burning odor?

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zschweeb
zschweeb Member Posts: 160
edited October 2016 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

i have had 11 rads as of today and maybe i am nuts but i seem to get the whiff of a burning smell coming from my breast every so often ...am i nuts??? has anyone else had this happen??

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  • Shirlann
    Shirlann Member Posts: 3,302
    edited July 2008

    Yeah, I expect so.  Because x-rays do not burn in the same way as fire.  Think of your microwave.  Nothing toasty comes out of there.  It is probably the equipment and the fact that every sense you own is on hyper alert.

    We'll see as the other women come on if this has happened to anyone else.

    Gentle hugs, Shirlann 

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  • kpopperwell
    kpopperwell Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2008

    Nothing here.  Just very pink and brown.  Feels like its burning but nothing else.  Hang in there

    Karin in CA 

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  • guitarGrl
    guitarGrl Member Posts: 697
    edited July 2008

    If there's a burning smell, it might be the machine, but I truly doubt it's your breast. I'm pretty burnt right now, but the only thing I ever smelled of was the result of not being able to use an antiperspirent.

    Shirlann - funny I did refer to going to radiation as being nuked. I thought of trying to put some unpopped popcorn on my chest to see if I could get lunch out of the whole deal but chickened out. 

    susan 

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  • 12954
    12954 Member Posts: 374
    edited July 2008

    Never had burning, but sometimes when I got home my chest was hot to the touch.The creams or aloe would sometimes smell more intensely then.

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  • Hanna60978
    Hanna60978 Member Posts: 815
    edited December 2011

    .

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  • zschweeb
    zschweeb Member Posts: 160
    edited July 2008

    thank you all for your input

     hanna--i thought i was going crazy even had the nurse smell my chest but she said she couldnt smell anything...ususally its only a slight whiff but i swear its real

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  • Wintermoon623
    Wintermoon623 Member Posts: 119
    edited July 2008

    My boss had radiation and he said he always thought he smelled a burnt smell.  He was concerned others could smell it.  We were in his office many times and in meetings with him and we never smelled anything.  I believe it is for real and I expect I may start smelling it too as I get further into treatment.

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  • Shirlann
    Shirlann Member Posts: 3,302
    edited July 2008

    I just thought of something else, too.  Why would we assume that we all have the same "smell" ability?  I bet the people who smell something are like bloodhounds, while they are dogs, and all dogs smell very well, bloodhounds have SUPER olfactory nerves, and smell things way better than the best of the other dogs.  (don't mean to compare us with dogs, just the smell ability)

    So I bet the answer is, yes, there is an odor, but only a few of us can detect it.

    Hmmm, should become a wine taster, could make a lot of money, this extra smell ability is definitely some people's gift.

    Hugs, Shirlann 

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  • zschweeb
    zschweeb Member Posts: 160
    edited July 2008

    i would love to be a wine taster but arent we trying to get away form wine...lol...

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  • Shirlann
    Shirlann Member Posts: 3,302
    edited July 2008

    Silly goose, you only get to taste the wine, then you have to spit it out!  So you can apply for a job.

    hahaha

    Hugs, Shirlann 

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  • zschweeb
    zschweeb Member Posts: 160
    edited July 2008

    thats just as bad ad non-alcoholic beer...or sex without a climax...whats the point??

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  • JiLilliput
    JiLilliput Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2008

    I definitely had the burning smell. But then, I expected to.  I can smell my skin getting sunburned, before it even turns red at all. It was around the beginning of the 3rd week I started to notice it. 

    Today is my final treatment, thank goodness. Just wonder how long it will be before my armpit, and underside of the breast no longer feels burned. Just as the underside started to feel better when the boosts started, the arm pit, which was also no longer being treated, decided to rear it's ugly head.  As uncomfortable as I was with the underside of the breast, the armpit is worse, as it is always being pulled on my normal arm motions.

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  • flfish
    flfish Member Posts: 423
    edited July 2008

    I think this could very well be real.  I never smelled anything coming from my breast, but EVERY day when I walked in the door from my rads, my black lab would jump up on my and smell my radiated boobie!  My last day of rads was yesterday and she did it again this morning when I woke up.  I am sure some people have a better sense of smell than others. 

    JiLilliput--my underarm did the same thing just before I started my boost.  I hope you have the same reaction that I did though, because once it stopped being zapped, it healed up within days.  Good luck to you with your healing and congratulations on being finished.  I finshed my rads yesterday and I couldn't be more thrilled.  Time to try and get back to a normal life!Smile

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  • zschweeb
    zschweeb Member Posts: 160
    edited July 2008

    wish i was that close to finishing rads have had 15 of 33 but they are going fast dont know if i am adjusting to it or not but the smell isnt as noticeable now than in the begining i figured it would get worse not better but what do i know...am getting a little more tired than usual nothing a quick nap cant take care of ...thanx  all for taking the time to answer...have a great day

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  • Roberta-Anne
    Roberta-Anne Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2008

    It's been 6 years since my radiation, but I had the burning smell. I really only noticed it during the boost treatments. My skin looked burned as well. My doc prescribed warm water salt soaks, which reduced the smell and cleared up the burned areas.

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  • Shirlann
    Shirlann Member Posts: 3,302
    edited July 2008

    Oh Susan, what will we do with you, you are just getting USED to the smell!  hahhaaa

    You are a cutie, Hugs, Shirlann 

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  • KPolasek
    KPolasek Member Posts: 184
    edited July 2008

    I ABSOLUTELY HAD and at times still smell that "burnt" odor.  You are not crazy!  I am interested in the warm water salt soaks that Roberta-Anne spoke of.  My last radiation treatment was on May 9th ... I am still hurting, itching and smelling.  The pain in my breast does not respond to over the counter pain relievers or to Vicodin.  My pain began during my 4th week of treatment.

    Blessings,

    K

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  • JiLilliput
    JiLilliput Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2008

    They also prescribed saline soaks for me.   They gave me a bottle of saline, told me to soak gauze pads in the saline, wring it out and place on the affected area for 5-10 minutes. Then air dry. I did this several times a day. It definitely seemed to help. That, and the gel sheets of Vigilon were what got me through the last few weeks.

    Jill

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  • zschweeb
    zschweeb Member Posts: 160
    edited July 2008

    i have finished 18 or 33 and feel like it is starting to get uncomfortable nit sure if i would call it pain yet but am sure that too will come...right now it just feels alittle sore and achy

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  • countdown7
    countdown7 Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2012

    i was just mentioning that to a friend of mine....the last few treatments i have smelled an odor while having my treatment.I also have a serious burn under the folds of my right breast.. that why i know it is my flesh burning.

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  • Fancy2407
    Fancy2407 Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2016

    I smelled it from day 1, smells like electricity burning and I can still smell it hours later.


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  • Mariangel43
    Mariangel43 Member Posts: 136
    edited October 2016

    Dear ladies, as time goes by and I read more, I am getting more and more scared of the procedure. Thanks for informing. Something more to add to the list for the RO. Those are the things ROs do not inform. If the dog can smell it, I have to be extra careful with my cat because she likes to jump over me and may scratch my skin.

    Can't we use deodorant for so many weeks? Not even the non aluminum ones? I live in a very hot weather and even changing from my usual deodorant (Suave) to Crystal Essence (lavender and white tea) does not provide adequate protection. I do not stink but I don't like the Crystal Essence odor either. And I would feel very uncomfortable getting out of home without deodorant.

    Hope every body is doing fine. I think most of you have finished rads now. Tell us how you are feeling please and if the burning odor disappeared.

    Maria

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