QuoteReplyTopic: Radiation side effects Posted: Jan 10 2020 at 9:50am
Can anyone tell me what lotions or creams they used to combat the side effects (burns and obsesses) from radiation?
Thanks in advance,
Monarch
DX IDC, Metastatic Stage III, 6/6/2019, Nodes pos, 5.6 x 3.3 x 3.5 left breast. Ki-67 90%. AC x 4, T x 12, Partial Mastectomy and Targeted Axillary Dissection, Thyroidectomy,
My rad oncologist prescribed a steroid cream when the burns became very bad. It worked quickly. She also moved my treatment to the boost for a week to give my skin a rest but continue with daily radiation. I also used Aquaphor which soothed the inflamed skin but really was quite sticky and a mess and Aloe Vera. Both worked ! Hang in there, you are at the tail end.
do you remember what the name of your steroid cream was?
Monarch
DX IDC, Metastatic Stage III, 6/6/2019, Nodes pos, 5.6 x 3.3 x 3.5 left breast. Ki-67 90%. AC x 4, T x 12, Partial Mastectomy and Targeted Axillary Dissection, Thyroidectomy,
I used Aquaphor, Silverdene and a special cream the radiation onc gave me. They also suggested aloe vera but to make sure there is no alcohol in it. You want the most purest form. Towards the end, the burns were really bad and my friend gave me their old aloe plant with big leaves. I would cut the leave in half and strip the pure aloe from the leaves and place on the burns. This worked best and soothed the burns. The aloe vera I bought in the store in tube form, didn't work the same. The actual plant was the best for me and worked miracles on the burns.
Manage irritation during and after your course of radiation
At the beginning of treatment, before you have any side effects,
moisturize the skin after your daily treatment with an ointment such as
A&D, Eucerin, Aquaphor, Biafene, or Radiacare. You also can put it
on at night — wear an old T-shirt so the ointment doesn't get on your
bed clothes.
For mild pinkness, itching, and burning, apply an aloe vera
preparation. Or try 1% hydrocortisone cream (available without a
prescription at any drugstore). Spread the cream thinly over the
affected area 3 times a day.
If areas become red, itchy, sore, and start to burn, and
low-potency cream no longer relieves your symptoms, ask your doctor for a
stronger steroid cream available by prescription. Examples include 2.5%
hydrocortisone cream and bethamethasone.
Some people get some relief by blowing air on the area with a hair dryer set to "cool" or "air" (no heat).
Don't wear a bra if there are raw areas.
If your skin becomes dry and flakey during the course of your treatment, moisturize frequently and cleanse skin gently.
If your skin forms a blister or peels in a wet way, leave the top
of the blister alone! The bubble keeps the area clean while the new skin
grows back underneath. If the blister opens, the exposed raw area can
be painful and weepy. Keep the area relatively dry and wash it with warm
water only. Blot the area dry and then apply a NON–ADHERENT dressing,
such as Xeroform dressings (laden with soothing petroleum jelly) or
"second skin" dressings made by several companies. To relieve discomfort
from blistering or peeling, take an over-the-counter pain reliever, or
ask your doctor for a prescription if you need it.
Thanks for all the information Donna. My Medical Onc wants me to take 5000 mg of Xeloda in addition to radiation. I am told Xeloda accelerates the burns. Just trying to prepare.
Monarch
DX IDC, Metastatic Stage III, 6/6/2019, Nodes pos, 5.6 x 3.3 x 3.5 left breast. Ki-67 90%. AC x 4, T x 12, Partial Mastectomy and Targeted Axillary Dissection, Thyroidectomy,
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