Fall 2015 Rads

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  • One_Bad_Boob
    One_Bad_Boob Member Posts: 40
    edited January 2016

    I'm LOVING the snow photos! I hope everyone is staying safe. Congrats to the recent rads grads!

    Had a follow up with rads onc and he basically said, "Have a nice life". A little scary to not have all that attention anymore :) He has referred me to a lymphedema specialist even though I haven't had any issues. He said they would help me do exercises to avoid it and learn about what symptoms to watch for. Anyone else been to one even if you don't have any issues?

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited January 2016

    OneBadBoob: no, I don't know why it's so daunting to be told, in effect, "Run along now, you're fine." But it is. And yes, I was checked by a lymphedema clinic....after I'd had all my treatment.

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  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 1,289
    edited January 2016

    Onebadboob, I was referred to a LE therapist after I developed symptoms. But I have to say she was extremely helpful. It's worth it even if you don't have symptoms; they can take a baseline measurement in case anything turns up in future. And the exercises she taught me would be beneficial to anyone coming off rads: they helped me maintain range of motion.

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  • HappyHammer
    HappyHammer Member Posts: 1,247
    edited January 2016

    OneBadBoo- Am sure it is a bit disconcerting to be released but at the same time- you did it- rads is over. Check it off the list and celebrate a bit!

    Queenmom- Hope you are doing well...wondering about the weather there. Do you have lots of snow?

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited January 2016

    I have no follow up with the RO either. I am actually not freaked out about it but it was certainly anticlimactic.

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  • phoebe58
    phoebe58 Member Posts: 193
    edited January 2016

    onebadboob - I had sought out a lymphedema prevention trained physio before starting rads on my own, as I have such a paranoia of developing that! She is fabulous. Pre-rads she measured at several places along both arms as a baseline, taught me how the lymph system flows and drains in the body, and then taught me some exercises for range of motion and how to do a light self-massage for lymphedema prevention. So worth it! Now that I am in the middle of rads I am going every other week to be checked, and get a more in depth [though very light, as lymph is just below skin surface] massage from her and review my technique.

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited January 2016

    Yes, I think anticlimactic is a good word for the feeling of realizing that you're, in effect, done with cancer treatment. "Christmas afternoon letdown" is how I'd thought of the reaction--despite the fact that being told "NED" is pretty unequivocally GOOD news, I'd felt more than slightly crestfallen.

    As for snow....essentially nothing on the ground where I live now. We're in a different weather pattern from that which dumped feet of snow up the Atlantic seaboard.

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  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 1,289
    edited January 2016

    Hey Fall ladies, I hope everyone is good and enjoying the winter. Believe me, it gave me great pleasure to pick up a shovel last weekend! Nothing like feeling strong....

    I do have a question for those of you who finished rads before I did: once you healed, was your rads area especially sensitive? And for how long? Now that I'm pretty much healed from the burns, I've noticed that the chest wall area is pretty sensitive to touch. It doesn't mind pressure (I actually have continued to sleep with a pillow hugged up against it), but the odd, unthinking touch can be excruciating for a few minutes. And it continues to itch in a way that also burns a bit. Underarms are fine, which I also don't understand, since they were burned just as badly.

    Thank you!

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited January 2016

    Rainny: my rads area isn't particularly sensitive now, four months later. I don't remember any undue sensitivity at my six-weeks followup visit. But then I had a reasonably easy time, physically, of rads. Also, I had a unilateral lumpectomy.

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  • cuddyclothes
    cuddyclothes Member Posts: 160
    edited January 2016
    image

    This was a shot I took from my window the day of the blizzard.

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited January 2016

    What a great shot, cuddy! rainny, I don't remember being overly sensitive to touch but I definitely had pain still at 6 weeks out. In fact I still get random pain. My skin looks great and finally the body temperature is dropping on that side. I still have a weird color tan and I started peeling again last weekend.

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited January 2016

    I have a little sensitivity and random pains. I worry sometimes because it is in the same area as my original tumor. I don't have it on the other side so it is not likely from my mx although it could be from removal of lymph nodes or also rads.

