Why does radiation tech expose me during treatment setup?

The exposure during setup is necessary for positioning accuracy, but the lack of communication and consideration for your comfort is completely unacceptable. Every patient deserves to feel informed, respected, and safe during treatment, especially given your history. Speaking with your radiation oncologist or patient advocate about requesting better communication, having a female tech present, or other accommodations could help make this process more manageable for the remainder of your treatment.

And today I had 2 male techs and NO female tech in the room. I'm struggling with this so much. I'll never do radiation again and may cut this course short. I don't know if i can take it anymore.

Agree you need to ask questions and discuss your history with your radiation oncologist or a staff member. Prior to radiation, i had marks tattooed on my breast and chest. Each session they would have to look for them. This may be what they are doing.

I had to be exposed completely for radiation. The techs were very professional. I had the same experience 16 years ago with my first radiation experience. I’d encourage you to speak to someone at the facility or to your radiation oncologist immediately. I’m sure there is something they can do to make you more comfortable. I’m sorry you are having such a bad experience. Best wishes.

The first time I had radiation I had male techs that were rude and disrespectful! I was also getting extremely ill after each session and nobody seemed to know why? Needless to say I quit at #16 was supposed to do 23 + some boosts but between the rude jerks and being ilI couldn't take it anymore! Well turns out they were radiating my liver! That's what was making me ill! I recently had a reoccurrence and switched hospitals! TG! The new hospital/ radiation team were great! Nothing like I had before! I finished every treatment and they avoided my liver! My new radiologist literally showed me using the prior scans they were 100%radiating my liver the whole time had I finished AND got boosted I would probably need a liver transplant! If you aren't comfortable speak up and/or change locations. Had I done the same I may have finished and not had a reoccurrence?? Who knows?? One thing I've learned is you have to fight for yourself! YOU are your best advocate!

I want to add my new techs were all female! I don't know why the prior male techs were different? It may make all the difference to request female techs? At the old place I literally got someone else's treatment once! I refused to ever let that particular tech do mine again and they agreed! I knew because I had totally different areas light up red after treatment - true story!

I agree the radiation part of my treatment was a very uncomfortable situation. We have to go daily for weeks. I had an issue with the breathing. It seemed like every day it was the same routine and they would tell you to hold your breath and then they would zap it until this one particular day,. I had a gentleman and he didn’t tell me to hold my breath, and I heard the machine zap and I started flipping out. I called out to somebody because he went out of the routine of what I was used to. He came in with a woman and assured me they did not give me any radiation while I was breathing, but I couldn’t help but think that I felt helpless on that table. Huge miscommunications I remember I felt like a piece of meat and not myself at all and at the end of it all they wanted me to ring the bell. I wasn’t gonna ring it. I just felt very disturbed about the whole situation but I ended up ringing it anyway at the end of my 6 weeks

I think ringing the bell may be as much an ego boost for them. I've heard others say that. And why? It's not like anyone's telling you you're cured. My surgeon was great, but my experience with radiology has sucked. I've been trying to speak to the oncologist because I refuse to go back if I'm not guaranteed all female techs. It's been a zoo trying to make any headway to get an appointment or to speak with her. And they keep scheduling me for more sessions even though I told them I won't be back until I can speak with the radiologist.

Did you tell the person scheduling you why you wouldn’t go back? The radiologist must have nurses or physicians assistants you could talk with? Is the radiation treatment in a hospital or stand alone setting? Is the radiologist’s office in the facility?

They don't talk to me about scheduling. They just schedule me and then I get texts/emails telling me when I'm supposed to be there. I told them I wasn't going back until I could talk to the radiation oncologist. The communication with this place has been atrocious from the get go. It's a stand alone cancer facility that is affiliated with the hospital. And when I call I get transferred from one person to another. It's truly asinine.

Maybe your oncologist could help you find a different facility. I’m sorry you’re going through all this but try not to lose sight of the end goal.

Look into alternative treatment you have choices

I'm not sure where you are going for the radiation but I had a lot better experience where I had gone. Very caring and understanding techs there. Made sure I was always comfortable even played my music to listen to. Always asked if I had plans for the day, how was home life and even talked to me to be sure that I feel safe at home. And on my last day I received a certificate of completion signed by all of the techs and made sure that I rang that bell!

I am half way through radiation, I am older, I hate that I have to expose both breasts. I have never been comfortable exposing any part of my body. I hate this and don't think I would ever do this again

Sharon: I quit going. I could never get ahold of the radiation oncologist and I finally just decided not to go back. I did 5 treatments and that's enough. I'm also not going to take the medication they want to put me on. The risks with all the different medications aren't worth it. The fact is you can do all the things they tell you to do and it can still come back. I'm not going to risk osteoporosis or uterine cancer. Also, I'm also 64. At this point in my life I'll decide what's best for me not doctors.