☺RADIATION TREATMENT ☼☼☼ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS☻

Judi H

Radiation treatment and answers.

When I was fist diagnosed,  I did lumpectomy with radiation.  I did have burn issues.  Do NOT wash the area, do like they say.  Seriously.  I did not and it caused issues.  Ten years clear with radiation.  However, I am now having issues again.  So please follow up with drugs or chemo.  YOU do not want this again.

Larbara

JulesBD said:

Newly diagnosed, L mastectomy, radiation possibly

Hi everyone! This is my first time on this board after a recommendation from my doctors and nurses.  I just had left breast mastectomy for IDC this past week, and if my SNB comes back positive, I will be undergoing radiation treatment at the appropriate time, I reckon.  So far, I've gotten much help from all the posts, while realizing everyone's treatment may be different.  Just wanted to say hi and hopefully I can put my own two cents in to support and help anyone else.  Thanks to everyone so far who has posted their experiences.  I hope everyone is doing well and recovering smoothly. 

Jules

JulesBD-Newly diagnosed,L mastectomy,radiation possibly_MAY2019

Hi JulesBD...I just found your post from May 2019 about newly diagnosed and it looks like you didn't post after that. I was reading through that thread on radiation, which was informative but mostly from 2009-2010...quite a while ago. One of the administrators told someone else to start a new thread since this one was old. 

I am also somewhat recently diagnosed stage 2B with cancer in the sentinel node (June 4) with various biopsies and waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting...but even two days seems like forever sometimes). Had my bilateral mastectomy on July 22 with immediate reconstruction started (w/tissue expanders under the muscle). My drains finally came out after 25 days on Aug 15 (it felt like they were pulling out a dandelion root!!) They sent the tumor in for genetic testing to make the final recommendations on radiation and chemo. I find out Tuesday 8/20. The plastic surgeon said if they do the radiation, he will have to stop reconstruction until all the tissue has healed which means the expanders will have to be in there for up to a year! Yuck. I so don't want to do that. And I really don't want to be poisoned with chemo either and lose my hair and all the other lovely side effects. All the posts here scare me silly. But they also scare me straight in that I hear people who have had recurrences wish they had been more aggressive in the beginning. So is it my vanity...or my life. If I go for a less aggressive approach will I wonder all the time if those nasties are floating around in me trying to find a nice place to start over somewhere else? Rats...rats...rats! 

I hope you are finding support in your treatment decisions somewhere. I do get good information from reading the posts. I will be starting a new thread on radiation if there isn't one. I just was concerned when I read yours, which was similar to my situation, and never saw another response.

Take care and bless you on your journey.

wallis2

Larbara said:

JulesBD-Newly diagnosed,L mastectomy,radiation possibly_MAY2019

Hi JulesBD...I just found your post from May 2019 about newly diagnosed and it looks like you didn't post after that. I was reading through that thread on radiation, which was informative but mostly from 2009-2010...quite a while ago. One of the administrators told someone else to start a new thread since this one was old. 

I am also somewhat recently diagnosed stage 2B with cancer in the sentinel node (June 4) with various biopsies and waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting...but even two days seems like forever sometimes). Had my bilateral mastectomy on July 22 with immediate reconstruction started (w/tissue expanders under the muscle). My drains finally came out after 25 days on Aug 15 (it felt like they were pulling out a dandelion root!!) They sent the tumor in for genetic testing to make the final recommendations on radiation and chemo. I find out Tuesday 8/20. The plastic surgeon said if they do the radiation, he will have to stop reconstruction until all the tissue has healed which means the expanders will have to be in there for up to a year! Yuck. I so don't want to do that. And I really don't want to be poisoned with chemo either and lose my hair and all the other lovely side effects. All the posts here scare me silly. But they also scare me straight in that I hear people who have had recurrences wish they had been more aggressive in the beginning. So is it my vanity...or my life. If I go for a less aggressive approach will I wonder all the time if those nasties are floating around in me trying to find a nice place to start over somewhere else? Rats...rats...rats! 

I hope you are finding support in your treatment decisions somewhere. I do get good information from reading the posts. I will be starting a new thread on radiation if there isn't one. I just was concerned when I read yours, which was similar to my situation, and never saw another response.

Take care and bless you on your journey.

