Hi ladies, starting my 1st of 15 rads today feeling nervous. Can anyone tell me which is better E45 cream or E 45 lotion . Count down begins ?
Thanks for advice. My appointments are in the afternoon around 4pm. Think I’m lucky my hospital is just 10 minutes drive and have provided free parking.
Ah… I meant area specific to were you are having your treatment/radiotherapy… I’m in Nottingham , and just wondered if any other ladies were at Nottm Breast Institute
8 sessions down, 15 to go.
My ribs are beyond painful and my back and under arm feel bruised to the point I’m back on the painkillers (haven’t had to use them a couple of weeks post surgery)
I am so glad it’s the weekend so two days break :smileysad:
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Rads start tmrw for me. Let’s hope it goes as smoothly as surgery and chemo!
Hi Helena, I’m having 23 sessions in total. Finish 11th Oct. Just getting ready to go now.
Thanks Guys. All done, never been that naked (only top half ?) in such a cold room before. Couldn’t stop myself shivering!!! Hope its not as cold tmrw otherwise I’ll be bringing a flask of coffee with me!
LauraJW, glad to hear they finally got their act together for you, hope the medihoney and massage help 
busybeeS, brrr! My planning scan was freezing too - hopefully I can conjure up a hot flush to warm myself up if the Radiotherapy suite is as cold :smileylol: I start tomorrow, but have to go today for a “Pre treatment image check” whatever that is! I am hoping they can find the tattoos - I can only see the one in the middle, the two under my arms seem to have disappeared. Mind you I didn’t have my reading glasses on when trying to see them (I’m still in denial about glasses)!
Hi everyone,
adding my name to the list here…had my first of fifteen sessions today!
Hi MoodyBlue! I started today too
Interesting - the radiotherapist today told me “carry on completely as normal - whatever shower gels, deodorants etc. that you already use, continue using, but avoid anything very highly perfumed. Tell us if you experience redness or irritation and we will give you something to use for that”. She didn’t mention using moisturiser at all. I have aloe vera and calendula cream - I think I’ll just use the aloe vera lightly for the meantime, a few times a day.
Today’s session was also longer, she said, because they do a few x-rays as well. Hey, I have had so many x-rays in the last 7 months, what’s a few more between friends? :smileywink: One down, eighteen to go!
Hi , was told the same to use any shower gel and moisturising cream as long as it did not have SLS in the cream. Have had 4 sessions so far all ok drinking like a fish which seems to have helped. 11 more to go can’t wait for it to be all over.
Basia
I think you have had your last radiotherapy session today so ringing the bells for you well done thats it all over now, you just need to take it easy for the next couple of weeks and keep up your regime.
Helena xxx
Lesley123
Yay and you are finishing rads today, so active treatment finished for you, I am out this afternoon for a meal with friends so wanted to make sure that I had rung the bells for you before I went.
Hope all went well, remember to keep up the regime for the next two weeks and listen to your body as the effects are still there.
Hope you have something nice planned to celebrate.
Helena xxx
I start Radiotherapy on the 19th for 4 weeks, and must admit I am not feeling nervous at all. I am very lucky to have my hospital 5 miles away from me, as some people travel miles, so my heart goes out to them. The only thing I am a little worried about is what cream to use, some are saying E45 others are saying other natural products. I am not a big fan of E45 so could anyone who uses other moisturisers name a good one to get?
Well done ladies who have just finished! Especially as it sounds as though your skincare regime has worked well for you :smileyhappy:
I had my third session today. It’s interesting - I always arrive a bit early, and each day they’ve taken me in as soon as I’ve arrived (all my appointments are at 4.30pm, I asked for afternoon appointments if possible as I have 6 horses to look after in the mornings!). Today I was chatting to the radiographer and she said they’re really quiet at the moment, so they’re happy to take me in early as otherwise they’re standing around doing nothing. Apparently “busy times” come in waves, and they’re having a not busy time just now. I did initally curse the oncologist for sending me for the RT so soon after the surgery, but on balance I’m thanking him now!
