Hi
I have had five rads now with bolus and am using the radiance cream every day. It is early days but as yet have had no side effects whatsoever. Skin looks like it always does. I will keep you posted as to how i progress. I have to have 25 in total, 15 with bolus.
All the best
Linda
I’ve used my pot of radiance gel for the first time today. Taking it with me so I can slap some on straight afterwards as well.
My two big things now are to ask about whether they are going to give me boluses (or are they boli???) and where the RT exit beams will be going, so I can slather stuff there as well as my boob!
Boob was really itchy this morning (tried using gel squeezed out of an aloe leaf last night) and I scratched. Surveyed the results and thought how stupid I’d been as I’ve now got slightly broken skin! Will try an extra helping of gel before I set off (to give it time to sink in before treatment.
Good luck with the rads, Linda. Hope the skin holds up.
what is a bolus ?
is ok, have just looked it up
chipper
A bolus is just an extra dose given on top, or sometimes a bit more added on.
? is the emu oil the same as bio oil. I have been using bio oil post op but will be going for rads in Dec when my chemo is finished and wondererd as have tried aquous cream and really dont like it.
Know bio oil is expensive but can be bought about 1/3 cheaper from Amazon.
g
Hi Glenna - no bio oil isn’t the same as emu oil. Bio oil is plant-derived, emu oil comes from emus, from what I can gather. Neither product is cheap to buy, but I know from using bio oil myself, that it lasts for ages.
There are loads of different things people have used to help their skin survive rads, from all the reading I’ve done. Some products I’ve heard of are US origin, and you’d have to mail order from there. There is a number of retailers (including sellers on ebay) who can supply emu oil.
I’m giving radiance gel a go for now, although I may well use an oil as well, as long as it’s been absorbed long before I go in for my dose of RT.
I used Aloe Vera Gel all the way through my Rads, especially straight after a session. The staff could not believe how good my skin was at the end of 3 weeks. However, I was warned that because the burns are much deeper than the skin surface, I must keep using the gel for weeks after. They were right, just ten days after I finished, my chest wall and neck were bright red and itching. I tried emu and bio oil but they did not help me. I went back to the Aloe and used it 4 times a day, making sure it was dry before I dressed again. I found it very soothing and it helped to stop the itching. If that got too bad I took a Piriton tablet, especially at bed time. Two weeks on my redness has gone, my skin did not split and I only have a small area of skin peeling.
Just a warning. Some people are allergic to Aloe.
E
I slapped some radiance gel on straight after my cooking today. I’m glad I’ve now got the first one under my belt. It feels rather hot, so I’ll be daubing myself with the gel again. It’s got a high proportion of aloe gel in it, but I’m not going to try the aloe leaf treatment again.
Emmbee, interesting that you didn’t find bio or emu oil any help when your skin did flare up.
I checked about the angle of the beam, and it seems they are going through the breast and out to the side and front, nothing going through to the back. No bolus sessions planned.
Radiotherapists were lovely - no attempt to ‘sell’ me tattooing - everything was done from the tracings they did at the planning session.
My only concern is to ensure my appointments are late enough that I can carry on working for a reasonable part of the day. Tomorrow they’ve given me 3.30pm, but I can get there at 4pm without it being a problem. Fingers crossed I can keep my appointments the late side of 4pm.
glad it went well Mary - one down !
Hi Contrary,
I have just had number seven, i am putting on the radiance gel three times a day; when i get home from hospital, last thing at night and first thing in morning (after shower). Skin still looking normal and i am having a bolus so really pleased with how its working. Hope its good for you too.
Linda
That’s great news, Linda! Especially with the number of bolus you are having. Hope it continues to be that way all the way through. Just think, you’ve less than 4 weeks to go with it now.
My score is 2 down from 20, so you and I both have 18 to go…
I’m up to 5 daubings a day. Morning after shower like you, when I get home to change for the hospital, after treatment, before bed, and again when I’m waking up in the night (which I’m still doing, unfortunately). I’m varying the radiance gel with a very mild lavender gel as well. Not trying anything new on my boob now - will test out anything else on another part of my body before I take any chances.
Hi Mary,
Slathering it on big time and still nothing. Doesnt hurt at all. Only thing is i have had to order another couple of tubs. i have already gone through one. Fortunately i had bought two originally so have one to be going on with.
Next one tomorrow.
All the best
Linda
I’ve done fine on 2 rads with the boob on radiance gel, but the combination of RT and tegaderm (where they’ve drawn x’s on me) is not happy. I’ve got a massive blister and some smaller ones leading down from it. Bum!
