Hi
I finished my rads last Thursday after 15 sessions. I am well endowed and now have a red spotty itchy rash all over my breast going up the chest wall,tender all over the treated area included the nipple. the worst bit is under my breast. I have to wear a bra all the time including at night as its uncomfrotable without. I have only been using aqueous cream twice a day but read on the pot it may cause a rash. What can i use now? I am particularly concerned about under the breast as we are due to go abroad next saturday and it almost looks like it will get worse before it will get better. What would you recommend I can do?
Hi there garden potter sorry to hear you are sore I am undergoig rads at the moment but have only had 5 up to now and showing no SE at the moment.
I kept an eye on this forum for information and read some of the ladies on here use aloe vera 99.9% from holland and barret like you I am also well endowed I was told to put a cotton hankie under my boob.
hope this helps
love Linda x
Ask your BCN about manuka honey dressings.
I had these dressings after my skin developed a rash, raised bumps that then opened and bled a little, following radiotherapy. The dressings really helped clear the rash and soreness (and fairly quickly) although I did have dry skin and a scabby nipple for quite some time…
Hope it works and have a lovely holiday!
Katie
Hi Gardenpotter,
I had broken skin after rads and they prescribed intrasite gel and non adhesive dressings (for burns). I also used Diprobase Cream over the rest of the unbroken bits and it worked wonders. Ask your BCN or phone the rads department for advice.
Good luck - there’s a good chance it will be much better before you go away.
E xx
Phone the rads department and they can prescribe the intrasite gel and dressings, worked on my burn within a few days…I finished last week and was told to phone with any problems
Hi all I finnished rads 19th April skin was a problem that day and I was given purilon gel and mepilex dressings which resolved one problem but my skin was sore and hot ( the aqueous gel was not helping ) I got Aloe Vera gel from Holland and Barratts and what a difference this product has cooled the area down and Im so pleased with the results thanks to the person who posted this tip on the website you are a gem !
hi I finished radiotherapy in oct09 have now got really burning feeling in boob very swollen and heavy and also ‘rippled effect’ underneath boob -at february visit onc said it was oedema - swollen feeling has gone now and boob kind of back to normal size although still burning and rippled underneath - keeps me awake at night - apparently its post radiotherapy something!!! not very common - does any one else feel like this???
Hi bridgebank, I also finished rads in October 09 and have EXACTLY the same symptoms as you - except that it’s also a bit swollen under my arm and giving me burning ‘nerve-type pain’ down my arm and up towards my neck. But the underside of my boob is exactly as you describe and whilst not exactly burning, definitely always feels much warmer than the other side. GP says it’s probably lymphoedema and am being referred to lymphoedema clinic next week for some manual lymph drainage
hi finshed 17 rads 2 weeks ago boob not so sore nipple stopped peelin but have brown skin under armpit has anyone had this problem is it normal
hiya - yes my skin under my arm is going brown - I’m still doing rads at the mo. Guess I’m stuck with it - fake tan to even up the other side ?
I have finished 20 rads today. I was given some hydrogel and some dressings today as the skin on my nipple is peeling off and is very, very sore. Also the skin under my boobs is red and sore. The rest of the boob is blotchy and red. The dressing isn’t supposed to stick but has done, pulling more skin off with it.
I have only just read about using aloe vera from Holland and Barrett. I wish I had read this earlier today as I was in town where the nearest branch is. I don’t particularly want to go back in tomorrow as, now I have finished rads, it was going to be my first day without battling the traffic.
Does anyone if it is the sort of thing I might be able to pick up at the chemists?
I was warned that I will continue cooking for about 2 weeks, but how long does it normally take for the soreness to go? I have been bra-less for over a week and have been wearing vests instead, but it is now getting to warm to wear them but couldn’t go without.
Hi cmw,
What you’re describing is exactly how I was at the end of rads and it does get a little worse before it gets better, but my nipple had healed completely by 10 days after the last rads session and the other dodgy bits - under boob and armpit - just stayed looking dodgy and then got better.
Keep using the hydrogel that they gave you and get some non-adhesive dressings - I used those ones that you get for burns and they have a shiny film side to them which is what you place against your skin and it doesn’t stick.
For the sore, but unbroken skin I had something called Diprobase and you can buy it or get a prescription. Aloe Vera did nothing for me by that stage.
The bad news is on the bra front - it was several weeks before I could tolerate even a sports bra. You need some of those tops with built in support. M&S do some good ones if you’re not too large a cup size, but I got 3 really good ones from our local TK Max store (in the sports section) and they didn’t cost the earth. I was a 32F so I had to find good ones that offered a reasonable level of support.
You will feel better soon - honest!
E xxx
Elsk
Thanks for the advise. I wil get to the chemist today and try the diprobase.
I am already using non-adhesive dressings and each time I take them off more skin comes off. I have put more of the hydrogel on to see if that helps.
Fortunately I am not particularly well endowed so I think I am going to go without anythingtoday and just wear a baggy top. This will be ok when I am at home, but probably not a good idea at work. Still 10 days or so of discomfort is nothing compared to the months of chemo, so I think I can put up with it.
Caroline
Hi I’m new here. I was diagnosed in October 2009 with grade 1 Invasive ductal cancer with connected DCIS. Anyone else with this? I had a lumpectomy with node clearance. no spread. Had another op as they didn’t get clear margins then then 25 rads which I finished on 3rd March. Does anyone still have a swollen, pink, itchy boob 3 months after rads. I have to have a scan next week. I’m also on tamoxifen.