Your treatment is similar to

Your treatment is similar to my treatment.  I was diagnosed last year around June 2018. I had a lympectomy then bilateral mastectomy followed by radiation. I had 1 positive lymph node.  The doctor left the door open for reconstruction.  I was wondering if you made a decision on what you was going to do.  Anyway, whatever decision you choose will be the best and I am sure.  The radiation left some scar, tightness around my chest and sometimes I feel little tiny needle pains  every so often.  I am now taking this 5 year pill and now that is now giving me some side effects.  I wake up feeling good sometimes and other days I feel like crap.  I am not a very big person, although I was the average size wearing DDD and before the diagnose, I was preparing to get a breast reduction.  Now I don't have too.  LOL.  I feel really good not taking around such large breast. Now I am getting a stomach and I am trying to exercise to get back in shape.  My stomach was a little big before my surgery and now that I have a flat chest, it looks a little bigger, not like I am pregnant.  It looks weird.  Everybody have different scenarios when it comes to there diagnose.  I had an aunt many, many, many, years ago with BC and she is deased.  I had a cousin died of breast cancer in the 90's and last week I had a classmate(not relative) died right after chemo treatment.  OH by the way my classmate had throat cancer. The doctor gave me a choice to have chemo, but recommended radiation. I had some bad thoughts about chemo, only because it's poison going thru your body.  The radiaion was bad too and my skin was so black and peeling and it was horrible.  My last treatment was the worst of all.  I was working until the last week.  The best thing to have is a strong support system.  My family is great, however, I do have one member I don't talk about my condition because this member isn't sincere. Please keep in touch because our case is similar.  I enjoy talking to everybody and you keep in touch.Thanks for sharing.

wallis2

Judi H said:

Radiation treatment and answers.

When I was fist diagnosed,  I did lumpectomy with radiation.  I did have burn issues.  Do NOT wash the area, do like they say.  Seriously.  I did not and it caused issues.  Ten years clear with radiation.  However, I am now having issues again.  So please follow up with drugs or chemo.  YOU do not want this again.

Hey Judi, May I ask what

Hey Judi, May I ask what issues you are having because I am have some effects now.  I finished my treatment in March of this year and having some tightness like a band around my chest, feeling like little needles sticking in me around my incision and under arm.  

meadowglade

I guess I am lucky

I had stage 2b triple negtive breast cancer. My first treatment was the awful chemo treatement. I handled that pretty good, not many side effects. I had surgery, a lumpectomy then radiation and it was extentsvie radiation, from my collar bone to under my arm pit with 5 days of a boost to the scar areas. I am doing everything I can to prevent this from coming back. I did some chest exercises that helped and doing some now that my PT said to do. They are simple and very easy to do. I also go to a water areobics class that helps with "streching" that area. I did wipe the area gently with a baby wipe after each treatment and then put on all the creams that gave me. I was lucky I didn't go black, but I did peel a bit and had a few weeping spots that was addressed and taken care of. Just two years ago there wasn't much being done after the first chemo and then surgery. Now I am grateful to have radiation, pills for 4 to 6 months and then another infustion that is showing great promise with tnbc. I am doing every thing I can to prevent this from coming back anywhere on my body. I am also blessed to have doctors that listen to me and take what say to heart. They will look things up and tell me the beat way to help combat it. My heart breaks for all of you that have to fight tooh and nail to get the care you deserve! Keep fighting. I do read all I can, so I am not just relaying on what the doctors say.  I am still in treatment, taking the pills...then onward! Hugs to you all!

Dossy

Radiation

Hi Everyone. I am new to this board. I had a lumpectamy 2 weeks ago. Going to see the radiation oncologist September 5th for my consultation. Just a little nervous. When people say that it makes you tired do you mean like exhasted and can not move tired or just like you worked in the yard Tired lol. I had Dcis which it was noninvasive all contained in the duct. Do they still do a long course of radiation for that?

Dossy

Judi H said:

Radiation treatment and answers.

When I was fist diagnosed,  I did lumpectomy with radiation.  I did have burn issues.  Do NOT wash the area, do like they say.  Seriously.  I did not and it caused issues.  Ten years clear with radiation.  However, I am now having issues again.  So please follow up with drugs or chemo.  YOU do not want this again.

Did they put you on a pill to

Did they put you on a pill to take for a long period of time to stop cancer cells from growing?

wallis2

Dossy said:

Did they put you on a pill to

Did they put you on a pill to take for a long period of time to stop cancer cells from growing?

They put me on Arimidex for 5

They put me on Arimidex for 5 years.  If they put you on a 5 year pill make sure you tell your doctor all of your side effects and ask a lot of questions. I was taking the Arimidex in the morning and was very tired, so I starting taking the pill at night and I feel a little better. 

knitandsuch

77trafface said:

6 months warm??

