Radiation questions
Does anyone have anything for the burn except aloe. I have 2 aloe plants and plan to use them. Blessings to all.
Cindy
Comments
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Hi,
Just finished radiation
Hi,
Just finished radiation today. I have heard Aloe works well from others. I used Calendula Cream twice per day and Aquaphor or Hydrolatum before bed(it stains clothes but is very hydrating). My radiation oncologist said it is good to use more than one cream during treatment. I was lucky and my skin did well they say. No blisters or sores so I guess the creams worked. I will see in a week how I look though because they say the radiation continues to work for a week after stopping. I also hydrated my skin for a couple weeks before starting. I put tons of Aquaphor or Hydrolatum on at night.
I know some get very fatigued during radiation. I am doing ok, not too tired depending on the day but I am tired a lot anyway before all this. I have heard sometimes it hits when it is over so I will wait to see for that too. No tastebud changes for me on rads but it did take a couple months after chemo to get my tastes back for things I lost taste for.
Everyone reacts different to all the treatments. Hope it is easy for you.
KIm0 -
Congrats Kimconfused123 said:Hi,
Just finished radiation
Hi,
Just finished radiation today. I have heard Aloe works well from others. I used Calendula Cream twice per day and Aquaphor or Hydrolatum before bed(it stains clothes but is very hydrating). My radiation oncologist said it is good to use more than one cream during treatment. I was lucky and my skin did well they say. No blisters or sores so I guess the creams worked. I will see in a week how I look though because they say the radiation continues to work for a week after stopping. I also hydrated my skin for a couple weeks before starting. I put tons of Aquaphor or Hydrolatum on at night.
I know some get very fatigued during radiation. I am doing ok, not too tired depending on the day but I am tired a lot anyway before all this. I have heard sometimes it hits when it is over so I will wait to see for that too. No tastebud changes for me on rads but it did take a couple months after chemo to get my tastes back for things I lost taste for.
Everyone reacts different to all the treatments. Hope it is easy for you.
KIm
)
Way to go!! Last day of Rads, woohoo! It seems like such a long ways off for me right now, but it's really not. Did your center do anything for your last day?
-) Pammy 0 -
Hi Cindy, welcome
I'm in Radiation now. I am starting to feel tired. It's hard to explain because it is a type of tired that is different from lack of sleep tired or did too much tired. It's like I can sleep 10 hours and wake up and feel like I haven't slept at all or regained any energy. I am almost half way through. I have completed 14 out of 36 treatments. I did not have chemo though. Hope this helps. :O)0 -
Hi Pammy,
It will go by fast
Hi Pammy,
It will go by fast I know it. The place I went was wonderful and we did hugs todayand one of the techs teared up and they gave me a certificate of completetion. They truly were wonderful, all of them.
Kim0 -
Radiation
Hi, Cindy, I have 3 more treatments to go and can back up everything Pammy and Kim told you. The tiredness was unexpected; I thought I would have a lot more energy with rads. In a way, I feel more tired than I did with chemo. Just as Pammy said, you can sleep but still feel tired.
My sense of taste came back fairly quickly, within about 3 weeks of completing chemo. It was gradual, until one day I realized foods tasted good again.
As far as burns, with 3 more to go, I am very red but the pain is manageable, and I've had no blisters so far. My doc also advised using different creams. There's no one best cream, she said, because everyone's skin is different. Aloe is especially good for redness, Aquaphor for itching, and Vanicream for moisturing. I use all 3.
Good luck to you. If you have more questions, don't hesitate as they come up. You'll find lots of experienced responses here.0 -
Kim, Congratulationsconfused123 said:Hi Pammy,
It will go by fast
Hi Pammy,
It will go by fast I know it. The place I went was wonderful and we did hugs todayand one of the techs teared up and they gave me a certificate of completetion. They truly were wonderful, all of them.
Kim
Kim, congratulations on finishing your radiation treatments! I am realizing what an achievement that is. Hope you are celebrating this milestone.0 -
Hi Cindy. Some people get
Hi Cindy. Some people get tired during rads and some don't. It just seems to vary, so, noone can really tell. But, if you do get tired, it usually is well into the treatment, probably about 4 or 5 weeks. But, if you get to bed at a decent time and get a good night's rest, you should be fine. It doesn't affect your taste buds unless you are having radiation to your mouth. And, usually rads hit people that had chemo harder, so, you will need to really take care of yourself.
And, DO NOT put anything on your skin without getting the OK from your own radiation oncologist. Always do what your rads doctor says. He will check you weekly to see how your skin is doing. You may burn a little, but, it won't be until towards the end or so of your treatment probably. It is like a bad sunburn. And, it will heal after the rads are done.
Good luck!0 -
Welcome, Cindy
Please be sure to get approval from your radiation oncologist before you use anything at all on your skin. Also, it's important to know when exactly you can apply whatever is OK (i.e., not before each treatment).
Since you've just finished chemo, chances are your energy level will not increase during rads. Rads induced fatigue, which is cumulative, is the most commonly shared by all side effect. However, you will begin to recover from chemo side effects while receiving rads. So, hopefully, you'll soon begin to feel better in many ways - while maybe feeling even more tired. Though, everybody's different.0 -
Welcome Cindy.survivorbc09 said:Hi Cindy. Some people get
Hi Cindy. Some people get tired during rads and some don't. It just seems to vary, so, noone can really tell. But, if you do get tired, it usually is well into the treatment, probably about 4 or 5 weeks. But, if you get to bed at a decent time and get a good night's rest, you should be fine. It doesn't affect your taste buds unless you are having radiation to your mouth. And, usually rads hit people that had chemo harder, so, you will need to really take care of yourself.
