Hi folks. My sister had radiotherapy for breast cancer a few years ago - she lives in France - and she was given some bright red cream to put on after each session. She says it was brilliant and she did not experience any burning at all and she had 30 sessions.
has anyone got any ideas what this might be? The French nurses said to to use anything greasy (aqueaous cream is greasy), and not to wear anything that made even the slightest indentation on her skin.
I am starting rads in a couple of weeks, planning session tomorrow and although I have done chemo, the rads scares me more.
Hi flyright
Can’t help you with the red stuff sorry - just wanted to give you my take on the rads. I have done 4 x fec and then 20 rads sessions and now starting on 4 x tax.
I have to say that compared to the chemo - the rads were so much easier. The only side effect I experienced was tiredness, but nothing earth shattering. My arm started to ache towards the end (I had had mastectomy and lymph node removal) - but I was advised to continue with the exercises given after op and this relieved it. My skin turned a dark pink colour, but not until after I had finished all 20 sessions. I am now almost 4 weeks post rads and some of the area is peeling slightly, like mild sunburn. I would add that my health board (had rads at edinburgh) advised that NO cream of any sort was used during the treatment. Once the treatment ends, they give you aqueous cream to apply. I was slightly worrid about this, as it appeared different to all the advice on here - but it worked so they must know what they’re doing!!
Hope everything goes okay for you - good luck with it
Margaret x
Like Margaret I can’t comment on the red cream and I did not have chemo so can’t compare that to rads… but everything points to rads being so much easier.
I am 20 zaps into a 30 zap program. I am at the Beatson in Glasgow. I was advised at planning no lotions, potions, perfumed soap/shower gel etc on the area to be treated. Baby soap or simple soap/shower gel … no deo and no shaving that armpit (my rads are 3.40 so by the time I get there I must have a bit of whiff)
Was told that the rads ladies would check my skin daily (which they have) and give me appropriate cream as and when necessary. I was fine to start with - had a little tingle after the 2nd week but that wore off over the weekend. After about session 13 I started to pink up a bit and get a little stingy pain ---- like mild sunburn. The ladies were onto it right away and gave me aqueous cream.
Yesterday I mentioned that my boobie was sore … not burny sore but achey sore on the inside… they assured me that this is quite normal as the tissues/muscles etc were trying to heal after the surgeon had guddled about in there and the rads were irritating it… they did say that I could see a breast care nurse about it if I wanted but I was happy to go with their word. I also had node sampling and my arm was almost back to normal before rads but has slipped back again … it’s a culmination of getting the armpit zapped daily and holding my arms above my head for so long.
Good luck with finding the cream and also with the rads themselves.
Lilacblushes,
Your hospital gives you cream???!!! Mine doesn’t. I get nothing. I think the medical system in Scotland is much nicer. You get free cream. Ok, you get paper to put over your boobs and I get a tent to put on, but hey, you have it better there. I agree with the sunburn bit. My boob feels like its on fire. I am very fair skinned (my father was a Scottish redhead, white skin, almost blue which I have inherited). I only need to look at the sun and I burn. When I put on my cream (the stuff I have to buy!!), it sizzles like a bbq. I get lots of stabby pains but I think thats because I have to put my arms above my head and stretch, something I am not used to.
Yeah I might just get modesty paper but I get FREE cream! Not to rub it in (pardon the pun hahaha) yesterday I got my 2nd tube… the 1st was still half full but I left it at work so asked for another tube & they were happy to give me it.
The pains I have been assured are quite normal … as someone said in another thread don;t you just get sick of that bloody phrase! - they are irritating the tissues that are trying to heal and, like you I am not in the habit of lying there with my arms above my head in a position of total abandonment for 20 minutes at a time - chance would be a fine thing!!
I actually got a change of scenery today - I was promoted from room J to room K cos it was take your picture day and the xray/camera in room J was on the blink. I thought I was being upgraded and anticipated wide screen TV and scantily dressed young men serving refreshement, but alas they just had the same stuff as room J. The kind ladies in room K were well impressed with me cos I got on the bed & was lined up perfectly with no need for them to push and shove me about the place… they said I was so well behaved that they wanted to keep me.
Thanks for your comments, you are all so helpful amd kind. I am very fair and I don’t like the idea of my skin burning, but hey ho. I wonder if the red stuff might have been gentian violet, as the rad nurses said they use that if you do burn.
In the meantime, they have told me same advice as above but to use aqueous cream - a very thin layer - and to air the area as much as poss so I will be walking around the house with my top off! That is good advice on the exercises - I was really good at the start but I’ve got a bit slack with them, so it will spur me on to keep doing them.
I was given absolutely no advice on skin care for 25 rads…and 6 x FEC, .and that at a breast care centre of excellence. I am very fair skinned , burn after an hour in the sun. I only showered with Simple shower gel and had no problems. Got a bit pink at the end of rads, but thought I got off lightly compared to some people.
Liz.