Starting Rads in October

[Guest user]

Hi. I had my first of fifteen treatments today. I am using Aveeno lotion which has colloidal oatmeal in it which has shown to be beneficial for irritation caused by radiotherapy. Aqueous cream contains sodium laureth sulphate (SLS) which is an irritant to skin . It is not recommended for use as a moisturiser in those with skin conditions such as eczema so am not chancing it on my skin.
Hope all goes well with the rads. x

[Guest user]

hi everyone
I have a 6 treatments so far and apart from my boob being a bit coloured everything going okay.
Just a note about creams, my radiographer has susggested that the cream should not be applied for a few hours before treatment, it creates a barrier (bulos effect I think she said) and prevents the treatment being as effective. There was me applying copious amounts of cream just before I went to the hospital thinking I was helping, oh well we live and learn!
Tiredness at the moment is more to do with travelling back and forward to the hospital for the treatment but not too bad yet.
Nobody has mentioned any particular problems re big boobs to me, not sure how big is big if you know what I mean.
Take Care everyone, hope everyone is okay
Karen

[didi62]

thats interesting valleygirl about bigger boobs might get more problems as no one has mentioned that to me.i was worried that as i burn in the sun easily that i may suffer more but the radiologist said that doesnt mean i will.hope your treatments go ok.denise

[valleygirl51]

I'm waiting to start my rads(always waiting it seems). I've had my first "new patient" appointment with oncologist went through side effects and seemed to think girls with larger boobs(me!) MIGHT get more problems with skin during treatment. Guess they all got different things to say bout side effects. Also I won't be starting tamoxifen till after rads-different doctors do different things?!?!

[didi62]

hi wintersocks glad your treatments have gone well this week.its the thought of the side effects that scares me so much and monday is coming round too quickly for my liking now when i start !i think that being upset would be usual as you are probably just relieved to be underway with the treatments and know each one you have is getting you nearer to the last one.i hope you have planned to do something nice this weekend to cheer yourself up.we need something to look forward to as we struggle through this difficult time in our lives.take care denise

[wintersocks]

Hi All,

Started my rads this week at St James' in Leeds - What an amazing place. It is all very straightforward and painless and lasts for only a short while.
Day 4 and no side effects, but have been told what might happen, sore skin. splitting of skin, and strangely a dry cough might happen too, apparently.
I am not sure if this is to do with lung involvement??

However, I feel terribly emotional and upset tonight. I think it's just grtting (still) used to the shock of it all.
Back again - Monday,

Karen (Salonen 13) - Have the hospital given you a date yet to start? Thanks for thinking of me starting.

ws

[Guest user]

Hi Karen et al,
I got my letter yesterday and I will not be starting rads until 18th November.

Merc
xxxxx

[didi62]

hi summer i am starting 23 rads on 22nd oct .i was told no deoderant or shaving on affected side and only wash with bar simple soap.then use aqueous or e45 cream on breast during treatment.just hoping that i dont get much of a reaction to the radio.ive been awake since 4.45 as woke up feeling boiling hot.was this my 1st night sweat?been taking tamoxifen for 16 days now.hope your treatment goes ok .denise

[Guest user]

Hi all, I start my RT next Thursday in Southampton General, 26 sessions to have, have started my Tamoxifen already. Is it right that we are not allowed to shave our armpit the affected side nor used deodorant prior to treatment? Have been using the aqueous cream already.

Summer 🙂

[Guest user]

Hi everyone
Just wondering how everyone is doing?
Wintersocks your first one today, good luck
Didi 62 it is weird about the different treatments we all get. I saw the oncologist on 1st October and was told that my treatement would start about the end of October. I asked the oncologist what the imapct of starting later would be given the about the 31 day surgery to adjuvant therapy referenced in NICE guidance and was told that as long as your treatment starts within about eight weeks it would have no impact on the prognosis. Although two hours after leaving the appt I got a call from the radiotherapy to ask me to go for the CT scan two days later and the planning session a week after that and started for real yesterday, it may just be a coincidence who knows. I am awaiting a response from the hospital as to why they don't work to the guidance.
Zumba good luck for the 18th
Merc when do you start your treatment?

Good luck to you all
Karen

[Guest user]

Hi everyone
i started my rads on the 1st oct.....have 7 weeks and then a week of booster rads....so should finish by mid nov...
i got aqueous cream on prescription and e45 for the shower...which is horrible but the only thing I've been told to use, it's like Washing in calamine lotion.
i had no reaction for the first two weeks but this week I have a lot of pain, I am also having herceptin, and have my second one next week....so we are at the hospital most days....
Has anyone else had pain in their side?
also having having pains in my left arm where I had chemo and now herceptin intravenous? Has anyone else had anything like this from herceptin....
nicky

[Maryland]

I asked the same question and and was told that 15 was the base number of fractions. If the tumour was large, high grade, close to chest wall, small clear margins, then up to 8 booster sessions are offered particularly if the risk of recurrence is higher - 4 electrons if the targeted area is 'reachable', or 8 targeted RT doses if the area is deeper etc. Mine was close to chest wall and electrons would not 'reach' so I had 8 RT boosters.....23 in all.....may be different in other hospitals though as many of our treatments seem to be!

[Guest user]

Hi All,
WIntersocks - I have the same query - why is it that some need x number of treatments, and others need y number?
I had my mx & anc in early March: started chemo in early May:, and had my Rads planning appt on the 12th Oct. Aqueous cream was mentioned and offered, but when I left the department there was no cream. Its not that I object to buying it myself, its just another indication of the lack of empathy......

