Itchiness and discomfort

Hello Franco

I am so sorry to hear of your diagnosis but you have come to the right place, almost everyone on here has been through what you are starting next week and we have lots of tips and coping strategies.

Strata cream - this is a cream that helps protects the skin from radiation burns and most importantly can be worn during radiotherapy.  You have to be careful what you put on during the actual treatment as this can affect the radiation reaching the area to be treated.  It is expensive but works for some people.  Unfortunately is isn't distributed at hospitals but is available online.  I am presuming you are in the UK?

Not a cream, but a Sitz bath a plastic bidet that sits on the loo and is available online from Amazon and invaluable for bathing the radiated parts and giving relief.  I even used mine filled with tepid water as a loo - much less painful later in treatment going underwater.  The bath is easily emptied and disinfected.

It is very important that you keep your treating team up-to-date with how you are doing with regard to skin changes, pain levels etc as they are normally very responsive and have many medications that can help you through this period.

And should you need support or a place to come and talk, we are always here.

And count off the days, it helps knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Irene xx 

Thanks for these useful tips !

I ask the radiotherapy person on day one for some Flamigel RT , he told me to apply thinly 3 times a day and up to now (touch wood) it seems to be doing the job 

Thanks Emz, will do

Hi Franco ,

Firstly I’d like to extend a warm welcome to our little corner of the MacMillan Online Community although I’m really sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis.

You've already received a couple of great responses to your question regarding creams to use during treatment I’ll just add start moisturising the area now, it’s never too early! The better shape your skin is in going into this the better, a simple aqueous cream will suffice, just lather it on. I was given QV cream (similar to an aqueous cream) by my radiotherapy team when I started my treatment & was told to use it liberally at every opportunity but not to use anything before my radiotherapy session. My skin held up pretty well throughout although a little sore towards the end. I was given Flaminal cream to use in the same way when my skin began to react to the radiotherapy then Flamazine once I’d finished treatment. I would carry my cream with me to my appointments & as soon as I was done before I got dressed again in the changing room I’d plaster on the cream again. 

I hope your treatment goes well next week. Just come back here anytime with any questions or just for a chat with a bunch of people who will relate to what you’re feeling & experiencing. 

Nicola 

Thank you Nikki. I’ll buy some aqueous cream today and use straight away as treatment begins Monday. Can’t deny it’s a very scary prospect to go through, but I know the oncology team will do their best for me

Hi Franco,

Good luck with the treatment, it's just great to get started. I think the radiotherapy staff will give you cream to use, and I found they are the best contact point for any issues relating to the treatment. 

Hi Franco 

I started having Epsom salt baths every morning before my treatment started, during and after for several more weeks, I used E45to wipe myself after every toilet visit and used a barrier cream I was given by my oncology nurse, and took antihistamines for the itching , luckily for me I didn’t have any soreness as such, I had 1 small area on my bum I think where the radiotherapy went through or maybe where I lay on it to much, I was given dressings for it to bad it out so was a little more comfortable when sitting, I also used a stoma powder dry it out and antihistamines for the itching hope this helps

Good Luck 

Laura x x

Thanks, I start treatment tomorrow so will ask them for something. It is quite sore now and bleeding quite a lot

Good to hear that you managed it well. Hope i can too. I’m glad treatment starts tomorrow as my bum is really sore now and bleeding