hya everyone i have been told tonight that after radiotherapy you have to stay away from other people for a few hours is this true
i am waiting for my results on friday but i know for sure i will have radio if not chemo too but i have never heard of this before
the person who told me has never undergone this type of treatment but i did not want to ask how she knows so i thought i would find out for myself
jackiex
Pretty sure that it’s a load of rubbish!
Certain actually!
Good luck when the time comes around. My last radiotherapy of 30 today. It’s all been pretty straightforward.
Sarah x
Hi Jackie -
I’ve never heard anything like that, in fact, Ive read many here and talked to people I’ve met in hospital who say making social dates after your session is a great distraction, keeps spirits up and anything that’s non hospital related is good for the soul during the rads process!
I’ve actually been trying to make plans with a different friend every day for at least an hour after my rads, while I still have the energy to do so. Helps me count down as well.
On the treatment side, we’re neither contagious or radioactive 
so there’s no logical reason to stay away from people unless you yourself need the down time or are too tired to socialise!
Good luck with getting your results Friday!
Nic
x
thanx sarah just as i thought some people think they know it all when actually they know nothing
bet your glad thats all done i wish it was all over for me i cant believe how i got here in the first place i keep looking a few months ago and wondering how the hell could my life turn around so much and it aint finished yet more gruelling things to come no doubt its a good thing this sight is so good and informative i cant keep away from it night night xx
thanx nic x
Hi Jackie
I am starting 30 rads on 7th July and in my information that I got from hospital it said, people sometimes think you are radioactive after rads but it an old wives tale, so no worries. I had to have a lymphoscitogram ? not sure of speling, which tests your lymph system when I had a swollen arm and they inject radio active material into you and afterwards scan you at regular intervals during the day. You are not allowed near babies and children for a few hours after that so may be the person you were talking to had got in a muddle with that. That was done near radiotherapy department too.
Good luck with rest of treatment
Dawn x
thanx dawn theres so much to this treatment of bc when you read these messages on all of this sight its not worth listening to people who have never experienced anything like this but to listen to first hand info from people who are going through this and enduring GREAT SIGHT XX
SORRY I MEANT TO SAY ENDURING ALL OF THE TREATMENTS GIVEN TO US TO KEEP US ALL ALIVE X
Whoever told you this is talking a load of tosh! I had radiotherapy every day for 6 weeks and was never told to keep away from other ppl afterwards.
The only time you need to avoid certain ppl is if you have radioactivity injected into you … I’m having a bone scan on Monday and have been told I need to avoid pregnant women and small children for up to 24 hours afterwards.
Rest assured when you start your radiotherapy you will not ble glowing in the dark.
Hi Jackie
You might find it helpful to have a look at the BCC fact sheet on radiotherapy, it can be found by following the link below.
breastcancercare.org.uk//docs/radiotherapy_mar_06_0.pdf
I hope you find this helps.
Kind regards
Sam
BCC Facilitator
As everyone else has said, load of rubbish. Having radiotherapy is just like having an ordinary xray in terms of radioactivity. As soon as the machine has stopped, then radioactivity has too. Otherwise, think of the poor radiographers - they do disappear out of the room by the way, whilst the machine is on, then straight back afterwards. I think the person who told you that may have been thinking like Lilac says about being injected with radioactive contrast or in some cancers, they put something radioactive internally, but not the case in normal radiotherapy.
I made a point of asking about 3 radiographers plus reading leaflets re having contact with my two baby grandchildren after rads. answer each time was its quite ok, you cannot cause them any harm and can hold them and have them on your knee afterwards - thank goodness.
I think Cathy is right re injections.
thank you for your comments i thought as much its amazing how stories go around especially by people who dont know what they are talking about
jackie x
Hi
radiotherapy does not make you radioactive, the only time you have to stay away from “vulnerable people” (ie small kids, pregnant wimmin and old people) is if you have something like a MUGA scan where they give you a radioactive injection to enable them to see the blood pumping round your body.
Also, IF you are ever a risk to other people then they will tell you in advance.
HTH
perhaps they are just getting confused … when i had a bone test i was given a radioactive injection (I think) and told to go away and drink at least 1.5 litres of water in 2 hours and that after the test couldn’t go near pregnant women or children for 2 days. I asked about the cat and they said he would be fine - i was worried for him so avoided him anyway …he wasn’t impressed …
… after all that waffle … it was in the same department as the radiotherapy - which is why i think they may be getting confused …
cheers
FB xx