    My RO said to come back in 6 months although I kind of wondered if this was normal. It sounds strange but she and I really hit it off and I think she just wants me to come back and see her again. (She also wants to see my foobs after Stage 2).

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  • cuddyclothes
    cuddyclothes Member Posts: 160
    edited January 2016

    Molly 50, thanks!

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited January 2016

    The radiated area was numb after surgery and remains numb--unfortunately, it got fibrosed so the seroma beneath is harder to disperse. MY LE PT gave me a little oval “Swell Spot” foam-bead-filled quilted velour pad to stuff into my sleep bra or cami to try and break up the fibrosis. The first symptom that caused me to worry about LE was a sore tightness and palpable knot on the inside of my forearm when stretching and rotating it clockwise. I also had finger swelling in-flight with a sleeve & gauntlet, and arm heaviness and tingling at high altitude on land, w/o wearing compression. I made an appt. with the city’s top LE specialist. By the time he saw me, the symptoms had disappeared. He measured me and didn’t find any L-R difference that couldn’t be accounted for by dominant vs non-dominant arm and the fact that as a guitarist my L fingers have always been flexier and could stretch further. Nonetheless, even though he didn’t think I had LE his diagnosis was Stage 0 (subclinical) because I’d reported symptoms and so Medicare would pay for physical therapy. He also prescribed a glove rather than a gauntlet for flight or traveling to high altitudes on land (I can still wear a gauntlet for practicing guitar and light exercise). Of course, I had no symptoms at my first two LE sessions, but the intervening weekend was somewhat worrisome. So I’ve been getting MLD each session and have been doing stretches and (with compression garments) a couple of resistance-band exercises, I also have been given the go-ahead to start using hand weights, starting with one-pounders and not increasing each for a week, a lb. at a time--flys, lats and biceps & triceps curls.

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  • Ltam16
    Ltam16 Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2016

    It's been a while since I've been on the boards. This month I had my follow up with the medical oncologist and radiation oncologist. Everything looked good, my skin is mostly back to normal...still a little tan and a little swollen, my blood work and tumor markers were good. I had my first mammo and Sono on Wednesday and the dr found a cluster of micro calcifications in my other breast. Going for mammogram guided biopsy tomorrow. Trying to think positively but I'm scared

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  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 1,289
    edited February 2016

    Ltam, welcome back to the boards. I'm so sorry to hear you're going through this. Good luck tomorrow; let us know how it goes!

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  • HappyHammer
    HappyHammer Member Posts: 1,247
    edited February 2016

    Ltam- so sorry you are having to worry...please keep us posted. In your pocket!

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited February 2016

    Ltam, in your pocket for tomorrow.

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited February 2016

    Ltam: welcome back--sorry for the news that brought you back! Truly sorry. (I'm not looking forward to my first post-diagnosis mammogram....) Let us know how things go with the biopsy?

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited February 2016

    Ltam, keep us posted! Hoping for all good news.

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  • Ltam16
    Ltam16 Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2016

    it wasn't as bad as I thought. No pain with the biopsy just had to stay in mammogram a long time. Now I wait. Thank you all so much fo the support!!

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  • queenmomcat
    queenmomcat Member Posts: 3,039
    edited February 2016

    Back around to the waiting again! But thank you for letting us know.

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited February 2016

    Ltam, glad it wasn't bad. I will be praying for good results.

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  • HappyHammer
    HappyHammer Member Posts: 1,247
    edited February 2016

    Ltam- glad you are ok and it wasn't so bad! Keep us posted.

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  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 1,289
    edited February 2016

    Ltam: and we wait with you!

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  • pennsygal
    pennsygal Member Posts: 346
    edited February 2016

    Ltam - thinking of you.

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  • Tessio
    Tessio Member Posts: 46
    edited February 2016

    Thank you QueenMomCat, HappyH, and KBee for your responses. I'm going to wait on the vacation. Today is treatment 11 of 35. If I feel great then I might change my mind. :)

    Blessings to you!

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  • Ltam16
    Ltam16 Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2016

    Doctor called today and the results are benign!!!! I am so relieved. Thank you all for the support and kind words!

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited February 2016

    Oh, that's fantastic, Ltam!

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  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 1,289
    edited February 2016

    Ltam, wonderful news!!

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