Radiation burns

 

 

Hi all,

 

I was hoping someone could tell me just how long their burns took to get better.  I only had 15 radiation treatments and all was going really well with hardly any redness etc on the actual breast, but at the end and after I finished treatment which was one week ago I developed really sore nasty burns underneath the breast. I have a lot of very very dark red skin which is not sore and I have several spots of raw red wet places. I even went to the GP yesterday to see if he could offer me something to ease the soreness, he didnt have a clue and offered me babys bum cream for nappy rash! I have phoned radiographers who said to keep it dry and just use some gauze underneath to stop the breast touching my chest. I think it is improving each day but how long will it take and will the dark red skin every go? Also I have got lots of little spots all over and bumpy skin which I didnt have before.

 

Thanks

Hi Jan,
Sorry to hear about the burns, I didn’t get peeling below breast but did go very dark brown/almost black peel/flake across my entire nipple and get a few spots/blisters elsewhere. The worst point was probably 2 weeks after treatment to the area which had a boost of radio.
I can’t believe your GP just offered baby cream! If this helps…the hospital I had radio treatment gave me a cream called flamaziine. It’s intended to stop infection in 2nd and 3rd degree burns! I was told to use it for 2 weeks after treatment and then revert to diprobase with a gel around the nipple but in reality I ended up using the flamaziine for the full 4 weeks. I found it helped to keep the burned skin on for long enough for the new skin to form underneath. I used pieces of chopped up T-shirt material on the skin side of my bra which reduced friction and hence small tiny flakes of skin fell off leaving new healed (ok bit pink and tender but not bad). I suggest you ring the nurse at the hospital you had the radio treatment, explain your position and ask what they would recommend and if flamaziine may help. My hospital told me to call them and arrange to go in if I needed any other creams/advise for the 4 weeks post radio.
Suggest you try that plus the soft cotton T shirt fabric layer. Hope that helps.
sea breeze

Hi Jan,
To put your mind at ease a bit, my radiographers wouldn’t/didn’t give me anything either. When I needed cream to sooth insane itch I had to wait to see the consultant which I did once a week. Although my GP is really helpful.

Had 15 standards and 8 boosts, I’m now just a week finished and sure enough the place where the boosts were is gradually getting worse! I also have the red spots you talk about, they look like strawberry dots, very weird!
All the best x

Hi atat,
Yep I saw him every Friday during my rads. I think there was one week where he was on holiday and I saw his registrar.
I’m in essex.

Sorry pressed post too soon!
He also told me to stop the aqueous on the itchy area, said wouldn’t help. The hydrocortisone cream helped a bit, but the godsend way the array of super dooper antihistamines day and night ones that my GP gave me!
Weirdly in the clinic the nurses are doing dressings on older people etc but were never in on my appointments. The only nurses I interact with, and lots less than when I was first diagnosed are the breast care ones! Just shows how no one place is the same!