Radiotherapy club. Post your top tips for dealing with radiotherapy here please

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MAY radiotherapy club

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I wasn't offered the R1/2 creams , they just told me to use e45 , and to be fair it helped a lot . Slapped it on soon as I got home .

It's tiring after about the 10 session so rest when you can , I went work in the morning and had a 1hr each way trip to hospital so just , chilled on the sofa for the rest of the day . .. 

it's not too bad and remember what a job it's doing to get you through  xxx

Car parking at my hospital - I have to pay first £2, anything above that is waived. £2 doesn't sound much but I had 4 visits one week so £8. A friend had treatment at a different hospital and was given a free pass. Would be interesting to add up all the cist at the end of this experience...

Hi , I paid a £1 , they gave me a ticket on my why out after each session ... Derby Royal.

Which I was happy with .

Petrol was my biggest expense 20 mile all round trip each day , for fifteen days , but that's just something that's got to be done personally

It has to be done so didn't really stress bout it xxxxxx

I used dipsrobase the breast care nurse advised that is like the 'Harrods' of all creams, i did not burn at all. I would advise moisturising under your arm too as i didn't and ended up with a burn, but as i was numb from so many surgeries i did not feel it.

I used to moisturise before i went in for the zap and afterwards too as i was getting changed. I used the cream as often as i could remember to do.

I think the biggest drawback is the time it takes, as i had a rather peculiar reaction it used to make me feel a little bit drunk, i am not good with medication and an aspirin makes me high, so maybe that was why. I opted for hospital transport and there would be a lot of waiting around, but a drink and a book was fine.

So glad to read your post  as reading the post of the lady sailing through hrr rads made me feel so inadequate. So far each of my treatments seven so far have been ok but a nightmare getting to them and getting home again. Fri i was seven hours overall for my 10 min treatment.as my husband has alzeimers and heart failure he of course cannot drive so hospital transport is the only way i can get there but you get forgotten sometimes and takes a couple of hours to get there and had to sit and wait over four hours fri to return home and this is happening daily.so worry over leaving him doing it all on my own and feeling so out of control of things is difficult. It was good to see your post i feel a little better  now. Thankyoux

Dear Helen1946

If it was my post about RT that made you feel inadequate,  please can I apologize very sincerely. My post truly wasn't intended to make anyone feel bad.

All of our cancer journeys are different. I do know that I have been very fortunatete. I have not had the travel time that you have had (which must be so tiring in itself), and as a widow I did not have someone at home that I was worried about.

Being a carer is a challenging and exhausting job in itself, and must be so hard worrying about your husband when you have so much going on.

I have only had myself to worry about.

With my apologies again and my very best wishes 

Nicola x

Hi Helen

Please NEVER feel inadequate or feel you need to compare to anyone else's journey. Everyone's journey is different. For some, yes, it may be easier and that's good to know because it would be awful if if it was terrible for all. Letting us know it was good or easier for some is to be taken as a way of letting people know it's doable. 

 I too read an earlier post not related to this topic, and I also thought, gosh I should be like that, but I'm not, it's my journey and it's different. It's how I'd interpreted the post. I talked my feelings through and realised we are all very different and certainly what's better for some is harder for others. 

Your in a very difficult and lonely situation going on your own, worrying about your husband,  I really feel for you and am sending you a healing, kind hug.  The travel on top of your treatment is a real issue. Have you got any one that could take you on the odd day or someone to sit with your husband? Is there any support group you could contact who can help you with things whilst you have your treatment. Never be afraid of accepting an offer of a lift etc.

Your doing what you can in very difficult circumstances and I think you need more help. 

How many more sessions have you got to go?

I start mine next week, and I too will be on transport

You could talk to PALS the hospital complaints department about the 7 hour episode.

Xxxxx best wishes to you xxxxx  

I have my pre radiotherapy scans, tests etc next Thursday and have been reading all the posts here with interest.

I don't know if my CCG recommend R1 and R2 treatments. Does anyone here know if they have been manufactured/tested on animals? There is nothing on the website, but I've emailed.

Cruelty Free is important to me, so I try to source these products.

Thank you.

For anyone that may be interested, this is the reply I received to my email:

Good afternoon

Thank you for your email.  I can confirm that no animals were subjected to radiation, or harmed in any way in relation to the development of these products.

regards

Janine Gray    
                           
Customer Service
Water-Jel Europe LLP