Protecting radiated area post-rad

geral
geral Member Posts: 130
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi!

I'm looking for tips on protecting radiated area years after receiving treatments.

2.5 yrs. ago, I finished 33 radiation treatments to my left breast (preceded by chemo and lumpectomy). Although, I didn't sustain any really bad burns during the treatments, the area has remained sensitive.

2 yrs. post-rad, the area seemed to be more sensitive.

I stay out of the sun and wear sunscreen, but it still feels uncomfortable like a mild sunburn-a warm, itchy feeling even in the winter.

Last night it was itching and burning badly along with a pins-n-needles feeling, and the area was covered with flat bumps which extended outside of the radiated area.

I went to my Radiation Oncologist this morning. He thinks it's an allergic reaction to something I've used and told me to use hydrocortisone cream for a week. I told him that I've been using sunscreen. He said the sunscreen could be causing it. I told him I'd been using one with 'parsol' and another with 'titanium dioxide'. He said he's not familiar with suncreens but to make sure they're hypoallergenic (which they both are).

Do any of you have any of these problems years post-rad?

Did your oncologist or anyone share with you any special care tips to be followed indefinitely?

I'm in chronic breast pain from my lumpectomy, so I'm pretty inactive. I just wonder what active people do to protect the radiated area. Just taking short walks I feel the sun 'burning' that area even with sunscreen on. I can't imagine participating in sports, especially water sports where you're exposed to the sun for hours at a time like some of you are able to do.

Before bc, I was a sun worshipper. I stopped immediately upon diagnosis. Last year I found a skin cancer (basal cell). As much as I've always loved the sun, I now fear it.

Any tips? Thanx!

Take care,
Geral

Comments

  • ksfc
    ksfc Member Posts: 251
    #2
    Hi Geral, The end of August will be one year post treatment for me, but I've had some complications from the radiation, including edema, cellulitis and vasculitis. My breast is still hot, swollen, tight and thick. I can't imagine letting any sun get to it at this point.
    My lymphdema therapist told me to stick to curel or eucerin for my arm and my breast where the edema is. I haven't tried sunscreen - I just totally cover up, except for the little area on my neck that was radiated and it hasn't really been a problem. Sorry I don't have any good suggestions - just empathy. I'll be interested to see what everyone else thinks. Diane
  • inkblot
    inkblot Member Posts: 698 Member
    #3
    Hi Geral:

    Sorry to hear that you're having this difficulty.

    I used aloe vera. Straight from the plant, several times/day during rad treatments and a really good, pure vitamin E oil with aloe at bedtime every single day. Maybe try placing a stem into the fridge and then apply when it's cool. That worked great for me during treatment. It cooled the skin amazingly well.

    Post treatment, once the skin had peeled (I'd scrub the dead skin away with a loofah, very gently, daily, while showering) I continued to use the Aloe plant but began to skip the nightime oil treatment. Instead, I applied hydrophyllic ointment. It softened the skin which made it much more comfortable. No dryness or itching.
    Since those initial 3 or 4 months post chemo, I don't do anything special...just apply a good body moisturizer immediately after bathing/showering and check the skin occasionally for any redness or anything unusual. The breast gets sun exposure during the summer when I wear a swimsuit and I don't use any sunscreen. However, I never stay out for long periods early in the season, so burning isn't a possibility.

    For comparison, I too had only mild burning during rad treatments. The "boost" was beginning to get really red by the time it was done but healed very quickly. Within two weeks, I had only some mild skin discoloration and that faded completely after about 6 months and to date have had no problems.

    Have you used any new anti perspir's, body lotions/creams, soaps, etc. which may be causing the problem?

    I haven't heard of anyone having the itching and burning, several years out of rads, but someone here may have experienced it and can share some better tips.

    Love, light and laughter,
    Ink
  • geral
    geral Member Posts: 130
    #4
    ksfc said:

    Hi Geral, The end of August will be one year post treatment for me, but I've had some complications from the radiation, including edema, cellulitis and vasculitis. My breast is still hot, swollen, tight and thick. I can't imagine letting any sun get to it at this point.
    My lymphdema therapist told me to stick to curel or eucerin for my arm and my breast where the edema is. I haven't tried sunscreen - I just totally cover up, except for the little area on my neck that was radiated and it hasn't really been a problem. Sorry I don't have any good suggestions - just empathy. I'll be interested to see what everyone else thinks. Diane

    Hi Diane!

