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Tips on Radiation Dermatitis?

Posted by bpb @bpb, Oct 12, 2022

Hello:

Tomorrow is my first SABR treatment. I'm calling this radiation cleansing therapy for my lobe. 🙂 I already have sensitive skin and so many things cause irritation/dermatitis. I'd asked about preventive and what to have on hand to deal with this possible side effect but was told we'd deal with it when it happens. Not a good answer for me. I like to be prepared.

So, if you've had this side effect, what did you find helpful in healing your skin? Or preventing this side effect? I already have a rash from the Tegederm over the marks made last week during mapping.

BPB

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 16, 2022

Hi @bpb,
I know you are concerned about radiation dermatitis. Members @trixie1313 @naturegirl5 @appaloosagal @elizm don't have lung cancer, but also experienced radiation dermatitis while undergoing radiation for other cancers and may have tips to share.

How are your radiation treatments going? Have you, as you feared, had skin reactions?

REPLY
bpb | @bpb | Oct 16, 2022

Hi Colleen,

Thank you for asking. I had some itching within 24 hours and I put cerave moisturizer on it. I have noticed some chills at times, feeling like I could be feverish but when I take my temp, it's normal. I had some weird sensations near the top of my left upper lobe in the middle of the night. Mostly, I am super tired.

I have the second SABR tomorrow so I will have another experience to look at. 🙂

I also had had a reaction to the tegederm used to cover the marks they made. When I was there on Thursday, I asked for remarking and for new coverings. When they saw my skin reaction, they gave me hypoallergenic tegederm. I wanted to cry because I told them I had sensitive skin and they didn't do the thing that would have made me so much more comfortable the first visit. No reactions to the hypoallergenic tegederm which is huge.

This second treatment targets a different lesion so I may have a different response, I'm guessing.

Thank you for asking!
BPB

REPLY
1 reply
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 28, 2022
In reply to @bpb "Hi Colleen, Thank you for asking. I had some itching within 24 hours and I put..." + (show)
@bpb

Hi Colleen,

Thank you for asking. I had some itching within 24 hours and I put cerave moisturizer on it. I have noticed some chills at times, feeling like I could be feverish but when I take my temp, it's normal. I had some weird sensations near the top of my left upper lobe in the middle of the night. Mostly, I am super tired.

I have the second SABR tomorrow so I will have another experience to look at. 🙂

I also had had a reaction to the tegederm used to cover the marks they made. When I was there on Thursday, I asked for remarking and for new coverings. When they saw my skin reaction, they gave me hypoallergenic tegederm. I wanted to cry because I told them I had sensitive skin and they didn't do the thing that would have made me so much more comfortable the first visit. No reactions to the hypoallergenic tegederm which is huge.

This second treatment targets a different lesion so I may have a different response, I'm guessing.

Thank you for asking!
BPB

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How did the second SABR go, BPB?

REPLY
bpb | @bpb | Oct 28, 2022

Hi Colleen,

Thank you for asking! It was a positive experience in so many ways. I was much more deeply fatigued post 2nd treatment. I'd given myself permission to rest as much as my body asked me to rest. I did a lot of sleeping that week! I've had weird sensations, more coughing, a continued off-and-on pain by my ribs, some itching around the treatment sites. The doc said it was okay to use ibuprofen for the pain by my ribs. It isn't all that different than what I'd been walking around with for a long time.

Now, the waiting has started for the first post-treatment scan. In the meantime, I've got some other troubling medical issues to attend to now that the lung cancer is being addressed. I am working on keeping stress low, upping exercise as I can tolerate and being much more mindful about what I eat. All good things to do, no matter one's state of health but often difficult to manage in the day-to-day rush of things. This diagnosis is a wake-up call for me to take better care of myself like I am my own best friend. (Which I am. 🙂

Warmly,
BPB

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