And, DO NOT put anything on your skin without getting the OK from your own radiation oncologist. Always do what your rads doctor says. He will check you weekly to see how your skin is doing. You may burn a little, but, it won't be until towards the end or so of your treatment probably. It is like a bad sunburn. And, it will heal after the rads are done.
Good luck!
I agree
Welcome Cindy.
I agree with what survivor says, only use what your rads oncologist tells you to use. They seem to vary on what is alright and what isn't. But, you have to remember too, that the radiation machines vary too. Some use older ones than others. People tend to forget that. Just trust your team of doctors and listen to them.
Most people, unless you just had chemo, like you, do fine with the fatigue. Just get lots of rest.
Good luck!0 -
radiation
Compared to chemotherapy, radiation was a breeze, but that was back when I had non-Hodgkins lymphoma 14 years ago.0 -
Rads are not a breeze forcathlinberreth01 said:radiation
Compared to chemotherapy, radiation was a breeze, but that was back when I had non-Hodgkins lymphoma 14 years ago.
Rads are not a breeze for most, but, maybe compared to chemo, they might seem to be fpr a few.
Just get lots of rest and keep yourself lubed up with the creams that your rads oncologist gives you. And, be sure and ask questions about anything that might concern you. They will keep a close eye on you weekly to check your skin.
The rads oncologis's seem to differ in certain things. Mine even told me to not take vitamins as he didn't want my cells "healthy" and producing or aiding any stray cancer cells, which makes sense.
Kristin0 -
I was very tired during
I was very tired during radiation, i just wanted to sleep alot. You have to go ever day, and sometimes I would be in there 1-2 hours, plus it was an 1 hr drive total. Do not use any cream during radiation except what your radiation therapist gives you. I was told to use aquaphor and the therapist gave me a lotion that she personally wants her patients to use. Also, you need to be careful of soaps. They told me to use Ivory or Dove. Make sure you shower and wipe your breast clean prior to radiation. My energy returned in about a month. i did burn after radiation, and they gave me a prescription cream to use. Is that enough info? i will pray for you0 -
I was very tired during
I was very tired during radiation, i just wanted to sleep alot. You have to go ever day, and sometimes I would be in there 1-2 hours, plus it was an 1 hr drive total. Do not use any cream during radiation except what your radiation therapist gives you. I was told to use aquaphor and the therapist gave me a lotion that she personally wants her patients to use. Also, you need to be careful of soaps. They told me to use Ivory or Dove. Make sure you shower and wipe your breast clean prior to radiation. My energy returned in about a month. i did burn after radiation, and they gave me a prescription cream to use. Is that enough info? i will pray for you0 -
more information
To add to what others said: use the cream/lotion/whatever faithfully and make sure you get all area. Under the breast, in the armpit--if you are not sure, ask the techs. They know where all the radiation is going.
Maureen0 -
aloeEveningStar2 said:more information
To add to what others said: use the cream/lotion/whatever faithfully and make sure you get all area. Under the breast, in the armpit--if you are not sure, ask the techs. They know where all the radiation is going.
Maureen
You said you were going to use your aloe plants ... but ... as others have said ... BE SURE and check with your radiation oncologist before you us ANYTHING. Also ... if you doctor says aloe is OK for you to use ... I think you would be better off goint to the drug store and buying aloe. NOT a lotion or cream W/ith aloe ... but straight aloe. It will probably be in a tube or bottle and will be clear. It goes on a lot easier than directly from the plant. The plant stuff can be pretty sticky.
You might also check with the radiation crew about soap to use. I think most suggest Dove or Ivory ... but I asked about Johnson's foaming baby bath wash ... in a pump bottle and they said it was fine (no dyes, alcohol etc) ... and I loved that. It went on sooooo smooth and rinsed easily.
Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
hugs.
teena0 -
Always check with yourtgf said:aloe
You said you were going to use your aloe plants ... but ... as others have said ... BE SURE and check with your radiation oncologist before you us ANYTHING. Also ... if you doctor says aloe is OK for you to use ... I think you would be better off goint to the drug store and buying aloe. NOT a lotion or cream W/ith aloe ... but straight aloe. It will probably be in a tube or bottle and will be clear. It goes on a lot easier than directly from the plant. The plant stuff can be pretty sticky.
You might also check with the radiation crew about soap to use. I think most suggest Dove or Ivory ... but I asked about Johnson's foaming baby bath wash ... in a pump bottle and they said it was fine (no dyes, alcohol etc) ... and I loved that. It went on sooooo smooth and rinsed easily.
Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
hugs.
teena
Always check with your radiation oncologist b4 you put anything on your skin. Don't just use what someone else might post. Good luck!0 -
dealing with radiation
Cindy,
I didn't have chemo, so can't address the rads-after-chemo question. But I'm now just 4 weeks past 33 rad treatments so can talk about that. I had very little tiredness for awhile (drove myself 700 miles round-trip to a class reunion the weekend after 3 weeks of treatment - but I don't recommend that for anyone else!). I did get especially tired the last 2 weeks of treatment, and the intensity of it continued for the first 2 weeks after I was finished. It's tapered off since then, I'm happy to report! It was weird, I'd be doing stuff around the house and suddenly feel like I hit a brick wall and just had to sit/lie down RIGHT NOW. I agree with the others who said a long night's sleep didn't necessarily leave you feeling rested - but think how tired you'd be if you DIDN't sleep!
Pay attention to what your body's telling you, rest all you can, and use whatever your rad onco tells you. You'll make it!0
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