radiation #5 of 30 and I'm blistered already! :(

Sharon40
Sharon40 Member Posts: 93
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have completed 5 rounds and I am blistered! I have used the lotion that was perscribed. I have been careful when washing. I have done what they said to do, BUT I am blistered right on the surgery scar and red . . . wow does it hurt!
I called the nurse today, she is going to have a doctor there to check me before my apointment tonight. Man, I hope this gets better!!
Anyone else burn so early?

Comments

  • jbug
    jbug Member Posts: 285
    #2
    I burned pretty quick, but
    I burned pretty quick, but not blistered, especially after 5! OUCH! I'm sorry! It's not like it something you're doing though...everyone's skin reacts differently. Definitely make sure the doc see's you before your next treatment.

    Good luck and hang in there...blessings!
    Julie
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #3
    Sharon,
    You're doing the right thing -- always let the nurse know about ANYTHING sooner, rather than later.

    I had several issues during rads where I thought I would just tough it out until my next weekly appointment with the doctor, and regretted it every time. My doctor had an arsenal of prescription creams, ointments, gelpaks, etc. that worked wonders.

    Be loud and vocal, early and often, about any pain or discomfort you're having -- they have a buffet of treatments to choose from, there's no need to suffer with this.

    Traci
  • Bella Luna
    Bella Luna Member Posts: 1,578 Member
    #4
    Good to hear you contacted
    Good to hear you contacted the nurse about the your situation. They may have another ointment you can use for your skin. My best to you.
    BL
  • sbmly53
    sbmly53 Member Posts: 1,522
    #5
    I started to burn at #4.
    Thankfully, that brought me to the weekend and I semi-recovered. I finish tomorrow,#33 (YAY!) and I'm sorry to say that I am burned, blistered, raw and oozing. All I was given was Jeans Cream - hurts like the devil, only use it on burned only areas. And told to use half peroxide and half water. Also, air it out. Easier said than done.

    This week was boosts only, so I do see healing. Very slowly, but I guess I'm on the mend.
    Hope this post wasn't a downer for you, but to tell you that it does happen and you're not the only one.

    Hugs

    Sue
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #6
    Bella Luna said:

    Good to hear you contacted
    Good to hear you contacted the nurse about the your situation. They may have another ointment you can use for your skin. My best to you.
    BL

    They should be checking your
    They should be checking your skin at least once a week. And, they have lots of prescriptions they can give you to help you. They can even stop rads for awhile if your skin needs it. Good luck!

    Hugs, Angie
  • Youcandothis
    Youcandothis Member Posts: 79
    #7
    sbmly53 said:

    I started to burn at #4.
    Thankfully, that brought me to the weekend and I semi-recovered. I finish tomorrow,#33 (YAY!) and I'm sorry to say that I am burned, blistered, raw and oozing. All I was given was Jeans Cream - hurts like the devil, only use it on burned only areas. And told to use half peroxide and half water. Also, air it out. Easier said than done.

    This week was boosts only, so I do see healing. Very slowly, but I guess I'm on the mend.
    Hope this post wasn't a downer for you, but to tell you that it does happen and you're not the only one.

    Hugs

    Sue

    Blistered:(
    Gee I'm sorry--when I was dx I had acupuncture to help me thru treatment. My acupuncturist gave me a copy of a study done by the university of Rochester indicating that cucumin fights the inflammation without impairing the effectiveness. Look it up and run it by your dr, hope it helps. I'm fairskinned, started it a month before rad, certainly was red but didn't blister, my dr was surprised. Good luck, you're almost done with treatment:)
  • Sharon40
    Sharon40 Member Posts: 93
    #8
    NOT blistering . . . infection of the surgery site
    Well, I am happy to say it is NOT blistering from radiation. I have an infection on the surgery site. One of the internal stitches has been infected. BOO. They put me on antibiotics and hope it gets better!! I'm happy it's not burning from the radiation!
  • WJGardner_Dec2009
    WJGardner_Dec2009 Member Posts: 50
    #9
    Radiation
    Wow, I didn't realize that radiation was so much worse than chemo. I will be having rads after chemo. So far the chemo has been okay for me aside from the hair lose. Now I am worried about the rads from what I heard from folks. Wanda
  • WJGardner_Dec2009
    WJGardner_Dec2009 Member Posts: 50
    #10
    Sharon40 said:

    NOT blistering . . . infection of the surgery site
    Well, I am happy to say it is NOT blistering from radiation. I have an infection on the surgery site. One of the internal stitches has been infected. BOO. They put me on antibiotics and hope it gets better!! I'm happy it's not burning from the radiation!

