Radiation post reconstruction - anyone doing it??

Hello Notbuyingit - sorry for the long response....

I am in the same situation except my implant is permanent (saline).  I had a very aggressive fill appointments due to having to start radiation. So I have double tightness.

I too read about the scar tissue but I am taking my chances. If it happens , it happens. 

The very worst is I will have to have a second implant and this time I will choose silicone.

I read too much prior to surgery and scared myself silly  on some issues. Knowledge is good but sometimes knowing too much is  not so good.

I had two stereotactic biopsies, one core biopsy. Prior to mastectomy I had the nuclear test (painful but bearable). Then onto surgery, 14 nodes removed, then necrosis surgery after original (two weeks later). Then I developed lymphedema in hand and arm.  Six physical therapy sessions later I am managing therapy on my own. 

Just completed 4 out of 28 radiation sessions today.

I am 67 (almost 68) and I will finish my radiation. Would like to quit due to the scariness but will complete it. Hang in there it will get better. Loved my vicodin in the beginning but only take occasional ibuprofen now. 

Like me you may have developed cording (which no one tells you about). Do your stretching exercises when you can and check out articles on the cording.

It will get better!!  ((hugs))

Forgot to mention I had onoctype test score of 10 therefore declined  chemotherapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724805/ 

Hi Notbuyingit, we are in fact very close on more than one parameters, including age - I am 55, nodes involvement and timing. I worked through six months of chemo and continue working through rad treatment. I do have a tiny bit of neuropathy and edema in my left foot from taxol but it has been only ten weeks since my last chemo session. 

My  neuropathy is  almost gone, I just have  a swollen left ankle - by the end of day. I found that regular simple exercise and anything that improves blood circulation eases neuropathy feeling. I also use a sports massager on my feet and arms regularly. I will find and post here the link to a very good podcast re neuropathy.

I do feel tightness in the radiated area gradually increasing, but I am a week behind you and it is not bothering me much yet. I try to do mild stretching exercises every evening in the hope of preserving my range of motion through rads treatment. My surgeon whom I saw for post-mastectomy follow-up warned me that I would need to work on range of motion after rads the same way I did after mastectomy. So I assume the feeling you are describing is to be expected.

I am Her2 negative, so my chemo was different. I had four AC treatments followed by 12 taxols. I did infusions on Thursdays, took Fridays off while on AC and worked from home on Fridays while on taxol. I started Anastrozole three weeks ago.

Good luck to you next week!

Hi Notbuyingit, below is the link. Listen to the audio, it's a pretty good overview and I think everyone can find useful tips to try. 

Chemotherapy Related Neuropathy

Hi Notbuyingit, I am doing 28 sessions - initially, was told about 30, which was later reduced to 28 during planning. I am a week behind you and have done the first five only so far. The hospital is close to both work and home and I can get there at any time if needed. I do rads at the end of day and on my way home. Appointments are 12 (!) minutes and the technicians are mostly girls younger than my own kids.

I work in high tech quality assurance and am somewhat disappointed with a lack of transparency into the planning and the process itself. It was striking especially after chemo where they do not do start your infusion until you check the drug's paperwork and agree. Here you do not get any info upfront unless you ask and you have very few opportunities to ask. No info is accessible online, not even appointments schedule. I do not understand why they cannot publish treatment plan's summary, i.e. dosage, number of sessions, etc before the treatment starts and explain key technical details - at least to those who want to listen. Something similar to radiology reports. I tried raising this question to my RO but we obviously look at this from different angles. I was told they have multiple controls in place, etc and there is no reason to worry. Of course I could have insisted and would have likely gotten the information but I wonder why this information is not given upfront.

I will certainly summarize my impressions of the process and write a review at the end of my treatment - the hospital asks for feedback and I will provide it. Don't get me wrong - so far everything has been going well and I have no reason to complain about the treatment. I am just not happy about patients not having enough transparency into treatment plans and other processes and procedures. I do understand I may be biased because of my professional experience and there might be viable explanations that I am simply not aware of.

Hi Notbuyingit, it's going fine so far but I am a week behind you so I just crossed the midpoint and still have 13 more to go. Got a little rosy by last week end but managed to recover over the weekend, will see what this week brings. So far no peeling or pain.

Hi Notbuyingit, how are you doing? Ready for the finish line?

Hello just thought I would share my story. I too wanted the TE out and went to implants before Rads. BIG MISTAKE for me. I got pretty burned in my Rads treatments. In fact the last week I threatened to quit!! After I healed up I noticed my implant shrinking. I went to PS and he decided to do a Lat Flap surgery. It was HELL on me and I am 8 weeks post op and still in pain. My implant is getting hard again and PS says not much he can do at this point. I feel I rushed this entire process, even the Lat Flap surgery. I don't think there is anything else I can do at this point but live with the hard implant and hope the pain in my arm and back gets better. Good luck to you all with your reconstruction I pray you all have success.................

Hi Notbuyingit, I am done with radiation! Most sensitive spots turned out to be above the clavicle and in the armpit. Now just hoping there will be no significant contracture of the tissue...

I will see my PS for a follow up in about three months and will update this thread then.

How are you doing?

I had nipple sparing mastectomy, so I don't need to do anything about the nipples. 

Have a great vacation in Florida!

Did anyone have radiation with a TE? Any issues? 

Hi Clarrn, radiation is often done while TEs are still in. Your PS knows best what is likely to work better in your situation. If you do rads while TEs are in you will have to wait longer for the exchange surgery and the healing after exchange will be longer/riskier. If you do exchange surgery before rads cosmetic results might not be as good. I did a lot of research and consulted with more than one specialists before deciding to have TEs exchanged for permanent implants before rads. A lot depends on your medical history e.g. whether you had any infections since TEs were put in - radiation may trigger the return of infections. 

Like notbuyingit I completed rads with permanent implant in a month ago and so far everything looks pretty good, however changes in the radiated breast do not appear immediately so the situation may still change. But I am not expecting a perfect cosmetic outcome in the first place, I am happy with a good outcome.