Strata xrt

Hi Vicwil

I just had my 18 treatment and I have been using the Strata since day 1. I apply it all over my pelvic area, vulva, perineum and anus and around as well. All I can say is that my skin is holding up so far but there is soreness and discomfort, up to now especially in the vulval area. Whether the Strata is doing a good job it is difficult to say without anything to compare it to.

One thing I would say is that I have had to use other creams over it because sometimes everything feels really dry and uncomfortable. I have been using Flaminal Hydro around my private parts as this does alleviate some of this dryness and discomfort. I probably shouldn't put this over the Strata, but I do!

I have been given a barrier cream by my hospital and also some local anaesthetic gel and I do use this around the anus if it feels very sore.

The Strata is expensive but a little goes a long way. Is it worth it? I guess time will tell but at this point I'm glad I've got it.

Best of luck with your treatment, it's tough but doable.

Jo xx

Hello Vicwil

I bought Strata XRT and used it religiously and my skin held up very well until the last week and then everything broke down - possible due to my skin being thinner.  But finding out that other forum members didn't have anything like the problems I had makes me believe that I was just very unlucky.  I had to see the tissue viability nurse who was amazing and kept me supplied with creams and dressings, if one didn't give relief quickly she prescribed another.  She asked if the hospital photographer could photograph my sores for use in training - no name and face involved!

One large tube should be enough as only a very small amount should be applied.  I started with a small tube but then bought a large tube which had about half left at the end of treatment.  I seem to remember that it arrived well within the week.  The company has a very helpful phone line too.

Best of luck

Irene xx

Thanks Jo. Very helpful info. Is the flaminal one that you bought or was it prescribed?

Thanks for this Irene. 

I had to buy everything except the barrier cream and instillagel as my hospital trust doesn't provide anything else, no money I guess:(

I bought the Flaminal hydro on Amazon and have purchased Flaminal Forte in readiness, plus some polymem dressings (I like to be prepared!). 

I hope your hospital trust provides you with a better array of lotions and potions, it seems that this varies massively xx

I forgot to add that I have learn everything from this forum. If it hasn't been for all the truly wonderful people on here I don't know how I would have copied x

Hey Vicwil

I definitely used the Strata gel and I do think it was worth the money. I'm not sure about tube sizing, but I went through two tubes during my 6 week treatment. I used the gel twice a day, and as Irene75359 also said, my skin also held up pretty well until the last week or so of treatment. Also when things were itchy and tender, I think the Strata helped sooth things. Near the end I also had to use Sulfadine burn cream as well. Good luck with your treatment - hope all goes smoothly. 

Hi  Vicwil 

There does seem to be some variation in both the treatment provided by health trusts and our individual reaction to the treatment.

I can’t give any advice on the Strata xrt as I didn’t use it but I can add a note about the Flaminal and how and when it was provided to me.

I was given Flaminal Hydro by the Oncologist at the hospital after my 22nd treatment as the skin was just starting to look a little inflamed although it hadn’t broken down and wasn’t really painful. And then after my 27th treatment I was also given Flaminal Forte, not as a necessity but for me to try to see if I preferred it and the radiographer who gave it to me described the difference as being that Forte was a little thicker, and it was. That said if you look them up it’s also stronger.

I only used the Forte once and used the hydro from the 22nd treatment until 5 days post treatment and I thought it did help.

The thing with both items though was that unlike all the other meds I was given by the hospital the Flaminal didn’t come via a prescription or from the pharmacy I was handed it personally by the Oncologist and a radiographer, and it was taken from a store in the radiography suite.

When treatment had finished I was told that the hospital would send a list of all the meds I had during treatment to my GP in case I needed any more of any but warned me that the Flaminal isn’t a standard prescription item so I’d need to give plenty of notice if I needed more as it would have to be a special-order item, I didn't need more as the skin cleared up really quickly.

I didn’t use any other creams or gels other than the Flaminal and a moisturiser that the hospital provided, my skin was more or less intact at the end of treatment and was only really sore for a few days but not so bad that I needed to take pain killers and I was able to cycle most days for up to a couple of hours at a time without too much discomfort.

That said if I’d known about the XRT before treatment started and was offered it as a precaution I would probably have used it and would now be singing its praises.

Best of luck with your treatment

Monty xx

This is really helpful Monty. I guess it’s hard to say the impact when nothing to compare it to so this really helps.

Hi Vicwil 

I didn't use strata XRT, I had seen it mentioned on here but the cost put me off. I used e45 to start and then aveeno and the hospital provided me with flamigel, flaminal hydro, flaminal forte and instillagel my skin did get very sore but it didn't break down. X