I’m visualising my boob as the core of a baked alaska, with the gel as the meringue plonked on top before it goes in the oven.
I’ve ordered some more gel, as even after 2 treatments I’m making serious inroads into the gel.
am liking the baked alaska analogy Mary !
Hi Mary,
Hope the Rads are still going ok.Looked at something called resue oil which has almost the same ing as Bio Oil but quarter of the price.I also have very sentitive skin…Will try it tonight!
SORRY…That should have read Re Gen Oil
The ingredients are almost like for like!!!
The Rescue Oil has almond oil and Evening Primrose oil in,will try that too.
Boob still holding up after 4 cookings, but that’s a general observation… the nipple is suffering. I do have cyclical sensitivity, which is contributing to the discomfort, I suspect. RT nurse gave me 2 geliperm dressings. One is chilling in the fridge, while the other one is currently providing some relief. She’s also suggested maternity pads might be worth trying.
Sticking with the radiance gel for now, and just hoping the nipple will calm down a bit now I’ve got these chilled dressings to put on it.
Hi everyone!
I am starting rads this Thursday. Any advice as to what is good to put on the skin? I have aqueous cream, but see in the thread that there is a lot of discussion about other gels/creams.
How does aloe vera compare to the others?
One year I had really bad sunburn on my legs and found aloe really good to use.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated!
Thanks x
Hi Yvette
( i had 31 rad sessions)
Use the Aqueous cream liberally each and every day, (how many sessons are you having) when your skin becomes sore (like sunburn) Aloe is great at soothing and cooling but can be a little drying. It goes without saying it best not to use soap, I used E45 shower cream occasionally. If your skin start to break its best not to use the aqueous cream as it can cause infection. Be guided by the Rad Nurses. Wear cotton or silk next to your skin, i didn’t wear a bra but bought vest tops and camisoles. When my nipple got sore i was given ‘gel pads’ these were great and really help towards the end.
rhian x
Whatever you choose to use, Yvette, make sure you’ve tried it out somewhere that’s sensitive (the opposite breast, for example, if you’re having RT to only one) before using it on your treatment area - you don’t want to have your skin reacting badly to anything once you actually start being zapped. I’m cursed with very sensitive skin and can’t tolerate much, so I’ve been testing stuff out before letting it anywhere near my boob. Aloe vera made me itch like mad, and aqueous cream irritates me too.
I’m still undergoing my treatment and suffering. The RT staff will generally give you great advice about anything you are suffering, or worrying about.
At my hospital they gave me a leaflet of advice, which recommends you start moisturising the area to be treated several days before you start RT, but never moisturise in the hour before your appointment. They also recommend drinking a good 2 litres of no caffeine, non-alcolic drinks, and to restrict yourself on tea and coffee because of their diuretic properties. It also says to wear natural fabrics, use no deodorant, and don’t shave. That’s even more critical if your RT includes the armpit, but it’s the same advice even if it’s boob-only treatment. And nothing with perfumes or dyes in it.
You need to keep the underside of your boob (the fold between boob and chest wall) dry if you can, as this is apparently the area where the skin will break down first, if it’s going to break down. If it does break down the RT team will tell you to stop using any creams or gels, but will give you dressings or pads.
If you keep whatever cream or gel you use in the fridge, it will make it feel even more blissful when you put it on, as the RT really generates a LOT of heat in your breast after treatment.
And Rhian’s right - you need to slap on whatever you’re using generously. Which is where the cost of what you use becomes a real consideration, I reckon.
I’m using radiance gel, which isn’t cheap at £16.50 per pot plus p+p, but my skin can tolerate it (and it smells gorgeous). I’ve not seen anywhere else apart from the Penny Brohn Cancer centre which sells it, but they do mail order.
Much as I love bio oil, it is an oil, and for burns I personally think the general advice of not putting oils or grease on burns holds true. I will be using it again as soon as I’m past treatments and any skin breakage I get, as I’ve always found it fantastic on my skin, particularly the breast area. For now though, the bottle is put away until that time.
If you do wear bras, and they are underwired, check out any areas where they dig into you, as they could make life very uncomfortable once treatment gets going. Underwired are probably better (and usually more likely to have cotton linings, in my experience). Maybe even consider maternity/nursing bras, which cater for sensitive breasts. M&S do great ‘secret support’ vests, which can be really useful if you don’t want to wear a bra, or even just for sleeping in).
Good luck with starting your treatment! How many sessions are you getting?