Peter Mac Radiotherapy Experience

The techs guide you through the breathing.  If you cant hold it for long enough you can have a break and they start again.   I found it helpful when a tech would say to me 10 seconds to go, not long now, keep going.  So I would ask other techs to talk me through.   As I was holding my breath my brain would go into over drive and I would be stressed so I found them talking me through was helpful.   Towards the end I did I find it exhausting but I had other complications going on so it just made it that much harder.  But its all doable.    When they told me how many sessions I would have to have.  In my brain I did a count down and this kept me going.      Wishing you all the best with your treatment.   Just think what you have already gone through.   You've got this.   

@Katie46 If you were closer I could loan you my French Bulldog. She has us holding our breath all the time  :p

Thanks @FLClover they did mention there was less risk to my heart as the treatment was on the right side, but also said the risk to my heart and lungs was small. I'm not overly concerned, I will start practising holding my breath 🙂

Hi again @Katie46, I’ve just read on another thread that they do require you to hold it for the right side too. However, as I said, they do practice runs with you and it’s not hard. If you have problems with it during the treatment, the machine automatically stops if it’s not held right. The technicians will guide you through it and help you. For me it was a breeze and nowhere near as scary as I thought it would be. Now I’m just hoping the long term effects are not too damaging and that my heart and lungs were protected.  

Hi @Katie46, if it’s your right side you might not need to hold your breath. I think that’s for the left side to protect the heart. I could be wrong though and they might require you to hold it for other reasons maybe? It’s not hard, and the whole thing takes about 10 mins each day. 

Thank you @staton 🙂 that's good to know, I can start practising. 

Hi @Katie46, Ive only had my planning session so far but I believe treatment is the same just a different machine. You lie on your back with arms raised above your head on the table then they ask you to take a deep breath and hold it for 20 seconds. I practised at home so it wasnt hard. They have a guide on a screen in front of you to show you how to hold it within the levels. I found it easy. 

I'll be starting radiation therapy in June, I'm having the tattoo version. What exactly happens when they are giving you the treatment, do you have to hold your breath for long? I didn't ask that question at my initial meeting, and I can't remember if they mentioned it. I'll be getting radiation on my right breast, under arm, lymph nodes inside right breast/chest area and clavicle area as the lump was inside right breast. I had 1 lymph node involved,  the rest taken were clear, so they decided against more surgery in favour of more extensive radiation therapy. I'm not overly concerned about the procedure, but interested to know what happens.

Hi @Locksley, I had my planning CT at Peter Mac on Tuesday, I did the breath hold during that CT. I was really nervous as I am about treatment. I had a bad experience with my surgery and its made me very nervous about anything medical. I was offered the 5 day partial breast treatment which I chose. The machine they are using is surface guided which means no tattoos, but either way I wasnt fussed about the tattoos. Now Im waiting to be scheduled for treatment, did you wait a long time for the treatment after the planning had been done?

@staton hello I had radiation at Peter Macin Melbourne.  I had 2 small dots tattooed I definitely have freckles bigger than the dots.  My radiation was left sided.