Severe radiation burns to the breast

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  • quiggy
    quiggy Member Posts: 315
    edited April 2015

    Hi Eva, sorry you're in this boat with us. My advice is to find the information and support through these boards. True, some scary stories but you can also use the information and experiences to help you get through this and keep in mind, you most likely won't have bad SEs. Only a few of us had bad ones.

    Tons of great information on things you can do to help talk to your RO, what products are out there, what you might expect and so on.

    Yep, it SUCKS but you're with friends here. We are here if you want information or to listen if you need to vent, cry, scream or share.

    You got this!

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  • Ed8r
    Ed8r Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2015

    There are many topical treatments developed, but no one cream has been clinically shown to be effective to prevent OR to treat radiation burns. It seems so strange to me that with the wonderful advances in other areas of cancer treatment, that they have not found a way to effectively treat the burns!

    For those who may be searching and who find this thread, I can list a few that are recommended, if you want to try them.

    NEOVIDERM: As of this posting, a double-blind study has been completed but results not posted. The least expensive source I could find was an online pharmacy based in Cyprus.

    MIADERM: supposedly developed in association with ROs who wanted to find an effective treatment. It's not cheap, but readily available on A****n.

    VIGILON, C.R. Bard, Inc., Murray Hill, N.J.

    MEPILEX LITE

    RADIADRES gel sheets

    I don't know anything about the last three listed, but I regularly applied the first two on the list and still ended up with a burn under my clavicle that blistered and exhibited moist desquamation. I am not big on "natural remedies" so when my RO told the nurse to apply a sample he had of a dressing with medihoney, I was skeptical to say the least. I was told to leave it on for 3 days, and I couldn't see what was happening. Then it fell off (not intentional) and it was obvious the the wound was improving...in appearance at least.

    Whereas while I was using the Aquaphor it stayed moist and icky, the medihoney had dried it up and I could see the skin was healing. Unfortunately, because it had been a sample, they could not replace it. But I found one local pharmacy that carries the ointment form of this product and have continued to use it under a telfa dressing. I see vast improvement from day to day, so even though it does sting when I first apply it, I am willing to to keep on using it.
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  • quiggy
    quiggy Member Posts: 315
    edited June 2015

    Hi sisters;

    Pathology report is in.... NO CANCER!!!! 😁

    Infection!! Dealing with that.

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  • teri_67
    teri_67 Member Posts: 3
    edited August 2015

    During radiation my skin split under my boob.(im rather large busted I was given gentian violet.and told ,once a day to apply. Which i did religiously.

    My skin just will not heal, ive now been told that i have to stop using the violet. And let my boob air dry, and keep it dry.

    Im at my wits end i cant get it to stay dry, itll dry up and then start weeping again a few mins later.

    My life is now ,sitting watching tv holding my boob up. (Dr told me to do this while my husband is running round the house like a lunatic trying to fix dinner after a 12 hr day at work. Its not fair. And i hate it.

    This has bound to have happened to someone, i cant be the only one. Please help!!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited August 2015

    This sounds terrible, Teri_67. We're so sorry you're experiencing this, but really glad you found our helpful Community!

    This thread hasn't been posted on since June so it might have gotten swept behind some other active threads. You might want to start a new thread in the Radiation forum, asking others for some advice or to share experiences.

    Let us know if we can be of help. And please, continue to post to let us know how you're doing!

    --The Mods

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited August 2015

    I burned very bad after rads on tbe entire irradiated area. Have the scars to prove it. Lu kily the deepest burns were under are where nerves aren't that good after surgery so didn't really feel the worst of them. What finally dried/healed them was Domeboro soaks. They opened up in early March and the last scab came off on June 29. You might want to ask your Rads Dr about trying it. It is OTC but all the pharmacies here keep it behind the counter so have to ask for it. It is powder that is mixed with water and then used as a soak. There have been some others here over the yrs that said it also was what worked for them.

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  • lterry36
    lterry36 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2016

    Good Morning, my story is the exact same as everyone, radiation burns are the worst. I'm six days out. I take Motrin 800mg every now and then. In between time I take Aleve for the pain. Also, I stopped the Silver Sulf. and the Hydrocodone. I went to the grocery store and purchased Aloe vera leafs, took all the aloe out of each leaf, mixed it with vitamin E oil in a bowl and put it in the refrigerator. It cool, soothing , healing and has antiseptic properties. IT WORKED WITHIN 12 HOURS- NO PAIN and today is my second day, the skin is soft. I also use Domeboro soaks twice a day. It's also a drying astringent. The Domeboro is about $9.00 at Walgreen's and the Aloe Leaves were 1.58 a pound. It's all worth it. Its also an inexpensive ALL NATURAL solution. By the way you can use the mixture immediately, cover with a non adhesive gauze. Also, if you use a regular gauze and it stick a little, put water on it before removing from skin. I pray this help someone. God bless you all!

