I had this in April and read up about ways to help prevent side effects. I found lots of people recommending Biafine emulsion, which is a French product that helps with burns. I started using it in the weeks running up to my radiotherapy, and then took it with me to apply straight after your session. You can’t use it before the session though as it can affect the treatment. You can buy it on Amazon for about £15 for a large 186g tube, but also look it up on here to read more about it. The other thing I made sure I did was stay well hydrated, drinking at least 2 litres of water a day. I had no side effects except for a very, very pale pink blush on the treatment area.
After the treatment was finished, I continued using the Biafine until it ran out, and now use Neutrogena Deep Moisture hypoallergenic body lotion to moisturise daily. 4 months on, and I’m still all good and hope to continue that way.
Good luck with it all x
Good luck with it. I used Aveeno twice a day in the run up and throughout and continued with it since as I like it so much! My skin only really got sore towards my breastbone, the rest was fine. Unexpectedly I did have nausea and diarrhoea throughout the treatment which I was told was unlikely to be caused by the radiation but I’m a healthy, fit, active person who went into it well so the timing was very coincidental! It took about a week for the diarrhoea to really go. I didn’t experience much fatigue - occasional nodding off over a book after a busy morning! - and kept up my usual exercise routines. Tbh the hormone therapy has been a lot harder to cope with than the radiotherapy but that’s a whole other thread!! Practice lying with your arms over your head and bent at an awkward angle 
I had this in December 2023. Was fine for a couple of weeks then got really sore red skin like sun burn mainly under the armpit area, assume they targeted where the sentinal node was removed although this was negative. Then got extreme tenderness under the arm and stiffness, couldn’t lift my arm up straight. Even now have alot of tenderness and stiffness. I was told some people will develop more scar tissue and may always suffer with a sensitive area afterwards🤷🏻♀️
I have the same as you just had my scan and tattoo I start my radiotherapy on Monday 5days over 7 for 3 weeks. Would like some advice as I had 1 sessions of chemo and was really ill and spent 5 weeks in hospital, had 2 weeks at home for my body to recover before radiotherapy as I can’t have chemo after the last lot. Please any advice as I am worried I may be ill again as my body seems to react to all the treatments I have had. I had 2 operations and both of those I had really bad infection with both had a drain fitted and high dose of antibiotics. Please any advice xxxxx
Sorry if I have gone on a bit xxx
Hi, I just had that in Cheltenham. I moisturised with Aveeno twice a day for 2 weeks before & had no dry skin or blisters just a tiny bit pink.
Also surprised not to feel tired after all the chat about it on here.
Only slight problem was managing to get a full deep breath each x ray blast. I found breathing out fully before really helped.
Good luck.
Hi yes i had 5 radiotherapy sessions one after the other in 5 days and was absolutely fine no bad effects whatsoever juse felt normal.
Try not to worry its the unknown but just take it in your stride .
Hope all goes good for you xxxxxx
I also had my treatment in Cheltenham in June. Would just like to add that I asked not to have the permanent tattoo marks which is an option but you have to ask. Not sure this is an option everywhere though.
Must be a big worry after such a terrible time on chemo. Hoping radiotherapy works better for you. Can I just ask, have you got 15 sessions in total, so not the high dose in 5 days? Apologies if I’ve misread. Best of luck with it all.
Fx
Monday to Friday for 3 weeks xxx
Yes i had 5 sessions as it was in the middle of covid. I was fine. A little red but i creamrd every day.
I only had 1 day when i was tired. The rest i was fine.
Hi
I had this a couple of months ago. I was told it was done over 5 days as after a trial it proved that a high dose over 5 days worked as well as 3 weeks plus it was better for the person to not go through 3 weeks of going for treatment. The biggest thing is to make sure you moisturise twice a day from a week or as soon as possible (i did for 3 weeks before) I used the one i was recommended to use which was brilliant and its called ‘Epaderm cream’ you can also use it as a soap in the shower or bath. The lady doing my radiotherapy said my skin was brilliant and i didnt have any burning of my skin during or since my treatment. I will however say this may not suite everyone but i do have sensitive skin and i had or have (because they advise to carry on with it as it helps to massage the area when doing the exercises and also they told me radiotherapy carries on working for quite a while after your treatment ends) its a lovely moisturiser and i do highly recommend it but please try it on your hand or somewhere to see if it suites you to make sure your not sensitive to it as i was advised to use E45 but it made me itch which i found out it was the Lanolin in it. I found the same for my daughter for her eczema and she was allergic to the lanolin. But EPADERM doesnt have it in it.
Sorry for the long winded message but i just want you to be safe.
Also Because my treatment was on my left breath i had to hold my breath for short times during the treatment. Please dont be alarmed because if for any reason you cough, start breathing during it the machine automatically stops and then they just tell you to hold your breath again for a short time. They told me to practice before i went to breath through my nose hold it for as long as you can and then breath out through your mouth. I totally forgot a couple of times that they said … for as long as you can… and was waiting for them to tell me and she said… wow!! Youve beaten the record for holding my breath for 2 mins 
Best advice though is try and relax (easier said i know!) Try and think of your favourite holiday or something your really looking forward to doing. It really helped with my head (infact i still do it to help me get to sleep)
Good luck with your treatment and i wish you and everyone in the world going through this horrible journey. Together we will fight this !! Love to all … Tigz 
🩷:green_heart: xx
Yes they offered me that but my scars are pretty awful so I just had the tattoo’s.
We’re you at th Renton unit in Hereford I wonder?
Hi. I had the 5 day course in March this year. The skin reaction was not too bad but came out more after the treatment had finished. I made sure I moisturised my skin every day and after the treatment. The fatigue was minimal. Hope your’s goes okay.
Hi
I had exactly the same this time last year and was really worried. But it was fine - the treatment is really quick and painless. I went on holiday afterwards and the only thing I had to be careful of was keeping my skin out of the sun in case it went browner or red and sore! I kept it covered and used plenty of moisturiser I would say though that the effects of Radiotherapy continue for quite awhile - which is just a feeling of “pulling” and “tightness” under the skin and in the breast. It is not painful - you are just aware of it. I was really worried but found it all ok and just another step on the road to recovery. I did not feel overly fatigued either - but I did take it a little easier than usual. Good luck with everything and I hope it all goes well for you. It is the fear of the unknown but I would say don’t over think it and just go with the advice of the nurses 
I did the 5 days of radiation after I had healed from my surgery. I had a bad sunburn. There was a special cream I bought at the Cleveland Clinic pharmacy and I kept my skin very moisturized. It was very manageable.
Yes, I had mine over 5 days, and luckily didn’t have much of a problem. I used E45 moisturiser, and found that I had a slight reddening of the skin at the top of my breast - I didn’t use the E45 over the whole area, which apparently I should have …
Hello, did you use any specific moisturiser? Or does anything go?
I was given a couple of tubes of zerobase from the radiology team. No issues at all with redness or burning. Finished 3 weeks ago.