Radiation burns

Hippiechick58
Hippiechick58 Member Posts: 320
Does anyone know if it's okay to put an ice pack on breast area that is receiving radiation? I have had 8 sessions of rads on my left breast and today it began burning and hurting. I am wearing the men's undershirt inside out and am putting the cream on they gave me (alta lite) but it is really bothering me. Any ideas would be apppreciated.

Dianne
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Comments

  • kya911
    kya911 Member Posts: 157
    I Was Told
    not to put hot or cold packs on.
    I have just had mt 10 th rad & no burns yet.
    Sorry you are going thru this.
    Judy
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    I don't think you are
    I don't think you are suppose to Dianne. Call your rads oncologist to find out if you want. Also, maybe you need a different cream. We all have used different kinds. I used Biafine for any burn and Aquaphor to keep my skin moist and soft.

    I didn't use this, but, I know some used 100% Aloe Vera and they put it in the frig to keep it cool, so, it felt good when they put it on. But, don't use anything unless your rads oncologist says it is ok.

    Hugs, Jan
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    During rads, in addition to
    During rads, in addition to the Big Tshirt and gooping myself with the crem they gave out , what I did was get a natural sponge and some Aveeno body wash~ in the shower I saturated the sponge with water and then the Aveeno and squeezed the bubbles over my skin~ NEVER, EVER touching my skin with the sponge. The colloidal oatmeal in the Aveeno was soothing...my rad oncologist also told me to let him know when my skin got tender and especially itchy. At that time he would give me a prescription for Hydrocortisone cream~ the OTC ones would not be potent enough to do a thing...I got the prescription and it helped almost instantly. I hope you find the relief you need~ gentle hugs to you!
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    chenheart said:

    During rads, in addition to
    During rads, in addition to the Big Tshirt and gooping myself with the crem they gave out , what I did was get a natural sponge and some Aveeno body wash~ in the shower I saturated the sponge with water and then the Aveeno and squeezed the bubbles over my skin~ NEVER, EVER touching my skin with the sponge. The colloidal oatmeal in the Aveeno was soothing...my rad oncologist also told me to let him know when my skin got tender and especially itchy. At that time he would give me a prescription for Hydrocortisone cream~ the OTC ones would not be potent enough to do a thing...I got the prescription and it helped almost instantly. I hope you find the relief you need~ gentle hugs to you!

    You have to be so gentle
    You have to be so gentle with your skin Dianne. I would nix the ice pack. I am surprised that you are burning and hurting already. It was probably the end of the 3rd or 4th week before I really started to feel anything.

    Put lots of your creams on. I used Dove white soap and never really scrubbed or used even a wash cloth to clean the rad area. I would just lather my hand up and lightly go over the area and let the water in the shower just glide over it.

    It sounds like you need some other creams. Talk to your rads oncologist about something more.


    Good luck,


    Diane
  • Hippiechick58
    Hippiechick58 Member Posts: 320
    DianeBC said:

    You have to be so gentle
    You have to be so gentle with your skin Dianne. I would nix the ice pack. I am surprised that you are burning and hurting already. It was probably the end of the 3rd or 4th week before I really started to feel anything.

    Put lots of your creams on. I used Dove white soap and never really scrubbed or used even a wash cloth to clean the rad area. I would just lather my hand up and lightly go over the area and let the water in the shower just glide over it.

    It sounds like you need some other creams. Talk to your rads oncologist about something more.


    Good luck,


    Diane

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your suggestions. My RO called back and told me to d/c the elta lite cream and to take ibuprophen for the burning and soreness. He said he will look at it on Monday. He said,"You shouldn't be burning this early," and I said, "yes, but I am, so..." He thinks it might be an allergy to the cream. I am not so convinced but I will be a good girl and play along. It is really sore, almost painful too. Leave it to me to get something that I'm not supposed to have! Oh well, all I can do is wait for Monday and hope for the best. Thanks again.

    Dianne
  • sbmly53
    sbmly53 Member Posts: 1,522
    The ladies are right - no ice.
    I used a solution of half water, half peroxide which helped. Do not use peroxide full strength - it makes it worse. I had weeping oozy burns. I 'air dried' as much as possible. When I had to wear clothes (not like I ran around topless), I put a non-stick bandage over the burn. I hope all of the suggestions help.

    Gentle hugs,

    Sue
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    I had rads to my hips and
    I had rads to my hips and pelvic area and the most soothing was Aveno baths, I just sat on my pillow in the tub, didn't touch it at all. Then lathered it with the Aqua Phor. It helped where I was able to sleep.

    So sorry you have the burns,
    ~Carol
  • chriskaput
    chriskaput Member Posts: 109
    i used refrigerated aloe vera
    aquaphor and also a cream that my onco. prescribed. It was not over the counter. Aquaphor did nothing for me. The name escapes me now but it was specifically for radiation and worked wonders for me towards the end of my rads.

    All the best during the next few weeks. It will be over before you know it and you will be celebrating with us rad grads real soon!
    hugs,
    chris.
  • Pinkpower
    Pinkpower Member Posts: 437
    Sorry to hear your burned so
    Sorry to hear your burned so early on, but it does happened, I burned too, really bad. I am racking my poor chemo brain trying to remember what my doc suggested I try. It was an over the counter powder like substance that came in little packs in a white box, the powdered looked like alka seltzer, which I would desolved in water then I would soak up a little towel and put it right on the burned spot. Im so sorry I cant remember the darn name of what it was. All I know is that it really helped relieve the pain.

