Immune system after lymph node removal - is it weakened?

ce3

Hello everyone,

I had surgery and lymph node removal in September 2013 (no chemo, just radiotherapy). I am fine now and lead a normal life. However, I do seem to get a lot of colds that last for weeks at a time. I was wondering if it is related to my lymph system (I had four removed under my right arm, the sentinel included).

Look forward to hearing from you all...

C.

inks

I think you may still be feeling the effects of radiation. It can take 2 years until your body stops reacting to the radiation.

ce3

Thank you so much for your reply. I am completely in the dark about the duration it takes to "fully" recover following radiation treatment. Although I am feeling fine, nobody seems to have said this to me.

inks

I saw PT this week for the first time this week and he said my radiated side will keep tightening until 2 years after radiation. That's a large area for our bodies to try to heal.

ce3

What do you mean by "keep tightening"?

inks

I don't know if you had LX or MX but it happens to both. Women who had LX say that it makes the affected breast more perky and tightens things up. I had MX and reconstruction and got rads for chest wall axilla and clavicle. My muscles and skin on that side are very tight. My layperson explanation is scarring. I need to do stretches for that area. But I did not know until last week that this will keep happening until 2 years after rads.

ce3

Oh I see! Thank you for the extra information there. I didn't know all this.

SpecialK

 I had 2 lymph nodes removed from the non-cancer side, 12 from the cancer side, and had chemo and numerous surgeries.  I have been sick once since diagnosis in 2010, and it was over this last winter, the same flu everyone else had.  I was not prone to contagious things prior to diagnosis, or after.  Have you had any routine labs run to check your blood counts and general health?  Were you prone to colds prior to being diagnosed?

Lily55

mine is still tightening 30 months on...