    Infection at surgery site
    Was the area real red? After two months after surgery to my left breast my incession site has turned real red. Went to the docter and she put me on antibiotics also. It doesn't hurt but every once in awhile I get little pains in the area that don't last. Did that happen to you? Wanda
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #11
    Sharon40 said:

    NOT blistering . . . infection of the surgery site
    Well, I am happy to say it is NOT blistering from radiation. I have an infection on the surgery site. One of the internal stitches has been infected. BOO. They put me on antibiotics and hope it gets better!! I'm happy it's not burning from the radiation!

    Hoping you get better soon.
    Hoping you get better soon. Sorry that it happened. Good luck!

    Leeza
  • sunny_girl
    sunny_girl Member Posts: 33
    #12
    WJGardner_Dec2009 said:

    Radiation
    Wow, I didn't realize that radiation was so much worse than chemo. I will be having rads after chemo. So far the chemo has been okay for me aside from the hair lose. Now I am worried about the rads from what I heard from folks. Wanda

    Rads aren't always bad
    Hi Wanda,
    Please don't worry too much. I was really anxious before I had rads, but it wasn't bad at all (for me). I thought it would be much worse. My breast turned dark pink, and my nipple was dark, but I didn't burn at all. I used calundula cream (made from marigold flowers sold in health food stores) and it worked wonderfully (ask your rad onc.). My skin pealed off after a coulple weeks, and my nipple is permanently a few shades lighter than it used to be. The fatigue was tough for me because I was used to being very active. But I am sure no worse than chemo. Some women get burns and some don't -- so maybe your rads won't be bad. Hope so.
    Good luck.
  • mamaocllo
    mamaocllo Member Posts: 2
    #13
    Youcandothis said:

    Blistered:(
    Gee I'm sorry--when I was dx I had acupuncture to help me thru treatment. My acupuncturist gave me a copy of a study done by the university of Rochester indicating that cucumin fights the inflammation without impairing the effectiveness. Look it up and run it by your dr, hope it helps. I'm fairskinned, started it a month before rad, certainly was red but didn't blister, my dr was surprised. Good luck, you're almost done with treatment:)

    Turmeric./curcumin - thanks!
    I found your post here the day I started radiation last June and went right to the neaerest Walgreens, where I found that their Finest Natural house brand even contained some black pepper, which apparently is needed for the turmeric to be effective. I took two 900 mg. capsules three times a day for the duration of my radiation treatments, which was as close as I could come to what the poeple in the Univ.of Rochester study took. I only had some sunburn-like reddening during the last, more intense ten treatments. There was a little peeling, but not much. I'm fair-skinned, too, so I probably would have had much worse side effects without the turmeric.

    I hope you're doing all right. I really thank you for your post that mentioned the Univ. of Rochester study. I just had my one-year mammogram, and everything is fine. I plan to take turmeric for the rest of my life, as all sorts of online sites talk about its benefits in fighting cancer and all sorts of other illnesses. Unfortunately, the Walgreens brand capsules stopped including the black pepper sometime last Fall, but it turns out that WalMart and the Swanson Nutrition catalog also carry turmeric capsules, for less than the Walgreens ones cost, and I can make my own black pepper capsules to supplement them.

    Thanks so much.
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #14
    wow, so quickly SO sorry you are in pain
    I did not have any burning at all..after 8 wks daily just a square box shape tan on my chest-I was very fortunate!

    Keep us update with out come of your appt...
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #15
    Sharon
    so glad it turned out to be infection from surgery scar rather than blisters from rads. I had #13 today and so far my skin is just a tad tight and lightly pink. I burn easy and was worried I would burn quickly from rads but so far everything is ok.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #16
    cahjah75 said:

    Sharon
    so glad it turned out to be infection from surgery scar rather than blisters from rads. I had #13 today and so far my skin is just a tad tight and lightly pink. I burn easy and was worried I would burn quickly from rads but so far everything is ok.
    {{hugs}} Char

    @sharon sorry infection but good not radiation
    I used to keep a little chart i made and crossed of my days i did radiation and one for how many left...! I even kept and put in scrap book with my treatment ID badge etc..

    so soon yours will be over too...I am thinking of you..

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