After Radiation
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Susan I had my first follow up mammo three months post rads. My follow up is yearly mammo and yearly MRI alternating every 6 months. This first one I opted for mammo and US instead of MRI because of cost. I am going to have a BMX in about 5 months so no more mammo's after that, I can get off this roller coaster ride.
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Did anyone watch the interview with Dr. Dupree by Brian Williams on radiation treatment as systemic? That is, radiation to the breast is not just local to the breast but has a systemic benefit throughout the body also??
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painterly, good to know.
Can anyone comment on Aquafor cream for rads. My RO gave it to me mixed with some lidocaine. I wasn't sore or anything, but wouldn't be seeing him for another week, so I thought I'd take it. Now I'm sore. I wonder if the Aquafor isn't the right thing for me, Or maybe it's just a coincidence because I've had more rads, I was using Eucerin lotion before he gave me the mixture and was doing well, wonder if I should go back to that. Still in the middle,had #12 of 28 today.
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Hi Susan good to see you here! My RO and MO are in the same clinic looking at the same computer so it's kind of tag team...works for me! Yes I have lumpiness, soreness, pain, stabbing pains, all kind of neat things - I"m 5 months out of rads. I'm having a mammo in Nov but it kind of fits with my yearly anyway.
Kay~soreness started early for me, waiting for it to go away still.
I have an US tomorrow on the radiated breast and clavicle, and snb scar - I am very tender to touch and swollen.
Yes, ladies, I felt the earthquake - thought for a minute I was really losing my mind - my bed was gently rocking - I look for a sec for a ghost moving my bed - can you imagine - I wouldn't needed any more tests cause I would have dropped dead!
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SAB- nFirst, congrats on finishing rads. I had my first mammo 8 months post rads and will have one every year. My MO felt that was enough for now and can always change that schedule if there is a concern. I see him every 6 months and he does do a breast exam at each visit.
Kay1963 - I did use Aquaphor during rads and it worked well for me. I was burnt to a crisp before my RO would even let me use anything. I raised such a fuss and threatened to quit. Before I knew it, I had all the samples I needed and then some. I still have some and use it on my feet to keep my heals soft. If the Eucerin was working well for you - go back to it. Keep the Aquaphor with lidocaine just in case you need it further down the road. Just keep using something. Skin care is to very important. Grease up may times a day just not before treatment.
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Hello ladies, let,s not let this article scare us, think POSITIVE and have HOPE, I did and have beeen cancer free for 17 yrs (Praise God), no negative thought to enter into our treatments,I had rads 5 days a week for 7 weeks and I am doing fine,Positive thoughts ONLY, God Bless to ALL. msphil( idc, stage 2, 3 nodes involved, L mast(reconstruction) chemo rads and 5 yrs on tamoxifen. I use to go to bed thinking about that old pac man game where it eats up everything in it,s path.
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Gina - I would not believe what I was hearing on the evening news when I got home. An earthquake in Pleasanton? My DH told me about it and all I could say was - shut the front door - no way. That is incredible. I sure you are alright - just a little shaken - not stirred - LOL
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We had an earthquake here too today...in Berkeley. 3.9 I think...fairly small for this neck of the woods.
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Sorry................I say its the Rads..........unless your on a drug that causes a cough, I would say Rads.................they passed across the lower small portion of my lung on the right side when they did the "whole breast"..........my sweet tech "Mark" who always told me the truth said "you may develop a cough from where this radiation is crossing your lung..................I did..........so I'm betting Rads............
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Another earthquake--2 in one day. This one is being called a 4.2. Rock n roll...
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Yikes! Hope that's the last one SAB!
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Hi Everyone! It has been awhile since I checked in...had to read 7 pages of posts before I could add my own! I noticed, Gina, that you are having the exact same problems as me!! Since we finished rads very close, it is interesting that we are both having problems with our boost area. I have been diagnosed with lymphadema of the breast and lateral chest wall (this problem is misdiagnosed quite often...research says 35% BC survivors have it but the figures are probably much higher due to physicians' inability to recognize it) and the last couple weeks have been rough. I am finally able to wear a compressure bra 24/7, but the first time i put one on I became so ill (my breast became very hot and felt like I had the flu plus lots of pain at both incisions). Eventually i felt better and i gradually acclimated my body to the bra (like a corset that holds breast and sides in-I am a 36DD without the bra and a 36 AAA with the bra!). I am still having the pain at the incisions and in my axial region. My RO claims that the pains I have been having here is from the regeneration of connective tissue (i.e. scarring/fibrosis) and that I need to stretch through the pain (take Motrin if I need to). If I don't stretch it out regularly, then I will grow in a position of inactivity and it will be very difficult to lift my arm and have full range of motion later. I have also been taught self lymphatic massage by the lymphadema specialist at my cancer hospital. I was so surprised to find what a light touch is needed to do this massage! I guess if you rub deeply, it just makes the problem worse because the blood rushes to the area. Rubbing lightly over the skin allows the lymph fluid to move (lymph vessels are just belwo the skin). with lymphatic massage it is only necessary to move the skin in the direction of desired flow. In my case, they are redirecting the flow to my right arm since my left lymph nodes are compromised, so I concentrate doing my massage from left to right as well as some exercices beforehand to empty my lymph nodes. My RO also put me on some medication: I take Trental and Vitamin E to facilate blood flow in my body to reduce the swelling. Honestly, the swelling is not crazy noticable but it is painful and uncomfortable without the bra. i just wanted to make everyone aware that this could happen. I guess it can start 3 months after rads. Gina-good luck with your ultrasound. Let us know what happens...I have my first mammo Nov. 1st and am already so nervous!
