Post Radiation Recovery

I am 16 days post radiation and have worked all during treatment just taking time off each day to attend treatment and have returned normally to work. My skin is still breaking down today but I was told it can go on for up to a month.  I also started tamoxifen 2 days ago.

Good luck

Once you 'finish' your rads, @Aska - the 'cooking' actually continues for a while, so further redness/breakdown may occur - so it really depends on whether your skin breaks down (ie possibly open lesions) and how comfortable you are in returning to work. 

I was lucky & really only had redness/rash  .... Some members have continued working throughout their Rads without issue ... but not everyone is affected in the same way.   Just keep your lotions & potions up to your skin and let the Rads Nurses (and your Rad Onc when you see them) if you notice any serious burning/breakdown.

take care & all the best xx

Hi @Aska

Hi @Aska, it’s the gift that keeps on giving! I was tired and extra burnt for a further 2weeks and then I started improving.

Thank you for providing your advice.  It's a bit of a roller coaster.....

I start my radiation treatment next Wednesday...I am scared about the skin damage, even though I know it's the lesser of two evils here. How long before it kicked in and any advice besides applying the creams from the start? Thanks.

Welcome @Perth_girl77 .... feel free to put your story so far on the 'new diagnosis' category - then it almost becomes a bit of a diary for you too ;) 
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/categories/newly-diagnosed

Yes, you start with the lotions (MooGoo is very good) from the first day, but only AFTER your treatment, never before.   

I only had a little bit of skin breakdown in the last week of Rads - and even then, not badly. At the end of my Rads & the Booster Rads, the hospital pharmacist suggested me using a Baby Rash Cream that was called BOZ ..... it is very thick tho .... and recommend using those Blue Kitchen 'paper cloths' between me & my clothes.

Make sure you tell the Nurses if you notice any extreme redness during the treatments and particularly if your skin actually breaks or blisters - My Rad Onc checked up with me as well, at least once during the 4 weeks of treatment.

If your skin gets red early on, ask about the use of Mepitel Film - it is a bit like Cling Wrap that is put onto your skin, to help protect it. xx

take care & all the best for your ongoing treatment xx

Thanks @arpie - I just posted in there too :smile:
 
The nurses have given me some cream options and I have already stocked up so will be on it from day one, post treatment...really wish I didn't have to do any of this, but pushing through...

Hi @Perth_girl77
I had a mastectomy and then radiotherapy ( due to the size of my tumour).
I had 28 sessions and even though the clinic where I wen had Mepitel ( the gold standard to prevent skin reactions) I couldn’t use it as following stage one of my reconstruction had a weird skin fold. I used strata xrt cream which I had to send away to the USA for and it was quite expensive but it did the trick and my skin held out .
I also got quite fatigued in the last week and for a couple of weeks after .
All the best 🌺

Thanks @Julez1958 I have also ordered the strata xrt cream but am not sure when it will arrive. I’ve also been told the QV range is good to use so have that too. Thanks for your reply and I hope all is going well for you 🩷