Summer 2015 Rads

Hi ladies! Just checking in. I'm a little past 2 weeks post rads, and happy to report that my fatigue has all but gone, my skin is almost done peeling, and the scar is definitely much smoother.

Ksusan, thanks for posting a photo. It's one thing to hear the nurses telling me that my own somewhat scary-looking spots are normal, and another to see that someone else is experiencing something similar. Though I'm sorry that you're having to experience peeling skin, sticker reactions, and other problems, I found the photo reassuring and I appreciate your generosity in posting it.

If you (and others who recently finished rads) are still having discomfort, you might ask your RO for something that has helped me a lot: my RO prescribed 2% lidocaine in an Aquaphor base. It has to be custom compounded, but my local Walgreen's was able to do that after ordering the lidocaine. I apply it twice a day and it has given me huge relief, especially when the skin rubs against clothing.

Queenmomcat, you're welcome! I also asked about the aloe with lidocaine gel that is available over the counter. The nurse said patients had reported problems with it in the past. They think it might have additives that cause irritation for some people, so they prefer to go with prescriptions and control the ingredients. Good luck!.

I have aloe and lidocaine and I have found anything with aloe makes me really itchy. I save it for the horrendous pain I get at the end of the day under my boob. I pretty much am down to aquaphor now as the only thing that does add to my misery. I am fair skinned and get rashes/burns etc easily. 3 more days.....

Thanks, ChicagoReader. I'm "happy" to hear my spots look familiar to you--I don't have a good basis for comparison and didn't have much going on before I finished treatment, so my RO hasn't even looked at it. I'm not having too much painful skin reaction but do have some "deep in" pain that I assume will abate. I'm at 2 weeks out and the major field has faced enough that the boost field stands out. Crud under the arm but I can see that it's resolving. I hope by this time next week I'll be more or less done with this particular pleasure.

18/21 today and the nausea is back again. I don't want to do anymore. Can I just stop 2 early?

I couldn't really nap, but it helped to sit still, drink water, and eat protein a couple of times a day.

I didn't peel until more than a week after the end of radiation. At two weeks out, much of the peeling is resolving.

See? You're already perfect!

this causes me no end of pain.

29/30. Never thought I'd have such mixed emotions about tomorrow. I'm definitely glad to see the end, but full of anxiety at the same time. After tomorrow, things change. Cancer has been at the forefront of everything for a long time now. Now it needs to take a backseat. It's been all about getting rid of it, now it's about trying to get back to normal (or whatever a new normal is). I'm also going to really miss my techs. They have been such a support and always seem to know the right thing to say! I have to say, people can say the dumbest things. I know they mean well, but I have definitely learned what not to say.

I'm at 15/30 today.

Anyone know why my skin seems to be more red AFTER I apply Miaderm? I know it's not an allergic reaction because I've been using it now for several weeks. It's almost like the moisture brings out the redness? I don't know if that makes any sense. I asked my techs and they looked at me like I was nuts. I don't see the RO until Thursday to ask her.

Also, I've named my machine Max. I think about Flight of the Navigator every time I'm on that table.

I started taking a supplement of Taurine and it really helped with my fatigue.

Peace and healing,

Nancy

Ahh. That could be ksusan. I put Aquaphor on at night and it gets red after that too.

Worst spot for me is actually around my collarbone from radiating the nodes up there, although honestly still pretty "mild" as far as discomfort goes.

Taurine? Cool! I'll ask about it! It's more like sleepiness than classic fatigue, because after I work out and eat I'm raring to go. But sitting around I can barely keep my eyes open!

Just finished day 14 post radiation therapy. I am glad I took the time to educate myself.

Had no SE's during RT, but I understood that skin could get worse about a week after finishing and mine did. I learned from the article here that the areas most prone to reactions are the axilla and the upper inner quadrant of the chest wall. Those are the areas that hit the hardest.

My skin became very dark red and almost black. Then the peeling started first under my arm, then along the upper inner quadrant. I didn't have much pain under the arm, but the upper inner quadrant was quite painful.

I am a nurse and spent the weekend learning about radiodermatitis, which is the medical term for the skin reactions we get to radiation therapy. The loss of surface skin (epidermis) is called desquamation and there's two types - moist and dry. I had both!

There's been quite a bit of research on the best way to support the healing process and it turns out that the principles of moist healing leads to the quickest healing with the least amount of pain. Once moist desquamation occurs, things like Aquaphor are no longer helpful.

There's several wways to support moist healing, including hydrocolloid dressings, alginate dressings, silicon dressings, wound gels, and clear dressings like Tegaderm.

The area that was giving me the most trouble was the upper inner quadrant (dry desquamation). It felt like the worst case of chapped skin I have ever had. And, of course, it flared up over the weekend. I went to Walgreens and bought some Tegaderm and silver wound gel. What a godsend this was! Within an hour of applying the wound gel and the Tegaderm, my pain was gone. And within 48 hours of applying them, my skin looks so much better.

I had to be a little more creative with the moist desquamation under my arm. In addition to applying wound gel and Tegaderm, I covered the areas with a border gauze dressing in order to reduce the friction from my arm rubbing on the damaged skin. I've also had to use the same strategy for some moist desquamation in a skin fold under my breast area.

Right now, I see much iimprovement and the radiodermatitis is clearing.

For any of you that experience moist desquamation, don't be afraid to talk to your RO about these methods for healing your skin.