Starting 5th week of rads next week.
 

I am burnt more in middle of my upper chest. It itches like crazy! I have steroid cream that was prescribed twice a day and aquaphor too. I am not looking forward to next two weeks if this itching and burning get worse....this all seems never ending! And herceptin next Wednesday and I Dread that too...yuck

Re: Starting 5th week of rads next week.
 

Hi Linn, I hope you get some relief from the radiation burns. I have fair, celtic skin, and when I had radiation 12 years ago, I was given advice to use the gel straight from the leaves of an aloe vera plant. So I would apply it right after the treatment, and then a few other times during the day, and before bed. The technicians couldn't believe I didn't get burns, and only had a tinge of redness at the end of the 6 weeks. I didn't use any other topical creams at all - just the gel straight from the plant leaf.

Once you get going on the Herceptin, I'm sure it will be easier. If that's all you are having, it will be HEAPS easier than the TCH combo. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

All the very best
Marie

Re: Starting 5th week of rads next week.
 

I sure hope so... I didn't know if herceptin was accumalative like TCH? Where do you get those plants?

Re: Starting 5th week of rads next week.
 

Hi again, no Herceptin isn't accumulative - I've been having every 3 weeks non-stop for over 5 years now (sometimes coupled with chemo), but predominantly Herceptin. Very tolerable. There are loads of threads about the side effects of Herceptin - yes there are some, but for most it's easy.

You should be able to get Aloe Vera from a plant nursery, but I think you can also buy it in a tube. Here is a link I just found on the web:
http://www.myradiotherapy.com/produc...aloe_vera.html
Cheers Marie

Re: Starting 5th week of rads next week.
 

May the plant is better but I used 100% aloe vera gel but it was a packaged product called Fruit of the Earth. You can probably buy it in a drugstore but you can buy anything online.

Your rad onc can also prescribe a silver nitrate cream that is good. Like you, I burned and I was so diligent. It just happens to some of us. It will be over soon and it heals fast.

Re: Starting 5th week of rads next week.
 

I am very fair skinned and was red after my first radiation treatment. I was recommended an herbal burn sauve by an Acupuncturist that truly saved me. It is brown and smells like dead leaves and kind of stains your clothes BUT it really does the trick. I would use it twice a day and I never blistered or became itchy. Check it out online - Springwind Herbs www.springwind.com.