Susan
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painterly - If you're at rads treatment #12, that's about when the rash/redness kicked in for me. My doctor had me using Aloe Vera (99-100% pure from Trader Joes or Whole Foods) only until the rash started to kick in. They said that the skin was getting dry and hydrating it would help keep it from cracking. So that's when they recommended to start adding Aquaphor. I applied the Aloe Vera followed by Aquaphor 4x/day. My biggest complaint was how greasy it felt. I got a supply of soft t-shirts at Target and put on a new one each time I applied the Aquaphor. Someone on the May radiation thread recommended soaking the t-shirts in a tub of hot water with Dawn which worked to keep them from getting grease stains.
Have you found the monthly radiation threads? The May2010 thread has lots of practical information for during rads including nutrition (an egg a day plus lots of protein).
Around the last week of my treatment, my MO gave me a sample of Miraderm. It wasn't as greasy as the Aquaphor. I didn't set in a supply because at that point I was almost done. You might want to ask your MO about Miraderm. I was struggling with an itchy rash and that seemed to calm the itching.
Good luck. BTW - plan on a couple months after your last treatment before your skin is back to normal.
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Susan~~~~~so good to hear from you~~~~~~I've missed you, my rads and after rads symptom partner!!! Have you written lately? I miss your poetry.
I had the US this morning and a surprise mammo, so now I don't have to go back in November. I'm not going to lie to you Susan the irradiated side hurt like (*&@#*@)( hell. The breast tissue itself wasn't quite as painful as the "table" part pressing on my ribs, or the top part digging into my arm pit.
The tech asked me before we started, "Did you take something for the pain before you came?" Now seeing how she had to go get permission to do my mammo cause it wasn't scheduled, you'd think she would have known that already.....anyway....ask your MO or whoever scheduled you if you can take something before you go.
No one has used the LE work with me yet. I did start to see a chiropractor that the guys at work use - one for over 20 years - she has helped me with my shoulders/shoulder blade issues...I'm in a local mother's club to support our college kids at their campus, and one lady is a PT. She told me about LE message as well, I was surprised to it's light touch. I've had my DH do this while he's watching tv, I lay on the sofa on his lap....it is so soothing as well. I guess I need to tell him to rub away from my right arm.
I have heard the word costrocondritis, and that makes sense for me too...swelling at the breast bone connective tissue to the ribs.
BTW, the Mammo and US were clear and well worth the pain for the peace of mind. Can you ice the area with LE? Cause I'm sure I'm going to be even more swollen today than I started out.
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Gina - Congrats on the clear mammo and US. Good news is always good to hear. Now go treat yourself to something nice.
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Sherry - I live in Round Rock. I had partial breast radiation - brachytherapy - using the SAVI device. I am being treated at Texas Oncology in Round Rock. I have called but still no word about my OncotypeDX or PET scan results.
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sarytr~I'm in SA, nice to meet you!
I think my friend had the same thing last year....is that radiation during surgery? Bless her heart I was in chemo when she was going through this - I couldn't keep any facts straight then. Her mammo had "a cloud" look to it? Her insurance denied the MRI since she didn't have a BC dx so she paid for it herself, the MRI then biopsy found the cancer...
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Kay- I started using a combination of Aquafor at night. Emu oil in the morning and Aloe right after each treatment about a week before I started Rads. I never got beyond dark pink with some red freckling, which they said was hair folicals. I don't know if I was just lucky or what. I found the Emu oil the most soothing.
