Radiotherapy

Hi Little one

Try not to worry too much. It’s easier than you think. Just drink lots of water, keep hydrated and moisturise well. The hospital will advise on best creams. My hospital provided the creams - I slapped it on morning and night - very messy but did the trick as I had no skin reastion despite being very fair skinned. Also try keep up the stretches. Good luck.x

I have been told it can be quite relaxing, far easier than having chemo.  But I have to have my radiotherapy after my chemo and my surgery 

Hi Little one 

Try not to worry as it's really not so bad.  I didn't need chemo. and I know 100% (as mentioned already) that chemo. is much, much worse than radiotherapy.

I had left breast, but due to a road accident and a fixed elbow, I couldn't do the breath technique and even then, even though they said there is risk to the heart due to it being on the left, I had no issues at all.

As has already been mentioned - drink, drink and drink some more.  It will only help you.  I drank loads, as did one of the other 3 ladies who went at the same time as me and both of us 2 were fine - no fatigue.  The other 2 didn't drink much and suffered badly with fatigue, so I am sure that fluids make all the difference to an 'easier ride'.  I was even able to happily drive the 60 miles a day for my radio for 15 days.

Creams - use a gel. I used a special radiotherapy gel (mega expensive), but aloe vera gel from say, Holland & Barrett will be much cheaper and is just the same.  I had 15 sessions over 3 weeks and the only thing I would have done differently would have been stopped putting gel under my breast on week 3 as that area was rubbed by my bra and I got radio. burns there.  Other than that, it really was fine.  You just lie there and let the machine do it - you don't even really know when it's beaming its rays at you, except for when it's moving to a different position.

I am over 6 years post radio. now and despite all the side effects that they warn you about - nothing! They have to tell you about side effects if someone has suffered them, but don't think you'll necessarily have these side effects. I know I was worried at the time - but I really needn't have been as it was definitely ok.

I hope this helps, 

Kindest Wishes, Lesley

Hi, sorry you find yourself in the club no one wants to join.  Radiotherapy is fine.  Agree with Beth.  At your first appointment you get measured up for the table and three small tattoo dots to align you up for each treatment. At the start of each session you are aligned and then literally the treatment is 5 minutes (and you feel nothing) Rest up even if you don’t feel like it afterwards.  Fatique can hit you sometime after.  This journey is not a short haul but you  will get there.  Definately nothing to worry about x

Ta

1. Hi little one, I had 28 rounds of both chemo/ radiotherapy and I was like yourself ( fear of the unknown) The team will put you at ease and there's really nothing to fear. Drink plenty of water and as treatment progreses you will be checked for any soreness and will be given cream to help with this.  X

You won't even notice a thing. I know it's easy to say, but the only thing I found was I was a bit tired. So please try not to worry, you are going through so much at the moment. Just give yourself time to have a nice nap after if you need it. Good luck with everything. Take care

Hello Little one,

Sorry about the butterfingers. I have had radiotherapy for BC twice (both sides nearly twenty years apart). I found it to be one of the easier treatments. If you have radiotherapy on the right, you just have to keep very still (easy). If you have radiotherapy on the left, you may have to practice holding your breath, but the hospital should give you some instructions and won't ask you to do this unless you are physically capable of it. If they want you to do breath holds, my advice would be to make sure that you practise this lying down (since you will be lying down for radiotherapy). Some people get fatigued after radiotherapy, but I didn't find it to be too bad either time. 

It’s so reassuring to read all the comments on this thread I have been told that radiotherapy will be part of my treatment and was slightly worried about it too.