Post brachytherapy radiation and surgery effects

Hi - my affected breast is the left one and the buttons are on the side closest to my midline. The open part of the tubes are on the side closest to my arm. The breast looks kind of squished, but really there isn't a lot of discomfort. Absolutely no pain when they did the first treatment this morning ( I am waiting for the second treatment now). They also decided two of the tubes were unnecessary so they were removed. I was worried it would hurt, but didn't at all! I dint have any bruising yet according to the technicians, and where the two tubes were taken out are only little red marks - nothing really. I had no problem sleeping last night, and find taking a tylenol3 occasionally is all I need for pain management. So far so good! Hope your treatment today goes well. Let me know!

Wow, the Interstitial method sounds intense! Although I don't know if a series of tiny tubes is really going to ultimately be any different than one grouped up bunch of tiny tubes really. Totally interested in how Fightingirl and Dotter's experience differs!

Me, breast is still redder than the other one, and still a tiny bit swollen. The incision sealed right up, hasn't leaked anything really. I keep putting neosporin on the fresh gauze pads inside my sports bra. Arm is still moving just fine, almost dangerously so (I teach TKD, and I find myself moving more than I probably should be. Hopefully that won't come back to bite me!)

Post-Therapy instructions said "no heavy lifting, pushing or pulling until the followup appointment" (which is next week). Probably I've broken that rule a million times ... Uh oh!

On the way to appt I look at my phone calendar and realize that my cancer brain screwed up again and thought my appt was at 10 but really it's at 11. Call the office because now I've taken all of the above 2 hours early but they tell me to just come and doc will probably be ahead of schedule anyways! Whew!

First I go into the CT for quick scan. They sterilize the area. Doctor comes in and massages my breast to pull the skin away from my implant. He says I have good bunchibilty which I don't even know if it's a word but made me laugh! They then take a template and squeeze that skin between two clear plates (kind of like a mammogram it it stays squeezed in there throughout) They numbed up certain areas and stuck I'm guessing hollow needles through from one side to the other. They do more numbing and repeat until I have 14 needles going through. Then they take the catheters (long but very thin plastic like tubes) and put those through the needles and tug out the needle leaving the catheter. I did feel tugging but no pain. I go back into the CT so they can make sure everything Is placed well. I go with a nurse to get cleaned and bandaged. At this point I still have very long piece so of catheter that they wrap and fold towards my back and under my new fancy surgical bra I will wear until treatment ends. Went to lunch with the hubby an to had to back 2 hours later. They clipped off the extra catheter sticking out and used some sort of heat gun type thing to seal the catheter. Another CT and a lesson for hubby to clean the areas on non radiation days and done. The physicist also came in at end and not sure what she as doing but she isn't in charge of getting me dosage etc right with radiation. So now I have what looks like 14 buttons on my breast in 3 rows on the right and another 14 on the left. They are about the size of an Advil pill.

Nothing was terribly painful...some pressure and the tugging but overall pretty easy. The numbness I'd wearing off and I definitely feel it but going to be good about keeping the pain meds in on schedule. So there you have it in case brachytherapy is offered to any of you!

I left with a calendar print out of my radiation treatments which will be twice daily exactly 6 hours apart and bless the girl who changed Thursday's schedule so I can make my oncologist appt after all. I will pin that calendar to my shirt since I can't be trusted with appt times!

I was never getting the savi technique...I just didn't understand previously that there were multiple brachytherapy options! I don't know if savi is done on patients with breast implants? Maybe that was it...could also be that my doctor pioneered the multi catheter technique so that is his favorite? I am not sure really

Dotter, glad your treatment is going well. What a relief to have the tubes taken out tomorrow!

Fightingirl, how is it going?

hi friends! I had high hopes of documenting my days with the intestinal brachy but I've been from one doctor to the next these last couple of days!

By now, you are don't dotter95 and how thrilled you must be! I've had these catheters for 4 days and 5 to go and I'm ready!

Pyrrh, amazing and bonus you got a back massage...I could use one of those! I am not a back sleeper so I'm stuck to my right side and after a couple nights I feel it in my shoulder and hips and I feel like I'm 100 years old when I get up in the morning. Thank goodness for the Valium my doc prescribed bit only enough for the first for nights after procedure so I'm saving the last one in case of emergency!

