MAY 2009 Rads

Texas357

Way to go Cruise and Chelev! And Cruise, focus on eating healthfully, getting your rest and all that "motherly" advice, okay? You need to build up your immune system. My oncologist told me today that chemo can leave women anemic for up to a year.

Speaking of the oncologist, he told me not to read anything into the fact that new pre-cancerous cells had appeared in my opposite breast that weren't there last year. He said the only thing it means is that I did well by getting the prophylactic mastecomy. Tumor markers and lymph nodes were normal. Woo hoo!

Anonymous

Yay, Texas!!!!!!!   That is the BEST news!!

Barbie, thanks for the kind words!  Yes, I had the itchy thing ocassionally, usually right around the nipple area.  I think it is just healing skin.  And you know, the immune system thing makes sense, because I too had some weird things going on - I developed mono, at 30, out of nowhere, and it is part of the Eppstein-Barr virus.

Debonthelake

Hi, everyone,  I thought I'd  drop in and see how everyone is doing.  The news sounds good so far and it's good to hear it.  It's interesting that you guys are discussing the auto-immune problems I am gluten intolerant also.  What are some of the ideas to support the immune system other than low-fat, mostly vegetarian diet and vigorous exercise?  I'm interested of course.  Thanks for any input.

Texas357

Deb, you've got the list about right on the immune system: exercise, rest and a wide variety of plant-based veggies are supposedly the major players in that one.

Meg, I think you're unusual as most people report their radiated side contracting and getting smaller. That might be good news for you because it may mean that you're not developing extra scar tissue.

Today I've GOT to try cleaning house. The vacuuming is my major problem. I'm right-handed, and that's my new surgery side. So I have to try it left-handed, which is not only awkward but also with LE I'm not supposed to be doing repetitive motions. But we have 4 dogs and people coming over tonight. I don't want guests wading in dog hair!

Anonymous

Texas, sounds like a real catch-22 there!  Just go slowly - maybe switching off and changing hands occasionally?  I remember trying to be the vacuum queen after my lumpectomy - was okay on the hard surfaces but those deep pile area rugs - ouch!! 

Texas357

All I keep telling myself is that it's temporary. I can't imagine if I'd waited until they found something, and I'd have the risk of LE in both arms! So I'm feeling very blessed.

Debonthelake

Meg -- LOL  you are so right.  Keep stress to a mini mun.  Like that's ever going to happen.  Getting back into the swing of things at work hasn't exactly met that part of the goal.  But, I did meet a couple of ladies tonight who go to a Zumba class in town.  That should help with the exercise as the days shorten.  I think I'll give it a try this weekend. 

Texas it's great to always be counting our blessings.  Half of the battle seems to be perspective.

God bless you all.  I love the idea of doing things to help women fight this disease who have financial problems doing so.  Perhaps I'll find a way to help out locally.

Bold

Well said Ivory!!!! I believe that appreciation and happiness are synonymous. I have so much to be grateful for too. I have Herceptin today. I am drinking a ton of water to get ready and I am going to exercise now as I feel very tired after infusion. I am going to visit a friend who is in the hospital after. He is only a few blocks away from my onc at Cedar Sinai hospital. He has ALS. Yikes huh? I would appreciate it if you all could say a prayer for him and his family it is really a tough one. Thank you. You gals rule!!!

Tex do you have some on that could vacuum for you? I would do it but.............

I had a great weekend and now it is time to get stuff (allot) done.

OH guess what? I got a iphone and it is soooo cool!!!! I love it. Pandora is a wonderful application. It is a radio that plays only what you like. This new technologies are kinda spooky.

Peace and health.

pj12

Hi May Radiators,

Can anyone offer an opinion on this:

I had 28 regular/8 boosts to the left breast in May 09.  Normal side effects, nothing unusual.  During the boosts my armpit turned quite darkly pigmented and still is.  It is still as smooth as a baby's bottom, no hair, no stubble.  On my recent follow up with the radiologist I asked if my armpit (I was thinking lymph nodes) were treated.  He said he did not have my "book" but he did not think that was part of the plan and the dark skin (still much darker than my almost back to normal breast skin) was just due to scatter.   

Does anyone else still have hairless underarm skin?  And if the dark skin is due to scatter why isn't any other skin dark, even my breast skin?

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Pam 

AlohaGirl

Well, Pam, I don't know whether the dark armpit is caused by "scatter" or not but I do know that since my rads the lower part of my right armpit is darker and I don't have hair there (though I do higher up in my armpit).  Also it swells a little bit from time to time and feels tight (not a big deal, I only notice when I put my arms up above my head), so I'm pretty sure they irradiated it.  I haven't asked the rad onc about it but I plan to ask the med onc about that and about the breast pain I've been having over the last week or so when I see him next week.  I think it is normal and am not worried about it, but plan to confirm.  This probably doesn't help you much but at least you know someone else has had a similar experience!

I hope everyone is doing well.  I haven't been on the boards as much lately (and never really posted that much) but I think about all of the May rads gang regularly ....

ajlive

Hi everyone.  Hope all is doing well.

Aloha: good to hear from you.

PJ12345: Yes most are now smooth as a babies bottom.  Could be months before hair grows or may never grow back.  My radiated area has all faded but in the armpit.  I think everyone's armpits darken more than the other areas.  Just give it time.  Make sure you continue moisturizing.  I have a coworker that had radiation treatments last year in September.  She said her skin is still dark in the armpit and no hair has came back.

Texas357

Pam, I don't have armpit hair on either side yet. I finished chemo in April and rads in June -- still no sign. It's the only place that the hair has not started to grow yet.

pj12

This site is just great!  Thanks so much to all of you for sharing your experience.  Good to know this is the new normal.  And I can live without the hair!  Just thought it was odd for the lingering effect to be where I did not think I was treated.