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited March 2016

    When I had to use Domeboro 6 yrs ago Walvreens was the mkst expenskve pla e to get it then - $9.95 while the pharmacy at one of the grocery stores it was $5.95.

    I didn't know that you could buy just aloe leaves - where? I didn't need to buy any then (nor do I need to now), but some might need to buy. I always keep a large tub (think old time wash tub size) of aloe growing in case it's needed and to give 'starts' to others. Unfortunately, I all but annihilated it during 'burn time' and it take it several yrs to grow back it's former size.

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  • jenco60
    jenco60 Member Posts: 29
    edited September 2016

    image

    I am on radiation treatment 20 and my under arms are blistering and skin is tearing away. I read on line to use Lanolin (pure). I can not wear a bra and I have to work through all this. I am so mad and frustrated. I am ending my radiation and will not do it again. It is cave man medicine and we have to do better than burning women to cure disease. It is like the doctors don't care, they want to keep burning. Not right!!!

    I had chemo Her2 treatment previous and lost all my hair and nails. I was sick for 8 months while working full time as a Professor in a College. I am currently getting Herceptin every three weeks IV and it is not making me sick at all. I will continue on the Herceptin. They want me to take Anti estrogen pills as well, not sure if I am going to take these. I don't like menopause and I don't want to go through it again. I want to get back to my womanhood!!!

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  • jenco60
    jenco60 Member Posts: 29
    edited September 2016

    I used pure aloe vera and it dried out my underarms and did not stop the burning, itching, or peeling of the skins. Lanolin is my next shot here. What a mess this all is. When will they find a better way to take care of breast cancer??

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  • Winnie01
    Winnie01 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2017

    I'm just now joining the forum. . . my 33rd radiation treatment is tomorrow.  I too have started to develop the deep red/brown area under my arm and the split under my breast.  Lots of pain, and I am learning from the postings here that there will be more pain during the next couple of weeks as the damage of the radiation works its way from the inside out.  Very disappointed with the lack of information from my Radiation Team at the Oncology Center (even though they are caring technicians).

    I will check in during the next couple of weeks to track my healing of the underarm and the underbreast pain.  But, to answer the question "When will they find a better way to take care of cancer?"  I believe it will be when men start getting breast cancer.  And although I do have one male friend who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, I don't believe that is going to happen to any large number of men.   We women will have to figure out an alternative way to bring it to the attention of a world dominated by patriarchal interests and standards.

     I only have the slightest hope for the empowerment of women doctors and researchers who have been able to go through the system while maintaining the egalitarian traits of our ancient cultures of the loving nature of The Great Mother, also  known by many of the lucky ones as our Loving Grandmothers (I am one of those fortunate ones) who made sure everyone had a place to live, clothes to wear, food to eat and proper healthcare.  Any ideas, anyone, for how to make that work in this arena?

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  • Choc2009
    Choc2009 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2017

    I had the same problem with radation burn. I used the sliver cream also. I stayed off work for 3 days and went bra less . Nothing touching that spot.

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  • PinkmAsskicker
    PinkmAsskicker Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2017

    I think that I have second degree burns from radiation and the saline soaks and Glaxal Base aren't cutting it. Any better ideas out there?

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited July 2017

    I burned very bad after rads (no issue during bit the day after last rad). It progressed and the entire irradiated area was open and 'weeping'/'flowing'. I'm allergic to Sulfa so sulfadene/silvadene were not an option. (Thankfully I never developed any infections.). There was no signs of healing and thankfully the deepest burns were underarm where UMX had left damaged nerves so didn't feel the deepest burns. The next deepest area was up the side of my neck. So vicodan was my 'friend'. (Have the scars to prove 'it'.). What finally 'worked' was Domeboro soaks to dry it. I finished rads in early March and the last scab finally came off on June 29 while I was seeing my PA.

    Domeboro can be gotten OTC in most pharmacies but some keep it behind the counter and have to ask for it. It's a powder that you mix in water.

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