Fear of radiation after lumpectomy

Hello raebaby.
Thank you for your comment. After radiation the doctors are recommending an AI for 5 years. Oh yum. 😳 Chemo was not recommended so I’m grateful for that. Thanks again. Take care.

I had radiation at 79 with no problems at all after chemo for breast cancer. I'm 81 now and get regular mammograms.

Radiation wasn’t bad until the end where I was given 4 boost radiation treatments.
That’s when I was so burned and i had lost all skin in my left armpit and it was extremely painful that I developed cellulitis and my incision site had an odor that i first noticed and I went to in ER because the pain and the smell was awful and they treated me with Vancomycin (had a allergic reaction to that) and I was almost admitted but they let me go home and eventually I started healing and I had already went back to work by that time when I went to the ER.

Thank you for your kindness. Wishing you perfect health as well.

I had to beg for a short course! And tell them I would just do it at home if it was 20 days. Haha.

Dear leebeth,
Thank you for your reply.
Wow! 5 days! Mine is 20 days! Doesn’t seem right, does it? 🤷🏻‍♀️

I had my lumpectomy surgery on 10/26/22 all went smoothly and I had minimal pain. My scar has healed perfectly and after much thought I decided to do radiation. I did prefer the longer 6 week course vs 1 week. I had 30 treatments and I finished on 1/25/23. I do not like the Tamoxifen med or any other drug prescribed for 1-5 years. Radiation was a challenge for me. I am fair skinned and progressively received painful burns; especially, under armpit and under right breast. I was given special creams a a healing gauze to adhere to the worst skin issues. Within days after radiation I have noticed major healing and no burning. I am 75 and I feel I made the right decision. I believe it’s always a personal choice because no one lives in your body but you! I wish you luck and prayers with your decision. Grateful!

Every situation is unique, for sure. We each try to make the best decisions based on the information available. I wish you the best of luck and perfect health going forward. Hugs!

I only had 1 week! Just finished in December. It was called “Fast Forward” protocol and was done at Mayo Rochester. They integrated the whole breast radiation with the boost to the tumor bed, all at once.
My husband has Advanced Prostate Cancer, and with all of his treatments, I just did not have time for a more extended treatment program. I was very pleased with Mayo and my RO.

I am 70, and just finished radiation in December. It was really easy; to me the worst part was the position for my poor arthritic shoulder.
I was lucky, though, in that I had mine at Mayo Rochester and they were able to complete it in 5 days.