I already commented on the procedure and each day of treatment is pretty much the same. I check in and go back to dressing room and put on the pretty pink open in the front top! Then I sit until my tech comes to get me. She inserts all the coordinating wires by number (I have 14 catheters) The physicist comes in and checks the wires and then a triple check by my RO. They dim the lights and close me in the room and the machine with all my wires starts pushing radiation seeds through each catheter one at a time. My treatments have all been 8 and 1/2 minutes. No pain just feel tapping on the catheters. Then the tech Comes back and unhookes all the wires and I go off to an exam room where another tech cleans all around the catheters, stuffs my beautiful surgical bra with padding and off I go until I come back for round 2 six hours later.

I too am going nuts in this 24/7 bra. I would never wear one if I didn't have too. Very cruel invention!! What was that person thinking???

thanks ceanna! Have a great weekend

that's great Dotter95!!!! I'm so happy for you and I'm glad it doesn't hurt to get the tubes out because I'm already worried about that. Unfortunately. I did get an infection but I've been on antibiotics since day 1 of radiation and mine is actually finished on Wednesday! I cannot wait for that relief as I am stuck in a surgical bra and I miss showering!!! I've got 4 down and six to go! I will be 1/2 way done at my morning treatment today so just trying to focus on that

Congratulations my friend! I hope you have a wonderful week!

hi - I was really sorry to hear that you did have infection. Thank goodness for antibiotics! Hooray on you being half done now, and 6/10 by the end of the day! Wednesday will be a great day - you should plan your party!

Joan

Kroop, so glad you came over to the thread! It is interesting to hear about all of the different brachytherapy methods! Congratulations on the good pathology report as well.

Hey Fightingirl you are OVER HALFWAY DONE! Your treatment hump day is past! I'm already thinking ahead to your wonderful Wednesday evening to come when this phase of treatment is DONE!!!!

Thanks Fightingirl! Hang in there, you are so close!

Thanks Pyrrh! I am pleased with my results!

Fightingirl and Pyrrh I did find out the name of my brachytherapy is "Mammosite" which is the balloon therapy. I should be able to give a better description after tomorrows placement.

Fightingirl, I will be taking tamoxifen for 5 years I think. :-)

I'm also starting tamoxifen for 5 years.

Fighting girl - almost done! Hang in there!

Kroop73 - glad you have joined the group. Keep us posted on how it goes!

Happy Valentines Day to all of you!

okay ladies! 8 down and 2 to go! 1 more night sleeping with these tubes, and 1 more day until a real shower! Can you tell I'm excited? 😁

It has been uneventful but I've been extremely tired. I napped for 2 hours between appointments today and yesterday I think I slept for over an hour and woke up thankfully in time to brush my teeth and jet out for round 2. There will be no time for napping tomorrow as it's a full day...radiation, physical therapy, MO appt, then FINAL round of radiation. I may have to drag myself to the finish line but I will do it!!

Best of luck to all and annoyingboob, ❤️ The RADiant beings and you!

Happy Valentine's Day my friends

ceanna, I'm very much considering not t.aking it but going to discuss with MO tomorrow and see

Happy Valentine's Day, ladies! Just thinking of all you brave, beautiful souls tonight.

Hang in the fightingirl, the finish line is in sight!

I had my balloon catheter implanted today. My type of catheter is called a mammo site. They made an incision, inserted the balloon and inflated it. I was put to sleep for the procedure. My BS said she left it open to drain. She gave me Levaquin to take for the duration of the rads. She also prescribed more pain meds. I have a surgical bra that zips and hooks in the front. I have one tube protruding from the incision with about 5 lead wires and 2 tubes (sorta like IV tubing) inside that tube. I go to the onco radiologist on thursday to have the placement checked and who knows what else. I will wear this bra for 10 days. I start the rads next week, Mon-Fri 20-24th. Now the interesting part begins..... how to sleep and sponge bathe. I will admit its tight, uncomfortable, itchy, and I'm in some pain.

Thanks ladies for the encouragement. I will do my best to share my experience everyday. I encourage all of you as well to keep fighting the good fight! We will conquer! God Bless you all!