Savi catheter - anyone had one?

jgpaulson
jgpaulson Member Posts: 32
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi there,
I was supposed to have a mammosite catheter but it would be too close to the skin and burn it so they put in something that looks like a telephone cable with with wires sticking out of my breast. They are supposed to start radiation next week. I am really scared. FGirst of all I look like bionic woman and second of all I worried about the seeds they are putting in the wires during radiation. Does it hurt? How do you feel afterwards?

Please help.

Thank you.

Comments

  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #2
    I had the mammosite one put
    I had the mammosite one put in on Monday, June 1. I was supposed to start Brachy that Tuesday. Instead, they removed it and replaced it with the one with all the wires because it was not radiating the entire cavity. I started Brachy that Wednesday.
    I found out this one did not radiate the entire cavity either, so I only had 3 days-6 treatments and they removed it on Friday. They called it a boost and said I still have to have 6 weeks of radiation.

    The treatments do not hurt. I think the worst part was that the catheter is uncomfortable and I could feel it the whole time I had it in. They will clean the incision and wrap the part that is sticking out with each treatment. They also help put your sport bra on so the thing lays properly and doesn't bother you as much.

    They gave me a certificate of completion after they removed it.
    Good luck to you. Hopefully this will be the only radiation treatments you will need!
  • jgpaulson
    jgpaulson Member Posts: 32
    #3
    elm3544 said:

    I had the mammosite one put
    I had the mammosite one put in on Monday, June 1. I was supposed to start Brachy that Tuesday. Instead, they removed it and replaced it with the one with all the wires because it was not radiating the entire cavity. I started Brachy that Wednesday.
    I found out this one did not radiate the entire cavity either, so I only had 3 days-6 treatments and they removed it on Friday. They called it a boost and said I still have to have 6 weeks of radiation.

    The treatments do not hurt. I think the worst part was that the catheter is uncomfortable and I could feel it the whole time I had it in. They will clean the incision and wrap the part that is sticking out with each treatment. They also help put your sport bra on so the thing lays properly and doesn't bother you as much.

    They gave me a certificate of completion after they removed it.
    Good luck to you. Hopefully this will be the only radiation treatments you will need!

    I had the mammosite one put - jgpaulson's reply
    Hi there,

    Thank you so much for replying. I guess the most shocking to me was the device itself (it's big size!). They did not make a big deal of how uncomfortable it was and acted like there was nothing to living with it sleeping with it at night. Did you feel they acted the same?
    How much larger was the wire thing compared to the mammosite?
    And how much more uncomfortable was the wire thing compared to the
    mammosite?
    I am having trouble sleeping with the wire thing at night. Did you have touble sleeping with the wire thing as compared to the mammosite?

    I have my first radiation treatment tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
    And again a big thanks for responding. It really helps.
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #4
    jgpaulson said:

    I had the mammosite one put - jgpaulson's reply
    Hi there,

    Thank you so much for replying. I guess the most shocking to me was the device itself (it's big size!). They did not make a big deal of how uncomfortable it was and acted like there was nothing to living with it sleeping with it at night. Did you feel they acted the same?
    How much larger was the wire thing compared to the mammosite?
    And how much more uncomfortable was the wire thing compared to the
    mammosite?
    I am having trouble sleeping with the wire thing at night. Did you have touble sleeping with the wire thing as compared to the mammosite?

    I have my first radiation treatment tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
    And again a big thanks for responding. It really helps.

    I agree, that thing was big!
    I agree, that thing was big! I don't remember noticing a difference in size, just that one had wires and one had a balloon at the end. I only had that balloon one from Monday morning to Tuesday afternoon, so I don't know if there was a difference in the discomfort. And yes, they did act like it was nothing and that it would not hurt or be uncomfortable. I do remember that it was very hard to sleep and I asked for something to help me sleep. I only took the sleeping pills a couple of times though. I thought it hurt having that huge thing inside me and was very aware of it the entire time. I did take pain relievers. The wire one I had used 7 wires and they are all hooked up individually where the balloon one only had one thing to plug in to the machine. The radiation did not hurt. I had a cat scan before each treatment, twice a day. The treatments were done on the cat scan table.
    I hope you don't worry too much over tomorrow, again, it is not painful. I think it takes about 15 minutes. I will be watching for your update!
  • jgpaulson
    jgpaulson Member Posts: 32
    #5
    elm3544 said:

    I agree, that thing was big!
    I agree, that thing was big! I don't remember noticing a difference in size, just that one had wires and one had a balloon at the end. I only had that balloon one from Monday morning to Tuesday afternoon, so I don't know if there was a difference in the discomfort. And yes, they did act like it was nothing and that it would not hurt or be uncomfortable. I do remember that it was very hard to sleep and I asked for something to help me sleep. I only took the sleeping pills a couple of times though. I thought it hurt having that huge thing inside me and was very aware of it the entire time. I did take pain relievers. The wire one I had used 7 wires and they are all hooked up individually where the balloon one only had one thing to plug in to the machine. The radiation did not hurt. I had a cat scan before each treatment, twice a day. The treatments were done on the cat scan table.
    I hope you don't worry too much over tomorrow, again, it is not painful. I think it takes about 15 minutes. I will be watching for your update!

    Hi again,

    It's amazing to me how casually they treat a woman's body. Don't they realize
    its OUR body. Don't they think that we want to know what they are sticking into us?
    Are we guinea pigs or what?

    Anyway I will tell you all about it. AND believe me I plan on causing a scene tomorrow. They deserve it. They didn't have to sleep with that thing, I did!

    Thanks again.
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #6
    jgpaulson said:

    Hi again,

    It's amazing to me how casually they treat a woman's body. Don't they realize
    its OUR body. Don't they think that we want to know what they are sticking into us?
    Are we guinea pigs or what?

    Anyway I will tell you all about it. AND believe me I plan on causing a scene tomorrow. They deserve it. They didn't have to sleep with that thing, I did!

    Thanks again.

    How did it go?

    How did it go?

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