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Went for my 6 month mammo and US today and things were not so good. Mammo went fine and then I had the US and when the tech came back and the radiologist was following her I knew I was in trouble. I have a 7mm mass in my rt (good) breast. We talked and then he went back and pulled my MRI from last year to double check it and he said it was not there last year. He says it is solid like a cancer tumor but not shaped like one. So he tends to lean on the side of it being B9 but he said it has to come out cancer or not. He said it is very close to my chest wall. He was going to call my MO and then I have to get with him next week to see if he wants to go straight for a biopsy or get a MRI or what we are going to do about it. I wish I had enough tummy fat to go ahead with my BMX right now but I don't so not sure what is going to happen. Would really like to have only one surgery but I may end up with an additional one. I am actually not freaked out like I was last year but I am pretty angry about having to even deal with anything at all. DH is being very quiet tonight I think he is really scared. I think I need a stiff drink.
Granny where the hell is that BC vaccine. Can't you get someone to invent it already. I want off this rollercoaster.
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I got my mammo results and I got the all clear. It was only on the left breast though. I also talked to her about the pain and she told me it was normal and may never go away. Anyway I felt good about the results. I am sorry to hear about your mammo Sherry you are in my prayers. I started to use the Utterly Smooth cream two to three times a day and it seems to be helping. Now to work on some weight loss. Have an awesome evening ladies.
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Sherry, You are in my prayers.
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Sherry, I'm so sorry to hear this and very upset for you. I will keep you in my prayers! You obviously know we are all here for you, if you want to just scream lets coordinate a date and time and I think we could all use a good out loud scream. Maybe would get some attention for a vaccine, that's for sure!
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Sherry-so sorry to hear about your mammo...i really hope they are right and it is benign...must be frustrating for you to be so close to a BMX and then have this happen
You will be in my thoughts and prayers.Gina-so glad that your testing went well. I am not surprised that it was so painful. In fact, I've heard others say to take something. My breast is so painful normally. I've been so busy lately with grad school, it's all I have time for anymore. I haven't written anything besides research papers and it is starting to get old. I am looking forward to vacation! My problems with LE in my breast started after I got back into a weight routine with my upper body. The swelling started immediately and then the pain after the swelling went down a little. Now, with the compressure bra, it feels pretty well, only occasional pain at incision. I ma so worried about my mammo because of the pain at my incision. I keep imagining a growing tumor creating the pain, but more reasonably I'm sure it is just the growing scar tissue in the area. Those boosts were pretty harsh. I really did not realize how much radiation injures the body until recently. Wow! But i guess it means that those cancer cells would have been destroyed as well.
Congrats on your mammo results, Dolphin. Nice to know that the pain may never go away
Susan
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Sherry that sucks. Sorry your road has been so winding, but you will get there.
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Thanks ladies for all your support. I am praying that it is benign but if it is cancer it is small and I know can be taken care of. At least now I am alot more knowledgable than I was a year ago and not near as scared. Went to a pink ribbon luncheon today. Was not sure that was going to be a good idea when I was getting dressed but I had asked my mom and my girlfriend to go as it was a fundraiser for Relay for Life. Glad I went just hard when people where asking me how I was doing. Not ready to tell many people at this point. Just want to find out more details. I don't want my mom to know until I really have something to tell her. Dad ended up back in the hospital yesterday and she has enough on her plate right now. Don't know what I would do with out all of you here. You all give me strength.
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Sherry, you are so brave. I think I could not have gone to the pink ribbon lucheon and pretend everything is alright. You are on my mind and my prayers are with you.
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Sherry - I hope it's nothing!0
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Sherry, I'm so sorry. You and I live too close together not to get together!!!!!!!!!!!!! there's bound to be something half way between us we can meet at for a long lunch.....does bucee's take reservations? lol.
I went to the US for pain, had the surprise mammo, and now my skin is on fire, like if I have an abrasion around my side - where the bra sits - when I can wear it.....why didn't they listen to me? I need them to open their ears next time.....so I never knew who to start with before, but I can tell you from this point forward, I'm calling my MO first - always - she knows how to hear me.....
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Walley, SAgina- I felt the same thing a few months after rads in the spring....was told tha your ribs are also radiated so they are sore and tender for up to 12 months...I stopped wearing bras and wore elasticized camisoles for 8 months....went to see a physiotherapist who gave me exercises to do ..and it helped and then i went to a lymphodema massage therapist who REALLY helped.....but....it took me 6 months to get there because the first months I did NOt want to be touched in any way shape or form
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Sherry- sending you soft hugs, a broad shoulder and support if you need or want it. Let us know when the appointments are and wear a shirt wtith huge pocekts, ok??? Repeat after me..."I am a strong woman...it has been an incredibly lousy year all around but I am here, I am alive and I will tackle whatever is put before me"..and then go and have that stiff drink my dear! You deserve it:)hugs
Sandee
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