Post Chemo, currently Radiation 20/30 Pain in under-crease redness, & peeling lumpectomy scar
Not sure on the appropriate subject line, so I just listed where I am in my treatment currently for my Invasive Ductal Carcinoma HER2+ Pr+ ER+ (IDC HER2+ PR+ ER+ Post Chemo, Radiation 20/30 Pain, redness, peeling lumpectomy scar) I should be sleeping as it is already 5:42am and my 21st radiation session is at 8:45am and I am in pain. Yesterday the skin that is my Lumpectomy scar peeled revealing bright red (not quite bleeding) skin instead of the darkened scar that the radiation and turned it into colour wise. The red seems to be new skin and is healing nicely while my nipple itself is very dark and my skin dry even though I use moisturizer multiple times a day every day. I am finding out more information on this site than the info they gave me. I thought I was to put the moisturizer on the area just before Radiation. Now I find out I was supposed to but not in the hour before treatment but afterwards I can. No wonder why my scar started to peel (over-saturated). They are starting more targetted radiation today they said instead of how they did it the last 20 sessions. I am worried just how much more my boob can handle. Especially the underboob. It looks over-saturated as well even though the nipple and overboob is still so very dry. I wish they would have given be better instructions. They said not to use Aloe and I said what about from an actual aloe plant rather than from the store and they said no because the Canadian Cancer Society has not approved it and they can only suggest what they say to use. They can't tell me why as the staff don't even know. Some of the creams they suggested saying to only use those because many creams of alcohol in it I found out also had alcohol as an ingredient even though lower on the list.
At this point I don't know what to do about the crease of my underboob which is so red and irritated and sore. The only information I could find was USA sites such as this one. I was using paper towels but ran out. I will use an old soft shirt. Have to choose which one but read that suggestion. Thank you.
Back story is that I was already immunosuppressed before my breast cancer diagnosis as I am on medication for a kidney transplant. So what ever happens with my boob on the surface will take longer to recover (I still have a scar on my hand from simply accidentally rubbing my hand on the wood of a desk).
I read that I could use corn starch power (not to use talc at all) but I haven't seen any in any stores when I look.
I see the radiation oncologist today after my radiation session so I will ask him a lot of things but I want to have a better idea of my options and what to ask about.
My underboob hurts more than the area they have been radiating oddly enough.
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Hi @cdnangel, I'm sorry you are having skin issues with radiation. I always brought cream with me and put it on before I changed back to my clothes. I was told nothing on your skin the day of radiation until after treatment. Burn problems outside the targeted area are not unusual since there is always some radiation scatter. I take prednisone so I sympathize with the additional healing problems you are bound to have.
I used calendula ointment with minimal other ingredients in it which helped. Natural food and alternative health care stores sometimes stock it. I ordered online from puremedy.com and mygirlscream.com (specifically designed for post radiation treatment.) You can also find cornstarch powder online. No alchohol is important. My center recommended Aquaphor but the nurse thought calendula was the best.
I have lived in Canada in the past but don't know what the current cross border postal regulations are if you can't find them on Canadian websites. I would sometimes have a drugstore across the border order for me and travel to the Buffalo or Detroit area to buy what I couldn't get locally. I hope you can find something that works.
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@cdnangel we're so sorry to hear what you're going through with the soreness, and we hope that your oncologist was helpful today! Important is of course to manage it well, which you are trying, in order to avoid any infection. We hope you get relief!
Hoping others also chime in, but great suggestions from @maggie15.Warmly, Your Mods
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