swimming after radiation

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Speed
Speed Member Posts: 4
edited April 2016 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I want to start swimming. is it a good idea? I am worried about my skin after radiation. I finished 2 months ago and had serious burns that are all healed now

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited April 2016

    Will you be seeing your RO anytime soon? I didn't have serious burns, but even then, my RO was slow to give me the green light for swimming. As long as nothing was peeling or still red, he said I was good to go. The chemicals in pools can dry out fragile-post rads skin, and there's always the danger of infection if the skin is peeling or there are any scabs. I love swimming too!

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  • Speed
    Speed Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2016

    I don't see RO any time soon. He did tell me not to swim. But I feel my skin has healed. I am just worried still. And was wondering what could happen. I still have the expanders and will have exchange surgery not before 4 more months. Did anybody have problems because of swimming after radiation?

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  • Skittlegirl
    Skittlegirl Member Posts: 428
    edited April 2016

    Today was treatment 26 of 33. I went in a pool over the weekend. The techs told me to shower immediately afterwards and put the aloe vera gel on once I was out of the shower. Since I don't have any open wounds, they said it should be okay if I decided to go in. So not really giving me the green light to do it, but giving me tips on what to do. Also told me to avoid the hot tub.

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  • octogirl
    octogirl Member Posts: 2,804
    edited April 2016

    I was given green light to swim as soon as my skin healed (I had fairly bad burns and peeling as well) about a month after rads was over. Both MO and RO gave me the green light. The concern before that was infection (and chances of infection are worse in hot tubs than pools)...However, could it be the expanders that are the concern (not the rads?)?

    I am swimming regularly now and loving it! No problems.

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited April 2016

    Yes, I wonder about the expanders (which I didn't get because I had a lumpectomy). I think I was back in the pool six weeks after rads. But, I never had peeling skin, and I was just waiting until my boob was no longer red. I also invested in some swim shirts with the sunscreen built in. RO said that I had to make sure that my boob was protected against the sun, especially when swimming outside.

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  • tgtg
    tgtg Member Posts: 266
    edited April 2016

    Hi, Speed--When I finished rads at the beginning of May (2013), I asked my RO about swimming and hot-tubbing on vacation in July. She was more concerned about the hot tub than about the pool, until I told her that the hot tub is for us only in our time-share, that we can lower the temperature below the usual public-tub 104, and that the tub water is checked and maintained daily. Since both the daily maintenance and the private tub lowered infection risk and the risk of additional heat trauma to an already sensitive area, she approved of both. BUT she gave me two instructions--(1) before using either, apply a moisturizer,not just to my right breast but to the whole rads exposure area (clavicle to diaphragm, sternum to side), and (2) shower afterwards. And of course, she also insisted on sunscreen. All was fine--no problems afterwards.

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  • Speed
    Speed Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2016

    Thanks to all of your comments and suggestions.

    I will try to get an appointment next week with RO to get the green light from him just in case.

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  • live_deliciously
    live_deliciously Member Posts: 346
    edited April 2016

    i swam all during rads. I used gold bond and just kept a barrier on the radiated area. Didn't have any issues and the Dr said he was fine with swimming

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