I went to see the oncologist yesterday. I am due to have 15 zaps in the New Year. My planning appointment/CT scan is on Wednesday 27th December. Mine was on the left side so he has told me I will need to do the breath holding thing. Apparently they use a machine which looks a bit like a mouthpiece for diving. I suffer from asthma which is controlled with a brown steriod inhaler and the blue one if I have a breathless moment. It doesn’t tend to affect me day to day most of the time unless I miss my brown inhaler, but I have noticed if I think about breathing it seems to make it worse - if that makes sense.
I have been practising holding my breath for 20 seconds and can do it (most of the time anyway) when standing or sitting up but I am struggling when lying down.
I don’t know whether I am actually just making things worse by trying to practice it and I would be better to just wait and see how it goes when I get there. Has anyone else had to do it and have any tips? Thank you x
I am in the same position but have had my planning appointment and was just asked to hold my breath for 20 seconds on various occasions whilst they were marking me up and scanning me. They didn’t produce any machinery but I’m not sure if it differs from hospital to hospital. I practiced the technique sitting down but never lying down and managed it OK but you need to take a deep breath in through your nose. They do give you time to practice when you are there and tell you if you’re not doing it right and I had tohave a couple of goes before I got it right so please don’t get too worried about it. I start my treatment on 2 January so we may be on the January Radiotherapy Treatment forum together.
I’ve just finished RT & had to do breath holding, you’ll be amazed how well you manage when it comes to it. During treatment I had to do it many times as I was having treatment to three areas, so what with marking up, practise ones & actual treatment ones you become quite an expert. I didn’t have a mouth piece, just had to do it when told to! The machinery apparently knows if you’re not doing it correctly or you have to take a breath & it will cut out, so that was good to know. Good luck ladies, after the first one, which is fine but you’re nervous, you will manage it.
Hi Crocrazy I am doing the breath cold at the moment with the machine. I don’t have asthma but have had a horrendous cold this week and feel very chesty and have managed ok. You have the mouthpiece where you breathe normally and a peg on your nose but they are fine if you need a breath or have to cough as the machine stops when you release your breath and then will start up again. I get 3 different blasts and my time holds are 41/22/29 seconds. Hope this puts your mind at ease Ruth xx
It really isn’t that bad at my planning I used a practice machine so they can measure your normal breathing pattern. Oh I also wear goggles with a green for go light and red for stop and then a bar at the top where you have to hold your breath and then the second counter. I think the worst bit is the dryness in your mouth after and your lips take water and lip balm for after. The staff couldn’t be nicer and they know it’s daunting and they put you at easy. But try not to worry tonight I got myself all wound up for nothing. Good luck and let us know how you get on xx