I completed treatment 6 months ago and, although I didn't really notice AFTER that, I have noticed lately [ a couple of months] that my breast is warm. OK, I get the weeks after thing, but, am wondering why it's warm 6 months later!

6 months warm

I was glad to see your post because I am wondering the same thing at six months.    I see your post is a couple of years ago.    Did the warmness 

go away with time?

Sevarts

Mastectomy after radiation

Hi!  I was recently diagnosed with recurrence of DCIS, same breast that I had 4 years ago.  I had a lumpectomy with radiation first time and 4 lymph nodes removed, none affected.  This time I was told I needed a mastectomy as can't have lumpectomy and rads in same breast so close to last time.  I feel pretty lucky that I have been caught so early both times. I was hor one negative first time and this time am estrogen positive so can take exemestane, luckily no side effects except for first week was very achy.  My question is has anyone else has had a mastectomy after having radiation?  My skin is not healing well and three months later my incision isn't completely closed.  I elected for no reconstruction thankfully as I can't imagine how that would have worked with my skin.  I also wanted to share as this is a possible complication for those who elect lumpectomy and then may need future treatment, as I wasn't really aware the damage the radiation caused to my skin and how it would impact healing and not really make me a candidate for reconstruction. 

wallis2

Sevarts said:

Mastectomy after radiation

Hi!  I was recently diagnosed with recurrence of DCIS, same breast that I had 4 years ago.  I had a lumpectomy with radiation first time and 4 lymph nodes removed, none affected.  This time I was told I needed a mastectomy as can't have lumpectomy and rads in same breast so close to last time.  I feel pretty lucky that I have been caught so early both times. I was hor one negative first time and this time am estrogen positive so can take exemestane, luckily no side effects except for first week was very achy.  My question is has anyone else has had a mastectomy after having radiation?  My skin is not healing well and three months later my incision isn't completely closed.  I elected for no reconstruction thankfully as I can't imagine how that would have worked with my skin.  I also wanted to share as this is a possible complication for those who elect lumpectomy and then may need future treatment, as I wasn't really aware the damage the radiation caused to my skin and how it would impact healing and not really make me a candidate for reconstruction. 

Hi

I know this might not answer your question, but I had a lumpectomy(left breast) and months later had a bilateral mastectomy.  The mastectomy was my choice and afterwards I had 27 rounds of radiation.  I could imagine how a person would feel having radiation first and then a mastectomy.  After my radiation, my skin was burnt and black, I could hardly stretch or reach.  It's been past 3 years and Til this day it still bothers me.  The radiation damaged my skin, underarms, and nerves. The radiation cut thru my skin and it was like nightmare!!  The last dosage blew me away and I thought my skin was damaged for good.  My skin is back to normal again which amaze me, just a little shade darker from my normal skin.  By the way I didn't get reconstruction.  I didn't want to get cut again.  I know this doesn't answer your question, maybe someone might have an answer to your question.  

ljsunflower

meadowglade said:

I guess I am lucky

I had stage 2b triple negtive breast cancer. My first treatment was the awful chemo treatement. I handled that pretty good, not many side effects. I had surgery, a lumpectomy then radiation and it was extentsvie radiation, from my collar bone to under my arm pit with 5 days of a boost to the scar areas. I am doing everything I can to prevent this from coming back. I did some chest exercises that helped and doing some now that my PT said to do. They are simple and very easy to do. I also go to a water areobics class that helps with "streching" that area. I did wipe the area gently with a baby wipe after each treatment and then put on all the creams that gave me. I was lucky I didn't go black, but I did peel a bit and had a few weeping spots that was addressed and taken care of. Just two years ago there wasn't much being done after the first chemo and then surgery. Now I am grateful to have radiation, pills for 4 to 6 months and then another infustion that is showing great promise with tnbc. I am doing every thing I can to prevent this from coming back anywhere on my body. I am also blessed to have doctors that listen to me and take what say to heart. They will look things up and tell me the beat way to help combat it. My heart breaks for all of you that have to fight tooh and nail to get the care you deserve! Keep fighting. I do read all I can, so I am not just relaying on what the doctors say.  I am still in treatment, taking the pills...then onward! Hugs to you all!

Hello, meadow.

I was also diagnosed with stage IIb TNBC in June of 2020. The tumor was almost 5cm. I went through chemo, then a lumpectomy. I am now having radiation treatments - 6 more to go!

What kind of pills were you taking? and what kind of infusion are you talking about? I have been told nothing about any pills nor an infusion.

Linda