mammocite

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gardengirl75
gardengirl75 Member Posts: 2
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Anyone out there doing mammocite 5 day radiation?  Just completed first of 5 days today.  I am a little taken aback at how painful this is turning out to be - especially swap-out of balloon / catheter (placeholder for "real" one) on Monday.  I'm more sore and tender today - 8 days out from surgery - with more drainage than I was just after surgery.   I'm wearing surgical bras all the time.   I'm taking antibiotic all the way through treatment and find I'm having to take hydrocodone to take the edge off the pain - discomfort of having balloon and catheter protruding from cavity in breast.  OK.  Just had to vent a little.  I'm not sure at this point I'd choose this option again.

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited June 2011

    Bumping for gardengirl...

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  • LisaAlissa
    LisaAlissa Member Posts: 1,092
    edited June 2011

    Gardengirl,

    I'm so sorry that you're having trouble.  I had Mammosite radiation in May of 2007 and I remember the spacer/catheter swap.  It was painful.  But nothing after that was as painful...even the removal of the catheter at the end of treatment.  I remember bracing myself for that, and feeling silly when they said it was already done.

    My BS used a breast binder (instead of a surgical bra).  Between that and the dressings on the catheter site, nothing moved there at all.  Does your surgical bra allow movement?  Is the catheter completely immobilized under the dressing? If your surgical bra allows movement or if the catheter isn't completely covered and immobilized by the surgical bra I'd ask your BS (orsomeone) if a breast binder might help.

    I'm a little concerned that you say the balloon protrudes from the skin, as I remember being told that the baloon needed to be at least a specific distance below the skin.  They monitored for that every time I had a treatment.  Certainly the catheter protrudes throughout.  If your baloon is protruding, I'd be wanting to talk with someone asap.  Your BS, your RO and if no one is helpful there, I'd ask to speak to the Mammosite people.  You really, really shouldn't be able to see the balloon...only the catheter!   

    In addition, I'm wondering if you may be having trouble with tape removal.  Toward the midpoint of my treatment (for me the 5 days ran over the weekend...will it for you as well?), I started having difficulty/pain with pulling tape off twice a day (essentially in the same place) so that they could use the catheter for the treatment.  The skin was being damaged.  When I mentioned it to my treatment nurses, they started dressing it without adhesive.  They used the breast binder to hold the dressings in place, instead of tape.  A little more challenging to dress, but nothing they couldn't handle (they were great!).

    For me, the catheter placement point was not through the lumpectomy scar point.  So it was it's own separate wound, and it did seep.  Because it's an open wound, I was encouraged to leave it alone, and dressed, and to be vigilant about the prophylactic antibiotic. 

    I had a good cosmetic result and (as far as anyone knows so far) a good medical result.  Just make sure your post-treatment mammographers know that you've had Mammosite treatment, as it can leave a visible-on-mammogram image (the shape of the cavity/catheter), that can be alarming if they don't realize what it is.

    I tended to use ice packs for pain (the small ones they gave me when I had a core biopsy done during the diagnosis process).  But for me that was more on the lumpectomy incision site (which was on top of my breast, and less on the mammosite wound, which was on the outer side of my breast).

    HTH, 

    LisaAlissa 

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  • hannahgoolsby
    hannahgoolsby Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2011

    Hello.  I did the 5-day mammosite procedure in April 2010, and I had pain, but not as severe as you are describing.  I hope you have seen your surgeon re: this.  Your post was on June 9, and it's the 23rd.

    I chose the mammosite, but didn't realize I would have to formally re-enter the hospital soon after the lumpectomy to have the real balloon inserted.  It was, for me, more like 2 surgeries, though the first was far more of an event for me.  Post surgery, I did not have a drain. I wish I had been told to use ice packs.  That sounds like a good idea.  I had tremendous leakage from the catheter and terrible tape burns.  No one mentioned the possibility of tape burns.  The radiologist took pictures of this. If there are any nurses or surgeons out there listening, please take note.

