Hello!
I’m new to the radiotheraphy thread, and finish chemo around 20th August.
I had my first radiology appointment this week and was told as it is my left breast that I need to practise holding my breath for between 15 - 20 seconds as this will move the breast away from the heart during radiotherapy.
I’m confident about holding my breath for twenty seconds, but under pressure during radiation treatment I’m a little bit concerned that I may sneeze or panic and my heart may get zapped!
So I’m looking to get advice from any ladies here who had radiation on the left breast and were told to hold their breath.
Sarah x
Dear Mustardandgrey
I think you will find holding your breath much easier than you imagine.
On Wed 18 July I finished my course of 15 radiotherapy sessions without coughing, sneezing or hiccuping once. For each session, twice I had to hold my breath for about 25 secs and twice for about 3 secs.
The radiographers talk you through everything and in the planning session you have a practise run. They assure you that should you cough, or have to breath out, the machine automatically switches itself off. You wear goggles which show a large blue rectangle with a narrow yellow band beneath. The yellow band moves up and down with your breathing. When told to breath in, you bring the yellow band up into the blue rectangle and hold it there, where it turns green. As soon as you breath out, the bar drops below the rectangle and returns to yellow. There is a graph beneath this which charts your breathing. It’s quite interesting.
I have a tendency to cough when lying flat; my GP thinks this is caused by acid reflux. It happens quite often when I’m lying in bed and I mentioned this at my planning session as I was quite worried. It didn’t happen once during rads treatment! I occasionally took Omeprazole before going for rads, but didin’t really need it.
You’ll be fine.
Mustardandgrey. I start my Rads tomorrow but at my planning session had to practice holding my breath. My operation was on right side but here in Liverpool they do the breath holding on all ladies as they say its much more effective if you are not moving. I can honestly say it was fine. Above my face was a screen that registered your breathing and gave a target area at which to hold your breath. I was so busy concentrating on the screen that I really didn’t think about what I was doing. Please don’t worry the radiographers were lovely and kept speaking to me the whole time. Good luck it will be over before we know it. Chris x
Thank you so much for the replies and reassurance.
I was so pre occupied with getting through and googling all things chemo that radiology just seems to have crept up quietly and very quickly!
I have read a few posts about wearing a snorkel and a peg on the nose???
Sarah x
I had to hold my breath too. I was bit panicky at the first session but the radiographers were really great and reduced the max holding time to about 15 seconds - still got the same dose but in smaller ‘chunks’. After the first session and I knew what was happening, I was fine. In fact, as the treatments went on, I began to find the whole thing quite relaxing - lying there in the dark, concentrating on my breathing. I didn’t have goggles or anything like that (just a very natty little top with velcro fastenings so it could be peeled down to reveal the relevant breast!), the radiographers talked to me all the time, telling me when to hold and when to let go of breaths. Hope it all goes well.
