What can I expect with brachytherapy

I had SAVI brachytherapy device (7 catheters) inserted a couple of weeks after LX.  It was uncomfortable but not painful.  I wore a breast binder (probably wouldn't work to wear bra) to hold it in place which actually worked out well for the radiation treatments.  I had my radiation in winter so could wear a fleece jacket over binder and just unzip it and undo the Velcro on the binder during treatments which were done in a cold room!!  It was inserted on a Wednesday, I had a placement CT scan on Thursday, and then completed the 2x/day, 5 day treatments the following week. Every day I had a CT to check placement before each treatment--again only having to unzip and loosen binder without having to undress.  After the last treatment the device was removed and the small wound was left open to heal from the inside out, which, for me, took a good 2-3 weeks to close and I still have the little scar after 5-6 months. 

I did not feel tired or sick during the treatment week, and since I lived 1 hour from the treatment center and the treatments were 6 hours apart, I stayed and read, or went shopping, or met friends for lunch.  Sleeping was limited to the side away from the device.

The radiation itself was painless, and I had a wonderful group of nurses who made sure I was comfortable on a hard, uncomfortable table by placing pillows and arm supports during the short 8-10 minutes of treatment.  Don't be afraid to ask for a comfortable position before each treatment since you will be alone in the room once the actual radiation time starts.  Setup by the radiologist took a few minutes and there is a heavy sensation when they connect the leads from the device that holds the radioactive pellets and delivers them to the catheters.  You will hear little "clicks" as the pellets separately go in and out of and travel through the catheters.  I found myself counting the clicks just to pass the short time and looking at the picture mounted on the ceiling above the treatment table!!! 

My only concern was that it didn't seem they gave me information about cleaning the wound in the weekend after the insertion and before my treatment started.  You cannot get the wound area wet so no showers are allowed when device is in.  You will need to clean the wound and change the dressing on the days you don't have treatment.  Make sure the nurses give you that information and show you what to do over the weekend when you are on your own.  I also had a couple of the little plugs that close the ends of the catheters fall out when they caught on the dressing over the weekend--that totally freaked me out, but turned out to not be a problem.   I had a little bruising around the wound, but no skins burns like can happen with other type of radiation. 

Since you will have a device inserted during the LX, your treatment plan may be different from mine, but I was glad to be done after 5 days of treatment (9 days with device in) instead of the 6 weeks of whole breast radiation.  Ask lots of questions and I hope you have a radiation treatment team as nice as mine!

Best wishes for your LX and brachytherapy.  Let us know how you're doing. 

I had a single catheter and no side effects other than an infection caused by a rash from the tape used to secure the bandages. The worst part is not being able to shower. It was 9 days for me. Ugh.

Best of luck with your treatment!

Just finished with the Savi brachytherapy last week, My husband sat in the room when the surgeon inserted the device 7 days after the lumpectomy. I think he was traumatized and now has great empathy for what we go through. It was no big deal.

The entire 9 days went by relatively quickly and painless except for the fact that it felt like the bra I wore for 24 hours for 9 days was embedding itself in my skin while the temperature outside was 115 degrees. Ugh! It was definitely a relief to have it removed.

If you are able to do this form of radiation, definitely go for it. And, yes, the radiation oncologist and her team were fabulous!