Hello…going for radiotherapy two weeks time. Want to know what creams u can use. Aqueous cream not always good reviews and many creams stink like a vet surgery. Would be nice to have effective cream and shower stuff that had nice scent and felt pampering. Cancer treatments are all grim. We are surrounded by impersonal machinery in harshly lit rooms, often attended by staff who have little or no people skills to put you at ease. We don’t all go home to homes where someone is there to hug or make a cuppa. I have nobody like that myself. Therefore any pampering , superficial as it may seem, is a good thing for me! Anyone got any nice ideas? And anyone else out there totally alone? The slogan that noone should face cancer alone is a nice sentiment. Unfortunately for me it is true.
Hello globalnomad
I am sorry to hear that you feel so isolated, it must be very difficult for you. Most areas have local Macmillan support groups, have you considered joining? I have found this forum helpful, but I am lucky to have moral and practical support at home as well. I imagine that meeting with other ladies with a similar diagnosis would be helpful in many ways. If you can’t find details of you local support group maybe you could telephone the breast cancer care helpline and they could give you details of a local group.
I think pampering yourself is a great idea. I am yet to have radiotherapy so like you am not sure what is okay to use. I have read on here of some ladies using aloe Vera gel to sooth the skin, but I am not sure.
Hi ladies
it seems that every radiotherapy department has different recommendations on what to use on your skin.
I followed the advice on here, even though it went against the recommendation of my radiotherapy dept. I used E45 cream before my rads, tried to use it for two weeks before, three times a day, I still had an open wound so not easy, remember to include under your arm and back.
When my rads started I was told to use only simple soap and deodorant but I continued with the e45. Even took some with me and put it on after treatment, before I got dressed. It did help a lot. The days I forgot it my skin was tight. The radiographer seemed pleased with how my skin held up during treatment, said they did not recommended using cream but everything seemed ok. I had aloe vera gel ready for burns but didn’t need to use it.
once you start rads the time passes quickly, so good luck to you all.
take care
Keeks
I was told that I could use Dove or Simple shower gel just after the surgery, then through the radiotherapy. I was also told to buy Dove or Simple shampoo and conditioner and use that throughout. I went for the Dove - it seemed somehow richer and moisturised more I thought. I have been fine and healed well. No infections. During the actual radiotherapy I have been advised not to use anything as it can affect the treatment, but I was told to use a good moisturer for weeks before to prepare the skin, and to buy Aloe Vera and keep it in the fridge to use when I am finished or if there seem to be burned areas. My radiotherapy hasn’t started yet, so I can’t say how my skin responded, but I’ll let you know.
Globalnomad - pampering is NOT superficial! And you should not be going throught this on your own. Is there a Maggie’s Centre near you? Macmillan nurses? Your BC nurse? The nurse in your GP practice? Can’t your GP refer you to some support systems and get you in touch with someone who can help - to offer you emotional and practical support? To put your cream on? To make you a cuppa? I hate to think about you on your own!
Hi how are you?
I shower using Nivea shower then use Nivea in shower body moisturiser skin conditioner. Then I use Epiderm cream in the mornings and at night. I have just finished 15 rads and start 5 boosters today and fingers crossed my skin is good.
Good luck with your Rads
Hi Globalnomad, it is so sad you have no one at home, I think breast cancer makes you feel alone anyway, I do have a hubby at home and friends around, but I still have feelings of loneliness, can’t bring myself to talk to those closest to me honestly about how I feel all the time. I called the helpline number 2 days ago with a quick medical question and chatted for ages to a really kind, understanding woman and found myself pouring out so many feelings, it was so incredibly helpful, please give it a go. My question was about creams too, as a friend who’s a district nurse gave me some MediHoney cream for soreness under my breast a few weeks before I was diagnosed, it is so wonderful wanted to know if ok for during radiotherapy, the advice I was given was each radiotherapy unit will tell you what you can use depending on their equipment and guidelines, they may not recommend such creams or aloe Vera gel, but will let you know if it is ok to use them. I do hope this helps, you can always message me if you want to let off steam, we are all in this together. Best wishes Robyn x
Hi G.
I have completed my rad treatment 3 weeks ago and was lucky everything went smoothly. I too put a big countdown calender on my wall which I put a big cross through every day with great relish!!
I too avoided Aqueous cream like the plague particularly as it contains ‘sodium lauryl sulfate’…great in cleaning products, check out your cupboard!! I read a great little article in the Telegraph;
blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/judithpotts/100043038/how-i-saved-my-skin-after-radiotherapy/
I contacted Judith the author who put me intouch with the company who supplies the London Royal patients with the Aloe Vera mixture.
I used Aloe Vera from start to finish, I even had a small blister under my arm-pit and put nothing more on it except when it had dried up and was flakey, so used E45 Intense recovery.
Make time for yourself, have manicures, facial, hair etc which all involve nice smelly things. Also I think its really important to keep up some form of exercise, I personally power walk with the dog, I admit I didnt always feel like it as the tiredness sort of creeps up on you, but it took my mind of the treatment and I still felt better for getting out in the fresh air and not breathing in ‘that hospital smell’!!
I also booked a holiday so I had something to look forward too.
A large slab of cake and a glass of wine for breakfast with friends on my last day of treatment.
Good luck
Hey All,
I am not sure that Fightcancerwithbeauty.com supplies the royal family, but I very much love their products. It’s the one that was recomended to me because it’s all natural with no chemical in it…
It has Reishi mushroom which is known to boost the immunite system.
I used the balm for radiotherapy burns, and it really helped… Good luck out there!
I have been using 'Udderly Cream "
Good results so far.
I had breast cancer. I had it taken away 3 weeks ago. I am now wait for radiotherapy. I want to know the best cream to use. and do the cancer trust or doctor give you it
Hi
I’ve just had my first radiotherapy session. I was told at my planning session to use either E45 or diprobase. I got both on prescription from docs.
I started the E45 straight away so had 2 weeks to prepare skin before starting.
Xx
I saw the oncologist and the specialist radiotherapy nurse on Wednesday. Although the breast cancer nurse advised me to us acqueous cream on the scars I was told on Wednesday not to use this nd also that they don’t recommend E45. Advised me to use Aveeno or Simple products. I’ve bought some Aveeno for radiotherapy which should start in about 4 weeks. Although I have been told by others that radiotherapy is a breeze I am dreading it as oncologist has advised I may burn quite badly and skin split and blister (I am ver fair and burn easily in the sun).
I am due to have Radiotherapy in 2 weeks, but I have not been told by anyone to use cream? I had a masectomy 7 weeks ago. Should I start using cream now and where do I put the cream before and after and why do I need any cream? I saw my Oncologist on Friday but he never mentioned any of this?