Request for tips for radiation treatment

I will be starting radiation treatment in about three weeks.  I am interested in learning ways to help manage radiation treatment. 

• I understand proactive care of the skin is important.  I have heard the following products have been used by women in the past:  QV Cream, Aquaphor, Radiplex cream, Domborro solution, XClair cream, Aloe (plant), Udderly smooth, Biofine, Emu oil.  I have heard that skin products containing alcohol should be avoided.  Dove unscented soap has also been recommended as a soap to use.  Was there a skin care product that you found to be especially helpful to deal with radiation treatments?
• My doctor has not discussed nutrition but I have read that it is recommended to increase protein and calorie  intake while on radiation treatment.  I'm not sure I understand why this is so.  Any nutritional advice that was helpful to you?
• This forum has been such a blessing to me, on an emotional and supportive level and on a practical advice level.   I read the posts and advice every day.  Thanks to all for your continued commitment to all of us in the tnbc community. 

 

Hi, K,

you may want to check the news and resource section. A member compiled and made lists for tips for many items such as chemo, questions to ask your dr, etc.

Hi K,

If you will be having tattoos placed and not done yet, here's something to consider.
Some places do not do tattoos for radiation, other do.
Also depends which fields which will have radiation. Following may not be an issue for you.

BEFORE tattoos are placed in the mapping (planning-simulation) session, ask if special attention
could be given to the highest, most central tattoo on the chest (area that may show with V-necked
tops),   In my experience, the highest, most central tattoo turned out to be the most visible one.....
largest and darkest !
Afterwards, I asked the staff to consider to review how they do the highest, most central tattoo......
......questioned if some staff used techniques to keep this tattoo smaller and less dark.....such as
if three marks made with same inking was the 3rd one the lightest? Did it make a difference in how
the tattoo marker was held?   By bringing up the matter, staff may be able to avoid having the central,
high one the darker, larger one.
When I spoke with others, no one else seemed to have been concerned. Since the info sheet had said
that the tattoo mark would be pin point, I did not expect a pin head mark. For some people this might
be semantics, for me, it was incorrect info. After pointing this out to the nurse in the radiation dept,
she changed the info sheet.   Most tattoo info seems to say head of pin/mm/small.

Again, for most people this did not seem to be an issue.

With caring and positive thoughts,

Grateful for today..............Judy