Wow, very good info here. I do have a question. How soon do you see/feel the affects of the radiation? I just had my 3rd one today and nothing looks or feels different. I am very tired but I think that is still from the chemo. I also just started back to work last week. I will be fine for a bit then I just get totally exhausted.
I have some sport bras that I purchased when I had surgery if I need them. I am not able to go w/o some sort of support. So far I am just wearing my regular ones.

Grace

Partial mastecomy June 18
4 rounds T/C (complete)
33 rounds of rads (in process)
1 yr of Herceptin
5 yrs Tamoxafen

Mother of 2 sons in US Army
Wife of wonderful husband
and of course I am now.
KOMAN STRONG  :)

Grace,

I wondered the same thing, and think it was around day fourteen when I began to get a little pink and itchy.
Thankfully it did'nt get any worse than for me so good luck and hope you'll be the same:)

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex
Carepage- survivortricia

Grace -I didn't see any effects from the radiation until the last two weeks.  Started with pink skin and went on the full burn, peeling skin.  I didn't have any pain since I have no feeling there!  Also, I slathered the X-clair cream on every day from the outset (prescription).  At the end they also gave me silver nitrate cream which helped it heal very quickly.

Hug,
Elaine

Belmont Shore, (Long Beach) CA
DX 2/08, ER+/PR+, 9.5cm (YIKES!)
IIIA, Grade 2, 2+nodes out of 4 SNB         
left br mast 3/13/08 w/tissue expander, 
dose-dense A+C 4x T4x, 33 Rads DONE 10/08! 
8/08 Arimidex five years (4 yrs to go)           
Recon: silicone implant/lift  7/09 DONE!!!
"Today is here - tomorrow is wa

I'm pretty fair & my skin didn't really break down until 3-4 weeks or so.....I ended up burning pretty bad & had to use Silver burn cream plus medicated gauze pads. My clavicle area turned a deep burgundy/purple color & was raw. I wore men's Fruit of the Loom tank top undershirts under a front closure sports bra when I had to wear a bra. It was cool weather so loose sweaters didn't really show that I wasn't wearing a good support bra.   The rad tech told me to air the breast as much as possible & use a small fan to keep the area dry. I was very surprised that it really did heal very quickly.
Good Luck!

Vera 54yrs - NE Ohio
married to a great guy
dx 5/27/08
IDC Stage II
Er+PR+Her2-
Lumpectomy clear margins 6/20/08
Tumor 2.3cm
2/9 nodes+
4 A/C &12 Taxol Done - Rads -DONE
Putting on the BIG GIRL PANTIES and Combat Boots

Thanks for all the info and great ideas. Vera, if I need to I will prob do the tank top under the sports bra as well. Only thing I need is for fall to come to Florida !!!  We had some beautiful weather a couple of weeks ago and now back up to hot, humid and sticky. Blechhhh

Grace

Partial mastecomy June 18
4 rounds T/C (complete)
33 rounds of rads (in process)
1 yr of Herceptin
5 yrs Tamoxafen

Mother of 2 sons in US Army
Wife of wonderful husband
and of course I am now.
KOMAN STRONG  :)

Hi great ladies,

I had a lumpectomy on 10/8, stage 1, grade 2, clear lymphnodes and margins.   
 No drains at that time.   All was going well and I was to start rads next week.   Yesterday went for tat's and had a small amount of leakage for the breast incision.   I had a reaction to the glue they used on me about 10 days after the surgery and had a lot of drainage at that time as well as was treated for possible infection.   Was doing good until yesterday when drainage increased again.   Anyone had such a thing???   Wondering if I can have rads now the week after next.  Got call into Doc but wondering what you all know???
Hugs to all.
Kayok

I haven't had this Kayok, but it's possible it may be infected.
I'm assuming the leakage was from the breast surgery site rather than under your arm....I did have leakage from my arm pit where the nodes were removed with no ill effects.
Sorry I can't help you more but hope your Dr returns your call and puts your mind at ease:)

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x 4..Taxol/herceptin x 12
Herceptin 1yr ..rads x35 oophorectomy Aug '06
Currently taking Arimidex
Carepage- survivortricia

I visited the doctor yesterday for 6 month after surgery check. I complained of the continuing pain, lumpiness, tenderness and so on. He said that was damage from the radiation and that it will never go away. Rads were completed July 28. He said that whatever it feels like at 6 months after that will be the way it feels forever. I have about 2 1/2 months until then, but he doubted that my problem will be improved by then either. I am discouraged.
He is not the sugar pill type of doctor. My oncology doc was one big happy sugar pill who denied that the red blistered peeling skin was due to the radiation. According to her, radiation didn't cause side effects - just killed the cancer. I disliked that approach. Denying the burn did not make it go away.
I would like to hear from anyone who had the radiation damage to the extent that it caused pain, tnederness and lumpiness. Please tell me your experience.
The prospect of being too sore to wear a bra forever daunts me.
27islucky

DCIS, LCIS
Surgery 5/13/09 lumpectomy
Sentinel Node biopsy
margins 1.8 cm
Radiation started 6/18/09
Radiation completed 7-28-09

I am 2 yrs out now from end of radiation-- still swollen and sore like when your lymph nodes get near period time-- all the time-- my mammo yesterday was the worst one I've had so far. The tech was really flattening me! my surgeon says it won't get any better.

Debbie.

NE Ohio
Biopsy 2/14/07 (Happy Valentines Day)@ 53.
Lumpectomy 2/26/07 --2.9cm, stage 2 grade 2,
ER/PR +,Her2/Neu -,nodes neg.
Oncotype 27
4 rds.tc started 5/18/2007. Done 7/24 yeah!!!
33Rads-Femara.