Hi, Im new here, I am 5 weeks post surgery for double lumpectomy and will be starting radiation in 3 weeks. I've been told I will have scarring to my lungs as a result of radiation, just wondering how many on here have developed complications from this, Will also be starting on Arimidex at the same time. Have many of you had serious side effects from this drug as well? Any tips for treating the skin after radiation? How long afterwards do you feel tired for?

Hi @Lizzylou2 I am a Radiation Therapist so am I happy to answer any questions you may have. Feel free to PM me :)

Thanks for this discussion. It's helped me too. I have radiation coming up and these suggestions will help. I especially like the reminders to keep exercising. I did this before surgery and it helped me to stay mentally positive as well as the other health benefits. Now just post surgery I could easily have let it slide (like I usually do :) ) but instead I'll definitely try to keep up some gentle exercise and build from there. Take care everyone.

Hi there,every precaution is taken to protect your lungs but yes a little scarring may happen, I’ve never heard of any complications developing. Skin wise there are several creams recommended,basic sorbolene is cheap and readily available , moo goo is great, there are several others, spread it over the entire area 3 times a day but not immediately before treatment, your clinic may offer mepitel film which is wonderful stuff but not suitable for larger breasts or hot climates. Generally the fatigue lasts for about 6 wks after until it starts to improve. But everyone is different. Hope this helps

Hi @Lizzylou2 Moogoo is the bomb and Manuka honey gold cream helped as well. I had 30 rounds of rads and only got skin problems in the last week. Solosite and flamazene afterwards cleared that up pretty quick. I had no problems with fatigue either during or after. I only got tired of driving there daily! It's one of those things that just depends, like everything else.I am 10 months post radiation and the only problem is the part where they nuked the nodes on my chest aches mildly every so often and is still very sensitive to sunlight so I make sure it's always covered.

@Lizzylou2 you now have many others to walk with you on this journey who will provide support and practical knowledge. You will get thru this but it will change how you see things probably.As the saying goes one step at a time - best wishes.xo

Radiation side effects | Online Network

kmakm
Member
7 years ago
Or maybe this one @Eastmum...
Lizzylou2
Member
7 years ago
Thanks for the feedback. Week 3 - feeling tired, red tan marks, some nausea, aching shoulder & back, not sleeping well & some pain in treatment area. Coping okay so far though. Staff atLiz Plummer Cancer Centre are onto it all and keeping me comfortable. They are really supportive & just lovely.
jackie_4
Member
7 years ago
After mastectomy I had 25 radiation treatments. Went very smoothly, staff at the centre where I went (Berwick) were wonderful. The dressings and creams were provided on the day but also was told to get QV creams. One to wash with in the shower, another concentrated gel for the treated area and there is another lotion which I still use. Highly recommend. I thought I was getting away easy with burns etc but found it was worse at the very end and after the treatments. Had to go back to be checked and dressings changed for a couple of weeks after treatment finished. Healed reasonably quickly. Definitely found the process tiring. Still have the 'tan" mark (as the oncologist called it) 18 months down the track.
Sanra
Member
7 years ago
I had my breast care nurse insist i have it, then the rads specialist, and my gp gave it to me. I was told its not a live virus so you cant catch flu, but you might get symptoms but i doubt it...mmm prove them wrong lol. Now they all say, positive side im likely to not catch flu this season, not sure im seeing positive side just yet on that lol
PatsyN
Member
7 years ago
@Sanra - You poor darling. They should never have given you a flu shot before radiation, the vaccination exacerbates everything - like going out and getting sunburnt, only on the inside. Who did that to you?
You've really gotta be on your toes at a time when you just don't want to.
Sanra
Member
7 years ago
@PatsyN thank you will look into it now.
i have been given same info, sadly my throat is horrid, almost no voice most days & im coughing lots. I had the flu needle!...big mistake, its made me so much worse with those symptons & add tired & aches... anything to help with the sizzling skin is greatly appreciated.
Seems the staff at rads are a bit busy having coffee to be as caring as yours.
thanks for advice
PatsyN
Member
7 years ago
@Sanra - I have a tip. I used StrataXRT throughout my 25 boosted radiation sessions. All my nodes were affected and the cancer had moved to my mastectomy scar and was in my skin. The radiologist said I would be fried to the bone and that my lungs and throat would be damaged because they were in the way. To see me today, just 6 weeks after the end of radiation you would barely know I'd been so heavily radiated. My throat never hurt and neither do my lungs. I owe it all to my beautiful radiologist and that fabulous cream. It's not too late to start using it. Stratapharma Australia have a website that can get it to you in 2 days.
lrb_03
Member
7 years ago
Oh, @Sanra, I remember how happy I was to get down to single figures. I had a lumpectomy, so 25 whole breast plus 5 to the tumour site.
Take care
Lizzylou2
Member
7 years ago
Hopefully the time will fly and we will be on the road to recovery again.
Sanra
Member
7 years ago
@Lizzylou2
i am to have 25 in total