After effects of Radiotherapy

Hi Valleyside 

This is the problem with radiotherapy that people don't understand I didn't . After chemo , radiotherapy seemed a doddle but the after effects come much later . I am nearly a year from finishing and have had to have soft tissue massage as the treatment has caused my  tissue to adhere to my chest wall which was tight and at times quite painful. Before this my radiation burns came out about a month after treatment finished I had one by my collar bone and one on my back which is apparently where it leaves your body. I used lots of moisturizer, gentle massage and Aloe Vera natural gel which I kept in the fridge. It really helped to cool it all down. Also tiredness came a few weeks after too. So it goes on,  hope you get comfortable soon lots of love and Happy Easter xx

Thank you for the reply I will get some Aloe Vera Gel hopefully it will help xx

Hi Valleyside , sorry you’re having these issues, agree with Janemb that we are generally not well prepared for the later effects of radiotherapy, I definitely wasn’t. My nipple was very sensitive after my lumpectomy (I now think that was from the injection of blue dye which in my case was given once I was under the anaesthetic and I’ve seen on a YouTube video that it can be quite brutal!), and got sorer and sorer during and then after rads. It seemed to turn black which was weird as it was originally pink, pre cancer. Then about 12 weeks post rads a huge scab came off when I was moisturising it (sorry for tmi) so I realised it had been burnt. It felt better, though still very sensitive, as I think the scab had been pulling at the surrounding skin. It was then almost colourless for ages and remains partially inverted. It’s regaining its normal colour though. 
For me it’s been a much longer healing process than I had envisaged. But it has slowly pretty much resolved. 
Wishing you well, love and hugs, HFxx 

Hi welcome to the forum and goodness you have my sympathies, I remember it well. It needs treated like a burn and the best folks to do that are the GP's or Practice Nurses who can give you something that will heal this up quickly and some dressings to put on to keep this from sticking to your clothes, so do seriously think about seeing them and getting some relief for you. Thats the only way mine healed up 

Can I ask what you are using as a moisturiser? 

I had discomfort three or four weeks after radiotherapy. My nipple was particularly sore and felt like sun burn. It does go away eventually. My advice would be to wear soft, comfy bra, moisturise well and take paracetamol at bedtime.  It is really important to continue withyour exercises and gentle massage of your scar area will also help. Hope you feel better soon.

Hi, I also had my radiotherapy treatment 3 weeks ago. I have had soreness & extremely tender nipple. I used the aqueous cream from the hospital with a couple of drops of lavender oil. Getting tired easily is the worst for me. I'm not used to having to stop activities for a rest but I know I'm on the mend.

Wishing you a speedy recovery xx

Hi. Valleyside

I had five days of high dose radiotherapy last month.   Had the same symptoms.  Felt like someone was try to cut my nipple off.   I still get sharp pains in my breast  and am still feeling tired a lot x 

Also the club in have me a tube of flamigel  I applied this three times a day. It helped.  I also got more on prescription from my doctors x 

Clinic.  Not club.   You can tell I'm new to all this xx

Hi valleyside, I am a month post Radiotherapy and didn’t notice much until two weeks after. I mainly had pinkness under boob and lymph node scar a little itchy and tight. I also unfortunately developed shingles which I believe can be triggered by Radiotherapy but hospital said that it was probably combination of all treatments but I don’t think is common side effect. The tiredness is frustrating as you forget how much healing needs to be done and the time it takes…and I am impatient! Hopefully the radiotherapy team will do an after check with you? I also have access to an oncology physiotherapist through the local cancer charity Force that works alongside Hospital..they’re maybe something similar but maybe helpful with massage side of things. Creams put in fridge also helps. Hope things get better soon x