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Breast Gowns
This may seem a trivial point, but it's something that bothered me during rads treatment and I'm interested to hear what other people think on the subject.
The hospital where I'm having rads issues all of us BC ladies with a "breast gown", which is a hip length tunic, zip down the front and velcro strips across the shoulders, so they can just expose one side at a time. Do all hospitals issue these or is it just Christies? They do it because they had a lot of ladies who were uncomfortable with their top half completely naked for treatment, so developed these gowns in response. Good intentions, but personally I don't like sitting in the waiting room wearing this thing, which to me is like wearing a big sign which says "I'm being treated for breast cancer". Not that I'm ashamed of it, I just don't think it's anyone else's business, and I don't mind at all about a naked top half once I'm in the treatment room. Other cancer patients don't have to wear special clothes which announce what they're there for.
Sarah
Where I was treated, they provided the standard hospital gowns which are hopeless when you're my size. They did have signs up saying that we could bring our own gowns if we preferred, which I did for the first couple of weeks. Then I thought, why am I bothering? I didn't wear a bra during treatment, so much easier to go dressed in a top which I could just whip off before getting on the treatment bed. It all felt more relaxed and more right for me. But then if I've got one boob out, I can't see any reason to get coy about the other one ... although I know that's not going to be everyone's feeling on the subject.
If you're not comfortable wearing their gown, I'd talk to them about whatever option you'd feel most comfortable with to see if there's any practical reason why you shouldn't.
Debs x
I've not heard of that. I had my rads at Clatterbridge and we didn't undress until we were in the actual treatment room. I don't like the sound of waiting in a waiting room half undressed either! In other departments e.g while waiting for CT, we were given a dressing gown, but so did everyone else and they covered everybody up.
Perhaps you could ask if you could get changed in the treatment room instead.
2nd time around, 1st was 15yrs ago where we changed in the treatment room, Im being treated again at the same hospital, the Essex County in Colchester, and nowwe are issued with gowns to wear. It feels a lot more dignified that 'stripping' off in the treatment room.
I have just had my first rad treatment today at Inverness. I got undressed in the treatment room and was given a pillow case to cover myself! Although it did feel rather vulnerable I would prefer this to sitting in a waiting room with a "breast gown". I think that so many people have seen my breasts that a few more wont make any difference!
We had no pre undress at Aberdeen either - just undress in the treatent room and have a piece of white paper as a 'modesty' aid, which you soon give up with as superfluous!!
I do have similar 'problems with the breast clinics tho, where to save time you're given a 'cape' thing to wear when talking to the consultant and it just gets whipped off so he can examine you at his leisure. OK, I'm getting used to it but the first few times I felt like a sausage in a machine - very dehumanising! So I understand and sympathise with your plight. Soemone said to me once when you enter a hospital throwaway your modesty and pride - too true I'm afraid.
Hi everyone, I am currently going through rads treatment.
the hospital where I go has no gowns at all. There is a waiting room were we sit until we are called to go to the respective machine. You then undress (top half) and lie on the table. The walk to the chair where you leave your clothes is only a few feet but to be honest I have felt vunerable and self consious everytime.
I am not usually that bothered about such things, particulalry in hospitals etc (or on holiday) and maybe its because I have had a MX and I am not 'proud' of my body and feel ugly!
I have to lie on the table with my top half naked with my right arm in stirrups - don't get me wrong the staff are brilliant and the there is no pain or anything - but thinking about my dignity and how vunerable I am at the moment I would welcome some sort of gown.
I haven't said anything to the staff as I don't want to be seen as being difficult and its obvious that its what happens to everyone. One other issue for me (which again you may think is silly) is that two of the staff are male. I am sure they have seen many many one breasted women in their time but to be 'explosed' and feeling so vunerable about my body is something that I find a bit uncomfortable with Male radiologists... Does anyone else have these issues?
Hi Saffronseed
I have just finished rads so know how you feel when you say you feel vunerable. I cannot believe you have to walk even a few feet with nothing covering your top half. The hospital I attended gave me a short gown with a zip up the front velcro on the shoulders and down the side just under your arm. This meant that you were covered all of the time until you were on the bed when they lowered the zip and released the velcro on the affected side. This way the only part exposed was the area being treated. I would ask if they have anything like this as I am sure it must have been standard issue. Good luck. x
Hi
I'm currently having rads at Freeman Hospital, Newcastle and they use the same gowns as lala and cheshirecheese describe.
