Hi, I also had my rads at Northampton and they are very good. Gown on in cubicle, affected side exposed during, then clothes back on in cubicle.
Only problem I had was remembering to bring my gown with me each day.
Good luck with your treatment.
Love and hugs, Debbie. xxx
I had my radiotherapy treatment in August 2008 at Christie’s Manchester.
I had two gowns during my treatment. The first one was useless, it had prestuds on each shoulder depending on which side had to be opened for the treatment, but the prestuds were useless and kept coming open and I had to keep holding it to keep me decent!
It didn’t bother me wearing it in the waiting room on the odd occasion that I did as normally I changed in the cubicle and then went straight into the treatment room. I would rather have that though than walk from the cubicle topless or with a sheet of paper or pillow in front of me.
I thing I remember most of all was the very young male radiographer asking me if I was watching the Olympics and which was my favourite sport as he was putting me in the right position on the table! LOL
Hi,
I’ve had rads in Sussex and in London, in both cases I just took my top off (didn’t bother to wear bra) and laid on the treatment table. I’m not bothered by this exposure but can understand that other women may be. I’m a BIG girl and I’ve got lymphoedema in my arm so hospital gowns are a nightmare anyway! The best answer would be to give us the choice but …
Julie x
I think Velindre in Cardiff seem to have the best compromise, from what many of you have written.
You are called into a changing room just a minute or two before your time, get changed into a standard gown, leave clothes in room and wait outside in a separate waiting area where no-one else is. Then walk around the corner to the machine.
Once on the table, you slip your arms out of the gown, get arms into position. The radiographers fold the gown down while they line you up, then fold it back over you while the treatment is given. Minimum exposure (and you stay warm).
When you think of the hundreds of people these radiographers see every week, it reminds you that there need not be any embarrassment about it. It’s just another body to them.
i had all my treatment at Velindre, too. The staff are lovely. The embarissment does go after a few visits.
When i told the radiographers after a few visits that i used to be embarrised- they were lovely and kind.
eva
i have just started mine at the new christie building at oldham hospital. Is a very calm, modern, peaceful place, lovely staff. You sit in the main waiting room, then when called go into a changing room, put your gown on and pop your clothes etc in a basket. You go out of a different door ( like Mr Benn…) and take your basket with you, and are met by one of the staff and taken through to the machine area, wearing your gown. Once on the bed/machine, they open your gown and line you up, do your treatment, then come in and cover you back up straight after. You then take your basket and go into another changing room which again has two doors, and then go out back into the main waiting area when you are changed.
Our treatment room is lovely, the ceiling has those square panels but over the machine there is a lovely big glass type picture of trees and is very calming. The radiographers have music playing and today i was subjected to “real dead ringer for love” by Meatloaf!
In all, i am extremely impressed with the building, staff and facilities so far,
Vickie
Vickie i live in whitefield so it would be much easier to go to oldham than christies for the radiotherapy, i am shattered from chemo and just cant face the long drive for 15 days! did you ask to go to the new site or did they suggest it at christies?
i have been dealt with at oldham hospital throughout so was always going to be where i went, think it is a bit political who gets to go there, but i also know that a lady having treatment at tameside who lives east manchester has been given the choice. I would def ask if i were you, travel easy, they have a radiotherapy car park with a code for free parking when you have your treatment, and just feels like how a modern state of the art hospital should feel.
ps. when you starting, could actually have that coffee at some stage!
thanks for that i will call them tomo, i have been seen at the alex but to be honest i wish i would have gone nhs as its been a rollercoaster from day one as the results were taken verbally so was told no chemo then when i went back the week later the written report came through showing grade 3 so needed chemo, when went to the oncologist said unlikely that i will need chemo and then a day before last chemo had app to discuss radiotherapy and need it!! i go for planning on the 25th which gives me chance to feel better from the last chemo which has been horrid as had a reaction to it!
you will be all done by the 25th though!!!
i better had be! I had a reaction to my first taxotere, yuk, horrid. What was yours to? Pm me who your consultant is at christie, might be same as mine?
Just a thought, but if there was a male equivalent garb for those being treated for, say, testicular cancer, would they be expected to wear a ball gown?
Any one had radio at St James Leeds just wondering they do re gowns and changing there I will be going sometime in October.
Celia.x
Hi Celia
I had my rads at Jimmy’s nearly 2 years ago, they have normal hospital gowns and you changed in the changing room which has 2 doors one into the waiting room and the other through into the treatment room, your name will be called and they take you into the changing room lock the door from the waiting room so no one can get in, you get changed and wait until they come to get you, you can leave all your stuff in the changing room it is very safe. They have 2 changing rooms on the go at the same time so as one person has finished and getting changed the next person is already changed and ready for their go.
Hope this helps and good luck with your treatment.
Maria
Hi Maria thanks for that good to know what to expect,
Celia.x
Hilarious Cheshire Cheese lol!!!
In Belfast we get a gown to put on for the walking to the machine which is in the treatment room itself and just a few feet from the curtained area. But by this stage my boobs mean nothing to me, don’t even feel part of me any more, so I don’t really care what they look like, and know that the radiographers care even less. So I do put on the cape but only because they give it to me, don’t both with the curtain either. In the machine, both arms are in stirrups and the gown pulled right back until position achieved, then it is folded over the left side. I’m happy enough with this. We get the same gowns in the breast screening suite, but would not be happy waiting either in a general waiting area in it, or far worse, being expected to go and see the consultant for the first time in it. That’s not nice.
Hi All, not posted for months but just started radiotherapy at Clatterbridge. Having 3rd one today. Not offered gown and get changed in cubicle in treatment room. Am trying to get used to walking to table topless but feel uncomfortable. I feel self-conscious because I have put on loads of weight so have big tummy bulging out of top of trousers! Does anyone else worry about this? The staff are lovely and put a piece of paper towel over me but I would much rather prefer a gown. When I went for planning day there was a young male radiographer which surprised me and I felt even more self-conscious although I know they are very professional and have seen lots of boobs! We feel so vulnerable after all we have gone through and I think we should have the choice. Although I have got used to showing my breast to so many medical staff I still feel uncomfortable. I would not want to wait in a clinic wearing one as I agree it is labelling you as a cancer patient. So you are lucky ladies if you have a gown!
Love Kiti x
Hi Kiti
It just shows we’re all different - if I could post you my breast gown I would, but I’ve just handed it back at the end of my treatment, hardly having been worn!
I too have a large tummy bulging at the top of my trousers (unfortunately in my case I can’t blame it on BC, tamoxifen or anything other than enjoying my food too much) but don’t worry about what it looks like to the staff since I’m sure they see much worse sights on a daily basis.
Sarah x
On the first day of my rads, they had run out of clean hospital gowns and so gave me a sheet paper, the sort that they put on an examination bed, to hold over myself when I walked across the room. After that, no-one gave me anything, so I wore a camisole top, no bra, and just slipped down the straps at the appropriate time. Maybe you would prefer that, Kiti. To be honest, it was better than having to change into a gown and wait in the waiting room like that.
Ann x
Heavens how I hated those gowns - nothing seemed to fit and the velcro was very sore on my skin and scar tissue so like Ann I wore a camisole and also a poncho when waiting in the waiting room - Like you I disliked ‘baring all’ to male radiographers but I have to say they where very professional and caring so have no right to complain. I’d forgotten about these trials and tribulations … suppose thats a good thing.!!