    Lupe
  • ladyg
    ladyg Member Posts: 1,577
    Dianne
    One thing that I did that I think helped keep me from burning too much was to put on some Calendua Gel as soon as my treatment was over. It is not a greasy as the Aquaphor which is what I used at night and early in the morning. I did not put on a lot in the mornings so it was pretty much gone when I went for my treatment in the afternoon. Hope this helps.

    Hugs,
    Georgia
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    Ask, !
    So sorry you're burning so early! Two of us started rads at the same time. While it took me to week 5 to burn by buddy started at the end of week one. I was given hydro-cortizon cream but discovered I was alergic so had to move on to something else. Ultimately I used Neosporin plus pain relief and am finishing up with Godl Bond ultimate soothing. My buddy was told to use an ice pack to help with her burning. So, ask your RO. Others here have said no ice so it appears that ROs have different guidelines and they may be based on the severity of the burns too.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member

    Thank you all for your
    Thank you all for your suggestions. My RO called back and told me to d/c the elta lite cream and to take ibuprophen for the burning and soreness. He said he will look at it on Monday. He said,"You shouldn't be burning this early," and I said, "yes, but I am, so..." He thinks it might be an allergy to the cream. I am not so convinced but I will be a good girl and play along. It is really sore, almost painful too. Leave it to me to get something that I'm not supposed to have! Oh well, all I can do is wait for Monday and hope for the best. Thanks again.

    Dianne

    You shouldn't be burning
    You shouldn't be burning this quickly. There has to be some reason for it though. It could be the cream. He can switch you to something else Dianne. There are lots of different creams you can use. Good luck tomorrow. Update us to let us know.


    Hugs, Jan
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    not much help
    just wanted to say sorry you have burning...(I was fortunate not to have any) I HOPE you find out from others what is best thing to do...

    Denise
  • BMS
    BMS Member Posts: 127

    not much help
    just wanted to say sorry you have burning...(I was fortunate not to have any) I HOPE you find out from others what is best thing to do...

    Denise

    Starting rads
    Sorry you are having the burns. But this was a help for me as I go for my mapping today and start rads next week. Always such good advice here.
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    camul said:

    I had rads to my hips and
    I had rads to my hips and pelvic area and the most soothing was Aveno baths, I just sat on my pillow in the tub, didn't touch it at all. Then lathered it with the Aqua Phor. It helped where I was able to sleep.

    So sorry you have the burns,
    ~Carol

    I wonder if you are allergic
    I wonder if you are allergic to something Dianne. It really is too soon for this. What does your rads oncologist say?
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    BMS said:

    Starting rads
    Sorry you are having the burns. But this was a help for me as I go for my mapping today and start rads next week. Always such good advice here.

    BMS@
    this site is great...when reading other posts/ replies it helps many of us...!

    Denise
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    Another thought hit me - how
    Another thought hit me - how close to rads are you putting the cream on - as how shortly before? I was imphatically told not to put any on closer than 3 - 4 hrs before rads - can encourage burning.

    It does sound like you are burning early in TX but there is no one way that we will burn (if we brun at all). Drs still can't figure out why I burned the way I did - nothing during rads other than a slight 'pinking' and very slight tenderness - like a very mild sunburn after the last one but by the next morning the entire area was burned/blistered and open - left a lot of 'good' scars and I almost wound up in a burn unit but the Domeboro soaks finlly worked (I'm allergic to Sulfa so Silvadene/Sulfadene could not be used) - totally NOT 'normal' (and DEFINATELY not to be expected) but say it because there really is 'normal' - we, each of us, are so unique.

    Susan
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member

    i used refrigerated aloe vera
    aquaphor and also a cream that my onco. prescribed. It was not over the counter. Aquaphor did nothing for me. The name escapes me now but it was specifically for radiation and worked wonders for me towards the end of my rads.

    All the best during the next few weeks. It will be over before you know it and you will be celebrating with us rad grads real soon!
    hugs,
    chris.

    I didn't burn with rads, got
    I didn't burn with rads, got real close and was tender. Ask your rads oncologist for something specifically for burns. And, if you get bad, he might have to stop them for awhile to let you heal.


    Good luck!
  • Kiantae
    Kiantae Member Posts: 29
    Silicone Basting Brush
    My skin burned and blistered towards the end. My husband helped put the lotion on before bed and we used a silicone basting brush to spread the lotion. It spreads the lotion evenly and there was even pressure unlike having someone use their hand. It can also be used by someone who applies lotion to themselves. Granted, after treatment did throw it away and not back in the kitchen drawer.
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    ladyg said:

    Dianne
    One thing that I did that I think helped keep me from burning too much was to put on some Calendua Gel as soon as my treatment was over. It is not a greasy as the Aquaphor which is what I used at night and early in the morning. I did not put on a lot in the mornings so it was pretty much gone when I went for my treatment in the afternoon. Hope this helps.

    Hugs,
    Georgia

    How are you doing Dianne?
    How are you doing Dianne? What did your rads oncologist say?