​Wife's Radiation Question on Pain and Creams

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asjones
asjones Member Posts: 7
edited February 2020 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

My wife had a lumpectomy in December and stared Radiation this week so she has had 4 treatments (they are using a 21 treatment protocol). After the first few treatments her breast is already very tender (she says it feels like hard boiled eggs inside her breast). Much of the breast hurts but the worse part may be along where the lumpectomy scar is located. We knew there would be pain but surprised it started so soon. Does anyone one have any suggested on revealing some of the pain? If she is already having pain so early in the process is that an indication she will have pain well after the treatments stop?

On a related note the radiologist like people here mentioned either Aquaphor or Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Lotion. However the person doing the treatments said not to put on the creams until there are visible areas that need it. This surprised us as all the reading seemed imply put cream on everyday from the beginning even if you don't need it. What have others hear about when to put on cream? Wait or all the time etc?

thanks


Alan


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  • Georgia1
    Georgia1 Member Posts: 1,321
    edited February 2020

    Hi Alan. Most likely the pain is from the lumpectomy and lymph node removal, not radiation. Your wife should have received instructions for basic stretching exercises and they help a LOT.

    Here's a link to info. on pain and stretching exercises:

    https://www.healthline.com/health/breast-cancer/wh...

    On creams, my RO recommended calendula cream, which has good science behind it; I started in advance and kept it up twice a day. I'm also posting the radiation instructions I got from Johns Hopkins. Hope this helps and you might want to check out the "starting radiation in January 2020 " thread. Best wishes.


    .image

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2020

    When do you see the radiologist - doc as opposed to the tech doing the zaps. I saw mine once a week during the 5 weeks. That's who I'd question.

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  • Spookiesmom
    Spookiesmom Member Posts: 9,568
    edited February 2020

    I was told to use calendula cream too, and alcohol free aloe. Also aquaphor, but I found that hard to apply, and greasy. Started using at beginning of rads.

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  • asjones
    asjones Member Posts: 7
    edited February 2020

    She sees the radiologist Monday (posting on a Saturday). I was hoping others had additional information. The tech seemed to say that having pain this early was normal as it "stirs things up so much". We just expected it later and now worried she may end up having pain for 6 months after treatment like some do (radiologist says that is so rare not to worry about).

    She is doing her stretches and was starting to do much better after the lumpectomy. She was tinder along the scar line but nothing like now.

    We also thought it was strange the tech said don't bother with cream till needed. I was thinking the cream might prevent issues if done now.

    Georgia1, thanks for posting the picture and everyone that suggested calendula.


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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2020

    I used CeraVe after every treatment. My RO said be sure to use nothing before treatment after showering. Sorry for the pain. I tend to agree with Georgia that the pain is from surgery & not rads. Do let us know what the doc says.

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  • MikaMika
    MikaMika Member Posts: 342
    edited February 2020

    Ask about Miaderm with lidocaine. You can order it from Amazon. I think your RO facility doesn't aim to work on prevention of the side effects. Mine is the same :( As I discovered later, many doctors suggest using special creams or aloe at least 7 days prior the first radiation treatment.

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  • Ingerp
    Ingerp Member Posts: 2,624
    edited February 2020

    I’ve never had rads cause pain in the breast. And there are some restrictions about putting anything on the breast before treatment—you don’t want to block the radiation. Afterwards I’d put some kind of lotion/cream on several times a day. I had a conglomeration of calendula cream, Aquaphor, Desitin—whatever was handy. My skin held up pretty well both times.

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