Preparing for Radiation

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Laura-Vic
Laura-Vic Member Posts: 72
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy
Preparing for Radiation
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  • Laura-Vic
    Laura-Vic Member Posts: 72
    edited February 2008

    When you start radiation is there anything I should be prepared for? I'm thinking about anything I need to consider in terms of clothing? Do you lay "naked" for the radiation or are you able to leave a top on? If so - what kind of top? I hear that the radiation burns your skin - do I need to think differently about the clothes I might wear? I had a bilateral mastectomy and have healed well. Any suggestions about creams or such ... Is getting the tattoo painful? How much fatigue did folks experience, and, was it immediate or did it come later in radiation (I'm supposed to have 6 weeks or 30 treatments) ? Were you able to drive yourself or did you need to have a friend come along?



    I have 2 more chemo treatments pending but I'm the kind of person who likes to "plan" and/or be in as much control as feasible since there is so little about this journey that is ours to control ... ha ! and, my friends would tell you I am a tad OCD ... ha !!



    Any suggestions or learned hints would be appreciated ...



    Laura in Victoria

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  • shrink
    shrink Member Posts: 936
    edited February 2008

    What I do is go to the radiation department, take off everything from the waist up and put on a gown which I remove on the table.  The actual radiation (once the planning is all finished) takes less than 5 minutes. After about 2 weeks, my skin started turning red and itching so I wear soft cotton or silk tops.  My radiation oncologist prescribed Betamethazone and Biafine creams. I've had 20 sessions so far and don't feel really tired except at the end of the afternoon.  Since I'm on disability, I take a nap then.  The tattoos (I have 8) sting a little like a mosquito bite.  Much of the area was numb post surgery so I didn't feel some of them at all. I had no problem driving to the hospital but it's only 1/2 hour away.

    Lots of luck.

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  • jerseymaria
    jerseymaria Member Posts: 770
    edited February 2008

    my experience was that i would change into a gown and slip it down.  the tech would drap it over my other side so i wasn't completely exposed.  my treatment took about 15 minutes because they had 3 areas to radiate.  i did burn and blister close to the last week and the radiologist changed part of my treatment and they gave me a bunch of small tubes of aquaphor (you can buy in drug store but it is expensive)  actually i'm wrong ... they gave me the aquaphor when i started and when i burned and blistered they gave me that cream they use for severe burns.  i did have a lot of fatigue starting mid way but i have several other medical problems and it was a very long walk from door of hospital to the radiology dept. one of the worst things for me was that both arms had to be above my head and after a while my left shoulder just throbbed.  going daily was tiring also but know what, compared to chemo, the radiation was a total breeze.  oh i forgot, i bought several chamosoles to wear...no bra.  you'll be fine and good luck.

    maria

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  • jewelsinalabama
    jewelsinalabama Member Posts: 33
    edited February 2008
    I used aleo vera direct from the plant Laughing  My skin did turn a little pink but luckily for me did not blister.  The changing room had aleovera plants all over the place and as soon as I was finished with my treatment (which once the mold is made and the markings are made) took less than a few seconds...it is the setting up that took a few minutes.  I did not have tatoo's they just marked my chest with markers and redid them every so often.  I could shower just not rub vigorously over my chest wall.   I must confess I started putting aleovera over my chest where I was to be radiated a couple of times a day about one week before I started tx.  They didn't know if it would help, but I figured it couldn't hurt.  I had 33 reg tx and 3 "boosts" at the end, was a little tired in the afternoon and worked the entire time.  Mind you I really didn't have a choice to stay home I'm a single mum with two children.  I did get to stay home during chemo thanks to  wonderful family and friends.  Radiation tx was the "easy" part of this road for me.  Oh yes, I don't know if it matters but I have dark hair and tan easily, rarely sun burned as a child.  My sister is fair and burns just standing on the deck...so that may have something to do with it not being so bad for me.  Good luck and hope all goes well for you
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