Hello Shefgirl
Like lots of the other ladies, I’ve used E45 lotion throughout (3 times a day) to moisturise. And I have aloe Vera at the ready to deal with any burning, blistering bits. Am on day 12 and haven’t needed that yet. It might be a good idea to slap some of the aloe Vera on this week just to check that your skin is happy with it, if you’re very sensitive? And drink lots and lots (water!) Hope it goes well for you. Keep in touch. X
Hi Shefgirl,
I am glad you have got your dates. I am having number 5 today. So far so good! I am using the aloe vera from H&B and it is nice. Non sticky and seems to sink in. I was worried about deodorants too as they told me not to use one with alumium in. They recommended the Salt of the Earth one from H&B. It is a bit strange and not really like usual deodorant - looks like water in the bottle but it works. I was convinced I was going to smell, but it does seem to do the job. Good luck X
Thanks Helena it was a lovely feeling, i hope you are feeling better today xx
Hi Shefgirl - I start on Thurs next week - are we twins? Have 15 then 4 boosters so finish on valentines day!
I have extremely dry skin so through chemo have continued with E45 oil baths and hope this will still be OK throughout rads- and will add the cream from the cancer centre and will probably get aloe Vera cream too from h+b
My journey time to treatment is a round trip of over 3 hours each day - so will be my new hobby taking most of each day!
Hope you all are doing well with treatment - am so pleased there is this thread to share how you are getting on - like a lovely comfy blanket! Xx
Hello.
I havent been on the forum for a fair while, I had some issues after my surgery that i had back in October which are only now starting to clear up. I had Celulitus to start with and that wouldnt clear up, so they kept me in and I was given a antibiotic that they keep for when normal antibiotics dont work, this then gave me Hives from my head to my toes several days later so had to go back in again, finally allowed home and although infection markers showed the infection had gone it has stayed very inflammed and was filling with fluid every now and then which needed draining. It is slowly looking a little better, fluid has gone and the Oncologist happy to proceed to radiation now. So this coming Monday I start my course of 15 treatments. It is on my left side but nothing has been said about breath holding, should I be asking about that or does it not always need doing? Also Ladies can I ask what can I use to help with the hot flushes, I am so getting some crackers from these pills!
Hope your all doing fine xx
Zap 12 today, plus a review. I’m red under my arms from the treatment and that’s a bit uncomfortable. Was advised to put a cotton hankie under my armpit to stop any friction of skin against skin, so I’m passing this on in case it helps anyone else. Hope everyone else is fine and can enjoy a zap-free weekend. X
Wish someone had told me that my armpit hadd been really hurting with the axilla rads as well as the breast finished in Tuesday fir the boosters but under arm last Tuesday so my skin is as they say at its peak reaction phase was all black and really red but has started peeling so have to be careful when applying cream its also peeling under my breast fold which im also being careful about
Ladies
Ask you rads team for polymem dressings, they are very good for prtecting your breast area from friction and also help where the skin is peeling. I believe. They gave them to me at the hospital when my skin looked as if it was starting to break down
xxx
Thanks, Helena. I’ll remember that about the dressings. My review lady yesterday said she’d found that people who had had double mastectomies were less likely to have skin breaking down and blistering, so fingers crossed that works for me. One advantage! X
Hello Peanut, breath holding isn’t always needed. When I was planned we did the CT without breath holding and then I went back to the waiting room while the images were sent to physics where they overlaid the beams and decided whether we’d need to use breath holding. My heart wasn’t in the field so someone came to tell me that and I went home. If it had been, we’d have done the second CT with breath holding.
I’m now getting quite red. Only 2 more to go, but I’m having Monday and Tuesday off so that I can go to a conference.
Eliza xx
Hi Peanut,
They told me from the outset I would be breath holding. My ct planning scan was done with the hold in place. From Eliza’s experience it looks like they can make the decision at the ct planning scan stage too. Sorry you have had such a time getting to this point. Good luck for starting.
I am red under my boob today and hot. They had a look at it yesterday and said it was to be expected, keep going with the moisturising. I am slathering on the aloe and keeping my fingers crossed. 10 more to go!
Hope everyone is doing ok, glad its Saturday and a couple of days off from zapping x
Crocrazy they advised me to use some silk as I was in pain with cotton bra. Bought half a meter from John Lewis £8 I fold it up lay on my breast and then tuck it under the fold breast and it really helps xx
Thanks Ruth, if nothing else it’s an opportunity to have a trip to John Lewis habadashery department :-). I can’t help myself in there, l love it! There is something about the tubes of buttons, lengths of ribbons and balls of wool which take me back to being a child and going with my mum when she was shopping for her sewing supplies for her projects. Funny what can trigger memories off. Thanks for the tip, it sounds like it would be very soft on the skin. X
Crocrazy nothing beats memories with our mums wish everyday mine was still here. It really has helped so good luck and enjoy John Lewis xx
Anyone know if the hospital would see me rr my skin im finished now had last clinic review lsst Tuesday but skin under breast is peeling think i need more flamazine but don’t know what to do as the stuff i have got has been n open 10 days now and it says on box to discard after 7 days still wite sore too its 12 days since ful breast and armpit rads and 5 since boosters i know it will get worse yet at site of booster so im concerned anyone experienced this?
Thanks Helena x im pleased i read the box i. Just going to have to moisturise tonight till i can find out x
Yeah im finding the tiredness quite difficult but im not sure if its cumulative from chemo too ive never experienced anything like it im absolutely exhausted feeling like ive aged 20 yesrs ?
Im drinking plenty but wonder if i may be a little anemic following chemo? Im going to see how i get on and mention it to my Gp as don’t see onc for follow up till march x thanks for all your advice Helena x
xena75
Hi was just wondering how you have you been getting on with rads xx
Time passes quickly and I am getting number 12 of 15 tomorrow. Feeling absolutely fine. No obvious signs on the skin Apart from a few spots from all the moisturising. The nipple is red but has not changed in the last week. Nothing sore though. I am now carrying around a little tub of my cream in my handbag and topping up around the nipple every few hours. I have now also swapped bra’s to the cotton vest top ones from M and S that Helena mentioned before. Went for two sizes larger as I was able to try them on in the shop. I wanted to make sure there was no tight
ness around the under breast part of it as that is elastic. They are so comfortable, thank you Helena.
Nuthatch I think you are a day ahead of me so I hope these last few days go quickly too. You have certainly had a harder journey than me and I think all of the ladies in a similar situation have been so brave.
I am packing a bag and heading to my daughters tomorrow as the forecast for my area is very heavy snow for Tuesday/Wednesday so I want to make sure I am near the hospital so I don’t miss any appointments.
They usually clear the main roads quite quickly but the road in to where my house is not a priority and usually takes a few days before ploughed and gritted. Hubby is bringing work home with him tomorrow night so he can work from home for a few days. The clearing of the driveway is not as easy now as it used to be when we first moved in to the house. Ha Ha I will say no more than that!!!
Good luck to all continuing and all the very best for those just starting.