Nearly finished radiation!

Hi ladies and gents, well, I finished radiation nearly 4 weeks ago. Breast pain and skin all cleared up nicely, and I didn’t really get that tired - until now! In the last week I’ve had headaches and really sore neck and shoulders, and I’ll get these sudden waves of brain tiredness where I feel like I can’t think anymore and need a lie down. (Lucky we are in lockdown so I can!) . I do kind of wake up tired.

is this the fatigue they talk about? I was expecting it to end about now not start! What have your experiences been after radiation finished?

Hi @Halla I didn’t realise how far the beam would go either. Under my arm was where I didn’t put cream on and should have. After I’d finished my treatment was when it went pear shaped and we were in the middle of the first lockdown last year and only had a phone consult with the radiation oncologist. But I started putting Bepanthem antiseptic cream on and it cleared up quickly. You can buy it in the supermarket in the baby section as it’s sold for breast feeding problems. 

@Halla I started Tamoxifen on 1/7 & to be on it for 5 years. So far so good.  I still feel breast pain from time to time, tired but someday I can manage to go to the gym. 

Jaijing said:

I finished my 19 sessions 2 weeks ago. I used MooGoo and strata xrt that I got from lady from this forum. My skin turned a bit brown and small broken skin under my  breast. I just applied strata to the area and heal up very quickly and also  my nibble very itchy at for a week. I am due back to work this week. Good luck Halla. 

Thanks @jaijing! I got the strata from the same lady and sounds like you and I are on almost the same timeline, and very similar result. Good luck to you too. What’s the next step for you?

Thanks @Cath62 @Keeping_positive1 @jaijing that’s all really helpful 😘🙏🏻

@Halla, I did keep the mepilex on for almost another 2 weeks after radium. I did wear a bra for part of that time as I am a larger bust but at end the fold under boob was too sore so I wore camisoles. I used a soft medical pad that the nurses at radium gave me and I did purchase a few more myself. I also used dermeze as well. I had moogoo and while it is excellent the dermeze gave far more moisture and protection on the sore areas.  The only other thing is swelling. I did have that and saw a physio who specifically did lymphatic drainage. She taught me how to massage my breast to reduce the radium swelling. My radium oncologist suggested it. No referral needed. I only went twice because she just taught me how to do it.

I finished my 19 sessions 2 weeks ago. I used MooGoo and strata xrt that I got from lady from this forum. My skin turned a bit brown and small broken skin under my  breast. I just applied strata to the area and heal up very quickly and also  my nibble very itchy at for a week. I am due back to work this week. Good luck Halla. 

I used dermeze and covered the site with glad wrap, as advised by the radiation nurse.  All the best, you are now on the home run!   I didn't wear a bra throughout the 6 weeks of radiation treatment, but I wasn't out and about and comfortable to just go braless at home.  Take care.

Thanks so much @Cath62 ! 

Hi @Halla, I found it hard under the boob and where my lymph glands were removed. That area the skin broke. I had to put a soft pad there to separate the skin. I did talk to my breast nurse too. 

I also had a little soreness/red spots but I can't say it was too bad for me. I considered myself lucky. I had 20 rounds and used mepilex dressing. It continued to get a bit red after treatment ended but within 3 weeks to a month I was really ok. I did get fatigued but walked to help that feeling.