What Do You Think Of Offering Rad Tips For Those That Are Just Starting Treatment Now Or Soon?

ladyg said:

Another cream to try.
I used Aquaphor at night and a light application early in the morning. When I was getting dressed after my treatment I used Calendula Gel. It worked well and is not greasy so it does not stain your clothes. Another deoderant that is acceptable is Herbal Clear Sport. It also does not contain aluminum. Good wishes for all who are just starting rads.

Hugs,
Georgia

Great tips
I will be have rads later. These are great tips. I bought some post op camis from women's worlds they were much cheaper than others I had seen. I'm hoping these wlll work for rad treatment. I bought them big!

Kylez said:

Fantastic advice! Just
Fantastic advice! Just wanted to remind those starting that you shouldn't put anything on your skin, creams etc., at least 4 hours prior to your treatment.

Great advice! Everything
Great advice! Everything pretty much covered here. I was told by my rad doc not to use deodorant at all on that side so I didn't. I didn't sweat there either during rads at all. She also said only Dove non scented soap and no bra. Since I am too large chested to go w/out a bra for the other side, I wore them but got irritation under the radiated breast so I used white men's hankies folded up in between my skin and the bra.
The most important thing was to cream always! I put it on after rads in the dressing room and again at night before bed. They gave me three kinds, aloe at first, aquaphor and something called Wound Care when I started to burn on my upper color bone.

Thank you for the tips
I just finished my 7th treatment.

Today my radiation doctor told me not to take Vitamin "E" or any other antioxidants during my radiation treatments. I told her I was taking liquid Resvinatrol which is loaded with antioxidents. I was told to stop taking this until my treatments were finished.

I am following many of your helpful tips....thank you pink sisters.

Twenty-six days and counting. Can't wait till I become a rad-grad :-)

Tux said:

just starting rads
I completed rads more than 2 years ago & here is what I learned:

1. As other posters have said, follow the instructions of your rad onc & his staff.
Ask questions if you need to.

2. I was a teacher (now retired), so I had to wear a bra every day. The nurse told me
to buy cotton bras in a larger size, so I bought the "Just My Size" cotton bras at my local discount store. I was able to wear a bra every day.

3. Near the end the burns were pretty bad, and the nurse had me use "Domeboro Soaks"
from my local drugstore. I did not have to stop rads, but the burns were pretty bad.
The soaks helped.

4. I was absolutely determined to get through it. I felt "yucky" near the end, but kept myself going with cool drinks, mints, & Vicks salve.

You can get through it, too! Keep us posted.

Cabbage leaves on the
Cabbage leaves on the treated area right after treatment works well for me. Creams on every night and a veggie juice once a day. Have about 10 treatments to go and I am very pink almost red. Getting tired so I try to take a nap when I can and when I am itchy there I use 'Keys Redi-Care spray' totally natural and organic and feels good. Hope that helps!
Cory

Rad tips
THANK YOU ALL for the tips! I wrote them all down.I'm still in chemo (1st treatment). I start rads in Jan or Feb. Sure glad I got these tips from you all,as usual my oncologist has minimized radiation. She said people don't get burned from it. That was "back in the day" Now I'm freaking out!! I JUST get used to this horrible phase (chemo and a week from losing my hair) and find out that what I thought and was told was a "piece of cake" really isn't. Burning, cellulitis, braless (well all things aren't bad:), creams, do's and dont's etc etc. She told me waaay more than I needed to know about every aspect of cancer and barely mentioned the processes I'd be going through!
Sorry guys I'm ticked. It seems there's something around every corner. Question: Is there EVER a time when you are truly done? No more "unexpecteds" ( barring of course recurrence). That, you can't keep looking over your shoulder and around every corner for.
Any testimonies out there to say "there IS an ending to the invasions,the endless procedures and the unknowns or untolds about them"?

carkris said:

