Radiation Burns

I am looking for information on radiation burns. My Mom finished 4 weeks of radiation to her neck and chest for SCLC on Tuesday. Now she has raw burns on her neck wherever something irritated her skin. We are cleaning it with saline and applying Silvadene cream but what else?? The raw areas seem to be getting bigger and she is miserable. They weep and then the skin sloughs off on her clothes. We've tried to keep everything off of the spots, but it's hard at night. She doesn't even want to leave her house. I appreciate any ideas from those who know what I'm talking about first hand...the nurses say we're doing everything we can.

 Nor only is she suffering burns she is suffering from radiation sickness.  If the docs say they are doing all they can then the only thing I have to add is alternative therapy.  Try some coats aloe on the burn area and drinking 4 oz per day in some water.  Put in a bottle of water and sip on it.

This will help heal the burns as well as rid the body of unwanted radiation.  If her treatments are finished, then radiation often tends to build up in the body making the burns worse.  There is natural and also medical supplement you can get without a prescription

Iodoral  just google it and you will find it.  Buy a bottle and try it cannot hurt.  It is potassium iodide. If we suffered a nucelar attack that is the substance that would be given to everyone for radiation poisoining.

This should help heal the burns quicker...commonsense2265 

On 3/10/2007 Blueeye73 wrote:

I am looking for information on radiation burns. My Mom finished 4 weeks of radiation to her neck and chest for SCLC on Tuesday. Now she has raw burns on her neck wherever something irritated her skin. We are cleaning it with saline and applying Silvadene cream but what else?? The raw areas seem to be getting bigger and she is miserable. They weep and then the skin sloughs off on her clothes. We've tried to keep everything off of the spots, but it's hard at night. She doesn't even want to leave her house. I appreciate any ideas from those who know what I'm talking about first hand...the nurses say we're doing everything we can.

 

My husband was also treated for sclc two years ago.  He had a very bad burn on his chest next to his collar bone that almost went through the skin.  On one of his visits to ICU we asked the doctor on call to recommend something as the ointment he was given wasn't helping.  He had the hospital give us a tube of Biafin.  It was wonderful.  It is for radiation burns and was almost immediately effective.  It is very hydrating and eased his burns so quickly it was amazing.   Since then we gave what we had left to a family friend for her radiation burns and she said it helped her tremendously also.  All my best to your mom and to you for caring for and about her.  I hope this is helpful to your mom.

My skin got that bad during radiation treatment for breast cancer.  In addition to Silvadene the nurses told me to use Domoboro soaks.  You get Domoboro over the counter at a pharmacy. Mix it up according to directions and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator.  Use several layers(I used two) of sterile gauze pads, as many as are needed to cover the area that's burned.  Soak the pads in the domoboro solution and put on soaking wet (you'll need a towel under you)--leave on for 10-15 minutes and do it 4-5 times/day.  The coldness will feel great on burned skin (although at first it stings) and it really does help heal the weeping open sores pretty quickly.  Skin continues to burn/react after the end of radiation for about 2 weeks, I was told.  I finished radiation 12/8 and the last of the open areas finally healed around 12/30 (I was sick of doing soaks by then so was only doing it once/day).  Hope this helps!

 

On 3/10/2007 Blueeye73 wrote:

I am looking for information on radiation burns. My Mom finished 4 weeks of radiation to her neck and chest for SCLC on Tuesday. Now she has raw burns on her neck wherever something irritated her skin. We are cleaning it with saline and applying Silvadene cream but what else?? The raw areas seem to be getting bigger and she is miserable. They weep and then the skin sloughs off on her clothes. We've tried to keep everything off of the spots, but it's hard at night. She doesn't even want to leave her house. I appreciate any ideas from those who know what I'm talking about first hand...the nurses say we're doing everything we can.

I had 25 sessions of radiation last year and had radiation burns.  My skin turned black and it was so painful .  I was also given silvadene creme, it didn't help.  I applied pure EMU oil and it was immediate relief.  You can order it on line..just type in EMU oil at google and you can find it...Good luck...

I am just finishing 6 weeks of radiation and have serious burns on my breast. Half of it is weepy, which is a very nice way of saying a very ugly thing. Keep the nasty blisters dry,and hard, not softened with a lot of water. It makes a huge difference to comfort. Do not touch them with anything but the ointment. I wear a chemise that is low enough to barely touch it, and pin a bit of material around the seam for comfort and for the weepiness. When I shower, I make it very brief because it hurts like crazy, and I break the water with my hands. Then I stand in front of a fan to airdry the blisters. I wear a big shirt with material pinned into it when I go to radiation, then come home and do not go out again. Keep your mom on 2 extra strength Tylenol (my nurses and docs told me this) at all times. It really help with pain and inflammation. Saline-that is salt. That would sting. I comfort myself with the fact that it really is not a burn, like a sunburn, but a kind of dermatitus that will go away and leave no lasting damage. And please tell your mom not to feel that there are a million things wrong with her. Mine will pass and so will hers.

I forgot to add this. If the wounds do not clear up, ask the Dr if she can be prescribed treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. My husband had a necroting wound that was an inch deep-the pure oxygen did miracles. The first day, the swelling went down by an inch. If my blisters hang on, I am going to ask the same.