RT Gels Again!

Hi, 

I used E45 cream which worked great - no redness at all, just a little pink. 

Cwtches, 

Gay xxx

Hi,

I had my Radiotherapy at The Freeman in Newcastle. They give everyone Flamigel RT for use 3 times each day along with Flamizine and another cream starting with Flam (I’m not at home to look) for itchy and problem areas. The creams have been great and I haven’t needed to use anything else. I googled them before I used them and they have a great write up. I was given the Flamigel RT when I attended my first treatment and I put it straight on afterwards. 
The R1 and R2 I was told were designed more for the 3 week treatment rather than the 5 days fast forward.

If you contact the hospital and ask to speak to the Radiotherapy nurse they will be able to advise. They can also contact your GP to issue a prescription rather than you paying yourself. 

Dedalus.....If your wife has very fair skin I don't think she should use E45 cream. It has something in it which several radiology departments don't recommend although there are always people here like Wombat who had no problem with it and others who use Aveena, again with some success.

I know four years ago the R1/ R2 was being frequently used but it's very expensive if not on prescription. However, I live in France. I did have several products prescribed and a strict cleansing routine given to me. Throughout the 33 sessions I chatted to the other ladies and the only' accident' was a French lady who had misunderstood that you cream after the rayons and not for them. She had got confused with the general suggestion that radiotherapy burning can resemble sun burn and had creamed to avoid it! The nurses made us all individually go through our preparations after that to ensure no one else was making that mistake.

So my prescribed cream was hyaluronic acid cream. 100%.......It was about £20 a tube. ( Since 2016 hyaluronic acid has become a frequently used ingredient in cosmetics to hold in moisture. It explains why it stopped burning.) I was told to arrive for the radiotherapy with newly showered skin washed with a Savon surgras because that is both unscented and will remove excess skin grease. Dreamthief looked this up last week and Amazon sell the same brand I used. After the radiotherapy session cover all the skin with the cream. It is thick. There is no comparison to any other moisture cream I know. I was told to refresh the cream if needed throughout the day but have a thorough shower using the Savon surgras before the next session to remove it. I did not burn. I am very fair....I was still blond before treatment.....use factor 50 and since cancer treatment need factor 50 for all outside sunshine. The essential thing is the clean skin for the actual radiotherapy session.

I hope this might offer your wife an alternative or at least alternative information.I think she would be very unlucky if it didn't work.

Wishing her well.

Love Karen

Thanks to all for the replies to my thread.

We will certainly investigate Flamigel.

Thanks also Karen re the 'French' related info.  I am impressed that despite having 33 sessions and fair skin you did not burn!  We lived in France for a period and have a great deal of respect and confidence in the French health system, having both experienced it on a few occasions.  There are a number of really good features we miss about it.  I don't know if it has changed or is changing.  I certainly hope not.  There are different varieties of Savon Surgras on Amazon it is difficult to know which one.  It is the same for hyaluronic acid cream. 100%

The savon I use is Crevailles which is at good price( same as our local pharmacy) on Amazon.co.uk. But there are perfumed ones and you don't want those...just the 100% surgras.

The hyaluronic acid cream I had was ialuset. Do you know what ingredients are in the Flamigel? It might be similar.

Hope you sort something out. If your wife is fair skimmed I would say she must have something substantial and use it from the first session. Don't wait until it goes pink. I forgot that advice before plus keep drinking water. Hydrated skin is better. 

I was very lucky.Everything I needed for all the treatments...surgery, chemo, radiotherapy ......was provided on the health service including taxis to get to appointments.  I have continued to have three monthly checks for the last four years. This will finish in November after five years but I will have a yearly mammogram for the rest of my life.

Love Karen

Hello again Karen

Thanks for coming back with further information.  It is really useful.

We remain. envious of your French health treatment.  What impressed us was the speed of appointments from consultants to imaging and procedures etc.  I remember due to heart palpitations having an appointment with a GP the same day.  She telephoned a heart consultant during the appointment.  I met with the consultant virtually immediately in a nearby hospital and was given an ECG all within the space of an hour!  We have other really amazing experiences.  Sometimes I think we should have moved permanently to France because of these superb health care experiences.

My wife was told she will probably be 'seen' by a BCN in 6 months' time and the surgeon in 1 year.  Thereafter it will be yearly mammograms for 5 years.  

D x