 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Wayne,
what Steve said about keeping your skin hydrated is good advice but MAKE SURE that it is clean and dry just before actually having the radiation treatment. Many creams, lotions and such can act as a "bolus" and enhance the skin damage.
Many of us, like myself, had nothing more than a minor sunburn from the radiation. Even if you have a bad reaction to it - it will be the first area to heal. Ask the radiation nurses for some "Radiacare" to put on it. They usually have it. When you start to get late in treatment it will get itchy -DO NOT scratch it. My MO gave me a steroidal cream and it stopped the itching immediately - I only had to use it a few times.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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