Radiotherapy creams

Good luck with your radiation. It does leave you a bit tired after a while. When your friends ask if there is aanything they can do, suggest a meal roster. My work colleagues did this for me. It was the best ever. I only work 3 days/week so they organised the same for me. On the long days of working then rads, I knew I had a meal all ready to heat up and eat.

18 F so you can imagine...

No underwired and front fastening. Ok the boobs won't quite hit your knee caps but you will get some supportThere is a positive to having a few front fastening bras. If you suddenly find your shoulder is buggered ( a medical term for shoulder incapacity) and you end up with surgery prohibiting the use of that arm for at least 6 weeks, doing a bra up and then undong it is an impossibility, especially if you live on your own, then the front fasteners come in very useful....

I  have just been reading the blogs about skin care and radiation

Dove soap but the extremely sensitive/gentle (light green packaging) Moo Goo udder  cream before radiaton starts and then several times/day during therapy but not 2 hours before radiation. If/when your skin breaks down - big boobs, go see the nurses for some dressings. The ones I had were almost foam like with a silicon base next to the skin so it didn't stick. the nurses dressed the reddened skin with a cream for burns (flamigel)until the skin broke then they changed it to another lotion

I found that front fastening bras and genie bras helped. I needed to have a dressing in place but I also found wearing a silk camisole next to the skin/over the dressing and under the bra helped. When I got home I just sat in front of the fan holding my boob up to get the air to it. Not a good look, but I didn;t care

Once the raditation changed from wide to narrow beam I was able to put sudacream (zinc znd castor) on the broken skin. It healed up really quickly

I am on my fourth day of radiotherapy and using sorbolene I have no idea  why but I guess it will help my breast  as I had a lumpectomy and  lympth nodes removed  I wish all  woman   all the best  x

I went to David Jones today to see a lady someone had recommended, but she was away and the 2 sales persons looked a bit aghast at the thought of fitting me. Their loss! haha

I'll go next week.

Love

Maryx

Hi Mary

I definitely found the bras that clip up in the front the best after surgery and for quite a while afterwards. I still only wear soft bras but can manage to do them up and swing them around now.

I have tried ahhh bras and crop tops which I wear around the house but I did have trouble getting them on in the beginning. Also I found out that when I was still swollen from surgery or for me blown up like a balloon from the steroids that bras did cut me under my bust a bit for a while. That is all good now.

Bras that do up in the front saved me and I did have to go for bigger sizes and still wear bit bigger. My last bra was a sports bra which I had fitted at Myers. My first bra after surgery my daughter took me to a lil underwear shop in Subi on my way home from my surgery where they fitted the clip up style. Thank goodness she did.

I am wishing you well and can relate how important a good bra is for you so good luck.

Lots of love, Mich xoxo

Hi

I have just read your suggestions. I have just had a local wide excision and the promise of radiotherapy and would welcome any suggestions

The Breast cancer nurse visited me in hospital today before I went home and ordered me the Berlei cotton front and back fasteners without underwiring. She has ordered me a 20 DD. I am an 18/20 F or G depending on style or make. Going without a bra is just not an option

Are the 'Aaabras' any good?

Any other thoughts?
I am off to David Jones tomorrow to see what they actually have in stock

Thanks

Mary

Definately go and buy some of the crop tops or the bonds singlets with the bra support, you won't be able to wear your good old support bra for a while.

I used the cotton crop bras from Target and some Bonds singlet bras...I was a 16D on one side and a little reconstruction happening on the other, but it worked ok...no tight tops for a while that's all.

Hey Ann congrats on finishing your chemo yahoooooooy.  Good feeling isn't it.

A booster is where they hone in on the area where the tumor was and concentrate on that rather than a bigger area.  Out of my 35 zaps the last 7 are booster zaps so I have five of them to go now.  But whose counting.

Mich xoxo

Thanks for that info Mich, May I ask what a "Booster" is? I am starting Rads mid Sept and they mentioned Booster for me as well. As far as the chemo goes the last one really knocked me; but at least there are no more to come. Ann

Hey Ann

For me I am staying in a room by myself (most of the time)down here in Perth so it is a bit easier for me with privacy.  But a few minutes a few times a day would  be fine or just when you get a chance to have some privacy.

I originally started doing it when I put the cream on, I would lay down with treated area arm up over my head resting on the pillow.  That allowed the cream to dry, not get on your clothes and to allow some air to the area.  I feel that when we get hot and sweaty and the creases get wet and sticky it gives more chance for blisters etc. to form. 

It is like everything I guess in that what works for one might not work for another.  I have only 5 booster zaps to go and I am feeling good still about my radiotherapy (touch wood).  Whether what I am doing works, whether it is my skin type, cream type, good radiotherapists, the fact I still have a breast to protect the area so more padding for the rays to get through and not direct on the chest wall.  There is a lot of things to take in to account I think. 

When are you starting your radiotherapy Ann?  I hope you are doing okay with the chemo and not too many side effects.

I am looking forward to getting back home at end of next week.  yipppeeeee

LOL, take care, Mich xoxoxo