.

 All My Best !!!!!!!!!

I went in today for my rads "dry run." Instead of a simulated radiation tx, they informed me that I will not be getting radiation treatment! I was totally stunned. The radiologist said that because of my anatomy, there is no safe way to treat me with radiation. According to her, this could decrease my survival rate 3-4%. It sure seems like it would be a higher number. I'm a bit nervous, of course, but am also relieved that I don't have to have the treatment.

This happen to anyone else?

Icey-

a got a huge, long, complicated explanation. I have to admit, I didn't get all of what the radiologist onc said, but I did get the jist. She determined that I would get too much of my body "cooked" and rads would hurt me more than help me. 

Yikes!  Hmmm....I wonder about Mammosite radiation and if it would be less risky.  I'm going to ask about that today although I'm meeting with my BS, not my rad onco.

 Michelle

Beth 3172:

that does seem odd.  Is it that it is unsafe or is it that the place you are going for treatment doesn't have the right equipment? 

Because my zaps were on the left and close to my heart, I got my treatments on a special machine that helped me to hold my breathe which is supposed to pull your heart and lungs away from the front of your chest towards your spine.

If it were me, I would want to make sure that there wasn't another way to do it.

good luck!

Hi Beth--

I was in a similiar situation as you.  My radiation oncologist couldn't treat me with the standard radiation plan without delivering too much radiation to my heart (my cancer is on the left side).  He decided to use IMRT (Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy) which is typically not used in breast cancer (it is more common in prostate cancer) so that he could still radiate the area.  I had invasive cancer and close to a 5CM mass so it may be that my situation was more aggressive.

 Best of luck to you, whatever you decide!