I finished rads (20) last friday and now my skin is dry tight and red. But most of all it itches… like mad… but Im being very good and not scratching. Just wondered if there is anything I can do to help ease this just using aqueous cream right now x
Hi, and well done for getting thru your treatment!!
I had 18 rads, (a year ago) and have had some itchiness inside the breast. It comes and goes, and recently asked my Onc about it. He said that the surgeons blame the Oncs and vice versa!! But the point is, it’s not unusual to have itching after all the treatment we’ve had. Aqueous cream is very soothing, and I used it as soap in the shower, to avoid using perfumed soap that might have been an irritant.
All the best,
Leigh x
Hi…I had 23 rads in July/ August and itched like mad too!! My RT team said it was OK to use sudocrem or similar - if it was suitable for a baby’s bottom and all that!! - just on the skin area that was itchy! But not to use it on broken skin. I alternated aqueous and 99.9% aloe vera until at least 6 weeks afterwards, using sudocrem where it itched and intrasite where the skin was broken. When it got unbearably itchy for a couple of days, the pharmacist recommended Anthisan.
Hope that is of help? Well done on finishing rads 
Three weeks after rads I was going mad with itching. Aloe vera and aqueous cream didn’t help at all. When I went back for my follow up appointment I told the doctor about it and he said I could use hydrocortisone cream 1% w/w. I wouldn’t have dared use it without his permission but it cleared up the itching almost straight away.
just wondering if taking piriton would fight the itch from the inside… seeing onc tomorrow as I start chemo (again) in next couple of weeks
Hi, I finished 15 rads 4 weeks ago, and have had no itching, occasionally just a slight tickle, and a quick scratch solved it, now… ever since my first rad session, I have used Aloe Vera straight from the plant, smothered that all over, let it dry, then used the aquous cream. I wore no bra (still dont unless I go out somehwere special) just a cotton T shirt and then a jumper over it.
My rads site, although very tanned, is good, and no trouble at all. I could now wear a bra all the time comfortably if I wanted to, but as Im at home most of the time still, I dont bother !
So may I suggest getting yourself an Aloe vera plant, snap off a leaf, squeeze out the gelly stuff and smother it on, (lovely and cooling) and start using that twice a day, and like I say, no itchiness. These plants are very easy to keep, mine keeps sprouting baby ones all over the place! and I Have to keep throwing them away !
Hope this helps,
Wendy xx
Hi. New to this. My skin is itchy already having been on Letrozole for 7 weeks. (Took part in the POETIC study to start hormone therapy 2 weeks before surgery, and the tumour had shrunk in that time.) Haven’t even started on radiotherapy yet! I also have vitiligo (loss of skin pigmentation) but so far no-one seems to be able to advise about how my skin will react around the site.
Hi
When I got very itchy during/after rads, my radiotherapy team said I should ask my GP for anti-histamines.
He gave me cetrazine tablets (same as Piriteze) and it stopped the itch dead.
Good luck
Dx
Hi Charlotte
I finished my 15 radiotherapy sessions last Thursday and my site is coloured but not sore/itchy. Even though I didn’t feel itchy my oncologist did provide me with a tube of gel to use if itching started and said to let them know if I needed more/it was a problem and to definately let them know if any of the skin became broken/open.
Ask the oncologist tomorrow and see what they can provide/suggest.
The gel they provided me with was Flaminal hydro but as I say not sure how good it is as I haven’t needed to use it.
edited to add that I have continued to avoid perfumes gels/soap and use Aqueous cream to wash with in the shower as the effects continue for a couple of weeks thought it couldn’t hurt anything.
Hope it stops soon
Take care
Karen
Hello. This is new to me. Diagnosed early September. Took part in POETIC study to begin taking Letrozole 2 weeks before surgery on October 2nd. Noticed itchy skin on my back, and around the surgery sites. I also have Vitiligo (loss of skin pigmentation) so wonder how my skin will react to radiotherapy - which should start at beginning of December. Anyone else got Vitiligo and has had radiotherapy?
Hello Penelopeanne
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thanks for your answers… x
Hi Charlotte,
I have just finished my rads last week and now I have got up in the middle of the night to take some Piriton in the hope of stopping the itching. The radiotherapist said that if you put the aqueous cream in the fridge that helps the itching. Last radiotherapy was Friday and it only started to itch today and I only just put it in the fridge so I can’t say if she is right yet.
Hi, dont know if im in the right place to be writing this, but i had a WLE as i had Pagets Disease and DCIS high grade. my treatment was meant to be Radiation after my wle, but i have been to the oncologist and he gave me a option of radiation or masectomy. he said because of my age im 30 and because of the long term side effects of radiation if i was his family and 30 years old he would advise me to have a masectomy. i am going to have a 2nd opinion with another oncologist… just wanted to hear peoples thoughts as i really dont know what to do.
Hi I have also just finished my radiotherapy and finding my breast really painful any suggestions ?
I’ve had 23 of 25 rads so far…skin is red, warm, itchy…especially on my back! Itchy shoulder blade driving me potty, was warned about sore skin around boob but not on my back. Weird!
Hi Penelopeanne,
I too have vitiligo. So far have had 6 out of 25 rads. Everything was going well until Tuesday when my mx site was red and swollen. I now have an infection so rads suspended until Monday and on anti biotics. Radiotherapists said some people are more sensitive than others and may have absolutely nothing to do with vitiligo. The actual skin though is not sore and having radiotherapy is pain free. When I initially asked they said the areas without pigment may get red quickly and area become more patchy like when vitiligo skin is exposed to sun. Do you have any pigment in that area ? I will let you know what happens. Best wishes xx