This may seem a trivial point, but it’s something that bothered me during rads treatment and I’m interested to hear what other people think on the subject.
The hospital where I’m having rads issues all of us BC ladies with a “breast gown”, which is a hip length tunic, zip down the front and velcro strips across the shoulders, so they can just expose one side at a time. Do all hospitals issue these or is it just Christies? They do it because they had a lot of ladies who were uncomfortable with their top half completely naked for treatment, so developed these gowns in response. Good intentions, but personally I don’t like sitting in the waiting room wearing this thing, which to me is like wearing a big sign which says “I’m being treated for breast cancer”. Not that I’m ashamed of it, I just don’t think it’s anyone else’s business, and I don’t mind at all about a naked top half once I’m in the treatment room. Other cancer patients don’t have to wear special clothes which announce what they’re there for.
Where I was treated, they provided the standard hospital gowns which are hopeless when you’re my size. They did have signs up saying that we could bring our own gowns if we preferred, which I did for the first couple of weeks. Then I thought, why am I bothering? I didn’t wear a bra during treatment, so much easier to go dressed in a top which I could just whip off before getting on the treatment bed. It all felt more relaxed and more right for me. But then if I’ve got one boob out, I can’t see any reason to get coy about the other one … although I know that’s not going to be everyone’s feeling on the subject.
If you’re not comfortable wearing their gown, I’d talk to them about whatever option you’d feel most comfortable with to see if there’s any practical reason why you shouldn’t.
I’ve not heard of that. I had my rads at Clatterbridge and we didn’t undress until we were in the actual treatment room. I don’t like the sound of waiting in a waiting room half undressed either! In other departments e.g while waiting for CT, we were given a dressing gown, but so did everyone else and they covered everybody up.
Perhaps you could ask if you could get changed in the treatment room instead.
2nd time around, 1st was 15yrs ago where we changed in the treatment room, Im being treated again at the same hospital, the Essex County in Colchester, and nowwe are issued with gowns to wear. It feels a lot more dignified that ‘stripping’ off in the treatment room.
I have just had my first rad treatment today at Inverness. I got undressed in the treatment room and was given a pillow case to cover myself! Although it did feel rather vulnerable I would prefer this to sitting in a waiting room with a “breast gown”. I think that so many people have seen my breasts that a few more wont make any difference!
We had no pre undress at Aberdeen either - just undress in the treatent room and have a piece of white paper as a ‘modesty’ aid, which you soon give up with as superfluous!!
I do have similar 'problems with the breast clinics tho, where to save time you’re given a ‘cape’ thing to wear when talking to the consultant and it just gets whipped off so he can examine you at his leisure. OK, I’m getting used to it but the first few times I felt like a sausage in a machine - very dehumanising! So I understand and sympathise with your plight. Soemone said to me once when you enter a hospital throwaway your modesty and pride - too true I’m afraid.
Hi everyone, I am currently going through rads treatment.
the hospital where I go has no gowns at all. There is a waiting room were we sit until we are called to go to the respective machine. You then undress (top half) and lie on the table. The walk to the chair where you leave your clothes is only a few feet but to be honest I have felt vunerable and self consious everytime.
I am not usually that bothered about such things, particulalry in hospitals etc (or on holiday) and maybe its because I have had a MX and I am not ‘proud’ of my body and feel ugly!
I have to lie on the table with my top half naked with my right arm in stirrups - don’t get me wrong the staff are brilliant and the there is no pain or anything - but thinking about my dignity and how vunerable I am at the moment I would welcome some sort of gown.
I haven’t said anything to the staff as I don’t want to be seen as being difficult and its obvious that its what happens to everyone. One other issue for me (which again you may think is silly) is that two of the staff are male. I am sure they have seen many many one breasted women in their time but to be ‘explosed’ and feeling so vunerable about my body is something that I find a bit uncomfortable with Male radiologists… Does anyone else have these issues?
Hi Saffronseed
I have just finished rads so know how you feel when you say you feel vunerable. I cannot believe you have to walk even a few feet with nothing covering your top half. The hospital I attended gave me a short gown with a zip up the front velcro on the shoulders and down the side just under your arm. This meant that you were covered all of the time until you were on the bed when they lowered the zip and released the velcro on the affected side. This way the only part exposed was the area being treated. I would ask if they have anything like this as I am sure it must have been standard issue. Good luck. x
I’m currently having rads at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle and they use the same gowns as lala and cheshirecheese describe.
I find them ok. I’m taken to a cubicle to change into it, then go through another door from cubicle into treatment room. No-one apart from staff in that room sees you in this tunic.