Lucaboo. Sorry didn’t post last night didn’t get home till almost 7 as things running late. First session fine got my very stylish gown!! AND very large tub of cream. Took more time to get me into the right position than the actual zapping took. Slapped on loads of cream when I got home and just before I went to bed. Radiographer was nice so all fine at the moment. Think you will have had your first session by the time you read this so hope all went well for you. Will let you know how things progress over the week. Chris
Lucaboo. Appointment was at 5 but didn’t get to go in until about 5.15. Took about 20 minutes in total but most of the time is taken up getting you in the right position. They gave me a big pot of cream and told me not to use anything else. I had stocked up on aloe Vera gel and other pure moisturising cream that others had recommended on here but the radiographer was insistent that I only use the cream they supply. Also only use simple soap no other shower gels body wash or deodorant while having treatment. Was told if I need more cream just have to ask and they will give me more. Also got a very fetching gown which you keep for the duration of your treatment. Appointment today is 4.15 so hopefully we may get home quicker as traffic should not be as bad. Definitely suggest taking a few pain killers before you go in as arm in a very uncomfortable position during treatment. Good luck Monday let me know how you get on. Chris xx
Lucaboo Sue. Yesterday’s session was fine. Two ladies rang the bell to mark end of treatment. Was so emotional started crying everyone was clapping and smiling. Have my exercise class before today’s session so think it’s going to be a bit of a long afternoon. Good luck on Monday let me know how you get on xx Chris
Lucaboo. After my planning meeting when I got my tattoo’s and practiced holding my breath my first appointment was a treatment session. Got myself all confused today no exercise class that’s Friday review meeting with senior radiographer tomorrow before treatment session. Machine playing up today so had to wait almost 2 hours before I got in to be zapped. Starting to go a bit pink tonight so slapping that cream on with vengeance. Drinking plenty of water as I think my brain fog may be down to dehydration. Fingers crossed that tomorrow the machine has got over its issues xx
Hi lucaboo. No soreness at the moment just looks like a mild case of sunburn. Ha ha picture just popped into my head of me going topless with my misshapen, still blue from dye and now pink boobie. Goodness me that would clear any beach. Just today and tomorrow and I will be a third of the way there. Hope you have a good weekend. Are you having to get to the hospital on your own or has someone offered to help you get there. Your appointment is really early in the morning I think. Keep thinking positive thoughts xxx. Chris
Lucaboo. Well today’s session was exciting. Seems a suspicious package was found by the multi storey car park at the hospital so we had bomb squad, police , fire brigade and an ever expanding exclusion zone. Luckily my sister had come with me today and we sat in the garden by the coffee shop and waited for it to be sorted out.
Bit of a shock when I had my appointment with the lead radiographer who told me that I have to have bisophospates on a regular basis. First time this has been mentioned to me. Also that I have an appointment with the oncologist on 28th September which again was news to me. Told to ditch my lovely new bra as it is has lace at the top and go back to the crop tops I wore after surgery until treatment is over as lace may irritate radiotherapy area. So all in all an exciting day at Aintree. Never mind tommorow I will be one third of the way through. Hopefully tommorow will be less exciting xx
Lucaboo Sue no excitement today in fact they had an empty slot as soon as I arrived so was in and out within 30 minutes. Week one done two to go. The exercise class was over very quickly just gave us a booklet with pretty much the same exercises we were given to do post surgery. No actual exercise during the session. Suggested that we keep the exercise up for at least 12 weeks post treatment just to make sure that any scar tissue or cording does not impact mobility. I don’t think you will be missing out on much by not going but perhaps ask at reception if you can have a copy of the leaflet as it explains the exercises in a bit more detail and has some hints and tips on moving and lifting. Looking forward to a break away from hospital this weekend. Will be thinking about you on Monday morning. Let me know how you get on. Have a good weekend, we are almost there xx
Thanks Appletree. I will wait and see what oncologist has to say in September but will be mentioning to her that I was a bit taken aback to have been told about this by Radiographer I have to be totally honest and say I am not very confident in my oncologist. She is very matter of fact and a little dismissive if I’m honest. I know I have got off quite lightly compared to other ladies but I felt at my appointment that I was a bit of an inconvenience to her when I started to ask questions. Hopefully once this treatment and next consultation is over I won’t have to see her again.
Hi there
I had radiotherapy on my left breast. As Appletree has said you will get a couple of practice runs before the actual treatment and the nurses will give you really clear and easy instructions. I didn’t get goggles to wear though, just had to try and take the same size breath as during the practice. Occasionally I had too much and they asked me to let a little out. The machine will aurtomatically cut out if you cough or sneeze and the target area drops out of the right range.
You will be absolutely fine. I found radiotherapy was a breeze compared to chemo - not everyone finds it the same, but I really felt it was so easy in comparison and the after effects haven’t been too bad.
Thank you, @Wee Burd
I’ve got a start date of 10th September, which is exciting as it marks the last stage of active treatment.
Last chemo coming up on Monday!
Sarah xx