Radiation Dress Code

Certainly not standard where i live! Ok, you need the top uncovered - but bottom half, No-no-no-no!

The norm is just the top.

The only reason I can think of for complete disrobing is that they want one rule for all patients, but frankly that is totally insensitive and just plain silly.  With breast cancer and negative nodes there is no reason for this.  When doing a clinical breast exam the rad onc may check the liver, but that requires only a little pushing down of the trousers and underpants not complete disrobing. 

Ask to talk to the rad onc or chief tech, but hold your ground on this.

I agree with the gals. I did radiation this summer. My cancer center offered snuggly robes that opened for, well, easy access, but there was never a question about keeping on my pants/shorts/etc.

Let's face it: YOU are the one doing the hard work. You have the right to keep on your pants, and there really can't be any medical protocol mandating you to go without!

I'm being treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. I have to remove the top only.

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I too had to remove everything (except underpants) and I never understood why.  Initially I didn't give it much thought but as treatment continued I wondered why.  That said, I never asked why.

Top only for me too!

Like everyone else here, I shed my top but not my bottoms. . . I suppose it might be dependant on the angle that they need for radiation--that what your Rad Tech said might make sense but still.  If you are okay with it, then just keep going but if it is going to stress you or make you not want to go to Zaps then I would persue it.  By the way, are you at a big cancer center or a smaller place?

good luck!

I had to wear the robe with only underpants on. Never even thought to ask why.

Only top off here.  I got tats with bottoms on too.

I only had to remove the top.  They had gowns that opened in the back which I really hated at the beginning.  Sometimes I had a cardigan that I wore over the gown or I just wore it opened in the front because that's they way I felt more comfortable.

Maybe you could wear some pj bottoms or hosp scrub bottoms.  They make bottoms for those gowns - I wore some when I had my MRI. Definitely discuss if you feel uncomfortable

Only top off here.  I would REALLY question the need for bottoms off.

Hi - just saw this posting and know you've already started.  I live in Iowa and had my radiation 2 yrs. ago, through a facility associated with a university.  I only had to take my top off.  I did not have tatoos though that is what I wanted rather than the marks they made with a Sharpie.  I hated those marks but know that at least I was able to remove them at the end.  The radiation center had gown tops and robes you put on over the top.  This center was not just for breast cancer patients.  I hated sitting in the waiting area, that also had male patients, with the robe on.  I had a fit one day and started crying.  I said I did NOT want to wear their stupid robe.  I said I would rather wear a sweat shirt and no bra and just quickly pull it off when I went back for treatment.  That was just as fast as wearing their gown and robe, to get the clothing off.  I would have really thrown a fit if they would have said I had to take my pants off too!  The day I got so upset the techs reported it to the oncology nurse.  I had to go talk to her in an exam room.  She gave me the third degree about why I had a problem with their robes.  I said that it is a visual thing that says "I'm a cancer patient".  I asked if she could give me a valid medical reason why I couldn't just pull a sweat shirt off in 2 seconds when I went into the treatment room as that was not causing a time delay for their staff.  Guess what, she couldn't come up with one and I finished the treatments even though I was about to quit that day.  We loose so much control with cancer treatment and this allowed me a way to manage the emotional toll it was taking on me.  I was sick of all their little rules by the time I finished.  As another friend who had BC related, "I am a person with a disease. I am not a cow being run through a shoot and I'm tried of being treated like that!"  There are lots of clothing options that would not pull your skin like the PJ pants mentioned previously. 

If your RadTech insists that you remove more than just your top, he probably as a hidden camera in the dressing room a a patient porn collection at home.

i had separate waiting rooms for men and women, tops off bottoms on! with a front opening gown to wear during the rad