u/Any-Assignment-5442

56F +++
Finished 9 sessions of radiotherapy in early January (5 whole breast & 4 boost)

It’s moved to “post-exertion” fatigue; I’m ok at rest or if I don’t have to leave my flat, but if I pop out on errands I’m abnormally tired when I get back. I avoid doing/ booking more than 1 thing a day if I can help it (& ideally give myself ‘rest’ days between commitments/ appointment days, if there’s an option to).

Bloods remain normal: no signs of anaemia or an infection. But I’m STILL just so easily fatigued & frustrated I can only do the bare minimum of life. Am I an outlier for this degree of fatigue persisting?

Finished radiation early January. Latest P.E.T. scan showing lots of inflammation around the scar site (lumpectomy was in October last year) and “thickened appearance, suggestive of mastitis”. It’s not mastitis, as I’m otherwise well in myself and white cell count not raised. But the breast has been red & warm ever since surgery and the ‘thicker skin’ feeling came after radiation.

I’ve had the orange peel skin since surgery too - which also worsened after radiation. Does this ever calm down? Will I always have a red warm thick lower inner breast forevermore? (2 courses of antibiotics “as a precaution” after surgery never made a jot of difference)

Does it get lighter with time?

Does it ever return to the pre-radiation skin shade?

It’s really quite pronounced, compared to the non-cancer areola. Is it because I’m bi-racial (white & SE Asian) with olive skin? Do white people with pink nipples/areolas get this darkening too? My non-cancer nipple/areola is ‘cafe au lait’ coloured, but my cancer one is a VERY dark brown now. Looks weird.

ETA: I should’ve said, I’m 3.5months out from finishing radiotherapy!