Regards Merc xxx

[didi62]

hi karen you and i have same results.my op was 30th and my rads not starting till 22nd.i need to have 23 which was more than i had hoped for but will all be done before long and then try to get back to normality!!hope your treatments go well denise

[wintersocks]

Hiya All,
I have been given a tube of Aq cream by the hospital. I have just looked on my leaflet and it says:

'Apply the aqueous cream supplied by the hospital to the area being treated every morning and evening during your treatment'

So, that is what I am going to do. I start on the 16th October. I am staying over in the hospital which has a kind of 'hotel' attached to it. Anyone else doing this? it is to avoid the long drives/train/expense.
Does anyone know why we get differing fractions? I am having 15.

WS

[Guest user]

Hi All
I start my rads on the 18th oct was told i could only use aqueous or e45 cream.I will be having 20 sessions the last 5 will be boost 1's i have started to use the aqueous cream already they also said we can wash in it as we can't use normal soap just wondered if you can use the cream the day of rads or just after its all very confusing hope your all doing ok.I am kind of dreading rads but suppose it will be a lot easier then chemo.
Good luck to everyone starting rads
Take care
Bex xxxx

[Guest user]

hI Ladies
I had lumpectomy in May WLE/SNB and then 15 rounds of rads.I have been finished treatment for 7 weeks now and all I used was bio oil on my scar before rads started and then aqueous cream through rads.My skin has been fine and I have big boobs and I am very fair skined..so all the down sighns for getting burnt but the aqueous was brilliant.Make sure you slap plenty on and keep using it for a while even after rads have finished as the radiation still keeps working for a while and I found my skin got more tender after treatment before it got better.The radiologists were brilliant and will check you each day anyway and answer any questions you have.I still use bio oil now everyday along my scar and my nipple it really does keep it supple.
Good luck to everyone 🙂
Take Care
Kate x

[foxyferret]

I did Rads in July and cannot recommend Aloe Vera 99.9% highly enough (it must be 99.9% not the other ones). I used it 4/5 times a day although I did smother myself with aqueous cream at bedtime and then wore a tightish t-shirt.
I had no problems at all with my skin but the travelling to the hospital every day, for me it was an hour each way,becomes tedious and for the last week I had to get my daughter to drive me as I felt I wasn't safe to drive myself due to the tiredness which got worse for two weeks after Rads and then got slowly better.

Good luck to you all.

[catseye]

Hi,
I had 30 rads and finished 3 weeks ago.
I was advised only to use aqueous cream or E45 cream. When I asked about Aloe Vera I was told they could not actually recommend it but that lots of women used it and found it helpful.
I stuck to aqueous cream. I did get sore from about treatment 15, and had to use a gel called Activ Heal, where the skin was splitting, however now my skin just looks a bit red and feels fine. I was told to continue with the creams for a few weeks.
I don't think it can do any harm to use the cream before treatment starts as it will make sure the skin is in good condition.
Good luck to you all when you start treatment. I think most people would agree that compared to Chemo rads are a walk in the park, but, watch out for the tiredness as is does seem to creep up on you!
Catseye.

[wintersocks]

Karen,
I think I will look more closely at the literature I have been given. I don't want to apply/not apply - and find I have done the wong thing and can't go ahead on the day. As you say there seems to be varying advice on this.
Because I have a way to travel, I can stay over at St James in Leeds. They have a sort of 'hotel' attached to the institute. That is so helpful!
I don't feel overly concerned about the rads. do you? I have been given a lot of information about what may happen.
WS

[Guest user]

Thanks Wintersocks
I am going to continue to use it until the actual day, it can't hurt can it?
When I get there I will ask what I should use but like you I am not sure when it needs to be applied etc.
I have had a planning session (just to get marked up) last Wednesday but will be having a 'dry run' follwed by first treatment on Saturday 13th October at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle.
Having read a lot of posts here it does seem that people are given quite different advice dependant on where they have their treatment.
Karen

[wintersocks]

Hiya Salonen13 and Dorothy61.
I am starting RADS at St James in Leeds 16th October. I have had mapping and been given a tube of aqueous cream. I am not sure if I am supposed to us it now or when I actually start.
Have had chemo/mx. dx Feb.

[Guest user]

hi
Thanks for the reply.
I had been using Aqueous Cream (as everyone else seemed to suggest this), however when I went for my planning the radiographer asked if I had been using any cream. When I said I had used Aqueous Cream she said I would need to stop using everything and they would give me some cream etc. to use.
I think I will continue with my aqueous cream and ask on Saturday when I go for my first treatment.
Hope everything goes well with your treatment.
Thanks again
Karen

[Guest user]

Hi Karen
Starting my rads on 18 October. 15sessions. Aqueous cream seems to be the common one. My BC nurse said any cream as long as it doesn't contain zinc. Seen posts on here that recommend Aloe Vera 99.9%. have a friend who used it and skin stayed good. Planning to use both. Aqueous in morning, Aloe after treatment and Aqueous before bed. Probably over-kill but really dont want want to dry out. Also found a good gently shower gel from body shop? Doesn't contain anything but soap. No phosphates etc. Really nice stuff. If I find the thread that spoke about creams I'll let you know. Good luck with treatment.
Dorothy x

[Guest user]

Just wondering if anyone else is starting rads in October.

I had a WLE and SNB on 29th August. Since been advised that I had no node involvement and good margins therefore no chemo just Rads and hormone. Hormone started Sept and been for a planning visit for the Rads.
First rad 13th October and will be finished on 1st Nov (just 15 for me!)
Asked about how I can help things by looking after my skin but was told I will be advsied what to use at my first appointment.

Just wondering if anyone can suggest anything I can do before it all starts?

Thanks
Karen