I start tomorrow - any top tips for radiotherapy newcomers? Other than fill up the car of course, I’m going to be having daily radiotherapy for 5 weeks.
I finished chemo a month ago, 18 weeks of FEC-T.
Good luck and we will all be thinking of you. I am waiting for my rads dates as dont see my onc. Till 11 march. Just want to get started and know which drug. Dreading. Well done with your chemo, keep up the good spirit and let’s know how you get on with rads. There are some great tips on here, sending lol xxxxxx
As a graduate of the January glow-in-the-dark club, just want to wish you March girls all the best. It really is fine - just follow the advice your centre offers and ask all the questions you need.
Hugs,
Kitt
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Hi Peta
In addition to the support here you may find the following link to the BCC radiotherapy information helpful:
breastcancercare.org.uk/breast-cancer-information/treating-breast-cancer/radiotherapy
Best wishes
Lucy BCC
Ha! If only they did make us glow in the dark Kitt I’d feel a whole lot keener to start the rads sessions :womanlol: I think the only way I’ll entertain myself through my 5 weeks of it is to find some truly dire music to play at each of the sessions and kid the radiographers that I actually like it. So far I’m thinking:
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anything by Demis Roussous (or whatever his name was)
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Leo Sayer’s greatest hits (all 2 of them)
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Paper Roses by Marie Osmond on repeat
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Grandma, We Love You (might have to invent an imaginary grandchild to explain that one)
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Bach concerto on panpipes
Selecting the music each day should while away a happy half hour or so and will make me giggle during the sessions 
Any additions anyone?
xx
Sharon
Sorry Peta, I’ve accidently gone totally off-track and not answered your question. I asked the same question a little while ago and from the responses and scanning the radiotherapy board I came up with a list that I’m sure you’ve already got, but here it is again just in case:
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E45 or aqueous cream mixed (or alternated) with pure aloe vera gel (kept in the fridge so it’s soothing) applied two or three times a day but not 2hrs before treatment
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glug down lots of water and eat lots of protein
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use non perfumed/coloured soap or shower gel such as Simple or Sanex and don’t shower too often as it strips away the skin’s natural oils
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deodorant without aluminium or parabens if using at all (e.g.Pitrok, Sanex, Bionssen)
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Piriton to stop the itching
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Dark cotton tops in case they draw on you with those felt tip pen things that can stain clothes
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electric razor for underarms
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gentle baby/wet wipes for general clean up/ removing felt tip if skin is up to it
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good book in case the machine breaks down and you’re stuck there for ages (and change for drinks machine)
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if wearing a bra, make it soft & seam free bra and put cut up old soft t shirt fabric underneath to stop any rubbing
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iPod or the like if they let you play your own music
Hope it goes well for you
xx
Sharon
Hi Lynne,
Just read your post about your ovary scan results, so sorry you’re having to go through the awful waiting period again, must just be devastating. I so hope it turns out to be nothing to worry about but let us know when you hear more. In the meantime, I’m still doing my usual ‘awake at 4am’ thing so if you’re awake too and fancy a chat, just post away on here or PM me.
I’m feeling almost guilty about how well I’m doing. Surgery scars are healing well other than a bit of seroma (but nothing serious), I’m back to normal energy levels and have got full movement so I’m very lucky. I’m just incubating yet another cold though (those damn hospitals are like giant petri dishes aren’t they, can’t seem to set foot in one without catching something nasty!)
Wish I had some words of advice or comfort to offer you but I know nothing really helps . I’m thinking of you and sending every good vibe I can muster and a truckload of big hugs.
xx
Sharon
There certainly wasn’t time for music selection during my sessions - a very pleasantly run conveyor belt but a conveyor belt nonetheless.
I’d say from entering the room, undressing, getting positioned on the table and machine set up through treatment and dressing again took less than 10 minutes.
Biggest problem was that music playing often seemed to be Sweet Home Alabama - now I ask you, how is a girl supposed to lie still with Lynyrd Skynyrd doing their thing???
