during radiation/after radiation

[r11]

Hi ...I am going thru the radiation (28 rounds) post mastectomy (MRM) of right breast &  6 cycles of chemo( FEC & Taxotere) . I have five more Rad's to go. During this process my skin is looking burnt and have lot of pain . The whole area has become very stiff. too much burning as well. I have been applying the cream prescribed by Oncology radiologist. My question's are - Is it normal to get pain etc? How will the skin heal post radiation? what is the follow up process after radiation? Any MRI etc. to be done? thank you.

[r11]

Hi Kat. You were so right. As I finished my RAD's aswell, I have a vague sense of uncertainity, some where in my thoughts not evident on my face but t is there. You Know while the treatment was on ,  one felt protected and now every pain in the body anywhere makes me think IS IT STRIKING AGAIN...

Kat, how often do you do your marker test...CA 15-3?

cheers

[katarina777]

remember, you owe me!  (kidding)  best, kat

[r11]

Thanks Kat. Information is really helpful. I am glad that you responded with so much information.cheers

[r11]

Thanks so much. I have been asked to use radiaguard.I have been using the cream liberally and hoping all will be fine soon.cheers

[SueYoung55]

There is no reason to go around with burns like that. Ask your doctor to prescribe Silver Sulfadiazine. The very minute your radiation is complete each day, apply it liberally to your burns. Slather it on!! But, before you go for your radiation the next day, make sure you are crystal clean and have no residue on you. It works like a dream! Remember to keep applying it until the burning stops in a week or so after radiation, or maybe sooner.

You are almost done! Best wishes to you :)

[katarina777]

PS: If you are using something like vitE on your skin, or aquaphor, that can sometimes make it worse at this point because it holds the heat in. (what I said about the hairdryer is only to make sure your skin is very dry after a shower) But if you have the dry type of burns, it also helps to put an ice pack on your chest a couple of times a day, but not directly on the skin. Over clothes, or a towel. And, if you can get away with it, expose your skin to the air as much as possible. Very big and loose cotton t-shirts, no acrylic, or nothing.

[katarina777]

No, you don't need any tests right now. Only painkillers. You will have a follow-up appointment with your radiation oncologist like three months after you see her now, and that is it. Then he/she will release you from her care. But, of course you can always call if you have problems and also speak to the nurse, or see her. (I think mostly for three months) With me, I also saw my oncologist at around this time, and it was only right after radiation finished that I started the taxoxifen. I had chemo first, then surgery, then radiation because they wanted to shrink the tumor before surgery. It was huge.

I am still seeing my oncologist every three months, but the last, or first one I had, and who died in a climbing accident, only wanted to see me every six months.

He/she will probably not order tests unless there were any suspicious findings earlier. (like, with me I had these lesions on my liver, so I had a CT for that) I don't think it's cancer and many women like us have those. Otherwise, they usually do tests only when you have symptoms, and it is very common to have symptoms. (except, your oncologist will probably order blood work once in a while) You will have several doctors you can talk to, like your PCP, and they will communicate if necessary.

I wanted to tell you one more thing. people tend to think that once you finish treatment, the worst will be over, right, and even you? But for me, those months after were very hard, and I felt both stressed and vulnerable, and many women do. Every symptom you have and you will think it's cancer. And you will have symptoms, and often they are tested for and they show nothing, or they turn out to be something else weird.

You are still growing scar tissue from the surgery and from the radiation, and I still have problems with my arms, etc. At the first sign that you feel there is something wrong or painful that is treatment related but not cancer, it really, really helps to see a good PT (physical therapist) to prevent further problems and to work with the ones you have.


Anyway, this hard period then will again get better, and it will get easier, but in a way the scheduled every day treatment you have now to me almost felt protective and I missed it. (talking to the nurses, etc)

If I didn't answer your questions you can ask me all you want, OK? (not edited)  Kat

[r11]

Thanks Kat. I think I can go through this. Just wondering if you could help me understand, what next after radiation (already on tamoxifen). I will be seeing my radiology Oncologist immediately after the last RAD .My medical Oncologist wants to see me in the month of May. Should I be doing some tests before seeing him?
R

[katarina777]

yes, it's normal, although not everyone burns the same. I did very badly, and  it will get worse before it gets better. The very worst will be just when you finish and for several days after, and you may need to take percocet for pain.

But then, it's amazing how it all heals. You will notice new skin growing under the burnt skin, and it is really quite neat to watch. Huge patches. Towards the very end I wasn't able to use any lotion at all except for a red liquid soap they gave me and which helped. it;s for the wet type of burns, the leaking kind. I had to literally take off my shirt in the shower after it started getting stuck to my skin, and I would rip off the skin when taking off my shirt until I started the shower thing. What also helps, and especially if you are having radiation to the axially area, is to get something like a small pillow, or something similar and then put this under your arm when writing or doing stuff. It keeps the arm skin from touching and sticking to the side skin, and you don't have that skin on skin contact, or even any contact even with clothes.

So, if you have six treatments left, yes, it will get worse. but then the healing happens very fast as well and you will see, it's amazing how the body is able to regenerate itself, and skin.

My skin now, and even after it healed, (I year ago) pretty normal, and it is not dark, or red, or anything. I just have more freckles.

What also helps, and again, i am not sure if you have the leaky type of burning or not, but it helped me to use a hairdryer on low heat to make sure the skin was very dry before getting dressed. There was no way I could wear a bra or anything that wasn't cotton.

It's OK and you will get through it. Ask for pain medications before it gets too bad, and it may. but, it doesn't last forever, and the new skin comes in more and more, like, a new patch of skin a day, and always after it's at it's worse. You may also get blisters.

Hope this helps, Kat