How quickly did you get radiation burns?

Tushygirl
Tushygirl Member Posts: 28 Member
in Anal Cancer #1

I started radiation last Wednesday so have had three treatments.  Today the radiation burns are bad enough that I have second thoughts anytime I have to touch the area.  The area looks like raw meat and it looks like very rare  meat.  From everything I have read, this sounds w-a-y early.  if it is this bad in just a couple of days, i keep wondering what it will be like near the end. What was your experience?

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    Dustyone

    I'm glad you've found this site.  Sorry to hear you are already experiencing radiation burns.  The first question I would ask is if you had anything on your skin at the time of treatment?  Some lotions, creams, salves, etc., can intensify the burning.  It does seem quite early to begin having this though and you need to bring this up with your radiation oncologist for sure.  Have him/her look at your skin.  I don't recall exactly when I began having the burning, but it certainly wasn't as early as this.  You need to see your doctor.

    Martha

  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    #3
    Burning

    i had the burning at 3 weeks.   I have very delicate skin.

  • AmyD1310
    AmyD1310 Member Posts: 59
    edited March 2017 #4
    Week 4

    Hi there,

    I just wanted to chime in that I agree 3 days seems early for the burns to be so bad. I don't think I really started feeling the burns until end of week 3/beginning of week 4 (15-17 radiation sessions). Martha has a good point about the lotions/creams. Definitely mention it to your doctor asap! Best of luck and hang in there!

     

    -Amy

  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 493 Member
    edited March 2017 #5
    Week 4 For Me Also

    I did not have severe burns but week 4 is when the cumulative effect of the radiation took effect.

    Mike

  • Mollymaude
    Mollymaude Member Posts: 431 Member
    edited March 2017 #6
    Seems early

    I agree with other posters it is really early for your skin to be burned, I think it was around week 4 for me too, I remember hoping/thinking maybe I would escape without burns after I got thru 2-3 weeks without them. I would want radiation oncologist to look at me before next treatment, mine always seemed to be around for a quick consult if needed. Cream is the only thing I can think of that would accelerate burns. Sorry you are having trouble so soon.

  • Tushygirl
    Tushygirl Member Posts: 28 Member
    edited March 2017 #7
    Met with my dr

    no, I didn't have any lotions or anything since I had read all of your warning.  I did met with my radiology Oncologist today and he did look at it.  He wasn't worried about it yet.  I guess I have three different radiation treatment plans that will move the damage around.  i have a condition that causes my skin to be thin in part of the area that is in this plan area so we discussed that and I will increase that ointment from the maintenance dose I have been using.  i was only using once a week on Friday evening. 

    The other bummer thing from the meeting was he thinks I have throats problems from the chemo so not only do I get to swish with miracle mouth wash but get to swallow it too.  All I kept thinking while he told me this is how bad it tastes.  Yuck.

    i also no longer fart.  I now have dragons breath.  all I can picture every time gas needs to escape is red and yellow flames coming out of my butt.

  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    #8
    Flames

    LOLOL!!!OMG!!!

  • Wisteria83
    Wisteria83 Member Posts: 160
    #9
    Dustyone said:

    Met with my dr

    no, I didn't have any lotions or anything since I had read all of your warning.  I did met with my radiology Oncologist today and he did look at it.  He wasn't worried about it yet.  I guess I have three different radiation treatment plans that will move the damage around.  i have a condition that causes my skin to be thin in part of the area that is in this plan area so we discussed that and I will increase that ointment from the maintenance dose I have been using.  i was only using once a week on Friday evening. 

    The other bummer thing from the meeting was he thinks I have throats problems from the chemo so not only do I get to swish with miracle mouth wash but get to swallow it too.  All I kept thinking while he told me this is how bad it tastes.  Yuck.

    i also no longer fart.  I now have dragons breath.  all I can picture every time gas needs to escape is red and yellow flames coming out of my butt.

    Flames

    LOL!!  Thanks!  I needed to laugh.  Sorry you are having trouble so early...glad that you can keep your sense of humor!

  • sephie
    sephie Member Posts: 650 Member
    #10
    i was early

    i had burns the first week....radiation team said that it was early.....sooooo some of us are just lucky.....i did make it thru the entire treatment tho.,...so keep going..... i absolutely washed off every cream ointment etc before i had tx....was hard to do but i did it......good luck  ....also ,,, i was treated at MD Anderson sooooo i think they did it right.... i will be 7 years post in july....

  • Tushygirl
    Tushygirl Member Posts: 28 Member
    #11
    sephie said:

    i was early

    i had burns the first week....radiation team said that it was early.....sooooo some of us are just lucky.....i did make it thru the entire treatment tho.,...so keep going..... i absolutely washed off every cream ointment etc before i had tx....was hard to do but i did it......good luck  ....also ,,, i was treated at MD Anderson sooooo i think they did it right.... i will be 7 years post in july....

    Hugh sigh of relief

    thank you for sharing.  You can't imagine how reassuring your post was for me. I have been so worried if I can make it through.   This week has been easier for since I took a tip from this forum on the Walgreens burn spray.

  • CJ_3
    CJ_3 Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2017 #12
    Early burns

    You should be finished with radiation AND chemo by now (I just joined).  I don't know anyone--nor myself, who got burns after only three treatments.  For me, weeks 4-6 were painful, purple, crying, etc.  How are you doing? Was the treatment adjusted so you could tolerate it??  I hope so. 

    Blessings to you.

  • Kmessier
    Kmessier Member Posts: 79
    edited April 2017 #13
    Early burns

    I was burned by week 3 and badly too I'm really fair skinned and my radiation onc said that was why I was burning so I think the burns depend on skin type as well as the radiation. I'm really glad you talked to your radiation onc.  Have they prescribed you Radiagel? It's a prescription but it's the only thing that can remain on your skin during radiation treatments well that's what my radiation onc dr told me and prescribed me. I was really burned like you described and still am I've gotten 3 metastasis that I'm having to take more chemo/radiation for I feel like it will never end and my prayers are with you that yours will end. 

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #14
    Kmessier said:

    Early burns

    I was burned by week 3 and badly too I'm really fair skinned and my radiation onc said that was why I was burning so I think the burns depend on skin type as well as the radiation. I'm really glad you talked to your radiation onc.  Have they prescribed you Radiagel? It's a prescription but it's the only thing that can remain on your skin during radiation treatments well that's what my radiation onc dr told me and prescribed me. I was really burned like you described and still am I've gotten 3 metastasis that I'm having to take more chemo/radiation for I feel like it will never end and my prayers are with you that yours will end. 

    Kmessier

    Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

  • Kmessier
    Kmessier Member Posts: 79
    edited April 2017 #15
    Thanks

    Thanks very much f your thoughts and prayers I'm sorry I haven't updated I'll try to this weekend ive just been feeling cruddy so I've not done much or even read much.But thank you very much.

  • rlr000dc
    rlr000dc Member Posts: 51
    #16
    nausea

    the same for me about the burning was 3 weeks! but throat problem was alleviated with a nausea pill I would recommend getting dialanton  for thrush they can give this in pill form take before getting chemo!

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