I have been to the oncology appointment and was talked over the various elements of the radiotherapy. I have another appointment tomorrow which the letter says is the planning appointment. The lumpectomy and node biopsy was 38 days ago.
I have a couple of questions which I hope someone will be able to answer having gone through this stage of treatment…
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Does anyone actually touch my breast or the surgical cut areas at this appointment? I am in way too much pain to be touched, and wondered what happens in such cases?
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Ditto the tattoo marks, are they on the actual breast I had the lumpectomy on? That would be too painful at the moment.
Thank you
Hello @naturaljazz
Sorry to hear that your surgery site is still so painful, presumably the oncologist didn’t look at it? Come to think of it I didn’t have an examination at mine.
My planning appointment came a couple of weeks after my oncologist appointment so around 8 weeks after my surgery and I wasn’t in any pain at that point.
The planning appointment involves a CT scan and from recollection you are not touched. You are “lined up” with the use of lasers and they may need to move you (by which I mean your body not your breast) slightly to achieve this. Once they have taken all the measurements using the lasers and scanner the they will “tattoo” (put ink dots) in 3 places: one in the middle of your breast bone and one each on your side under your arm round about where your bra strap is (I really struggle to see mine now). These are then used to help line you up in exactly the right position in the radiotherapy machine.
I’m tempted to suggest that if you are still in a lot of discomfort from the surgery they may think it better to wait before starting the actual therapy: whilst you don’t actually feel anything when having radiotherapy it is really important to keep the area well moisturised (I slapped it on 3 times a day) and if you are not able to do this it will mean your skin may react badly and become even more painful.
Good luck with your appointment tomorrow
AM xxx