Hi I’m new to this site. I was diagnosed with DCIS in Dec and the cells were removed mid Jan. I’m about to start 15 sessions of radio on weds. i work full time and hope to have my sessions at the end of each working day. Have you any tips?
Gardenpotter - You will find there are lots of threads on here about radiotherapy if you have a look around. Mostly, they will tell you to drink plenty, use copious amounts of aqueous cream (unless your hospital tells you otherwise) and be prepared to get pretty tired as time goes by. The radiotherapy continues to work for a couple of weeks afterwards and so symptoms may get worse. I had pink, itchy skin but nothing too bad and a tightness in the breast. Smaller-breasted women seem to fare better than larger ones. I also had some nausea at the beginning and was prescribed some anti-sickness tablets (as it was coming up to Christmas and I was worried about cooking the turkey) but I only needed them a couple of times and I think it is unusual to feel nauseous. I took a drink of lemon to have immediately afterwards, which helped settle my stomach and I believe reduced the tiredness.
Any questions, just ask. Good luck.
Ann x
Hi Gardenpotter
As well as the support you receive from the other users you may find it useful to read the BCC booklet on radiotherapy as it contains information on what to expect when undergoing a course of radiotherapy. If you would like a copy of this or to read it on line just follow this link:-
I hope you find this helpful.
Kind regards
Sam (BCC Facilitator)
Hi Gardenpotter,
I have just finished 23 zaps of Rads today and have been generally fine throughout. I too was told to drink a lot to help fatigue and use acqueous cream twice a day, no deoderant on affected side, no shaving on affected side and not to use perfumed soaps etc. My skin is mainly pink at the tumour site but it is not a problem. And I haven’t got too tired either - have been doing a 60 mile round trip daily (but not working). You should be fine but just pace yourself particularly as you work full time. Good luck
Oh yes, I forgot about the no shaving and no deodorant bit, although I did use natural PitRok some of the time. I was not having my armpit zapped, only the breast. I didn’t find it caused a problem. I was told to only use simple soap for washing but just used the aqueous cream for washing the area as well.
Ann x
Hi all
Will be starting Rads in April and wonder what soap you have been recommended. Is Simple on the list? I was told not to use any creams either. Am in France and the soap they told me to use is disgusting! So hope to get a nicer UK brand.
Thanks
Hi Mammie,
Yes, simple soap is recommended. Also aqueous cream is good (keep it in the fridge so it’s nice and cool), this can be used to wash with as well as being used as a cream. I didn’t use deodorant at all on the affected side whilst having rads, also when my skin became sore a friend bought me a tube of aloe vera gel which I kept in the fridge, (needs to be as pure as you can get with no added perfumes) and I’d dab that on from time to time and found it very cooling.
When you go for your rads make sure you don’t have anything on your skin as this can cause burning.
Hope the rads go well, good luck,
Love Esme x
Hi Gardenpotter and Mammie,
I was allowed to use deodorant, but it had to be aluminium-free. I found one called Bionsen and you can buy it in chemists and some supermarkets. I was fine with that - sore skin, but no worse because of the deodorant.
Good luck to you both - it will soon be behind you.
E xx
ive just done my 6th of 15 rads today. Ive was told to use Biosen deod, or else Pit Rock. Simple Soap is ok too.
eva
Hi Thanks for the info with regard to soap and deo. Should we have any sun have you been given any advise in that line? Do we use very high sun block? As my rads last 7 weeks - end of May is my target, I am hoping that we shall be in summer - optimist?
Good luck to all Love xxx
Hi Mammie,
I was told to use a high factor sun block but also to cover the area if you are sun bathing. I was also told not to wear low cut tops (not that I do) - It’s just that the area will now be prone to getting burnt more easily than before. Hope this helps x
Hi Linbin
Thanks for that, same as you I don’t wear low necks not really sit in the sun but just go out doors a lot!
Just hope for some sun now!
We are advised to wear cotton next to the skin at all times, no synthetics which is logical I guess.
I have been advised against using cream at all during the radio, hope that I am not too sore etc, as I just might do so.
Love to all xxx
I started Rads yesterday, and felt nauseous but that might just be nerves. I have been told to use either simple soap or johnson’s baby soap and E45 cream. Told not to use deodorant, usually use biosen but have not used any for months, stopped during chemo as I did not seem to need it sweating much less and no odour, but I guess that will change with the summer.
Have wondered about aloe vera and emu oil - any one tried either of these during rads?
I wasnt allowed to use deoderant at all, only to use simple shower gel or aqueous cream supplied by the hospital. If you use the aqueous cream to shower with beware as it makes the bottom of the bath quite slippy. There is a good chance you will get tired as the time goes on, I have been finished for about 6 weeks now but the tiredness is still a problem, I am in bed about 9pm each night and asleep by 10! Listen to your body - everyone is different. Everyones skin react differently too. The radiogrophers will look after you. I had a problem with acid reflux and the nurse gave me capsules to take, again, I am still taking them.
Good luck. xx
janilizi - I was nauseous at the start and the radiographers thought it was unrelated but when I mentioned it to my oncologist, she said it could be the rads, although it is unusual, and she prescribed me some ant-sickness tablets as it was coming up to Christmas. I only had to take them a few times though, as it soon subsided. Are you having it on the right breast? I had a theory that maybe it was because it was near the liver.
Good luck.
Ann x
Hi Ann, I am having it in the right breast. Have continued to feel nauseous which of course they tell me is unusual, but I have also just started to take tamoxifen so it could be that. Onc has presecribed cyclizine, which I also took during chemo. Long weekend of rads and the nausea seems to have reduced so who knows!
janilizi - The few ladies who I have come across feeling nauseous were also having rads to the right breast, so maybe it is to do with the liver. I had started Letrozole about one month before and I suppose it could have been that, but I didn’t think so at the time. Mine tended to reduce over the long Christmas breaks as well. Coincidence? I don’t think so. Anyway, just to reassure you, it did go away quite quickly. Hope yours does, too.
Ann x