Radiation Recall or What?!...

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sbelizabeth
sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hopefully someone's experienced this and can chime in with knowledge and advice.

Friday I had labs drawn and my port flushed at my MO's.  Fifteen minutes later, I was feeling feverish and lousy.  By the time I drove home I had a fever of 102, and when I peeled my shirt off, I found the entire area that had been radiated last summer, along with extra splotches on my arm and on my other breast, were purplish red.  The enormous red areas don't itch, but they're a little tender

I haven't taken anything new as far as meds or supplements, certainly no new chemo drugs to incude "radiation recall."  And I've had a fever of 100 - 102 all weekend.  I called the on-call MO Saturday morning, and he said I could either wait it out or go to the ER.  No thanks!

Anyone have any experience with anything like this?

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited February 2013

    I don't know, but I'd be heading to the ER myself.

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited February 2013

    I loathe going to the ER too, but unless this subsides ASAP, I would go. I think most of us need to follow the better safe than sorry philosophy once we have bc. Not being an alarmist, but the sudden fever is worrisome.

    Caryn

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  • Lee7
    Lee7 Member Posts: 657
    edited February 2013

    Could it possibly be cellulitis?  I agree the fever is telling you something is not okay.  I would go to the ER.

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited February 2013

    I had redness more than a year after radiation, I called the radiation oncologist and was seen by him - and he called it radiation recall, If you want to avoid the ER, try the RO first. I think he put me on Aleve for 10 days.

    Hope it is something as simple and easy to fix as what I experienced.

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited February 2013

    Jelson, did you have any idea what stimulated the radiation recall?  I don't think it's cellulitis or I would have been in the ED on Friday night. 

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited February 2013

    No, I had no idea - it just appeared one morning - looking as if I had just been radiated! It felt hot and sore to the touch. I did not experience a fever though. This started on Friday, today is Monday, Is it subsiding?If not, Out of concern that it MIGHT BE CELLULITIS - you should be seen by someone - RO, ER, PCP pronto!

    Don't mess around with this.

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited February 2013

    It's subsiding.  The purplish-red areas are fading and the spots that weren't actually in the radiation area--like my arm and the other breast--are almost gone.  The fever's almost gone too.  Nevertheless I plan to call my MO tomorrow morning and demand to be seen.  OF COURSE it happened on a Friday before a holiday weekend, when no one would be in the office!

    My son, who is a physician (first year resident!), came over Friday evening and spent the night to be sure I'd be OK.  He woke me up at 2:00 to check my temperature and have a look at the red spots.  I told him it's the first time any doctor ever rounded on my wearing just his boxer shorts!

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited February 2013

    sounds like you are in good hands - despite the casual attire. glad to hear the symptoms are subsiding.

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