Kitt
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Pleased to hear your news, onwards and upwards now. Sharon suggested we start a rads thread as it seems there could be a few of us. I see my onc on 11 march and hope will get my rads treatment plan. Keep in touch xxxxx
Hi lovely ladies :smileyhappy:
I’ll start a regular thread next week for us all if that’s OK as I think I’m the first to kick off on 11th March (other than Peta of course who is a week or so ahead). Can’t tell you how pleased I am that you’ll all be along for support, should make this leg of the journey much more fun!
For those who are going to have hormone treatment too, are you planning to start yours at the same time as the rads or wait until the rads have finished? I’ve decided to wait so that I don’t have to deal with the initial Tamoxifen side effects at the same time as have my skin chargrilled (just call me Wuss with a capital W!).
xx
Sharon
Ooh, thanks Cheryl, I didn’t know about the tonic water so I’ll add that to my list. Presumably it helps with aches and pains in joints? My consultant said it was up to me to decide if I take the hormone treatment or not as it doesn’t make much difference to my survival chances (about 2.5% improvement in 10 years) but I think it is worth trying as I might be one of the lucky ones who gets all the benefits but doesn’t get any side effects.
Well done on the weightloss, I’m jealous as I’m getting chunkier by the day (but as you say, chocolate and tarte au citron were medical necessities so I HAD to eat them). Everyone tells me that the Tamoxifen I’ll take causes weight gain so I’m trying to shift the extra pounds now so that I can still squish into my jeans when I start it. Wouldn’t mind at all if radiotherapy has the side effect of reducing my desire to eat everything in sight but I bet I’ll develop cravings for deep fried battenburg cake or something equally gross - my journey has been so smooth to date that I can’t help feeling something will go awry soon!
Hi Peta, hope the first session went well x best wishes
l have/had DCIS after multiple WLE’s l am now due to start Radiotherapy soon and don’t know if l really want it.
My surgeon has said he doesn’t know what benefit l might get from it. l did not see him at the end and BC nurse, Oncologist and surgeon l saw when l got word they had at last got the clear margins all seemed to think Radiotherapy was the next step.
Can anyone advise me please.
Well done peta, thanks for tips. Sharon, would be great for you to start a thread, I am sure all the rad ladies agree. A big thank you for all the tips, there seems to be so much to take in. Don’t know which drug I will be offered, but not looking forward to all the side effects. I can only take paracetamol, only have to sniff anything else and I go loopy. Lol to all xxxxx
Hi Melma,
I’m sorry but I can’t help much with your query as everything I’ve read says that the jury is still out when it comes to using radiotherapy to control recurrence of DCIS - one of those areas where they still need to do much more research I think.
xx
Sharon
Thank you for reply Sharon. Just don’t know which way to go. l see Oncologist again on 11/3 hope l can make decision then .
Ha ha - I’m up for that … ya big Jessie, get a hud o yersel! Ok, so that one needs the Scottish accent ?
Seriously tho, the planning (and the rads) are absolutely fine . Scan will be taken in exactly the same position as you will be treated in so it’s an opportunity to learn what that’s like .
The tattoos are literally a pin prick - I went from worrying that they’d be unsightly to worrying that the girls wouldn’t be able to find them again!!!
So - slow calming breaths and by tea time you’ll be wondering what all the fuss was about .
Hugs,
Kitt
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Morning Cheryl
Just to echo what everyone else has said, the planning session was very straightforward and no nasty injections or anything invasive. The only difficult bit was that the machine had broken so I had to wait ages and I’m told this is a fairly regular thing with these machines so I’d take a good book along just in case.
Quite proud of my three little dot tattoos (although the one in the middle of my cleavage does look a bit like a blackhead :womanlol:). It almost makes up for not getting the blue wee/grey boob that the rest of you had after surgery but I missed out on…
Hope it goes well
xx
Sharon
Rose I’m reading all your posts about Tamoxifen avidly as I also turn into a total diva when my hormones get going (haven’t reached menopause yet but normal monthly fluctuations are horrific) so I’m worried that Tamoxifen is going to turn me into that bloke from The Shining 
And that’s before I think about the physical side effects (a beard? thanks for that one, I’ll add that to my worry list! :womanlol:)
Hi Cheryl , good to be getting on with the scan anyway. Most centres seem to take 2 or 3 weeks between planning and starting treatment so hopefully you’ll be well healed by then and you’re not being delayed by putting off this first stage.
Kitt
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