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  • Pegs
    Pegs Member Posts: 198
    edited May 2011

    TonLee

    i hope it works out too, just get some emu oil , it soaks in quickly so it shouldn't be a problem with radiation, i used the aquaphor in the morning and my treatments were at 3:30 and sometimes the girls had to wipe some of the aquaphor off me , it was sooooo greasy. emu oil is nothing like that.  how may rad treatments do you need?  i had 28 and like i said before every other day was the bolis treatment.  i just had my implants put in 2 weeks ago and the ps had to go smaller than the expanders because of the radiated breast.  i am a little disappointed with the size i would have liked to be a bit bigger but it is what it is.  my implants are 350 not sure what size that will be have to wear sports bras for a few more weeks.

    good luck

    keep me posted

    peggy

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    Pegs,

    My PS warned he may have to go a little smaller too....~sigh~  Oh well.  If I make it through with the TE, skin etc in tact, I will consider that a WIN.

  • Pegs
    Pegs Member Posts: 198
    edited May 2011

    ya know its funny, people that don't know what we are going through make jokes about size and are ya like dolly etc.  yea its funny but not really.  i don't care what size i am i was happy with the "real me" even though they were far from perfect.  i had my exchange 2 weeks ago today and i am really worried about the radiated side, it is really bothering me.  i sure hope its not going to be a problem.  i will be happy with what the ps did as long as there are no problems , i too will feel like thats a win. 

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    Pegs,

    What problems are you having with the radiated side?

    I expect to have them....that's just how I roll...lol

  • Pegs
    Pegs Member Posts: 198
    edited May 2011

    TonLee

    it just hurts, sometimes i get a burning sensation, or just a sharp pain.  the right side feels fine.  it hurts mostly on the side near my underarm,  i am wondering if because i had the stitches out on monday maybe that has something to do with it, although the right side hurt more when he took them out , i actually bled a little ....i don't know today is a bad day for me , feeling a bit sorry for myself , i should be happy i am almost done with all this.  i am just so tired of feeling some kind of pain, it gets old after a while.  ok enough of me crying lol

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    Pegs,

    No, that's ok.  I understand.  I have those days myself.  (My tissue expander is very painful without fills!  I don't care how painless people say they're supposed to be...)

    Keep an eye on where they took out the stitches...I am no expert but it seems to me, from reading here and talking with other women, that if there is going to be a problem with the radiated side, it usually happens the first 6 weeks after exchange and usually starts as a "tiny hole" that eventually opens up.

    Since I had that already...I kinda know what to watch for....and if that happens to you...make sure you see your PS right away....sometimes they can give you a gel to use under a light bandaid to keep it wet and help it close before the hole gets bigger.

    If someone would have told me a year ago I'd be fretting over keeping a frankenboob this summer...I'd have laughed in their face.

    Yet.

    Here I am.

    Foot in mouth

  • Ellie1959
    Ellie1959 Member Posts: 316
    edited May 2011

    When I had implants I had to go in about every other day and have some saline withdrawn during radiation. I ended up with encapsulation contracture. I ended up scrapping my implants and doing tram-flap. I hope yours work out well - sounds like your PS knows what they are doing - mine sure didn't!

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    Ellie, why did you have saline withdrawn?

    Capsular contraction is pretty common from what my PS says...he said he can often work with it during exchange by clearing out the scar tissue and getting some "release."

    He's good....but I know it is a crap shoot.

    It this doesn't work out, I'll just go flat I guess.  I need my muscles where they are, and was told I am not a good candidate for DIEP.

  • geewhiz
    geewhiz Member Posts: 1,439
    edited May 2011

    Pegs I am so sorry you are having a bad day, it will soon pass! The rads side did not hurt me after treatment was over....I hope this encourages you and TonLee both!!

    I am a year out, and my skin is fine. Implants are still doing well. I have Barbie boobs...no nipples yet. I want to make sure I don't do any more revisions.

    Hang in there guys!!!

  • Ellie1959
    Ellie1959 Member Posts: 316
    edited May 2011

    I had it withdrawn because it hurt so bad and got so tight from swelling. They really hammered me during radiation and my Dr. told me it would affect my cosmesis - Man was he right, it still looks horrible on that side. You will most likely do fine - I think I was really bad -

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    Gee that's good news, thanks!!

    Ellie, Ut-oh.  My RO said the same thing about the cosmesis.  In fact, he had me SIGN a consent form saying I understood he was probably going to fry it.  Ugh.

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    Well the bolus they made for me won't stay on during rads UNLESS THEY TAPE IT!

     I imagine my skin will be coming off with the adhesive in another week or so.....when that happens I'm done with it....

  • geewhiz
    geewhiz Member Posts: 1,439
    edited May 2011

    Sorry, that sucks.

    I took my tape off too, had it over the little marker spots. It peeled off all the skin underneath...sure wish I had done it earlier. The rads tech said it was not a big deal to remark.

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    Gee,

    They tape the bolus on me everyday, then take it off.  I still have the stickers over the marker spots...I can't take those off...and I really don't want too because before I even STARTED rads, they took one off and it removed skin!

    Oh joy.  Next week I get expanded....I'll probably burst...if you see a mushroom cloud in the east...my frankenboob blew!

  • mrsnjband
    mrsnjband Member Posts: 1,409
    edited May 2011

    I had several types of radiation but can't tell you for sure what to call them.  But they did use a bolus for one.  I have fair skin & I burn easily, so my skin did blister.  They did not use the bolus when they did the scar boost. 

    I wasn't real happy with the way I was treated when my skin started to burn & wish I had stopped treatment at that time as I could have finished somewhere esle.  It was the scar boost that cause my skin the worse damage.  My best advice is to be sure you have full confinence with you RO.  NJ

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    NJ,

    I told my RO once my skin turns red (under the bolus) I was done with it...he tried to argue, but I told him once it's red, its treated (Another RO told me that)....and if he didn't agree, I'd quit.

    I still might quit.

    Everyday I have to make the decision to go in.  I haven't committed to the whole 6 weeks.

  • geewhiz
    geewhiz Member Posts: 1,439
    edited May 2011

    I may have mentioned this to you before Ton Lee, but I went to Sloan Kettering for a second opinion. They do not do boosts with bolus to scar line on implants, too damaging to skin and very low risk of recurrence there....so I went with the 25 rads as was recommended. So, I'm with you...trust your gut.

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 2,626
    edited May 2011

    Geewhiz,

    I am not getting bolus on the scar..I am getting it on the skin above it....about 2 inches above it..from about 10-2 on the breast.  My scar is simply a small line where my nipple used to be.  Not getting anything special done to that.

    I'm doing 28 TX total...at least that's the plan.

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