End of treatment - relief from nerve end burning/itching?

Hi WhalerGirl,

I’m really sorry you seem to be going through it right now! You’re at the business end of the treatment now & things can get pretty uncomfortable as you’re well aware. The 11 days post treatment were the worst for me & I had to make do with paracetamol & ibuprofen for pain relief as any of the opiate based painkillers just caused me chronic constipation! I found I was at my most comfortable in a salt bath, I used Epsom salt or Dead Sea salts, I would spend hours in the bath. Please make your treating team aware that the pain relief you’ve been prescribed isn’t cutting it, they may be able to offer you something else or just mix it up a bit. 

Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

Nicola

Thanks Nikki, have ordered a cool perineal pad to help with the burning for a bit, I've been using regular table salt thus far as anything else makes me burn like you wouldn't believe (same reason the lidocaine cream hasn't been applicable here either as it hurts more than helps. I think I might have to get used to the idea of sitting in the bath with a podcast for a few hours.

Hi WhalerGirl,

I also used StrataXRT during my treatment and they said my skin coped really well. But around your time the skin was suffering more internally including the vagina. I couldn’t use any of the creams with silver or honey content. At night I did have a little relief from a product called polymem. They come in squares and you can cut to size then slightly dampen them and place on your sore bits. They use these for burn victims. I got my GP to prescribe it. You are reaching up to a challenging time but also you soon will not have the daily commute to the hospital which give you time to just try and relax and find what helps you. I started to feel better around the fifth week after my treatment stopped but I know many on here turned the corner much sooner. Take care. Julie

Hi Whalergirl , I also used StrataXRT and found it Very good.I had no problems with my skin on the areas I used it on.,and continued using it for a month after treatment had finished.I am now 2 months post Radiotherapy ,and I am still having issue with my Bowels.There are times the pain is Horrendous,just like a knife cutting me, and I've heard others say the same thing.I rang my McMillan Nurse to ask for advice and she got my Dr.to prescribe Instagel gel Syringes,to numb the Anal area which I found very helpful.Also I found Toilet  wipes,(much less painful to use than Toilet paper, which can make you quite sore.and they can be flushed down the loo. (Not  to be confused with wet wipes) which cannot be flushed down the loo. 

Every one's experience is different,and I,m sure there are many more people on here which can testify to that,and give you advice WhaleGirl.I wish you all the very best,and stay positive..Love Belzy.

Hi whalergirl, 

sorry to hear you are suffering, when I was told of what the possible side effect would be for radiotherapy I was given some great advice and I’m so glad I took it.

I bathed everyday in Epsom salts the one for psoriasis, dry skin and eczema, which I found so soothing,  i also used e45 l Smothered it on tissue paper and wiped myself after going to the toilet every time and used the barrier cream that I was given, although I had a little peeling skin on my groins, I had no soreness at all down there, I had one little area at the top of my bum which was sore and itchy I took piriton which completely stop the itching and I used brava powder which cleared  it up, this powder it actually for sore skin around my stoma but it’s brilliant I use it for everything. I didn’t have any problems with going a poo as I was given a colostomy, which I didn’t want but so glad I got it as it’s been a god send not having to worry about that side of things. 

pain relief was oramorph which has been brilliant don’t think I’d of managed without it I only take 3mls which is enough to stop the pain, maybe up you pain relief to oramorph? 

really hope you make a speedy recovery 

take care 

Laura x

Thanks Belzy, I'm glad your skin cleared up quickly, i'm hoping for the same here, even if the bowel stuff takes a little longer. At the moment I can't put anything internally as it's too painful to touch the whole area, but once my skin starts to heal I'll ask about Instagel, since you're not the first person to mention it! Have been using water-based wipes for a while now, they are indeed a life saver, the Pura brand have been wonderful.

Thanks Julie! I will defintiely look up polymem cause the lady parts are definitely causing the most issue for me at the moment as they're so swollen.

Thanks, Laura! E45 hasn't worked too well for me but I've found an  SLS Paraben free emollinet that helps over the weekend. Will check on Brava powder but at the moment I think I might need more moisture than not.  I'm glad the colostomy surgery worked out for you, I'm not going to lie, I have wished I'd had one at the moment, but I know it's only temporary, so will deal with it.

Oramorph is definitely on my list as cocodamol doesn't seem to give me much benefit over regualr paracetamol which also doesn't do much.

Hi yeah I was taking ibuprofen and paracetamol which work well for a few months  but by a couple of weeks just before my treatment started the pain was to much, dr was more than happy for me to go on oramorph, I can have between 2.5mls to 5 mls, I don’t know what I would do without it, I have noticed the last couple of weeks my pain seems to be getting less, this can only be a good thing I’m thinking x x

See if you can get instillagel, it’s a lidocaine anaesthetic gel. It stings like hell when you first apply it but it very quickly numbs the area. I was advised to mix it with the flaminal to lessen the stinging.