I find them ok. I'm taken to a cubicle to change into it, then go through another door from cubicle into treatment room. No-one apart from staff in that room sees you in this tunic.
Take care
Hi
I start rads on friday, i had planning at christies last week and was given a gown to keep through the duration of my treatment. I am actually having the rt at the oldham hospital new christie satellite so my gown is a very smart navy blue crisp new one, with velcro fastening shoulders and front. At the planning session, i got changed in a curtained off cubicle within the treatment room and that was great. Am hoping the new flash christies at oldham has a similar set up!
Vickie
I was treated at The Royal Marsden in Sutton. They supplied scrappy ill-fitting gowns in changing rooms which we covered up with whatever coat, cardigan, or jumper we had to hand whilst waiting for treatment. My main complaint was the lack of physical help offered by staff when I was flailing around like beached whale trying to get off the radiotherapy table. Oh... the joy!
I was treated in Leicester: I changed in the treatment room itself - wasn't offered a gown but it wasn't really an issue for me. I only had a WLE and am small-breasted anyway- but I can see that some people might have felt 'exposed'
Personally I felt much worse having no hair than going topless. I hated people seeing me bald- even if it was medical or nursing staff.
Certainly don't like the idea of sitting in a general waiting area in a special BC gown.
Hi All
Gosh, seem to have hit a rich seam of opinion here!
Don’t misunderstand me, at Christies there’s a cubicle for changing into the breast gown, but then you sit in the open waiting room until you’re called, which is the bit I don’t like.
The way saffronseed and lala describe their feelings explains why some hospitals started using these gowns in the first place. The staff I asked about it said that they found that a number of ladies were unhappy having all of their top half exposed during treatment. Speaking for myself, I don’t mind, and now there are male staff starting to appear, they’ve got to get used to it – if it’s a problem it’s theirs not mine – but of course not everyone feels that way. Maybe easy for me to say having only had a WLE and mammoplasty, but still very conscious of asymmetry.
In my opinion, the method that Lynni follows at the Freeman in Newcastle sounds the best of all worlds – wear one of these gowns but not having to sit in the waiting room in it.
It seems to be the usual thing – an idea that was started with the best of intentions has become “the procedure”. I was told by one radiographer that I had to wear the gown because it saves staff time, which is rubbish because from what I’ve seen they waste time having to work around it. After two sessions I refused to wear it and now just pull off my top clothes in the treatment room – I’m ready for my treatment before they are. That has been supported by the specialist breast radiographer, but I shouldn’t have had to take it to her.
From what broomsticklady says, the problem doesn’t just apply to rads treatment. I can’t imagine being expected to attend an appointment with a consultant whilst wearing a “cape” which can be whipped aside to suit his convenience. Sorry, but I wouldn’t put up with that!
Balance of opinion based on comments so far seems to be that breast gowns are a good idea, but only if we are offered a choice of whether to wear them or not, and can pop them on immediately before going into the treatment room. In fact perhaps we ought to be permitted to make decisions about how we are treated? Does that seem a reasonable conclusion? Or too radical?
Sarah x
Hi ChesireCheese
Having my last radiotheraphy treatment today at the Beatson Glasgow. In here you just undress in the room and are given a sheet of paper to cover yourself while you walk to the table. I have no problem with this and the radiographers are excellent at making sure you are covered up. There is the option of wearing a gown but I have not seen anybody do this yet. I suppose it is up to people themselves how they feel about this, I feel I have been through so much that this does not bother me.
Good luck with your treatment.
Weeannie x
Sarah - "permitted to make their own decisions"? Yes, that would be nice but I think the powers-that-be in the NHS 'process' us along a production line of treatment. We have to do as we're told and be good little 'patient' patients!
Hi girls
Tedoris - I'm in Inverness too. Like you just took my top half off in the treatment room and had pillow case to cover my modesty - not that it bothered me one bit, so many have seen my boobs by now. I would much rather that than have a breast gown - it's sounds horrid, I fully understand what you mean about it being a 'bc' sign.
Anne x
HI
I had my rads in North Middlesex Hospital in London. No gowns, got undressed in the treatment room.
Hi. I had rads at the Churchill in Oxford. Got undressed in the treatment room but no pillowcase or paper! I preferred that to sitting in waiting area in a gown.
Hi all,
I have my rads at Northampton hosp, i was also given a crisp new navy gown with velcro to use for the duration of my rads, i dont have to change into it until the staff are ready for me, so dont have to sit in the waiting room in it, i prefer it as it is just my left breast exposed to ALL whilst having my rads, then i go into a cubicle to get changed back into my clothes.
