Has anyone else had a bad skin reaction to radiotherapy?

Please don't worry Yorkshire_defector the majority of peeps have no problems and judging by the reactions of the medical world mine was fairly unusual. By the time I was coming to the end of my 15 days the radiographers were all talking among themselves about my reaction. When I went to the GP for more dressings they actually took pics as they'd never seen anything like it and even today, 3 and a half months after I finished radiotherapy, when I saw my surgeon today for my 1 year review of my surgery area she was surprised by my bolus square (my name for it not theirs).

Finger crossed you have a normal reaction but even if you have any problems it is still doable and easier than chemo was.  Remember this is all just kicking cancer's butt.

Take care and healing hugs

XOXO

PictureThis2 and

Cheers for responses, all good here.  And you'll not be surprised to know that as a proper Yorkshire lass I hate the sun (winter fave season) so that sun will never be seeing my microwaved parts - unless it can get through shade & factor 50!  I am a fetching shade of blue all year round - which may well go very nicely with a reddened chest, maybe I'll also start singing like the lovely little robins eh?

Sam X

Yorkshire_defector

Eeee you are indeed a proper Yorkshire lass, good to hear. Hope all is going OK for you with the radio. I found it quite surreal and a bit lonely as I hid behind a mask and glasses, and so did everyone else, all at a respectable distance from each other. However, I got a bit nervous when the radiographers came within 20cm of my face in order to "line me up" properly on the RT bed. 

I hope no one else has the same skin reaction as me. Currently the area covered by the gel pad is bright red, sore, itchy with blisters, peeling... ouch. I feel like someone put me in the microwave for too long and now I am really cooking. It is over two weeks since finishing and today I feel that although the skin is very sore, the itchiness is not as intense. 

If anyone has this reaction, the RT department have told me only to use my normal moisturiser on the area that is not broken down (ie not blistered/peeling/weeping etc) and to use hydrogel only on the 'broken down' part. This is to avoid infection setting in. I was asked to request the hydrogel from my GP to avoid a hospital trip, but waited 5 days and they sent the wrong thing (as the right gel was not available for my GP to order) ... so my solution was to beg for some from the RT dept and go and collect it. So, I would recommend to anyone who needs it, to just ring their RT dept for support and request that they supply the gel.

I would emphasise that I am sure I am in the minority having a bad reaction, most people will probably be absolutely fine so don't worry.

Have a good weekend everyone.

x