Skin practicalities

Hi Deb

Good luck for the rest of your treatment. I just finished mine a week and a half ago.

I was constantly putting aqueous cream on and I was given a massive tub of zerobase which I kept in the fridge and put on twice a day.

At bedtime I used to put loads of zerobase on and just slept in a t-shirt/nightie. During the day travelling to and from the hospital I bought a few pairs of really baggy soft cotton trousers so nothing was rubbing. Although by week 5 I was really struggling to walk no matter what I had used unfortunately but everyone is different. 

Epsom salt baths were/are a great relief as well.

Hope this helps a little bit

Claire Xx

Hi Deb

I'm almost 3 weeks post treatment. I did not apply any creams - was advised not to. I bought a sitz bath that fits over the loo and soaked as many times a day as possible in salt water - about 3 tablespoons per bath.

I healed really quickly after treatment - it worked for me.

I was given Nu-Gel by the Radiotherapy Department which creates an invisible skin

Try not to worry too much, it's a temporary experience

Xx

As "hopefulat46" I was advised not to use any creams etc.  This was 5 1/2 years ago but not in contact with anyone in a similar situation.  Actually not in contact with anyone.  Went through my chemoradiation at a different hospital from my diagnosis.  Perhaps I fell through the net, but that doesn't matter now - didn't have McMillan support, but presume I could have if I had known who to ask.  The distance between hospital of diagnosis and that of treatment was 60 miles.  So I was lucky in a way that I only had a 60 mile trip each day and not 120 miles sincere s was in the middle!

Anyway I digress, my skin reactions started after about 2 1/2 weeks.  Won't lie the pain was horrible, walking, sitting, going to the loo was painful but now a distant memory - (3 - 8 weeks is  a very short time out of your lifetime). I digress, after my bad reaction I was advised to ditch the aqueous cream because it was keeping the skin wet and not letting it to dry out and heal.

Was prescribed mepilex dressings for my sores.  You just place them on the skin - no cream no plasters, they just cover your skin as long as they remain in place!!  Weeing tends to dislodge them!  Tried the big knockers!  Gave up on trousers and them!  Relied on floaty skirts and no knickers until 6 weeks post treatment.  Slept at night on a bathsheet, no nightwear but covered 'down below' with a wet flannel to relieve the burning to help me sleep - sometimes only for half an hour!!  You will get there!  You will find your way to get there.  We can only offer our experiences but you will find your own solution. Mxx

Hi Debh1

Well done on getting through and putting week 1 behind you. Only 4.5 to go!

You will see from different peoples responses that things vary greatly between hospitals in terms of what medication/creams are on offer. So whilst you’re doing the right thing by coming on here for advise, continue to talk with your medical professionals as some of the things outlined on here may not be provided by your hospital but they will have alternatives.

Whilst I started off using cream, once my skin started to react, I didn’t really use it. Once my reaction had started, things progressed fairly quickly and my skin started to break down. Once this happened I was given morphine gel and Attruman dressings (similar to what HappyLady describes) these dressings are oil based so they stick directly to the skin but can be peeled off easily and without pain. This is all I used throughout treatment and beyond. They are are fiddly and messy but once on and in place, offer relief and protection. Ask your hospital if they provide such things. They may only give you something like this if your skin breaks down.

As for sleeping, you will find ways of getting comfortable. I slept with a pregnancy pillow someone gave me and would lie on my side with the pillow between my legs to keep them open. You can buy special cushions on Amazon that go in between your knees to keep them apart. 

As your skins reacts you'll need to keep your clothing as loose as possible and maybe change your underwear to large briefs or shorts. I wore my husbands boxers at one point. When you’re home you might find it more comfortable to ‘go commando’. I remember lying on my bed in just a t-shirt, with a fan blowing on my bits. If anyone walked in I’d just quickly pull the tee-shirt down again.

If your skin feels prickly/stingy you can take Piriton. If you take the drowsy type at night it can help you have a better sleep.

Bathing was a big relief for me. Sometimes in epsom salts sometimes just plain water. I spent a lot of time lying in water which was not only soothing but kept things clean which is particularly important if you skin starts to break down. 

Hope this helps, some of my advise might not be appropriate until you’re a little further down the line.

All the best for week 2 Deb!

Sx

Hi Deb,

I distinctly remember getting prickly sensations early on my thighs that actually came to nothing. You tend to be hyper sensitive to unusual feelings as your expecting them to develope at any moment 

If you check how far down you thighs these sensations are you might notice its lower than your treatment extends. 

You are normally treated to just below the cheeks of your bottom

In my experience you shouldn't get skin reactions much lower than your groin area really. If you have sensations lower down it's likely they are phantom ones. 

Ian x