Hi, as well as having radiotherapy to my chest wall, i am going to be having radiotherapy to my central lymph nodes as they could not remove them. I had planning yesterday but they have said that i will have to go back for another planning scan, but this one they tell you when to breathe. I am told this is to limit any damage to my heart and i was wondering if anyone else had been told this? I am hoping that they will find that the nodes are no longer enlarged there as it was on my original scan (july 09) that they found it enlarged. Do they tell you about possible damage to your heart as standard or is that because they are zapping the central nodes too?
thanks for any replies
take care
anna
I had radiotherapy to my left chest wall I was told that there could be heart damage but this is a minimal risk.
They asked me to hold my breath on my planning scan.
So far all well with heart, I have a 8inch by9inch square on chest of darker skin with what looks like a semicircle cut into the area just around my heart which was not radiotherapied.
Goodluck
I wasn’t told to hold my breath during radio to my left chest and armpit - hopefully it’s not that critical.
Anyone feeling stiff after radio? Mine finished exactly three weeks ago and my left chest/underarm area is feeling tight. I am doing stretches but it doesn’t seem to be improving. When I shrug my shoulders up towards my ears my lower left chest feels quite uncomfortable.
Hi Daisychain - I’m 21 days after rads and am so sore that I’m 'giving in ’ and getting help tomorrow. rather than getting better it’s getting worse 36G has it’s drawbacks!! Have used up all the recommendations and have just posted a request for some more ideas . Sorry to sound so self pitying but abit hacket off today… no stiffness .
To: Lazydaisy
I remember when I had my Rads last July, I remember them saying something about “us bigger ladies” (in the chest dept.) would have problems with Rads.
The problems come afterwards as you don’t seem to be able to support them that well afterwards (certainly not back to underwire) - even now I find the side supports rub into my upper scar.
I replied back on the other thread re: dressings. I’ll just add here that I used Allevyn Dressings, which I finally got from my practise nurse at the surgery through recommendation from my BCN at the hosp.
Unless the practice nurse is used to dealing regularly with BC I’m not sure that they do know what to recommend but they do try very hard to get you something.
I ended up with two infections and had to have anti-biotics in the end to clear it all up.
At the time I was reading and posting on here and the replies that you get back are so helpful.
Thank goodness for this site.
DaisyChain
Basically I think that when you have the Rads done they want you to lie as still as possible so that they treat exactly the same area each time. And yes, don’t know why but for nearly all of mine got v. apprehensive each time they left me in that room. The unknown - I guess.
I didn’t have to have the booster treatment so not sure what one has to do for that bit.
Hope this helps you both.
Regards,
Whirlwind
Morning - thanks so much for reply it really helped - have just seen G.P practice nurse and she wouldn’t touch me without BC Nurse recommendations sooooooooooo am waiting a call back from them …and the bloody car wont start !!! NOT A GOOD MONDAY ( sorry didn’t mean to shout)Have made a note of what you’ve had success with and will mention it to BC Nurse. I mentioned to practice nurse that some on the site have used Flamazine and she was horrified and forbid me to even think about trying it!! She did say I’ve got very little chance of wearing a bra for next week ( due to start work on the Wednesday) God this is so horrible really fed up with all the extra pressure. Thanks again your a star Sx
Sorry you are having a bad day,hope it gets better…
Health professionals make me laugh,sometimes I just wonder if half of them know what they are talking about, I used to sooooooooo believe everything I was told by docs /nurses etc. I don’t understand why your practice nurse is so against flamazine, it was what I was recommended by the rads dept and seems to be quite standard in the treatment of rads burns and infections.The mepilex dressing that I got with my cream could be cut to size and was a soft squishy sort of thing that you put against your skin and it just held there,was able to wear my bra over it and it cushioned everything. I have got sizeable 40e boobs ,and was told that being heavily breasted was going to contribute to the problem,but it does get better,honest !
Sandra x
Sandra,
Can I ask what sort of bras you are now wearing?
As I still can’t wear underwired, will I ever be able to again.
I can cope with about 1 day and then have to go back to the bras that the BCN recommend, that is, soft cotton ones.
Trouble is with a lot of bras, it’s the dam support on the sides, it tends to rub on the lymphnode scar.
Is the Flamazine something like the intracite? that was like a gel in a covered dressing, made it worse though, probably where I got the 2nd infection from.
Like you said, you listen at first to the doctors and nurses but in the end its the people on here who have been through it and are able to give you the correct advice and help you through a difficult period in your lifetime.
Regards,
Whirlwind
well - I’ve no infection but even breast care nurse said not to use anything and to keep it dry " try to grit your teeth and bear it" GRRRRRRRRR absolutly NOT to use anything as this will make it an ideal environment to grow bacteria but I could take paracetamol. Feel really poorly today but no temp and no pain when I breath in so am monitoring it if I do then I’ll be back to Docs .