Good luck to all.

Pam 

Anonymous

Pam, just checking in as well - my darkened armpit eventually faded to almost normal coloring.  Last rads was June 26 (the last of the boosts) and it was very dark.  No hair either, but that unfortunately has come back, sort of sparse, but there.  Breast pain is lessening, but still there - only really notice it while laying down on that side.  Can wear a sports bra and actually start light jogging / heavy walking with minimal discomfort from bouncing.

barbiedahl

PJ I still have some discoloring,(finished rads beginning of July) and really no hair to speak of. I was never a hairy person, but when my hair finally started to grow back I couldn't believe how hairy I was, face, arms, legs. The hair has sort of disappeared and now I look normal hairy. I'm sure we will have many small things that we will be dealing with for a long time. I generally tell myself it's all over and done with, but that doesn't really acknowledge how serious the treatment for this disease is. The cure is as tough as the disease, but we will heal!

Bold

Hi all. I had no discoloration in the pit. I did on the nipple but it is totally normal color now. I wonder if the discolor comes from skin touching skin when you lay down. I would wonder if larger breasted gals experience this. Just thinking. I have costchondritis.(Inflammation of the muscle that connects the breast to the chest wall) I am self diagnosing as I still have not been seen by my onc since the 18 of June. I am still on herceptin and yesterday had an infusion. I was 16 mins. late and she said she could not see me. I was soooo angry. I come from a long way to see her. I have decided to switch Dr.s. The fact that she did not even ask if there was any important reason for seeing her or make a new appointment for me. I have had it with her!!!!! GRRRR. My heart functions have decreased by 20% since I have seen her too. Oh well onward and upward. The Truth of the matter is that I feel better than I have felt in years. But still. Thanks for the vent.

pj12

Hi Bold and everyone else too.

You may be right about breast size as I fit the large category.  And try as I may, I cannot keep from sleeping on the side with the treated breast.  And I think the armpit is darker in the morning!!!  You are a good mystery solver.  

Thanks for all the reassurances.

Pam 

Texas357

Is anyone else's radiated skin SUPER dry? I went a week without moisturizing, and the skin started flaking. The nurse warned me that some of the oil-producing cells had been permanently damaged, but I didn't expect the dryness to this extent.

jrgolomb

omigosh, lol chelev.  Flashing since 1997!  I have about 5 hot flashes a day.  Anybody having weight gain issues with tamoxifen? 

Anonymous

Jess, oh yes, it's been fun, flashing before my mother even started having flashes!! 

I haven't noticed weight gain yet, but I am still only into my 3rd week on tamox.  I am fervently hoping that I will be one of the weight loss people on tamox, but with my luck, it won't be.

Texas, haven't noticed super dry skin except around the nipple area and it comes and goes.  I am having pain still where my port was inserted and removed - it is the weirdest thing.  The scar is kind of raised and a little redder than I'd like, so I'm thinking it is maybe keloiding.  I'll have to point it out to my onc at the next visit and see what she suggests.  It hurts to push on that area, and the port was removed in April.

Texas357

Chelev, that's weird about the scar.Mine spread out, where most scars tend to become thinner as they age. Wonder if the weirdness has anything to do with the chemo drugs entering at that point?

Anonymous

Could be - or it just could be that some scars keloid.  I had a C-section scar that was like this too . . .and when I had the hyst. 10 years later, my doctor fixed it so it wasn't like that.

Texas357

My first mastectomy scar started out raised then gradually flattened. Now this one is raised and sort of freaking me out. I keep telling myself to be patient.

barbiedahl

I just had to post something here because it's in my favorites and the last post was Sept 11th which made me feel sad every time I saw it.

I hope everyone is doing well. I'm still getting a little swelling in my rad breast, and sometimes I over do the exercise and I'm sore. Every day I heal a little more.

jrgolomb

Oh, I hope you are all doing well.  My foob has been feeling pretty okay and then all of a sudden when I finally sat down after work, it swelled up and tightened up just like it used to during rad tx.  I almost took an aspirin, then it sort of relaxed after I stretched it out a bit.  Anybody dealing with that? 

Texas357

My plastic surgeon said tightening was common for a few years after radiation, if that helps.

barbiedahl

Yikes! Did your PS really say years???  UGH, I was hoping less time. I really am ready to put this behind me, but my puffy breast and slightly sore underarm are making it hard.There are some days that just wearing a bra is annoying and really the girls need a bra!

 I did read somewhere that it's a good thing to massage the breast to help scar tissue from forming, anyone else read or head that????

Texas357

Yes, I just discovered the massage after doing an Internet search for ways to help prevent implant failure after radiation. There are videos on a few sites. I asked my PS about it, and she said it can be helpful.

She told me that if my implant was going to fail, it would probably be a couple of years after the surgery.

lisalisa

Hi all!

I'm missed all of you and just trying to catch up a bit tonight.  I had my hysto august 3rd (easy!) and then phase II of my DIEP (reoconstruction) last week on the 17th.  I had my revisions done and nipples added too!  Now all I'm missing are areolas.

I am not growing any hair under the radiated arm, but my skin is in good shape...good enough to do a few minor changes to my reconstruction. 

I'll check in again as I really need to get on the weight loss bandwagon.  I started arimidex after my hysto and haven't gained weight but haven't lost either.  I start zometa on 9/28.  Kind of dreading that.  Can't wait to recover from this latest surgery and start exercising (bike riding, swimming, etc.)  for now, I just walk.

Lisa

Texas357

Lisa, congrats on all the work you've done to restore your life and body!