Side effects

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Hi all finished my Radiotherapy sessions yesterday, after 26 session, I was a bit emotional mainly because it feels like groundhog day everyday and 1 more milestone that has passed, I still have a long way to go with appointments at the lymphedema clinic and Physio, there was a bit of a dampener to the end day as my skin broke down and blistered, the hospital gave me some cream and told me to take care with it, the difficulty is its in my armpit and due to the operation I had I cannot expose the full armpit as its all been taken away, instead of having a gentle curve I have a very sharp right angle that I can't get into wash, shave, the hospital gave me gauze which they told me to wet and just put it there for a few mins to help keep it clean, then this kind on pink spongy stuff that I can apply the cream to and place there, has anyone had any experience with this blistering? What did you find helped, its very sore and I'm sat here at the moment not daring to take the pink sponge out my armpit incase it takes all the skin with it. 

  • Hi

    I had blistering under my breast and I found the best thing that worked for me was to leave the air to get to it as much as possible. 

    Washing wise (following MRSA in an old leg injury) my plastic surgeon recommended Badedas shower gel because of the horse chestnut having healing properties.  I'd had MRSA for 2 years, I.V. and 3rd line antibiotics and it wasn't until I started using the Badedas shower gel my leg healed - I had breast cancer in the middle of all this - oh joy!

    Can you stand in the shower and try a sea sponge soaked with shower gel, then allow the shower water to run over the area which is difficult to reach?  I lost my right elbow in the same road accident that caused my leg injury, so I also have a long handled brush for washing in the shower. Clearly whilst it's not healed, don't do that but might be a consideration for the future.

    Hope you heal as quickly as possible as it's surprising how painful it is isn't it?  

    Kindest wishes,

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  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to lesleyhelen

    Thanks for the reply, gosh you have been through the wars, and yes very surprisingly painful and was told yesterday that it will get worse before it gets better, I am trying to air it but with great difficulty as I can't lift my arm a deal and the op has taken my armpit further into my body if that makes sense I can't actually to got where some of the blisters are at the moment I am wetting gauze and place it as far in as I can leaving it for a few mins taking it out and repeating I will have a look to see if I can find some of that shower gel, thanks again.

    Regards Heather x

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to lesleyhelen

    Thanks lesleyhelen for the reply, gosh you have been through the wars, and yes very surprisingly painful and was told yesterday that it will get worse before it gets better, I am trying to air it but with great difficulty as I can't lift my arm a deal and the op has taken my armpit further into my body if that makes sense I can't actually get to where some of the blisters are at the moment I am wetting gauze and place it as far in as I can leaving it for a few mins taking it out and repeating I will have a look to see if I can find some of that shower gel, thanks again.

    Regards Heather x

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    P. S I've just looked up the Badedas shower gel it contains Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and I've been told to stay away from anything that contains that as it reacts with radiotherapy treatment, they told me  Shrug not to use anything containing it for at least 4/6 weeks after treatment had ended. 

  • Hi / Heather

    Ah yes, that is important!  I had had breast cancer, op, radiotherapy etc and was still ongoing with my leg issues, so it was at least 6 months after radio before my plastic surgeon recommended it for healing of my leg, so I never had to query the contents. 

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