Take care Sandrae x
Hi all
I think Sarah says it all and it is about being given choice as to what we feel most comfortable with. Me, like Sarah am quite happy to strip off and jump on the table. For women who don't feel comfortable with that there should be other options, but certainly not ones that make them feel more uncomfortable. Of course some women won't feel up to complaining to the staff so perhaps we should challenge the practice in our hospital to improve proceedures if we feel they could be improved.
Anne
Hi, I also had my rads at Northampton and they are very good. Gown on in cubicle, affected side exposed during, then clothes back on in cubicle.
Only problem I had was remembering to bring my gown with me each day.
Good luck with your treatment.
Love and hugs, Debbie. xxx
I had my radiotherapy treatment in August 2008 at Christie's Manchester.
I had two gowns during my treatment. The first one was useless, it had prestuds on each shoulder depending on which side had to be opened for the treatment, but the prestuds were useless and kept coming open and I had to keep holding it to keep me decent!
It didn't bother me wearing it in the waiting room on the odd occasion that I did as normally I changed in the cubicle and then went straight into the treatment room. I would rather have that though than walk from the cubicle topless or with a sheet of paper or pillow in front of me.
I thing I remember most of all was the very young male radiographer asking me if I was watching the Olympics and which was my favourite sport as he was putting me in the right position on the table! LOL
Hi,
I've had rads in Sussex and in London, in both cases I just took my top off (didn't bother to wear bra) and laid on the treatment table. I'm not bothered by this exposure but can understand that other women may be. I'm a BIG girl and I've got lymphoedema in my arm so hospital gowns are a nightmare anyway! The best answer would be to give us the choice but ........
Julie x
I think Velindre in Cardiff seem to have the best compromise, from what many of you have written.
You are called into a changing room just a minute or two before your time, get changed into a standard gown, leave clothes in room and wait outside in a separate waiting area where no-one else is. Then walk around the corner to the machine.
Once on the table, you slip your arms out of the gown, get arms into position. The radiographers fold the gown down while they line you up, then fold it back over you while the treatment is given. Minimum exposure (and you stay warm).
When you think of the hundreds of people these radiographers see every week, it reminds you that there need not be any embarrassment about it. It's just another body to them.
i had all my treatment at Velindre, too. The staff are lovely. The embarissment does go after a few visits.
When i told the radiographers after a few visits that i used to be embarrised- they were lovely and kind.
eva
i have just started mine at the new christie building at oldham hospital. Is a very calm, modern, peaceful place, lovely staff. You sit in the main waiting room, then when called go into a changing room, put your gown on and pop your clothes etc in a basket. You go out of a different door ( like Mr Benn...) and take your basket with you, and are met by one of the staff and taken through to the machine area, wearing your gown. Once on the bed/machine, they open your gown and line you up, do your treatment, then come in and cover you back up straight after. You then take your basket and go into another changing room which again has two doors, and then go out back into the main waiting area when you are changed.
Our treatment room is lovely, the ceiling has those square panels but over the machine there is a lovely big glass type picture of trees and is very calming. The radiographers have music playing and today i was subjected to "real dead ringer for love" by Meatloaf!
In all, i am extremely impressed with the building, staff and facilities so far,
Vickie
Vickie i live in whitefield so it would be much easier to go to oldham than christies for the radiotherapy, i am shattered from chemo and just cant face the long drive for 15 days! did you ask to go to the new site or did they suggest it at christies?
i have been dealt with at oldham hospital throughout so was always going to be where i went, think it is a bit political who gets to go there, but i also know that a lady having treatment at tameside who lives east manchester has been given the choice. I would def ask if i were you, travel easy, they have a radiotherapy car park with a code for free parking when you have your treatment, and just feels like how a modern state of the art hospital should feel.
ps. when you starting, could actually have that coffee at some stage!
thanks for that i will call them tomo, i have been seen at the alex but to be honest i wish i would have gone nhs as its been a rollercoaster from day one as the results were taken verbally so was told no chemo then when i went back the week later the written report came through showing grade 3 so needed chemo, when went to the oncologist said unlikely that i will need chemo and then a day before last chemo had app to discuss radiotherapy and need it!! i go for planning on the 25th which gives me chance to feel better from the last chemo which has been horrid as had a reaction to it!
you will be all done by the 25th though!!!
i better had be! I had a reaction to my first taxotere, yuk, horrid. What was yours to? Pm me who your consultant is at christie, might be same as mine?