Still just using aloe vera - and I’ve always used the Lush solid deodorant anyway, so still using that with no issues. I would rather avoid products tested on animals anyway, so had already ruled out E45. I have a tub of Lionsleaf Calendula cream if the aloe vera stops working. Funnily enough, I have large tubs of udder cream around the house because it’s my answer to everything skin wise that goes wrong with my horse :smileylol:
Morning ladies, when i went for my planning meeting i was given a list of suitable creams i can use, zero AQS, diprobase, aloe vera gel 99.9 percent pure, epaderm, aveeno and cetraben.
Hope this helps
The letter also said if i had other creams i would prefer to use, check ingrediants, they shouldnt contain sodium lauryl sulphate.
Debbie
I am starting radiotherapy on 21st. Not looking forward to it as the hospital is 40 minutes (on a good day) away. I am having 15 fractions spread over 4 weeks. I am pretty sure I am going to go sick whilst having treatment because I am currently having a meltdown about everything that has happened in the last 3 months. I hoped to work in the morning and have rads in the afternoon but that may be too much to cope with. If I do go sick then I am on half pay because I have already used up my full-pay allowance but I think it will be worth it just to keep my sanity.
Interesting reading about moisturisers. I was told to use baby lotions basically as they have the least chemicals in them, so think I will use the baby Aveeno.
The ladies who have already started: what is the tiredness like, or is it not as bad as I am being told it will be? I have my daughter’s graduation on 28th October and I really want to go but am worried about the tiredness post-rads.
Take care all! xx
Hi ladies.
finally, after four operations, it’s time for radiotherapy. Been measured up and start properly on 27th. Glad this is a light at the end of the tunnel.
i went back to work (teacher) on the 31st August. Decided that I would be there for my timetabled lessons but not do my usual rushing about stuff. Felt dreadful last week on about Thursday and suspected a UTI. Got antibiotics on Sunday. This Tuesday just gone I felt normal for the first time in forever. I had a heavy day at work… Weds, felt tired. Did some dashing across school sites. Was busy. Noticed I was a bit breathless (unusual). Had a bit of chest pain in evening. Yesterday wasn’t due to teach so day at home. I did far too much dashing about and so by four pm was having breathlessness and mild chest pain plus a muzzy feeling. Went to Dr and he said exhaustion rather than side effects of antibiotics which I put it down to. Decided to stay at home today and no dashing! Been for a shortish walk couldn’t have managed more.
if you’ve read thus far, well done. My question from those going through rads was how fatigued do you get? I was hoping to work the two days from 27 and then the following week, hopefully keep going for as long as poss. Given my recent downturn though, do you think it would be better to book the last two weeks off completely or even the whole three weeks? I really want my half term as I’ve not had any holiday due to two operations and I don’t want to spend it in bed exhausted. From all the slathering of creams and drinking water plus subsequent loo things are not easy to handle in a school situation. I also think school and the rather demanding parents will expect normal service after half term. Any advice, pearls of wisdom, gratefully received.
Hi. I worked for the whole time during my rads, I went home straight after appointments if they were 4ish. I had a couple of days of during the 3 weeks coz I was pooped! I finished on 4th September. I got really tired around 4ish, and was in bed by 9 (and spent most of the weekend snoozing). I then picked up a virus, maybe from being run down, and have been signed off this week. I work in a small office as an accountant (there are 4 of us), so quite often you are in by yourself, I had lots of deadlines in the time, including payrolls so I felt I had to work. I didn’t realise how much energy it took from me until this week! So i would say, even if you dont feel itvat tgevtije, mif you can do reduced hours i would! I usually work nearly a day unpaid overtime a week, so I guess 7 hours was ‘part time’. Note to self, once better, look for a less stressful part time job!
Fingers crossed you are feeling better soon!