Nervous, Can Anybody Tell Me What to Expect During Radiation??

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  • JKoehler25
    JKoehler25 Member Posts: 12
    #22
    HapB said:

    Radiation

    J, Sorry that you are in pain.  I hope that it resolves quickly for you.

    Other than slight pink skin for a week or so, I had no problems at all with radiation. Really, no issues whatsoever and within a couple of weeks, nobody could guess which breast was radiated.  My hospital advised not to use any creams or lotions at all on the radiated skin before or after. That seems to make the difference. I had radiation for another cancer and also had no problems and never used any creams and lotions. Some insist on putting on lotions and creams and I don't think it is coincidence that most of the people who use topical treatments have big issues with their skin. The radiation reacts to lotions even after they have sunk into your skin. The hosptal gave me literature about this and I followed the advice, don't worry about"dry skin" in the treated area. IThe skin is best healing itself. I used cool compacts once radiation was finished when it got a little itchy. That's it. I have my one month follow up this week. 

    For anyone about to start treatment, I highly recommend that you do not put lotions, creams, soaps, or deodorant on your skin to be radiated. If the skin breaks due to friction from your clothing, they may prescribe an antibiotic ointment, i want without a bra  for the most part and slept without a top, to let the skin get air. 

    getting better

    It's been a little over a month now and I no longer have to pack armpit with ice. What I ended up doing is putting antibiotic cream and them rolling a cotton hand towel in my armpit. after 2 wks it's pretty healed. My skin is dying by my ribs now and I keep a towel covering area all the time and use antibiotic cream. It helps the pain. My skin peeling feels like silly putty. It's peeling in layers as the burns were deep. All their advice ended up making me stop radiation. 21 is going to have to be my number. Do not use radioplex. It probably caused all this to happen. I haven't the foggiest notion why they would tell you to use something that will get you burned so deeply. I expect the rest will heal in another month. I even got a terrible burn on my upper shoulder, so they were aiming it straight thru, which they said they weren't doing. I find everything they say hard to believe. I will never go back to this cancer center as they have been less than truthful and the care was sub par. I've been a nurse for 40yrs and if I would have given care like they did, I would have been fired. It's too bad I didn't find this site when I got diagnosed. Oh well, live and learn. They didn't find anymore CA when they did the surgery anyway, so 21 will have to be the magic number for me. I never did figure out why they did such damage to my armpit, when all 3 lymph nodes came back cancer free. Who knows!! Will remain a mystery.

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