SAVI Brachytherapy

Alotte - Oops, I responded to you on another thread.... should I cut and paste?  I was confused and scared too, but now that it's done, I'm happy I went with SAVI.  I had mine done in Philadelphia and my radiation oncologist and the rest of the team were fantastic.  I will see her again this Fall for a 6-month check up, but my last check up went well.  She was pleased with the healing.  Like I said in my previous post, I'm very fair skinned, so the skin above where the surgery/SAVI was tended to redden up a bit, but not burned.  I also had an infection at the incision site, but she put me on a round of antibiotics the week I had the radiation and it cleared right up.  When it came time to take it out, they warned me that it might hurt a bit, so I was prepared, but it was nothing!  I hate to sound like a walking advertisement.  It's really a personal decision, because you do have this foreign object in your body for a week and have to take care of it ... no showers for a week!  I was fortunate at work to be able to take off and stay in Philadelphia for both my morning and afternoon radiation sessions.  I think you will do well with either type of radiation. :-) - Theresa

In August 2010, I was diagnosed with early breast cancer and had a lumpectomy and radiation utilizing the Savi breast catheter for radiation. My surgeon gave me all my options; mastectomy, lumpectomy with external radiation, or lumpectomy with Brach therapy. I consulted with the radiation oncologist and she said I was a good candidate for the Brach therapy. I asked her if there were any side affects from that method and she said "no". After speaking with the radiation oncologist I opted for the Brach therapy as I have small breasts and I could avoid the radiation damage to my lungs and heart.

Both my surgeon and the radiation oncologist said that there is minimal pain associated with the Savi device. I found that to be untrue. The Savi device inside a small breast does hurt. After a couple of days of having the Savi device inside my breast I was told that my flesh had grown away from the wire whisk type device inside my breast, and since they were unable to readjust it, they told me I would have the old one removed and a new one inserted or the radiation would not be effective. Had they told me it wouldn't be 10-30% effective I would have opted to just leave in the one I already had, but the doctor made it sound as though it would not be 100% effective. I feel I was mislead as I found out later it still would have been partially effective. Let me mention that they charged my insurance company $14,000 for a 10 minute procedure to replace the device. The new device was a size larger and it was extremely painful. And not only when it was inserted, it was constantly painful. I could barely move and sleeping was almost impossible. The pressure on my chest was unbearable and I told them that but they insisted I stay with the treatment. They prescribed strong painkillers and put me on antibiotics.

Let me mention that I have a very high tolerance for pain. I get cavities filled without Novocain and have had other surgeries with no pain and heal up really quickly. Not this time. While the radiation itself never hurt, the Savi device inside my breast hurt constantly and it pressed near my chest wall which is extremely painful. I had my treatment in Phoenix, Arizona and am fair skinned. I have small breasts, just a little larger than A cup size.

No sooner had they finally removed the device (8 days total including the weekend)that my side near my abdomen started hurting really bad! I got the worst case of painful shingles as a result of the Savi device and radiation. I was literally sick in bed for three months, sick with the nerve pain and skin pain that was excruciating! I was unable to move my body comfortably and even lost my appetite. I thought I might even die. Then, after the fact, the radiation oncologist tells me that, yeah sometimes shingles can result as a side effect from the radiation. It would have been nice to know this upfront. At least then I could have gotten the vaccination beforehand or have made a better decision. Knowing what I know now I would have opted for the mastectomy with reconstruction. Be forewarned that sometime doctors are not fully forthcoming and they only see things from their perspective.

Well if you go on their website (SAVI) and read about how everyone had such a great experience, you think you are crazy.  For me, the device hurt from the moment they put it in.  I was uncomfortable the entire week of radiation.  It didn't hurt coming out, but my breast still hurts.  This is my first week after the radiation and I am completely exhausted.  It's not as easy as they all make it sound.  Don't know if I would do it again.

Sorry I didn't see your reply but I haven't been on the website.  It is now August and my breast has healed in terms of redness, swelling.  It is back to normal size.  How are you doing?

Finding the right links to getting info on SAVI through this website is not easy, but I had this procedure done and it has been very painful. The  extolled 5 days is really 9 (better than 7 weeks of radiation once a day for 5 days a week, but ...) with  a 2 day period to have it set in and be evaluated and,  of course, a weekend in the course of the 5 days. Meanwhile, there is a spear in you and you are told that any pain is just "pressure." I am pretty pain tolerant, but also have small breasts, which seems to be a factor, and the repositioning has been excruciating. Counting down the hours. The radiation is easy and painless. The positioning and re-positioning, from day to day, as it moves ... (and getting my breast pushed on to get rid of excess fluid) has been dreadful. I expect that I would do it again -- to just get it over with and also spare my heart on lungs on the left side, but - be forewarned! The SaviSisters stories are not the only ones!

I have one day left and I'll be done with the Savi treatment. It isnt a piece of cake but it has all been tolerable for me. I have been lucky and it is not that sore and they only ever neede to deal with one air pocket. Not showering, sleeping in a recliner, having to have the device in there have been irritating but livable. Best advice I can give is keep a soft small pillow under your arm as much as possible. One of those soft beenie neck pillows would work great. My hole was never sore due to the use of the pillow. My worst pain has been the incision from the removal of two lymph nodes. Today the skin is a little tender and pink but tomorrow is my last day. I would totally do this over full breast radiation. Not fun, not as easy as SAvi sister site has you believe. But doable.