I failed chemo hahaha but
I failed chemo hahaha but did great in rads. I started using aquaphor prior to starting rads. then I used it 3 times a day faithfully. didnt wear it prior to radiation treatment but then applied it in the dressing room. Traci suggested wearing a man's tee shirt at night as the aquaphor stains. It worked great.

failed chemo
Did you have to stop chemo? Is that what you mean by failing chemo or were you just kidding??

madsters1 said:

Rad tips
THANK YOU ALL for the tips! I wrote them all down.I'm still in chemo (1st treatment). I start rads in Jan or Feb. Sure glad I got these tips from you all,as usual my oncologist has minimized radiation. She said people don't get burned from it. That was "back in the day" Now I'm freaking out!! I JUST get used to this horrible phase (chemo and a week from losing my hair) and find out that what I thought and was told was a "piece of cake" really isn't. Burning, cellulitis, braless (well all things aren't bad:), creams, do's and dont's etc etc. She told me waaay more than I needed to know about every aspect of cancer and barely mentioned the processes I'd be going through!
Sorry guys I'm ticked. It seems there's something around every corner. Question: Is there EVER a time when you are truly done? No more "unexpecteds" ( barring of course recurrence). That, you can't keep looking over your shoulder and around every corner for.
Any testimonies out there to say "there IS an ending to the invasions,the endless procedures and the unknowns or untolds about them"?

I'll say this, I had 3
I'll say this, I had 3 different onc's and they ALL sucked!! My surgeons were wonderful! The oncologists minimize everything and then if you have a symptom or side effect they didnt tell you about, they act all amazed like you are the only one who has ever had that side effect and you must be weird so you just stop mentioning them and suffer in silence.

I have gotten so much help from everyone here! Just nod your head at the dr and post here to get the real info that will help you. We have been through it so we wont make light of your concerns. Best wishes, you will make it too!!!

Cory

Corinna11 said:

I'll say this, I had 3
I'll say this, I had 3 different onc's and they ALL sucked!! My surgeons were wonderful! The oncologists minimize everything and then if you have a symptom or side effect they didnt tell you about, they act all amazed like you are the only one who has ever had that side effect and you must be weird so you just stop mentioning them and suffer in silence.

I have gotten so much help from everyone here! Just nod your head at the dr and post here to get the real info that will help you. We have been through it so we wont make light of your concerns. Best wishes, you will make it too!!!

Cory

Cory, it's funny you
Cory, it's funny you mentioned that because every I have a doctors appointment I seldom have questions to ask because this board filled me in on everything, every step of the way.

I would like to add, that I wore sports bras throughout my radiation. After each treatment I would lather up with my creams and put on my sports bra. It acted as a great barrier between the greasy creams and my outer clothing. I'd recommend buying them slightly larger then your current size so they aren't tight against your radiated site... Not to scare anybody, but near my incision site I bled a little bit near the end of my treatments, the bras also helped me keep gauze in the right places to prevent staining my clothes. Walmart has them like 3 for $10.

Good luck Rad students... graduation will be here before you know it.

Lorrie

Corinna11 said:

Cabbage leaves on the
Cabbage leaves on the treated area right after treatment works well for me. Creams on every night and a veggie juice once a day. Have about 10 treatments to go and I am very pink almost red. Getting tired so I try to take a nap when I can and when I am itchy there I use 'Keys Redi-Care spray' totally natural and organic and feels good. Hope that helps!
Cory

Wow, I've never heard of
Wow, I've never heard of cabbage leaves. I will ask my rads oncologist about that when I see him next, to see if he has heard of it.

And, good luck to all you with rads! Keep us updated!


Thanks Cory!

Rague said:

Cataracts
Last Thursday I found out that cataracts can be a SE of rads. Went to my eye dr for annual check up and I thought I'd probably get a new pair of glasses but no - I got an appt. with the eye surgeon. He's certain that fads are the reason as my last rads were early March 2010 and no family history of them.

Susan

New to rads
I am new on this site. I will start rads in two weeks. I was told to use nothing on area. Can I still use a cream or not? Am so confused by it all at times. Thanks for any advise.