Forum Discussion
Did Mepitel film let anyone else down?
I finished my 25 radiotherapy treatments a week ago (following on from mastectomy and chemo). My radiation oncologist offers Mepatil film, and given the results of the NZ study, I was prepared to put up with the inconvenience of living with it through a Queensland summer for the minimised skin trauma.
Sadly though, it doesn't seem to have worked for me. I have a big area (about 25x20cm) in the middle of my chest that is angry red, blistered, oozing, bleeding and incredibly uncomfortable. This area was under Mepatil the whole time, until the skin began to break down at the end.
I'm really disappointed and frankly a bit depressed. I knew it would take a little while to recover, but no one prepared me for this amount of unpleasantness. It's emotionally draining. I still have to go to hospital daily for dressings (I thought I was done with that place for a little while!), I can't sleep, and I can't really get out and about (too sore and sticky).
After expecting a good result from the Mepitel, I feel like a bit of a freak.
Is anyone else a Mepatil dunce?
Sadly though, it doesn't seem to have worked for me. I have a big area (about 25x20cm) in the middle of my chest that is angry red, blistered, oozing, bleeding and incredibly uncomfortable. This area was under Mepatil the whole time, until the skin began to break down at the end.
I'm really disappointed and frankly a bit depressed. I knew it would take a little while to recover, but no one prepared me for this amount of unpleasantness. It's emotionally draining. I still have to go to hospital daily for dressings (I thought I was done with that place for a little while!), I can't sleep, and I can't really get out and about (too sore and sticky).
After expecting a good result from the Mepitel, I feel like a bit of a freak.
Is anyone else a Mepatil dunce?
26 Replies
- I am in Queensland and had Mepitel with a mixed result - did not need dressings but certainly got a skin deficit. Did not know about StartaXRT - if I had I would have probably gone that way. I hated not being able to shower properly.
I also felt very tired after radiation - on par with the end of my chemo - but everyone is different. - That's really interesting, @PatsyN. It sounds like that would have been a better solution for me too. The mepitel sure didn't agree with me.
In good news, I had my dressings removed for good today, nearly 3 weeks post treatment, and had my first proper shower since before I started back in February. I got to wash my new hair for the first time. Amazing! - @Captaingrumpypants I said no to Mepital as I'd seen it on a friend and didn't like the idea of suffocating my skin. I used StartaXRT, a gel made especially for radiation burns. I had 25 'boosted' sessions and finished only 2 days ago. I will continue to use the gel for the next 2 to 3 months. It forms a skin over your own skin and is waterproof so you can shower without any problems. I put it on twice a day and cannot believe that it's not widely used. Sooo much better than Mepital.
- Hello captaingrumpypants, I'm so sorry you are going through this. I had trouble at times with film peeling however it was always repaired prior to treatment. I do hope you recover quickly, you have been through enough.
- Thank you so much @Jane_Elizabeth, I really needed that little bit of good news! So far it just keeps getting worse and it's hard not to worry. Patience is hard, but it's easier when I hear things that remind me it will pay off. You're a gem!
- The one good thing is how quickly the skin repairs after the cumulative effects of rad wanes. I did not use the film, ended up with sloughing, weeping burns, and using Flamazine, but after 2 weeks it was amazing how quickly it healed. Hoping this will be the same for you, too. Hang in there.
- The skin reaction does get worse for about 2 wks after you finish and should start to improve about 6 wks after. If you are seeing the nurse tomorrow and Friday for dressings and cream then Mon is fine for the Onc. Unfortunately some women have bad reactions and need a break during treatment or we switch from the whole breast to the boost and then back to give it a break etc, everybody’s skin is different and there is no way to predict it. I wish there was! Keep us updated x
- Thanks very much for your insights @JoeyLiz. That's very interesting. I often got my mepitel fixed up after treatment, rather than before, just depending on how busy the different areas were on the day. So I reckon there were plenty of times when there were unstuck patches (not bubbles exactly, but air spaces under the film) when I got treatment. Particularly the centre of my chest where I got a bit sweaty, and where the movement of my remaining breast scrunched the film. Maybe I'm the victim of the greenhouse effect!
I am quite worried about the situation. The wounds are still getting worse, 9 days after the end of my treatment, and are looking seriously gross (to my untrained eye). I'm due to see my oncologist on Monday. Do you think I should try and see someone sooner? - If there were any air bubbles in the film they should ideally be removed prior to treatment. If we notice any bubbles we try and get them to the nurses before we treat (this is not always possible so 1 treatment with an air bubble is acceptable but then straight to nurses after treatment to get fixed before the next day). Unfortunately air bubbles in fact make the reaction worse as the radiation kinda bounces around trapped in it. The heat and sweat probably did not help unfortunately. I’m so sorry you have suffered this awful reaction. The radiation therapists and nurses should have recognised your reaction sooner and removed the film and started you in the appropriate creams. Please bring it up with your oncologist so hopefully it is brought to the attention of staff, at our department all extreme reactions are also photographed for documentation and plans are reviewed by physics to ensure nothing more to it.
- Thanks @Anne65 I'm glad it worked well for you. Your result, or maybe a sunburn, was what I was expecting to end up with. I certainly wasn't warned about this eventuality.
I wonder about the sweat thing too. It certainly bubbled off frequently in places. Like you, I was a regular fixture at the nurses station getting patched up, but maybe there was just still too much time when it wasn't properly covered? If I'd known that would have such an effect, I'd have opted out on Mepitel, so I could at least use some of the other topical treatments available.
I'm now getting the dressings replaced daily, and Flamazine cream, so I'm really hoping things improve fast. I haven't had a proper shower since February!
The nurse that I've been seeing concedes that this isn't normal, and she's unsure why it turned out this way. My oncologist is on holidays (of course!) but I'll be asking a lot of questions when I see her on Monday...
