Spring 2014 Rads

I could use some advice.  Although I finished 33 rads in Nov last year, I am still only halfway healed from my burns.  I had an unusually bad reaction to rads (had to take 2 wk break at halfway mark and Doc was still hesitant to continue).  Am using silvadene 3 times a day , alternate vit E oil and tea tree oil as needed.  Still having chronic low level pain from burns, but, Doc insists I make due with Tylenol and Ibuprophen.  How long does it take for grade 3 rad burns to heal for cryin out loud?!?!  I'm so worn out and worn down.  Doc won't use steroid cream as he says he doesn't want to compromise immune system.  From just a cream?  I'm so fed up...

Oh, so sorry TB!!  I think my eyes were crossed LOL.  Everyone is different and some have bad experiences and others not so bad.  Thanks for sharing your experience.  It really helps.

Dove, oh my.  I have no idea what to tell you.  I do not that my RO said if my burns ever got bad, he would have to give me other other than silvadene, which is the standard I think with those burns.  I unfortunately happen to be allergic to it.  But I have had no breakdown yet.  I do not understand why you could not get some better pain meds if you need them.  That bothers me that you would be turned down for that.  Honestly, if my RO said nothing by Tylenol, I might contact my MO and see if I could get something from him/her.  Hang in there, the burns will get better but as to how long, I do not know.  Maybe someone else in here can help more than I can. 

Dove:  We must have been posting at the same time as I missed yours.  I am so sorry about your experience.  I have no experience with this either, but my RO offered me T3's just for a bit of redness.  I declined as I needed something to address the itching instead.  I have no idea why your RO is being so restrictive.  But you definitely should not be in such discomfort or pain for this long.    

Dove: So sorry you are still having a hard time and in pain.   I think our treatments differ depending on stage, type  etc.  Is it possible that you are diabetic?  Sometimes that effects the healing time.  Keep asking for help, you have a right to get the help you need.  You are paying for a service, if you can't get the help from this doc maybe there is another doc in the same office that can see you for a second opinion.  Check this website for other gals that have had rads burns-maybe you can chat with them and get advice.  Good luck to you, Hugs I am praying for your pain to stop and wish you speedy healing.

Dove copied this from someone else who had burns.

Iowa USAJoined: Dec 2013Posts: 151

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Feb 14, 2014 08:06PM Miminiemi wrote:

Just looked up Miaderm and Radiaderm.  Miaderm is a moisturizer lotion.  Radiaderm is a two step product with a cooling gel followed by moisturizer 3/4 times a day.  Radiaderm comes packaged is individual application packets just like salad dressing!  The cooling gel is water based and does stop the heat feeling for me.  I can't say the moisturizer is my favorite, but ok.  Interesting it is made up of lots of sunblock and can continue to be used for that purpose post radiation.  Available on line from Walgreens. It's expensive, but I wanted to try it out.  I'll have lots left over since I am doing 16 treatments and it is packaged for 33

Hope this helps.  Went back and reread your post you maybe having a reaction to tee tree oil.  I would suspend that use and use only moisturizing products like Aquafore or something similar.  I am a retired aesthetician and know a little bit about calming the skin down after treatments. Sometimes a patient put products on the skins without reassessing the changes that occur.  It may be the tee tree oil is reacting with the other product or your skin had built up a reaction to it. Stop use of the tea tree oil and just use the other product with aquafore which will not counter act with the product and see if there is a change.  You will notice a change within a few days. Good luck let us know.
Tea tree oil if put on broken skin can cause burns or irritation. 

Dove I am in north Dallas, just south of Richardson, near 75 and I-635.  Not too far from Mesquite.

Hi ladies - I meet with my RO tomorrow morning to decide which plan to go with.  He wanted me to look at being part of a local study between standard protocols vs high dose 3 week protocol - but I fall 1 week outside of the time line.  So he said I get to pick which one I want to do.  I am so confused.  I want to get over this already so the accelerated protocol seems great.  But the nurses in the day treatment room said if I am really in no rush that they would go with the longer protocol because it is less taxing on the body.

Is anyone on the shorter protocol? 

hi ladies, I've just completed 12/30 treatments and am now noticing "zinger" or "zapping" shooting pains in my treated breast. Has anyone else noticed this??

today five tx so far and 28 more to go. So far good, breast redness and warmth but skin still recovering with aquafore. Glad for the two day break. Feeling tired for couple of hours after and getting chills. Anyone else getting cold? Not running a fever. 

I just had my marking session and will start 6 weeks on April 8th. 

12/33 finished for me today.  Skin is good so far, but I also feel some achiness and chills.  Have a good weekend ladies and enjoy your 2 days off.

Hello ladies - I have been hanging out with the Dec. chemo board group.  Just finished my chemo 2 weeks ago and will start rads on April 7th for 6 weeks.  Don't know what I am getting myself into.  I haven't paid much attention to rads as I was dealing with chemo, work, and life.  Now, I have to get zapped 5 days a week and am a little nervous about what to expect.   I will be reading up on your posts this weekend to soak up some knowledge.  

Kim

Hi ladies! Just a quick popping in to say hi. I'll be reading through this thread more carefully when I have some free time.

I had my CT scan, fitting and tattoos done yesterday. Simulation is set for next Thursday and I start tx on April 7. I am doing 4 weeks plus 3 boosts.

The team that I see has been wonderful every step of the way. They all had me laughing while I was on the table. They had to take my steri-strips off to see my lump. incision and they were all oooh-ing and ahh-ing over how nice it was. I am pretty falt-chested to begin with so I don't think anyone has ever gushed over my boob before!

Hello faerywings.  I just had my tattoos and simulation done and should starts rads the week of April 6 too.  I will have 33 treatments.  Good luck - we will have to compare side effects.

Welcome seneca, faerywings, kjfromca, mmb1234 - You're in good company here.

I didn't really focus on the radiation part when I first got the diagnosis - I was all focused picking a hospital, picking a surgeon, picking a MO and getting second opinions. I didn't even think about the radiation or RO until after I learned, based on the Oncotype Dx result, that I woudln't be doing chemo. Suddenly, radiation was around the corner and I had to ramp up. These discussion threads - Winter and Spring - have been a huge help.

Getting nervous is so natural. There seems to be a broad variation in how women respond to this treatment - and there are several different protocols that women choose. I guess I'll only know how I respond once I get started, the day after April Fool's Day :-) Hope you all have it easy.