I start rads on friday, i had planning at christies last week and was given a gown to keep through the duration of my treatment. I am actually having the rt at the oldham hospital new christie satellite so my gown is a very smart navy blue crisp new one, with velcro fastening shoulders and front. At the planning session, i got changed in a curtained off cubicle within the treatment room and that was great. Am hoping the new flash christies at oldham has a similar set up!
I was treated at The Royal Marsden in Sutton. They supplied scrappy ill-fitting gowns in changing rooms which we covered up with whatever coat, cardigan, or jumper we had to hand whilst waiting for treatment. My main complaint was the lack of physical help offered by staff when I was flailing around like beached whale trying to get off the radiotherapy table. Oh… the joy!
I was treated in Leicester: I changed in the treatment room itself - wasn’t offered a gown but it wasn’t really an issue for me. I only had a WLE and am small-breasted anyway- but I can see that some people might have felt ‘exposed’
Personally I felt much worse having no hair than going topless. I hated people seeing me bald- even if it was medical or nursing staff.
Certainly don’t like the idea of sitting in a general waiting area in a special BC gown.
Gosh, seem to have hit a rich seam of opinion here!
Don’t misunderstand me, at Christies there’s a cubicle for changing into the breast gown, but then you sit in the open waiting room until you’re called, which is the bit I don’t like.
The way saffronseed and lala describe their feelings explains why some hospitals started using these gowns in the first place. The staff I asked about it said that they found that a number of ladies were unhappy having all of their top half exposed during treatment. Speaking for myself, I don’t mind, and now there are male staff starting to appear, they’ve got to get used to it – if it’s a problem it’s theirs not mine – but of course not everyone feels that way. Maybe easy for me to say having only had a WLE and mammoplasty, but still very conscious of asymmetry.
In my opinion, the method that Lynni follows at the Freeman in Newcastle sounds the best of all worlds – wear one of these gowns but not having to sit in the waiting room in it.
It seems to be the usual thing – an idea that was started with the best of intentions has become “the procedure”. I was told by one radiographer that I had to wear the gown because it saves staff time, which is rubbish because from what I’ve seen they waste time having to work around it. After two sessions I refused to wear it and now just pull off my top clothes in the treatment room – I’m ready for my treatment before they are. That has been supported by the specialist breast radiographer, but I shouldn’t have had to take it to her.
From what broomsticklady says, the problem doesn’t just apply to rads treatment. I can’t imagine being expected to attend an appointment with a consultant whilst wearing a “cape” which can be whipped aside to suit his convenience. Sorry, but I wouldn’t put up with that!
Balance of opinion based on comments so far seems to be that breast gowns are a good idea, but only if we are offered a choice of whether to wear them or not, and can pop them on immediately before going into the treatment room. In fact perhaps we ought to be permitted to make decisions about how we are treated? Does that seem a reasonable conclusion? Or too radical?
Having my last radiotheraphy treatment today at the Beatson Glasgow. In here you just undress in the room and are given a sheet of paper to cover yourself while you walk to the table. I have no problem with this and the radiographers are excellent at making sure you are covered up. There is the option of wearing a gown but I have not seen anybody do this yet. I suppose it is up to people themselves how they feel about this, I feel I have been through so much that this does not bother me.
Good luck with your treatment.
Weeannie x
Sarah - “permitted to make their own decisions”? Yes, that would be nice but I think the powers-that-be in the NHS ‘process’ us along a production line of treatment. We have to do as we’re told and be good little ‘patient’ patients!
Tedoris - I’m in Inverness too. Like you just took my top half off in the treatment room and had pillow case to cover my modesty - not that it bothered me one bit, so many have seen my boobs by now. I would much rather that than have a breast gown - it’s sounds horrid, I fully understand what you mean about it being a ‘bc’ sign.
Hi. I had rads at the Churchill in Oxford. Got undressed in the treatment room but no pillowcase or paper! I preferred that to sitting in waiting area in a gown.
I have my rads at Northampton hosp, i was also given a crisp new navy gown with velcro to use for the duration of my rads, i dont have to change into it until the staff are ready for me, so dont have to sit in the waiting room in it, i prefer it as it is just my left breast exposed to ALL whilst having my rads, then i go into a cubicle to get changed back into my clothes.
Take care Sandrae x
I think Sarah says it all and it is about being given choice as to what we feel most comfortable with. Me, like Sarah am quite happy to strip off and jump on the table. For women who don’t feel comfortable with that there should be other options, but certainly not ones that make them feel more uncomfortable. Of course some women won’t feel up to complaining to the staff so perhaps we should challenge the practice in our hospital to improve proceedures if we feel they could be improved.