Winter 2015-16 RADS

1957-2057

Radiation finished end of February, mid April I noticed I had restricted movement in my left arm and shoulder. Have been doing therapy for that to get my range of motion back, stretching on my own wasn't enough. As for pain in that side of my chest oh yeah, small shooting pains and that whole area is tender like it has been bruised. Oncologist - (went today, good check up) anyhow she says the healing goes on for quite awhile and the nerve endings take a long time. She told me not to be surprised if it takes up to a year and some women will always have some pain. Still would rather be here with some pain than not be here at all. Worth the trade I guess.

Best of luck to you Miss V & Vicki

Helen

Suz-Q

1957-2057, My RO prescribed Trental and Vit. E. I did PT and OT for range of motion, swelling, and muscle tightness and pain. It helped a little. The Trental an E took away the swelling and over half of the muscle problems. I'm getting fat grafting to the breast tomorrow. Our breast stem cells were lost and damaged during rads. The stem cells in fat help bring the breast environment back to a more normal state. After radiation the cell turnover process and the cell response to injury is out of balance. This is why fibrosis occurres. To much scar tissues is being made and there is nothing to tell the cells to stop. The cells do not have the right signals to know when to stop. New stem cells will restore some of the lost signaling and return the balance to the different phases of cell turnover. The Trental is a vasiodilator which changes the shape of the red blood cells making them smaller. This way they can get into smaller blood vessels bringing oxygen to the damaged area and healing. Radiation damaged out blood vessels too.

Tell me again why breast conserving therapy is so great?

KateB79

Just checking in to say hi, and to say thanks to those of you who already posted about the tender, bruised feeling in your ribs/sternum and the occasional shooting pains. I've got that, kind of all of a sudden (finished rads in March). . . .

I did 12 visits with the physical therapist, who really, really, really helped me with range of motion. But I guess the healing continues.

1957-2057

Just checking in. Had my 1 year Mammogram this week, all clear!!!!!! 1 year cancer free, whoot whoot!!!!!

I did the therapy as well Kate - it really made a difference for me

Hope everyone is doing well - would love to hear how you are doing

Helen

Moondust

I had chemo after rads and finished up on August 10. Aside from no hair, my main complaint is swelling in my radiated breast. It is much bigger than my other one. I thought it would be over that by now. I just saw a lymphedema specialist who thinks it will resolve over time with compression. She gave me several compression pads to wear and showed me manual fluid drainage.

Batesburg

Just joining this group...finished 30 rounds of radiation on May 11th. My radiated side is becoming more painful/tighter it seems...especially behind my armpit/lower shoulder blade and tenderness along side ribs.

Anyone else experience these kind of symptoms several months after treatment completed? Of course, prob to be expected given all the treatment.....mastectomy, full ALND and radiation! Phew!!!

Janet

KateB79

Janet . . . Yes. I finished chest-wall rads at the beginning of March, and by June was tight and sore almost all of the time. I had 12 visits with a physical therapist who worked wonders--my range of motion is "normal" again! I strongly suggest having a consult.

Good luck!

Brimton

Hi everyone
I'm sorry for the pain in the chest and loss of mobility in the arm. I too have had that. Stretching does the best job for relief. I'm going to a cancer yoga class weekly now it helps.
I had my seven month follow up this week. All ok will have first bilateral Mamogram in Dec. So far so good. The estrogen blocker pills make my legs ache and had to switch to a new one. I hope it does the trick. I don't want to feel like I'm 80 yet.
A big shout out to all of you who helped me through this. I am sending you good vibes today. Katie your hair looks fantastic.
E

1957-2057

Boy do I want to say been there done that and I had a lumpectomy. Had 15 physical therapy visits and do my exercises, tightness is gone and the thickening of the tissue is alot less, range of motion is back as well. My therapist was good the only advice he gave me was don't let them do heat or ultrasound therapy on you. He said that was not good for breast cancer patients. Best of luck to you.

I am struggling with SE of my Arimidex but am hanging in there. Taking Ginger chunks for the sore joints and it has helped some.

Love and best wishes - prayers for all

xoxoxo

Helen

HappyHammer

KateB79- always enjoyed your input as we went through rads....how are you foing?  Just wanted to check in.

HappyHammer

MDOC- checking in with you, too....how are you doing?  You helped me so much when going through active treatment....just wanted to check in.

KateB79

HappyHammer, I'm doing well, physically. The PT really helped. The other day at the gym I did barbell bench presses for the first time since diagnosis!

Onward and upward.

How are you feeling?

mdoc524

Hi HappyHammer - thanks for checking on me.. Physically I am doing OK - dealing with lots of not so fun side effects not so much from Rads - more from chemo & Tamoxifen.. horrible fatigue - could sleep all day; constipation worse than ever; neuropathy in legs & feet - have fallen 5 times; and lastly a horrendous vaginal infection that won't go away (sorry if TMI) .. hate even complaining as I am so thankful to be on the other side & my issues are cake compared to chemo - just have to find my groove! I have lost 23 lbs & have completed three 5k walks so getting there!!