    Thanx so much for your response.

    I'm so sorry that you're having so much trouble post-rad. Makes mine sound like a sniffle!

    The area is not nearly as red as it was yesterday and not itching as badly. I haven't applied anything to it but the hydrocortisone since yesterday. Hopefully, it'll go away. Then, I can try creams one at a time to find out if one of them is the culprit!

    I hope your problems resolve with time.

    Take care...

    Geral
  • geral
    geral Member Posts: 130
    #5
    geral said:

    Hi Diane!

    Thanx so much for your response.

    I'm so sorry that you're having so much trouble post-rad. Makes mine sound like a sniffle!

    The area is not nearly as red as it was yesterday and not itching as badly. I haven't applied anything to it but the hydrocortisone since yesterday. Hopefully, it'll go away. Then, I can try creams one at a time to find out if one of them is the culprit!

    I hope your problems resolve with time.

    Take care...

    Geral

    Hi Ink!

    It's nice to hear from you. I still check this board out periodically too but do not participate as much as I'd like. I have alot of computer problems (it took me about an hour to get on-line today!), so by the time I finish all the searches I need to do and check my e-mails, I don't feel like typing much because of my on-going post-lumpectomy pain.

    In answer to your question, I think it's possible my rash was caused by lotion or soap, but I'm not sure. I'm not using any lotion now, so after the spot heals, I'll try one at a time to see if that's what caused it. I hope that's it.

    You're so fortunate to be able to be out in the sun. You really should use sunscreen.

    I haven't sunned since my bc diagnosis. A guy from my apt. complex asked me why wasn't I using the pool anymore. I told him I was afraid I'd get skin cancer. Well, wouldn't you know, last fall I found a basal cell skin cancer. Of course, that was the result of my many years prior of sunbathing. A close friend of mine whom I use to sun with when we were much younger has had 10 skin cancers (squamous cell and melanoma). Fortunately, she caught them soon and is doing fine. She stays out of the sun now.

    Ink, thanx for taking the time to respond to my post. I'm sure your informative reply will help many others as well.

    I hope you are doing well.

    Take care,
    Geral
  • inkblot
    inkblot Member Posts: 698 Member
    #6
    geral said:

    Hi Ink!

    It's nice to hear from you. I still check this board out periodically too but do not participate as much as I'd like. I have alot of computer problems (it took me about an hour to get on-line today!), so by the time I finish all the searches I need to do and check my e-mails, I don't feel like typing much because of my on-going post-lumpectomy pain.

    In answer to your question, I think it's possible my rash was caused by lotion or soap, but I'm not sure. I'm not using any lotion now, so after the spot heals, I'll try one at a time to see if that's what caused it. I hope that's it.

    You're so fortunate to be able to be out in the sun. You really should use sunscreen.

    I haven't sunned since my bc diagnosis. A guy from my apt. complex asked me why wasn't I using the pool anymore. I told him I was afraid I'd get skin cancer. Well, wouldn't you know, last fall I found a basal cell skin cancer. Of course, that was the result of my many years prior of sunbathing. A close friend of mine whom I use to sun with when we were much younger has had 10 skin cancers (squamous cell and melanoma). Fortunately, she caught them soon and is doing fine. She stays out of the sun now.

    Ink, thanx for taking the time to respond to my post. I'm sure your informative reply will help many others as well.

    I hope you are doing well.

    Take care,
    Geral

    WEll, you're still just your old sweet self!!! And it's great to hear that you're experiencing some improvement! Thanks for caring about my sun exposure, when you've got so much going on.
    I'm never out in direct sunlight for very long at a time. Of course, it doesn't take very long "at a time" when we balance it with a lifetime of exposure! I really should be more conscientious about protecting my skin. When I go to the shore, I do use sun screen but never really think about it for that hour here or there that I spend in gardening or yardwork, etc.. Thanks for giving me a sharper focus.

    Please try to visit here more often...have missed your comments and contributions...and hope you can get the comp problem resolved.

    Love, light and laughter,
    Ink

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