Radiation: When do side effects show?

Yes. I had no symptoms during radiation treatments and used lotions even after. 8 days after, I had charred skin and it lasted abput 2 weeks then peeled. Keep using your lotions. I used radiaplex and it really helped.

Think it depends on the length of the treatment and the kind of skin you have. I don't recall how many weeks I went for. (Don't want to.) But my skin started to peel about half way through. (One side only). Creams were offered but didn't do much. I am very fair skinned. My son was horrified when he saw the pictures! I was very tempted to halt the treatment- but with Covid around I just wanted to get out of there!

No one suggested that I get a bone scan after chemo and radio, and before taking anastrozole. I did anyway and so could measure the deterioration caused by extreme fatigue and reluctance to exercise as a consequence of chemo followed by radio. Now beginning to reverse bone density loss via a version of the Onero high impact exercise program developed here in Brisbane. See the discussion on the Osteoporosis support group. It works!

I would like to think I could do the Onero high impact treatment for bone density, but my left knee blew out on September 15, 2022 and put me in a wheelchair for 6 months. Since then, I have to brace my fragile left knee to even make a short walk or go to the grocery store, so I'm not sure that I'm ever going to be doing "high impact" anything with my damaged left knee, that was in the MOST clinical trial for damaged joints (bicycle fall) and arthritic people for over 20 years (1997-2020). There are so many things I now can barely do at all, like climb stairs. The symptom were those of a meniscus tear and I had to have 32 ml of an anti-inflammatory, 6 ml of Durolane and Tramadol for pain after X-rays revealed no break. I agree that being old (I'm 78) is a factor, but I definitely think that I was an extremely poor candidate for A.I. adjuvant therapy with Anastrozole (or Laetrozole or Exemestane). 7 months on that really semi-crippled me for life. My Illinois oncologist, of course, denies that the A.I. pills had anything to do with it saying, "You're just old." I disagree. Two Texas oncologists, who know that I had routine MRIs on my left knee and X-rays of my hips and arthritic knees for over 20 years, have said I should never have been put on A.I. pills at all, and most certainly not before ordering a bone scan for me prior to treatment. I also am in the midst of $10,000 of dental work (implants, etc.) as two of my teeth have just split below the gum line as the result of routine cleaning. My oral surgeon made me fill out a book-length series of questionnaires about whether or not I had taken any biophosphonates. It seems that that might have made the dental implant off limits, as Anastrozole can weaken the jawbone, too. If it's not one thing, it's another. (Roseanne Rosanna Danna from SNL).

Hi
Wow reading your story I can't believe they neglect by physicians. I myself have osteopenia and have a fracture in my spine t7 which I have been on bisphosphonates going on 3 years which my bone density has come up greatly in my spine I just finished radiation for breast cancer luckily I only had to do 15 rounds and my oncologist is just putting me on 5 mg of tamoxifen for 3 years no way in God's earth when I touch and AI. I feel for you. Also I had a bone density last year and my oncologist wanted to see that and I have another one this April next week. I live in Canada

My radiologist’s nurse told me to apply Aquaphor to my radiated left breast every day after treatment. I continued to use a moisturizing lotion for a year or so after. My skin was a little red, like a mild sunburn and I was a little more tired at the end of the day but that could have been the result of getting up so early every morning to go to radiation and then a full day at my office.
I am convinced that the Aquaphor made a difference. And no, the radiation was targeted only at my left breast.

I had osteopaenia at the outset of b.c. Treatment. My bone density declined from -1.4T to -2.2T during my treatment for breast cancer. I have to wait until May for a new bone scan, or Medicare won’t cover it. I am also a Type 2 diabetic.

Hi
Is the decline from an AI ? Or other treatment.

I have fair skin but it’s not dry. That was probably helpful. My radiation was for 4 weeks, Mon-Friday. The last week was targeted at the area of the surgery. I received all my care at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester.

I had radiation on the right breast only for 33 days. I was advised to moisturize 4 times daily which I did without fail. I used Udderly Smooth because of price but also because it was a light, fluffy mixture that went on easily with no friction and was not greasy. I had zero problems (I have fair skin). I did have one self-inflicted incident. It was summer (you ladies know breast sweat), I used a washcloth a little too aggressively underneath and damaged the skin. It healed with a few days of TLC, but we just need to remember the skin is particularly vulnerable during treatment and remember to be gentle. After treatment there was just the tiniest hint that the right side was a bit darker than the left, but you had to really look for it. I think the doctor recommended moisturizing for 1 month post treatment. Or maybe he recommended 1 year while I decided 1 month was sufficient. And it was.