August 2010 Rads

Thank you all so much! You all are awesome!

Hey AnnieBear, 

    I didn't have any real problems but I did have some itching after I finished rads. They told me to keep the moisture on and I used the aquafore, then later just some really good lotion. Still use the lotion. Seems to me you ought to be healing up fine by now but then the radiation does still go on radiating ( if that's the correct term) for awhile - doing it's job - not sure how long it takes to stop. Good luck

AnnieBear ~ how's your diet?  Are you getting enough lean protein and vitamins?  Your body heals from the inside better than anything you can slather on the outside.  I hope you are feeling better soon.

 Here's a ? for anybody.  I finished rads the middle of September and have been having pain in the underlying tissue around my left breast for about the last month.  The breast itself is pain free, it's what's underneath that hurts.  From underneath my armpit up and around my arm to the collarbone and across to my sternum.  I won't see my Rad Onc for 2 more weeks and have been doing some serious stretching which does help, but has anybody else experienced this and have any ideas for me?  

I am on Tamoxifan, just about 4 months now.  Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.  I have been REALLY stretching and it does help.  But it's still there.

ECT--I just want to clarify the lymphedema and exercise information: a group from U Penn has published two studies, one of women with lymphedema and one looking at women "at risk" of lymphedema--in neither study did the VERY careful and controlled weight lifting and exercise program either cure lymphedema or prevent it--except for a small group of women who had >5 nodes out.

The author of the studies wants women to be strong and not afraid to be active, but in the study with lymphedema, she only enrolled women who were rock solid stable, and even then, some of them flared and some couldn't tolerate weight lifting.

In the study of women "at risk"--weight lifting was "not superior" to not weight lifting, but under controlled conditions, it did not appear to cause harm.

The key is to work with good trainers and to be very careful. 

There is a web site from the author of the studies--Kathryn Schmitz:

http://www.penncancer.org/physical-activity-and-lymphedema/

The media has headlines like "weight lifting cures lymphedema" "weight lifting slashes lymphedema risk"--the truth is, careful exercise is a good idea, but it doesn't cure lymphedema.

Kira

ECT & Kira ~ Thanks for taking the time to post.  I've been doing a lot of sustained stretching/range of motion exercises.  I was in pretty good shape, for an old gal, when I got the diagnosis. I was 5 months into a very regular routine in anticipation of my daughter's wedding next month.  Then the surgery and rads and I slacked off quite a bit, to say the least.  I've started back pretty regularly for the past 2 months now that I am healed from the rads, but this pain under my arm and the lack of flexibility is frustrating to me.  I will say, the more I stretch, the more the pain subsides, so I'm sticking with it.  My weight lifting so far is just pushing myself away from Mother Earth with good old fashioned pushups and dips.  Lymphedema is not an issue for me, I had only one sentinel node removed and my surgeon told me not to worry about it, so I'm not.  God Bless the both of you real good.  

Hugs