    The hardest part for me was having a sudden, sharp pain and the immediate development of engorged areas on June 10 (after surgery in early April).  This became two seromas, one higher up, where the sentinel node biopsy was performed and the other at the site of the lumpectomy.  I knew about the possibility of seromas; I had found out about that online and had discussed this with the surgeon beforehand, but I was not aware of the pain in connection with sudden onset of seromas or of the likelihood of infections. After the original catheter was removed, I developed problems related to the seromas, had four aspirations over 5 weeks, and ultimately ended up with another catheter being inserted, to collect the extra drainage. I developed a breast infection which was treated with antibiotics. 

    I had an excellent breast surgeon; I'm not blaming him at all. However, I've looked at the ads for mammosites and no one expresses anything negative regarding the after effects.  I find that curious.

    If anyone reading this is considering this procedure, know that lumpectomy is not a typical out-patient surgery, (I underestimeted its overall impact) and that there are considerable negative side-effects of mammosite that are possible.  I felt weak from the radiation for 10 months. That would have happened, regardless--maybe it would have been even greater, but if I could go back, I would have had 6-7 wks of regular daily external radiation rather than the mammosite--which for me brought 6 or 7 weeks of misery related to aspirations and the breast infection and another catheter. 

    The seroma at the site of the lumpectomy/mammosite has now hardened, but it still hurts when it shifts position (13 mo. later) and affects my deep breathing somewhat. As my oncology radiologist told me, "You better get used to this.  I think you're going to have the seroma from now on." 

     Each one of us is different, but I wish I had been able to read this before I had my mammosite.

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  • vnorman
    vnorman Member Posts: 20
    edited June 2011

    I just had my catheter inserted yesterday at by BS office.  He does not believe in tape so told me to bring a sports bra.  They packed gauze between the site and my sports bra to keep it immobile.  I was told to wear my sports bra 24-7. My catheter is in my left breast so i have to be careful what i do with my left arm.  The pain is bearable.

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  • BeckySharp
    BeckySharp Member Posts: 935
    edited June 2011

    Garden Girl--I had mammosite in February.  I do not remember much pain--just a lot of discomfort.  I hope you made it through okay.  My surgeon had put a dummy balloon during surgery and traded it out for the real thing three days later.  The balloon was inside on the outside of my right breast and the catheter was underneath the inside of my breast and came out between my breasts.  My cath site was different than lump site.  I too had much difficulty with tape and the onc nurse quit using it.  I would do it again despite the discomfort because I have had friends go the 7 wk route and have a lot more discomfort and fatigue.  Let us know how you are doing.

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited June 2011

    I had a balloon catheter placed, and had pain at pretty much the same level as you describe.  I didn't reach for the hydrocodone, but I wanted to.  It turned out that I did not have enough clearance to the skin, so it was taken out and I ended up getting WBR instead.  I was actually kind of happy at that point to have it removed, that's how uncomfortable mine was. 

    I just want to point out one thing...People know this is the "5-day" radiation.  Well, you don't start rads the same day the balloon cath. gets inserted.  In fact, depending on the RadOnc scheduling, you may not begin for several days.  If your rads are not started on a Mon., you will also be wearing it over an extra weekend.  So, it is really more like a 10-14 day commitment on having that balloon in place. 

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  • LindaJanette
    LindaJanette Member Posts: 71
    edited June 2011

    i have just read all of these posts - and i am feeling panicy scared ,go to radiologist tuesday-iwas thinking that i wanted to try the mamosite-so that maybe i wouldnt feel so tired for so long..'but some of you are saying you would not do it again...

    cant find my old strong self feel like a whimp/ crying way too much 

    sorry typing with one hand 

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  • vnorman
    vnorman Member Posts: 20
    edited June 2011

    Linda,

     I would do the mamosite again.  I haven't started the radiation yet.  I will start it on Monday.  I found this video of my doctor actually inserting the catheter.  What they show on the video is actaully what happened in his office.  I hope this helps. I chose this route because of the 5 days versus the 30 days committment. I also had issues with all the side effects mentioned on the boards about the external radiation.

    http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=375511802323

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