Moisturiser

[adoptedmanc]

Aw that all sounds really good, it sounds like you are following pretty much the same path as me.

Regarding the bra thing I’ve found it (relatively) amusing how after surgery it’s all about support support support wear one all the time to help the healing, but once you get to having radiotherapy you are told to go braless as much as possible (this helps to prevent the skin area where the strap goes from getting too damaged). Bra on/bra off it’s like some kind of feminist hokey-cokey 🤣

AM xxx

[country_bumpkin]

Morning ❤ 

I had my post op appointment last week and was told then my cancer had gone. They got clear margins around the cancer and clear results in my nodes. Now waiting to hear from Oncology. 

My seroma wasn't too bad. It was not big enough for them to aspirate, they just said I needed to wear a more supportive bra which will help to disperse it. I've also started a bit of gentle massage to just help it on its way. 

Love Cbx

[adoptedmanc]

Hi CB

There’s no further scans or mammograms after the radiotherapy (I have however got a follow up appointment with my oncologist next month (but that was because I opted to have one, not everyone wants one)).

Have you had your post-op appointment yet? Did you have a lymph node biopsy? This appointment should confirm whether they were able to remove all the cancer. 

I was told at my post surgery appointment that they got clear margins on the tumour (which meant no cancer cells in the tissue removed with the tumour), so the cancer was gone at that point. My oncologist explained that the radiotherapy is part of the prevention therapy to stop it coming back by killing off any microscopic cells that could possibly remain (effectively a deep clean/disinfect!)

Sorry to hear you have a seroma, I hope it heals quickly: I was very lucky with my treatment as I didn’t have any complications (I think all my complications came at the start due to having COVID just before my diagnosis and this then impacted on my hospital admission and the anaesthetist telling me at 5pm that the Royal College of Anaesthetists couldn’t recommend operating at that point but it was upto me as to whether it should go ahead or not 😳: I did!!)

AM xx

[country_bumpkin]

@adoptedmanc 

Thank you so much for this information. I guess I just have to wait and see. I'm in no hurry, it will happen when it's my turn. 

I'm just looking after my poorly boob, giving it a little massage to get the seroma moving. Mine is left side too! 

One you have your last treatment do they give you a scan or mammogram to see that it's all gone?

Cb x

[adoptedmanc]

Hello @country_bumpkin 

The timings on my RT were an appointment with an oncologist who took me through all the side effects of RT which was around 7 weeks after my surgery. I then had my planning appointment a week later (this is where you have a CT scan and get your tattoos so they can line you up in the correct position to deliver the RT) and my actual sessions then started 2 weeks after that appointment: I had anticipated (hoped!) it would happen sooner but in the event the actual RT started 10 weeks after my surgery. 
I was lucky in that I only had a 15 minute drive to the hospital and on a good day home within the hour (sometimes there was a delay on the RT machine). I had 15 sessions over 3 weeks, but your oncologist will decide how many sessions you should have.
Physically it wasn’t too bad: you don’t feel anything, but you have to position your arms above your head, so be prepared for more shoulder exercises to keep them mobile! My husband has a frozen shoulder so a big incentive to keep doing them and didn’t brag about my shoulder movement honest! 🙊 I also had to learn to hold my breath, to move my chest wall away from my heart (this isn’t as bad or as scary as it sounds). I’m not sure if this was because I was being treated on my left breast or if everyone has to do this. 
I didn’t get too tired during treatment but I did really start to feel the fatigue around 10 days later: the radiation builds even after it finishes. I’m gradually building back but still get tired if I do too much. I know some people work through radiotherapy, however I’ve decided not to and I’m not going back to work until January. My oncologist advised me to take as much time as I needed and to get used to the Tamoxifen before returning to work. 

Love AM xx

[country_bumpkin]

@adoptedmanc 

I am 19 days post surgery. My scar is about 2 inches long. It looks ok I just wasnt sure if I should be putting any cream on my scar just yet or not. I can moisturise the rest and help to disperse the bruising etc. I know what you mean about the oil and sunburn so just reminding me of that I will not use it. Maybe once all treatment is finished and If i feel i need to but i would think by then my scar will be ok. 

BC Nurse said it will probably be about 6 - 8 weeks post surgery for my radiotherapy. Unfortunately that falls the week before Christmas, the week of Christmas and then New Year, so not sure when I will get it. Its not a problem!!

How did you feel during and after your radiotherapy?

Love CB xx

[adoptedmanc]

Hello CB

Hope you are doing OK? How long post surgery are you?

Are you already a regular moisturiser? If so just carry on doing what you usually do around the wound. The bruising etc will gradually disappear on its own. 

You are unlikely to get your radiotherapy for a couple of months and by that point you will be completely healed both inside and out (my scar looked healed before I felt completely healed inside: I still got discomfort if I jiggled too much for too long!) 

Aveeno will be absolutely fine, the key is to use it often. I swapped stories with a lady in the waiting room and we both said we’d moisturised a minimum of 3 times a day through treatment and both came through with minimal skin reactions. The other key is drink loads of water it helps with skin hydration and to fight the fatigue 

I’m not sure about using bio-oil during treatment (I’m sure someone else may be able to advise!) in my head I thought no I wouldn’t use it when sunbathing so I won’t use it now, but I don’t think there is any harm using it now and after the RT. I’m thinking of using now (4 weeks post RT) however my SNB scar is barely visible and my breast scar is a little deeper but around the nipple so not that noticeable. 

AM xxx

[country_bumpkin]

Hi everyone,

How soon after your surgery did you start to moisturise your breast in preparation for radiotherapy?

I'm 19 days post surgery. Scar seems to have knitted well. Lots of bruising/discolouration so was also thinking of massaging to help disperse the bruising etc

I've got the Aveeno Moisturiser and was thinking of getting Bio Oil.

Thanks for all your help so far! 

Cbx 😀