1 yr post-rads- chest tightness/muscle cramps

I had stiffness and pain on the radiated TE from the moment the skin grew back.  The radiation ate up the "chicken fat" the PS left to help with the expansion process.  The skin and muscle over the TE was painful.  I have a blue ranger pulley that I use for range of motion exercises.  It helped a lot.  But at 11 months, I found I was having more pain and the muscle was stuck and absolutely rigid.  I knew I could not have a successful reconstruction in the condition I was in.

 I asked to see a PT at the local cancer research hospital.  My PT was certified in LE but also in myofascial release and deep tissue massage.  My TE (called the puckett after the doctor who put it there) felt like there was strap over it trying to pull it up and over the shoulder to my back.  She got that strap to relax and the puckett dropped down to where it was supposed to be.  After 6 weeks of treatment, it was still firm, but it was flexible and could be moved.  When I then returned to the PS in May to see if we could proceed with expansion (after a year break after last RT), he was so pleased with the condition of the muscle and skin he began right away.  I've had 180 ccs put in since, I'm at 660 and this puppy is TIGHT.  REALLY painful.  PS said we may have expanded as much as possible from this direction.  I'm on a 4 week break to see if I can sooth it back to a more relaxed state.  If not, we are talking surgery.  He can release the rad scarring from the inside.

But oh yeah, it has been the most obnoxious, painful part of bst cancer...the rad damage. 

thank you, fragrantroses. we have been reading posts on here for a month or so before i finally created an account today. yours has been the most helpful post so far.

L8895, you may have cellulitis, a skin infection. Call a doc right away, because it needs to be dealt with. You probably have some slight lymphedema and it flared from the heat and exertion. Lymphedema can cause the infection.

Omigosh! Lois figured her cramps/spasms out! It was her vitorin! Cholesterol med! Statin meds cause severe muscle pain! Check the side effects of ur daily meds. she sed shes been on it 15 yrs and has been cramping for nine. Stopped taking it two nights ago and only got up ONCE last night with one cramp in one foot. Today only one small cramp in the morning.

Exactly what I just told a friend. Chemo is bad and is so visible that I felt lucky to only have to have rads. Of course, chemo will eventually be flushed out of the body, where the rad damage seems to be there forever. Truly, the gift that keeps on giving. ;-)

Seriously, I have been having good results for the tightness and nerve pain with kiniseotaping. I suspect the pressure from the tape interupts the firing nerves that cause the pain, kind of like a TENS unit.