How to overcome Radiation Mask fear? or unable to breath?

edbravo said:

Thank you Everyone

I went through the Mask today and with all your advices and encouragements, I made it through the 1st round of 35 radations. The Xanax really helped to calm me down, especially it lowered my fast beating heart. The doctor made a bigger nose-hole on my mask so that I could breath better, however he did not recommend cutting the mouth or eyes away because according to him the structure of the mask may go out of shape, furthermore the planning and measurrements may change (have to be re-do) and the mask might expended when they strach it to buckle it down to the table, in which the rads-ray may not hit the right spots. Anyway, thank you everyone for answering my questions and helping me through this period. Appreciate it and may god bless you all. 

Good news to get through...

The measurments are like to the millimeter, so any alterations, weight lose, etc that could change that would need addressed... You don't want any rads hitting in areas that aren't needed....

Several of us had to have new masks made during treatment as a result of weight loss....

John

thennies61 said:

Willing to bet also at least

Willing to bet also at least in my case as the swelling in face goes down will need a couple of new masks.Will know tommorrow as I have a meeting with the radiation team.Was told it would be about 3hrs not  sure why.

As to an idea how tight the mask is..., myself, Dawn and others would come out of a session with waffle marks across our foreheads....

JG

edbravo said:

Thank you Everyone

I went through the Mask today and with all your advices and encouragements, I made it through the 1st round of 35 radations. The Xanax really helped to calm me down, especially it lowered my fast beating heart. The doctor made a bigger nose-hole on my mask so that I could breath better, however he did not recommend cutting the mouth or eyes away because according to him the structure of the mask may go out of shape, furthermore the planning and measurrements may change (have to be re-do) and the mask might expended when they strach it to buckle it down to the table, in which the rads-ray may not hit the right spots. Anyway, thank you everyone for answering my questions and helping me through this period. Appreciate it and may god bless you all. 

edbravo, very happy for you that you got thru it w/o any problems.  this group is really good at helping to go thru this journey with as few problems and side effects as possible.  we all try to help each other.  i hope your other 34 are as smooth as this one was.  let us know about your progress.

dj

Steve5 said:

mask and treatments

Edbravo - the mask was "semi-terrifying" to me when I had it made, that is what I told my wife when I came out of it - for treatments I took a little valium about 20 minutes before treatment, it worked, I also asked the tech to talk me through it - I asked them to let me know the stage we were at - I was on the table for about 10 minutes and the would say - "okay doing scan, scan looks good - first treatment, second treatment, last one - done we are coming in to take the mask off" they did this for me everyday for 35 days - the last two weeks I didn't need the valium anymore - I never watched the treatment - after I laid down on the table I would close my eyes and not open them until they had unbuckled the mask and lifted it up - that was my way of getting through it every morning for 35 mornings - be strong you can do it - as Don says it is rough but you can get through it - one other thing I did was think about the renovation project at my house that I was going to do  - the kitchen and dining room - I thought about it almost the entire time on the table and visualized the projedt from start to end, every day - you can do it

All the best and keep writing with anything you need to ask, talk about or vent

Steve

Finished Jan 17th with treatments and waiting for scan april 14th

Fitted for mask on monday they said they will call when to come in for thier dry run.I didn't have to much of a problem with the fitting my problem was as I layed there had trouble with slightly gaging.Started even before they layed the mask on.Not sure if was laying flat on my back or head tited slightly with trach tube in or what.But couldn't stop slightly coughing don't think it was enough to stop the ct scan they did.Like Steve took my mind elsewhere but could feel a tickle in throat the whole time.

Coldinohio said:

Fitted my mask on Tuesday

Went on Tuesday morning for my mask fitting and ct. The worst part for me was the junk in the back of my throat that I could not swallow, other than that I just closed my eyes and tried to go to my happy place!

hi all , well anothe sole here on CSN website reading and learing about my condition. i have squamous cell carcinoma. i had my upper rite jaw bone with cancer, they removed half of the bone and half of my palate. i now have a hole in roof of my mouth. they have made me a prosthesis that fills in the hole. i go to get radiation treatments on 3-27-14. thank you for all the information on this site.

txpipeliner said:

fitted for mask on 3-20-14

hi all , well anothe sole here on CSN website reading and learing about my condition. i have squamous cell carcinoma. i had my upper rite jaw bone with cancer, they removed half of the bone and half of my palate. i now have a hole in roof of my mouth. they have made me a prosthesis that fills in the hole. i go to get radiation treatments on 3-27-14. thank you for all the information on this site.

txpipeliner, so sorry you are going thru the battle and wanted to welcome you to our family.  we will all be here for you as you go along.  there are several others who have had the same type of cancer and lost half of their jaw.  i'm sure they will chime in.  i hope you will come back often and please keep us posted on your progress.

God bless you,

dj

My wife performed like a champ. We still have the mask as a badge of honor in our house. She did it for me and my son. For some reason she did not care and stayed still during the radiation. She was told that some people get clostrophobic and throw up from the mouth guard. I surily would have thrown up. I have a very quick gag reflex. She did too. but she said to herself, screw this I'm going to have to do this over and over.

omnedon said:

meds

I had to take zoloft and ativan everyday at the end the mask loosened up so much they talked about refitting me but I got by without having to go through it again.

well i made it thtu first day of RT yesterday, with a lot of nervous feelings, the teck,said i would be seeing DR. today i am sure going to ask, for some meds. to take. i tryed to open my eyes yesterday buy mask is so tight i could not do it. 34 more days to go.

Guzzle said:

The Radioactive Man

American Friends if you google a blog by a guy called Theo the radioactive man - afraid don't know how to put a link on via my phone - it does give an amusing spin to the mask! I will reserve j

 

udgement as I have this to come. Sedate or not sedate?

Guzzle, I found the Theo The Radioactive Man and really enjoyed reading it and it was pretty darn accurate.   I thought his wife's section was good as well.   Thanks for forwarding and good luck as you start the treatment.

Keith