Emotionally I am a mess - my Mom passed away on Nov 4th. While it was expected - still so hard to say Goodbye! To also add to our sadness my husband's mother passed away 3 days after mine. Both were sick so glad they are no longer suffering but we never expected to bury both of our Mom's (both Grandmoms to my boys) in the same week. My heart just hurts. Miss them both so much so it will be rough during the holidays but lots of great memories to cherish.

Sharing a picture of me & my beautiful Mom - thanks for listening

Hope everyone else is doing well & finding new norm!

xo, Mary

Moondust

Mary, I'm so sorry to hear about the two grandmas. I still miss my mom and mother-in-law after many years. Congrats on losing the 23 pounds and completing the 5K's! That is really great!

I'm dismayed that you are still having so many side effects from chemo. Are you taking any supplements to help with the neuropathy? I still have some fatigue from my chemo, but I only ended in August. My radiated breast is still huge compared to the normal one. I question whether it will ever shrink like "they" claim.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

mdoc524

Hi Moondust - yes I do take meds for neuropathy.. my MO had to start cutting dose of Taxol during chemo when the neuropathy came on strong - she said it could take up to a year for it to go away & some could be permanent .. my fatigue I think is from Tamoxifen. Glad you are doing well!!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Mary

Suz-Q

Hi Mary,

So sorry to hear about your double loss! That's quite a blow for you and your family. Congratulations on your weight loss. I'm on Anastrozole and was having so much fatigue with it, I wanted a nap by 3 pm every day! When I complained to my MO about it, she blew me off. I had fat grafting to heal some of the radiation damage in August, I took a five week break from Anastrozole and haven't had the fatigue since. The nurse practitioner at my MO's office said that sometimes after a break the symptoms subside. I've been back on it since September 1, so far, so good! It has been one hell of a year and I think a small part of my fatigue may have been stress related, but I also believe most of it was due to the medication. Good luck

-Suzanne

HappyHammer

Oh Mary, so very sorry about both moms/grandmoms.   Holidays can be so bittersweet and with your recent losses am hoping you are ok!  How are the health issues you mentioned? Neuropathy is awful- hopefully, you will recover fully from it.  Falling is scary! The weight loss and 5ks are awesome, though. Good for you! 

Suz-Q- Glad to see you!  I did the same thing with Arimidex..had a lot of issues so went off of it for 6 weeks- tried something else- can't remember name of it right now but it was worse.  After a break fro that- went back on the Teva Arimidex generic and doing fine.  Have heard others say taking a break helped them as well.

Kalypso2005

I found this post after looking for a possible answer to my pain that is right below my left breast where a bra would be.  I am two years out from radiation. I also had to lymph nodes removed that were cancer free. I had stage 1 cancer.  The pain started about the time I had an esophageal problem that caused bloat and pain.  It has since been resolved but the pain is still there. I feel it mostly when I where a bra or lay down.  When I lay down it is like the area is stretched and gets painful.  I am not sure it is the bone because I have what seems like a swollen ridge of fat or muscle.  I have asked my docs and they do not seem concerned. Has anyone had this? Is it a result of the radiation which was on my left breast?

Thanks for any perspective.    

Brimton

hi everyone💋

Happy and Healthy New Year to you all. Mdoc hang in there. I lost my mom 20 years ago still miss her. I'm doing ok continuing yoga. Gained some weight ugh working on taking it off. Several girlfriends have been diagnosed so I'm helping them through. Trying to focus on being physically and mentally healthy. TRYING to give up cafine very hard for me. Love and hugs to you al. I don't know what I would have done without you.

mdoc524

Hi Everyone - Happy 2017!! Thanks for the well wishes about my Mom - miss her every minute!

Brimton - giving up caffeine - good luck - I only drink 1 cup of coffee per day and no soda (just water) - could not give up my 1 coffee !!

Hope everyone is doing well - my managing the not so fun side effects of Tamoxifen that some days beat me up but can't complain!

Sharing the 2 new tattoos I got .. not a tattoo person but wanted these for closure! Left Calf & Right Wrist..

XOXO, Mary

mdoc524

Kalypso - I have rib pain everyday - inflammation from radiation - some days worse than others! Had a chest CT because MO thought I had a Blood Clot due to Tamoxifen and chest was clear so they said the pain is after effect from radiation! That is just me - hopefully yours is the same - push your doctor if still concerned!

Mary

1957-2057

Just checking in to see how everyone that went through treatment when I did is fairing. I hope you are all doing well. I just had my 3 year mammogram and got an all clear. I still am seeing my oncologist every 6 months now. I take arimidex.

Last year at this time I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer so I had surgery to remove it, one parathyroid and 15 lymph nodes. They found papillary cancer in 5 lymph nodes so in February this year I had to do radioactive iodine treatment. The worse part of that was living in my bedroom for 5 days. I am happy to say I am doing well, minor complaints but nothing I can't live with. I may have the energy of a slug but I am happy to get through every day. Take care all and please post how you are all doing, I feel connected to you still.

Helen

kbutler

Helen glad to hear you are doing well. Will go for my 3 year check up beginning of march. Praying for good results. My radiation oncologist released me last year. Still see my oncologist once a year and surgeon 1 a year and he said if all is good this time I will 2 yes before I have to see him again

1957-2057

Kbutler,

Glad you are doing so well. I still see my oncologist every 6 months and surgeon once a year.

Helen