Radiation Therapy and work

@Anne65 this is really helpful, great explanation. I will read up on creams now!

@jamavon Oh that is a shame. i didnt realise where you lived but yes, if you live in a high humidity area, then Mepitel isn't suitable. I have read of others on the forum who have tried it & have been effected by using Mepitel in high humidity areas. The film tends to bubble & not stick to the skin thereby not creating that protective shield which you need. if the film bubbles & you dont get it repaired, then the radiation can actually "bounce' between the skin causing a worse reaction than not using it at all. I have heard this from rad therapists on the forum, @AllyJay
So looks like its time to stock up on some good creams & the ladies on here will be able to advise you on what has worked for them best as I didnt have to use any with the Mepitel. Good luck & I'm sure you will be fine. Good on you for asking. love & hugs xx

Looks like I may not be able to use mepitel , something to do with the high humidity in Darwin.

@jamavon - the use of mepitel depends on where the area is to be treated by rads.   My own treatment was near the nipple & altho I never considered myself to be 'big busted' .... I ended up having my treatment 'face down' on the bench - so didn't 'qualify' for mepitel!  If your treatment is on your back - you could well qualify for Metipel - just ask them about it on your first treatment.  You will find out what position you will be in, when they set you up for your treatment, prior to your first session.    I had 4 weeks of treatment, Mon-Fir.

I didn't really have that much fatigue - maybe a tad tired - but I was still able to go away for a week's holiday after my treatment (my 'pat on the head' for getting thru it!) without any hassles at all.

Many people 'think' that Rads will be worse than it actually is. To be honest, I found it to be the easiest of all my treatments.  Some will have burns that need extra attention and some burns may be horrible - so it is essential to make sure you let them know if you are concerned about any of your skin being blistered or burned as soon as you notice it - and keep the lotions up to it 2 or 3 times a day, after the treatment has been given.   Within days of starting your treatment, you will notice that your breast area will start to be 'warm' 24/7 - this is when it is necessary to be even more attentive to the use of lotions & potions!

I found that the staff were incredibly attentive & kind & always remembered who I was throughout my treatment - and were apologetic if the treatment took longer than planned (ie having to wait for treatment.)  Matter of fact - I was back for a checkup with the Rad Onc in Dec - and I dropped in on the Rads Unit (to keep an eye on my hubby whilst I was in with the Rad Onc) and the guy on the desk remembered me easily, over 12 months later!!

They also fitted my treatments in to suit my daily routine - including changing one from the morning to the last on the list when my husband fell & broke a rib & I was called out of the treatment area to help attend to his injury.  They called late in the day, saying, if I could get there in 10 mins, I could still have the treatment & not miss one day.  I was already on the hospital campus (as I was staying at the Rotary Lodge there & my husband had been seen thru Emergency too) so I was able to get that treatment.

Just remember that after your treatment has finished - it is vital to continue with the lotions & potions (I was also recommended to use a 'greasier' ointment called 'BOZ') as the warmth will continue for some weeks, even a month or more.  It will be very important not to expose any of the area to sunlight too, as this could exacerbate any burns - even more important this time of year -  & the need to wear sun proof gear.

Take care, don't overthink it - in hindsight, I hope that you'll find that it wasn't as bad as you 'thought' it would be.

All the best xx

Jamavon, no I wasn’t offered the mepiten. I had burn creams to put on after but it was fairly bloody horrific and I did develop an infection as well. Best of luck xoxox

@Joinmelb did you look into Mepiten or not offered? Thinking of texting the breast care nurse on Monday about this option.

@Pinkcloverss I thought about this...leaving after lunch. Will talk to my Principal about this option. I have 30 min drive from school. Thanks for the feedback.

I’m also a teacher and luckily had taken the rest of the year off unpaid whilst recovering. My radiation was done over 36 or 38 sessions but I wanted to be done by Xmas so they allowed me to have 2 doses some weeks on the same day to allow for this. This was back in 2016. There is no way I could have worked through radiation- I sailed through chemo pretty much with minimal side effects but radiation was a whole different ball game. Like a previous poster said, I didn’t look sick and I should have asked for more help. I was absolutely beyond tired and didn’t get a lot of help from my now ex-husband. My burns were horrific and I remember standing with cotton pillowcases wedged under my arm to catch the fluid weeping from the burns. I’m not telling you this to scare you but I went in blindly thinking it’d be a piece of cake! It so wasn’t and I wish I had of spoken up more and asked for more help! So ask for the help, be prepared for lots of naps and ask lots of questions. Best of luck! Xoxox 

Hey @jamavon I am also a primary school teacher and went thru the whole chemo and radiation rollercoaster. During radiation I timed the treatments from 230pm onwards so I could work 0.75 of the day and take 0.25 as leave. Didnt have any major fatigue but this can vary for each person. Later appointments meant I also didnt have to battle peak hour hospital visiting hrs which was sometimes difficult to get parking.

Temple so sorry to hear of your appalling experience which must have been a severe shock given that your parents act and speak with compassion and care. I'm suggesting that you forget about pretending not to be angry - anger is about strong feelings for not getting what you want and for you it was lack of compassion and not being 'seen' as someone dealing with some serious health issues and treatment. Your expectations were not too high! My treatment is ongoing and I have learned to put myself first and not tolerate being treated with anything but care and compassion. I have learned to ask a nurse or front desk etc. if they are having a bad day as I find their distant or abrupt manner distressing. I very politely say, "I must tell you how this is for me, I am dealing with a very serious health matter and your manner is very distressing!' I don't care about their response but later 'reward' myself with a coffee - I refuse to be a number or procedure. Fortunately the appalling behaviour I have mentioned has been rare but years ago I wrote to the state Minister for Health to report what I considered de-humanising behaviour at the hospital - I received a reply and although I knew nothing would be done my anger dissolved. I hope your soreness eases soon. Take your time recovering from your experience, it cannot be rushed. Best wishes.