Hi all I’m starting Rads on Wednesday, 15 plus 8 boosters, I’ve read that there can be some severe side effects, ie: burning, swelling/shrinking, tiredness etc and am feeling rather nervous about it all.
Can anyone give me some advice so that I can get through this without the 'burning, swelling/shrinking and of course the tiredness ’ too much.
Thanks in advance.
hi saphy, i wouldnt read too much into the side effects as everyone is different, i had 15 rads and was tired after 1st week which was a surprise but my soreness didnt really peak until a week after they finished, had what looked like severe sunburn, i used aqueous cream all through and it truly was fine dont worry too much x
Thanks fairyqueen, I think I’m prepared, have been to Holland and Barratt and bought the 99.9% Aloe Vera Gel, have also got the recommended mineral deodorant and have bought a Simple Shower Gel, apparently they give us the acqueous cream, so will slather that on too.
Lets hope I can keep it all up for 4 and a half weeks, although I know it will pass pretty rapidly.
hi saphy, i finished 15 rads and 5 boosts 2 weeks ago. like fairyqueen, i was tired about a week into them. a quick nap in the afternoon helped. no shrinkage but sore and looking very sunburnt on the last couple of boosts (in a perfect square shape!)i took my bra off when at home as it rubbed on the sorest area under my boob.keep the aqueous in the fridge too! 2weeks on, no soreness, just deeply tanned. ps, my nipple swelled and was super sensitive about 2 weeks in. then the skin all peeled off and it felt so much better. (dont be alarmed!! sounds worse than it was!!) drink plenty of water and rest when u need to. im feeling fine now. good luck and hope it goes speedily for u. love alex xxx
Hi Saphy, echo the comments made. Aloe Vera in the fridge morning and night worked a treat!
hi Saphy,
remember to drink loads and loads of water, my mouth felt so dry after each treatment it reminded me to drink lol,
all the best the rads for me werent too bad at all,
Liz xx
Hi Saphy
Have just bumped a thread called “Easing Radiotherapy” where several suggestions are made.
There is also another one that I found helpful- can’t remember the name of it. If I can find it I’ll bump that one too.
I have three boosters to go then I will have finished.
Diana
Thanks ladies for the pointers, I’ll make sure I take a nice cold bottle of water with me every day, should help for the drive back.
If you have any SEs beyond tiredness, brief pinkness and moments of soreness, report them. You will feel it more towards the end and even a week or so afterwards. I feel fine as long as I’m not doing anything, but still managed to walk around Bath all weekend by lying down in between, rather than trying to do it all at once.
Extra fluid is crucial and look out for the usual signs that you need more to drink: dry skin, perhaps dry eyes. Your own sense of thirst will probably take care of most of it. Protect all your skin, not just the rads area, but away from that area you can use whatever you like. Oh, and if you like hot showers or baths, keep your boob out of the water, or you’ll get the sort of reaction you would after sunburn or burning yourself while cooking. Expose your boob to air as much as possible. Warm weather is a real advantage for this, at least.
Be careful for 2-3 weeks after rads have finished.
Cheryl
Hi Saphy im 10 in of 15 rads today Im very tired but also have a long journey there & back from hospital everyone is different my skin is ok so far you can see the area being treated it looks like you laid in sun little too long but its not sore (bit sensitive) but nothing bad keep fluids up eat well REST LOTS even on the days you feel more energetic dont do lots of housework as it will catch you up later it did me when you feel you need to sleep SLEEP.
If you have anything important needing sorted within the next 4 & bit weeks try to sort it before hand its easy to forget when your tired. Let house work go it will still be there when your through & feeling more energetic
Other than that the treatment is nothing just a case of being good to you
All the best
Mekala xxx
I was told to use the aqueous cream for washing the rads area as you have to be careful with the ingredients on things like Simple etc, so check with them before you use it.
I’ve got my rads planning on Thursday and forgot to ask the chap who phoned with my appointment time (on my mobile in the middle of the school run) a couple of things and wondered if you ladies could help me.
Do you have to go ‘metal free’ because of the CT scan involved and do they let you keep your wig on during the procedure?
Thanks,
K x
hi hope, cant answer the wig question, sorry, but during the ct scanning app. i still wore my jeans and wedding ring. they said it was fine. oh and my flip flops! seems just the upper half has 2 come off. at that app. had 2 take my whole top half off, but 4 the actual rads, just had 2 get affected boob out. good luck alex xxx
Thanks Mummysboob (love your name!).
Glad I haven’t got to search my wardrobe for something other than jeans!
Kate x
I wasn’t asked to remove anything (watch, ring), but wasn’t wearing a wig. The scan is only of the treatment area, so a wig ought to be ok. If anything metal is too close, they’ll ask you to remove it when you get there.
Thanks Mezzomamma,
I only asked about the wig as I haven’t ‘dared to bare’ in public yet.
Strangely I find it easier to show off what’s left of my boob than my bald/stubbly head!
Kate x
Hi Kate - I had 15 rads, used aqueous cream and had NO soreness at all -so don’t assume that you will get problems. I didn’t find the process tiring either and drove myself on most days- 35 miles each way.
On the more negative side, one of my rather small breasts is now even smaller! Initially the irradiation made it firmer but 2 years on, it is definitely smaller than the other one .
Good luck with your treatment- and don’t worry about your wig: it’s quite OK to keep it on but I think you’ll find it will probably fall off when you lie down so it’s easier to take it off when you undress.(and much less embarrassing in front of the radiographers who have ‘seen it all’ - than to loose it at the dentist’s as I did recently when the chair was fully reclined and my hair was in the dentist’s lap!
Best wishes
Mary