Post brachytherapy radiation and surgery effects

dotter95, hi! I'm doing very well! Have some redness which the RO says is probably from the radiation treatment but I thought it was from the catheters. Other than that, no real fatigue or any other SE's to speak of. I'm currently in another dilemma with deciding on using tamoxifen! I was going to refuse it and pretty much had my mind made up but physical therapist and RO got me thinking on it again.

How are you doing

i am now 3 weeks post savi catheter!! was a little rough and uncomfortable but i knew it was the better choice. whole breast radiation really scared me. still sore and get pains here and there but a tleast my skin is not damaged!!! the removal was really nothing. it didn't hurt anymore than the cleaning they did when they had to move the wires around. i didn't even know she took it out at first. i actually thought she just moved it a little to prepare to take it out. i braced myself for it and she was like "its out" glad the whole ordeal is over now its just follow up visits. i would make the same choice again if I had to do it all over.

Hi badboobiesurvivor, and welcome to Breastcancer.org!

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We look forward to hearing more from you throughout the discussion boards. Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help!

--The Mods

hi KB870 - glad to hear you are over the hard part. The rest is just so easy! I finished brachytherapy March 10, and the catheter insertion spots are almost entirely gone. I had no issues with the radiation, and the removal of the catheters was painless. I was able to sleep on my stomach about a week after the removal. I am so glad I chose this route. I would still be getting the daily radiation if I had chosen whole breast radiation!

Let us know how you are doing!

Joan

Awesome, KB, glad all is progressing well!

Ceanna, I had treatment the same day as insertion as well. Doctor put it in on Monday morning, I drove to the radiation center where they set up the "plan" and then did the first of two treatments that day. Two more each day that week, and after my final Friday treatment the doctor came in and pulled it right out. Easy Peasy. Their comment to me was "we found that patients do better and are happier if thye don't have to keep it in over the weekend" ... but of course!

Dotter I am glad to hear yours ended well also!

Happy Dance for you KB!!!!

Old-timer here... had Mammo-Site in 2013.

One side-effect four years out is that I did develop a large seroma that did not absorb. It is now, four years later "organized" into very dense breast tissue. Due to its size (approx 6cm x 3cm) and surrounding scar tissue it, pulls and causes daily pain. The "guess" is that it filled with blood instead fluid. I cannot have it removed because that area of the breast was irradiated and won't heal well from a second surgery.

Recommend that you ask early about managing seromas -- I've read that massaging the area will help. That option wasn't talked about four ears ago.

Long term, aside from the seroma, I have visible redness on my skin, but not enuf that it is unappealing when with my honey.

Have a new BC on other breast and this time am not eligible for brachytherapy due to a bleeding disorder. Bummer... it was an amazing choice... It only tied up one week of my life vs. six... and that is huge!;

Good luck to everyone!

I have been told that I am a candidate for both multicatheter brachytherapy and external beam. But I'm having a very tough time trying to make a decision as to which to go with. I am concerned about the invasiveness of the preparation for brachytherapy, and risk of infection during and post as well as the possibily of post seroma happening. And from what I've read there doesn't seem to be much info on the long term effects of this type of radiation. I would assume because it is still a fairly new type of method. My only misgiving about doing external is that it will touch my lung.

I have always been healthy and somewhat of an active person up until being diagnosed with BC. So I have not really been faced with having to make this type of decision. I nee to make a final decision by early this week.

Feeling so very overwhelmed!

thank you ceanna for reaching out and sharing your experience with me. It's reassuring to hear positive feedback about this type of method. And ie. infection: Good to know, I will ask about antibiotics to be given during treatment as a preventative.

The BC centre I am at in Canada only uses the interstitial multicatheter, no balloon but I will definitely check out the brachytherapy threads on this site.

Thx again and best to you

I had mammosite brachytherapy for my first cancer. I would have done it again in a heartbeat this time, but I found out I have a clotting disorder and wasn't eligible. I did develop a large seroma, but we later found out it was due to my clotting issues and not a true seroma.

I personally have found it harder to recover from whole breast radiation than from the mammosite. I've had greater fatigue and overall discomfort. I did not have any antibiotics while on the mammosite, and although it is a busy five days it was worth it.

Had my post op appointment today after lumpectomy last Wednesday and am happy that I have this option available to me. I will have Savi put in next Tuesday. Not looking forward to that, but the alternative is 30 days of radiation. I asked BS what she would do and she said why would you want to do that for 30 days over the summer? Reading this forum has been so helpful in easing my fears about this. Does everyone get an antibiotic when device is implanted?

Hi, I am three weeks out of SAVI removal and my wound is still open, and developed blisters due to adhesive. Just miserable..doing better now but no one told me to massage breast during shower and I am pretty sure there is liquid inside I have tried to massage but pain and tenderness are umbereable. Tomorrow I see the RO so hoping he can tell me what to do. Also, something weird happened after removal the nurse was massaging the breast and cleaning that area then she said " oh there's a piece of tissue sticking out of your wound, don't worry just leave it there" . I could see it coming out of the hole. Not sure if this is why I still have that hole pretty much open. I have followed everything they told me to do but quite honestly the first two weeks after removal were so painful. Also my breast is red and it feels like major sunburn. No oozing, no pus in wound or bad smell. Just an open cut and blisters are healing finally after using Silvadene.

Hello, Ceanna- thanks for sharing your experience. I go to BS tomorrow to get it put in...I'm nervous about the whole thing...I'll keep you posted. Juani66 I hope you got the answers you need...and are feeling better.

Barbmak, glad you got thru the insertion okay!! They will probably clean the incision for you on Thursday. Make sure they show you how to clean before you're on your own over the weekend. Did you end up getting antibiotics while the device is in? I take it you'll have most or all of the radiation treatments next week? All the best!

Barbmak, hope the rads started Friday and you are closer to having the device removed. Is everything going okay over this weekend?