••• March Radiotherapy Club 2020 •••

Hi ,

sorry to hear you have been swollen and sore. Grogg had some great advice about feeling comfortable after radiotherapy. I couldn’t find out how to link the thread but hopefully she will see this.

I’m on day 5 so still early days for me. Hope you feel more comfortable soon x

Thank you. There is definitely a gap in the market for high cotton content bra tops in larger than an G cup. Good luck with your treatment. Hopefully you will get by without issue. 

Had planning appointment on Wednesday and schedule of appointments has come through this morning. So I also start on Weds 18/3 until Tuesday 7 April. I also have a lymphoedema class and an arm class!! Phew I'm going to be so busy!! Actually, I still have some slight cording in the veins across my inner elbow which I am working to try and straighten and free up. So if that hasn't cleared by the time of the arm class, it might be quite handy if I need some physio. I'm sure it will ease as I had a little bit before early in chemo, before I had my port put in.

I've been told I will be given the cream needed after the radiotherapy so I assume I get that at my first session. I have to travel about 30 mins to a different hospital but it's not too bad a journey.

Hi. I am also in the big boob camp. I’ve seen advice on there to stick a soft cloth handkerchief inside a bra which might help with the blisters. After my surgery the only thing I found comforting was to roll up a muslin cloth left over from having baby and put it under my boob for some support. It also stopped it getting too warm under there and made the scar site feel less tight.

I’ve only just had the planning and scanning appt but start rads on wed 18th. I’ll be keeping an eye on here for any more useful tips. 

I’ll post back on 18th to see how our experiences compare, west end girl. Wishing you all the best. 

Gailee99 have you tried bravissimo sleep bras? They’re particularly soft and deceptively supportive. I use a variety Of sizes depending on swelling (I can fluctuate from a 32HH to a 36G depending on what’s going on) and they go quite generously up to about a J cup? 

I do have a few bras from there including a sleep one. I’m usually a 34GG cup but with the swelling having to go 36H in a lot of styles. I am finding the bands really irritating. Post lumpectomy I used their bras and pj tops but struggling with those too. I’ve been given some dressings for the blisters now so I have managed to wear a bra most of today. Thanks for replying 

West End Girl

I'm intrigued as to what your lymphodema and arm classes are.  Sorry if I've missed it but do you have lymphodema or is it more preventive?

Glad you've got your dates and can plan ahead, hope the cording removal makes good.

How long was your planning appointment?  What did you do?

Sorry, its all questions...planning ahead and all that.  I think rather than current user name something with curiousity in may be more appropriate??

Also intrigued to know what cream you'll get too.

Glad its not an arduous journey to your rad treatment, there's some shockers out there.

I'll be joining you as soon as these nodes have been whipped out and the marker finally removed!!

Sam X

Yorkshire_defector Hi Sam, LOL I'm a bit intrigued as well !! I got the leaflets through with my radiotherapy appointment list. So, the arm class is information about exercises to do while receiving radiotherapy, which may be different from the surgery exercises, using the affected arm during and after radiotherapy and the opportunity to ask questions. I think the class is with a physiotherapist who will check we are getting all our movement back and no issues. The lymphoedema class is an awareness class, knowing the risks and what to look out for. I don't have any issues so far.

My planning appointment was after an initial appointment with the radiotherapy consultant who explained the process and to sign the consent forms. I then got the planning appointment at the hospital where the radiotherapy will be carried out. I had a CT scan where they set me up in the position that the radiotherapy will be given (arms raised above head). They took all the measurements of my position on the bed (very precisely....like mm accuracy) so the radiotherapy machine will be set up like that exactly for me. They made me a chin strap.....nice!! as I am having the lymph nodes above the collar bone zapped too. It's all about keeping really still during the treatment. I also practised the breathing exercises during the CT scan, which you have to do during the radiotherapy. Then they tattooed 3 tiny dots on me - 1 on each side of body and 1 in centre of chest, and then I was free to go! It took about 30-40 mins in total.

Don't know about the creams yet but glad to know that they will be provided for me as I'm not sure if everyone gets them for free or has to buy their own.

I'll be glad to get started and done, hopefully this will be a doddle compared to what we've already come through. Just the travelling every day which is probably the worst bit as this hospital is about a 30 min drive away for me and I think the actual treatments are only about 10-15 mins!

Yorkshire_defector

I am catching up with you with surgery after all. I have been offered a cancellation on Friday 13th so I immediately accepted. A week further on and another week to escape the Coronavirus peak !! Was getting worried my op may have to be cancelled. Just glad to get it done and over e with. It’s an afternoon surgery though so it will be a long a Friday morning! Be thinking of you on Thursday X

  My mastectomy op has been brought forward to Friday so have been reading your experiences again. Then after that it’s rads. I know it may be different for me but what was the time scale between your op and planning meeting for radiotherapy. Did you heal quickly ?  See you have a date to start now so how long was it after planning meeting. Thanks. Just want an indication of when I hope to be finished with the treatment.

Jojodot X