Changes in nipples from radiation

Hi

The skin during radiotherapy gets sort of burnt during radiotherapy. It gets dry can split and sort of blister. So this might be what you are seeing on your nipple. Mine became red and sore like I'd rubbed it with a cheese grater. I use to joke that if anyone saw a pink BlackBerry on the floor,not to throw it away or stand on it cos it might be my nipple. 

So i imagine the brown spots are burnt skin. As always get it checked if really worried or it gets hot or if you feel unwell.

Meanwhile, plenty of moisturizer.

I laughed out loud at pink blackberry! Thanks. 

Well you know what they say "if you can't laugh.." Seriously though if you've had 13 you have two more to go? The radiotherapy are the people to ask. They are the experts, probably more so than oncologist in this matter.

Just woke up with a " swampy" . This letrozole is poo!

Hi , my nipple and skin nearby went through some weird changes towards the end of my 15 doses, and carried on changing for quite a time after. I can't remember the exact timings but think it started with shiny patches near the nipple (which had been painful since my lumpectomy and sentinel node sampling, I think it wasn't impressed with the dye injection). At its worst, the end of the nipple went very dark (usually pink) and the shiny patches turned brown, rather like large brown shiny freckles. Many weeks later the dark bit actually fell off, like it was a big scab (sorry if TMI but like you I couldn't find anything like it on any of my many internet searches!). The 'freckles' gradually fell off like scales, sometimes I'd be moisturising and one would just slide off. I have a few small ones left and my nipple is inverted now. It's all been checked several times at the breast clinic - a lovely doctor who saw me originally at my first ill-fated visit said 'it really didn't like the radiotherapy, did it?' It seems that they are skin and nipple changes from the radiotherapy; no one can predict who'll react and who won't, I'm not particularly fair-skinned. 

Apart from the nipple soreness which has long gone, none of the changes hurt, just a weird mottled effect to add to the 'sun tan' which lingers slightly still. Oh and of course the smurf effect - I still have a blue patch from the dye but that too is slowly fading.

Do ask the rads team though, it's worth seeing what they think. Hope you're nearly finished this part of your treatment and that it hasn't been too exhausting. Gentle hugs, HFxx

Happy feet, I prefer unicorn boon, as I'm quite sure if my granddaughter saw it she'd want to cover it with glitter.

My nipple didn't like the radiotherapy either. It tried to look the other way an now is very half hearted. It rarely gets excited by anything, and seems reluctant to come out and play.

One of the oddest SEs I noticed was the following year. When I was swimming in the pool on holiday that half of my chest thought the water was much colder than the nonzapped side. It was like I had one half of my chest covered and the other naked. The first time I felt it I thought the strap on my cozzy had snapped.

The team were very good though, after about 16, one of the therapists gave me an extra tube of cream. When I asked why she said it was just in case. Sure enough by the time I got home my skin had split under my boob

My treatment starts Thursday. Whoopy doo. I can't wait.

I had my radiotherapy in March and my nipple is still odd. 19 zaps in all!  I also had brown spots that appeared suddenly about 6 weeks ago, I felt long after anything would still be going on.  I am still bothered with pain from op last October and it is put down to scar tissue.  Recent appt. with oncologist checked it all out and said all OK.  She said spots would go as quickly as they appeared....just not yet!!  My symptoms were diagnosed as I had noticed my nipple had indented ever so slightly....so I am always worried about changes, expected or not!!  My nipples are very different from one another now and operated one doesn't really react to anything these days.  That worries me as to what has gone on underneath, and what is causing the pain.  Being told to take paracetamols every day does not get to the bottom of it all. 

I think everyone can be different, yet the same in some ways. Still got my blue patch on so must have been very strong stuff!!

Take care

G

Good luck. I’m using lots and lots of ointment. It’s working.

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