Fall Rads 2014

I finished last Wednesday, yay!! I'm just wondering, did any of you who have finished continue to use the Aquaphor ? I'm not tender or anything. It's actually like when I would get a tan and the skin would fade , making my skin actually look dirty. Not sure need to use it anymore.

Monday I go for a bone density test

Home Mom - Just to be on the safe side, I think you should continue to moisturize for 2 weeks after last rad.  Someone said that any burned area can continue to worsen over that time period.

HomeMom, I didn't realize how bad it was until I was scratching there during my shower. Then I started scrubbing No more gross-ness!

i started my boosts yesterday.  my breast felt like it was in a vice grip.  ouch.  blown away, I sure hope I don't look like I have been burned by a cigar.  ouch.  the only thing I am using on my breast is aloe vera.

they put my breast in between 2 square clear plastic pieces and pushed it tight and clamped it down.  then put tape around it so only the tumor area was exposed. 

OMG, SKBrown! I've never heard of such a thing. UGH!!!! Like getting a mammogram.

Yikes1, yeah, I sure do get it

I have currently undergone 12/25 radiation treatments of my left breast/chestwall and axilary nodes levels I/II. My RO stressed the importance of avoiding skin-to-skin contact of my axilla (keep my arm away from my body) to prevent friction from causing blistering. She recommended walking around with my hand perched on my hip at all times to accomplish this. Unfortunately, after a few minutes, I forget and since there isn't much pain yet, my arm goes back down to my side. Has anyone found or heard of any garments I could wear, such as a particular T shirt designed to help protect that area. I don't want wait until blisters form to deal with this. any suggestions? Thanks!

yikes1 - the volunteers at my center provided small homemade heart shaped pillows to place under the arm.

Yikes - When I first had my surgery I received a pillow with a ribbon attached to two corners - it looked  like a purse.  That might work.  You could wear it under your shirt if it was cotton. 

Yikes - The pillow was to keep my arm from rubbing against the surgical (lymph area) wound.  It seems like it would work in your application also. The shirt thing is interesting because I have found that I like my skin covered as long as it doesn't move around.  I bought some Kathy Ireland stretchy bra like things at Ross's. They remind me of a flimsy Genie bra.  They are pull on's with no metal or plastic fasteners.  I bought them oversized because I did not want tight, just unmoving. They are not cotton, but they are seamless and seem to lightly embrace my chest and underarm area.  I don't like a loose shirt lightly grazing over the radiated skin. For me that causes little electric shock sensations. Definitely unpleasant.  I don't have any open sores or moist surfaces on my skin. Just lightly pink, bumpy, prickly, itchy and slightly "sunburned", so the fabric doesn't stick to my skin.  

I never did anything, I didn't know it was a problem.

Hey ladies I hope everyone is doing well. I I wanted to ask if anyone has had scar tissue around where you had your lumpectomy. My tumor was close to my nipple. The scar tissue ( if this is what it is ) is inside the areole it feels like a lump but I think it might be scar tissue. .?

susug, I haven't checked into this board for a while, but saw your post and thought I could offer my experience. I had lumpy tissue in the areas where I had my lumpectomies when I asked my surgeon about it, she said that it was my tissue being a little overzealous in the healing process & essentially creating fibrous tissue like scar tissue. She said it would likely not ever go away. I had a double mastectomy a couple months later for other reasons, so I can't offer any more insight.

Good luck ladies!

SCMom - I just finished 7 weeks of rads with implants. The doctors gave me lighter doses of radiation but for a longer period of time due to the implants. I was warned that my breast might shrink over time and push the implant upwards. I was advised to put lotion on and massage it in a downawards motion, pressing hard. So far, so good but I only finished about 1 month ago - time will tell.

susuag, I also have really hard scar tissue under my lumpy incision. The doctor said it would break up over time and I can help by massaging it so that is why I'm doing.