Unexpected side/after-effect of radiation

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer
Hi all....You've often heard of my throat and vocal chord troubles and how I've had 14 or so surgeries to remove tumors on the chords that are caused by a particular strain of the pappilloma virus. Anyway, in the past 6 monmths or so, I'd been experiencing some severe discomfort in my throat, including tremendous itching. It wasn't in the back of the throat but, rather, way back and down and it was driving me insane. Since I'd also developed a severely dripping nose (since chemo) with discharge that often became bloody, as well as itchy, watery eyes, I simply concluded that I had allergies and went along popping Benedryl. And the Benedryl worked...for everything but the throat discomfort and I began to think I was either insane for feeling so itchy and 'choky' or I'd go insane from the experience. So when I had my PCP appointment the other day, imagine my surprise when she not only confirmed severe allergies bordering on infection, but significant SCAR TISSUE in the back of my throat....FROM RADIATION!!!! Now this diagnosis might terrify the avaerage person but lemme say that I'm just thrilled to actually have something real and tangible going on....and treatable. If the clearing of the irritating dripping-down doesn't eradicate the discomfort, I can always get the scar tissue zapped (laser) some.

So ya just never know, huh? Seriously, girls, this bc thing truly IS the gift that keeps on giving!

Marin
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Comments

  • LuAnnH
    LuAnnH Member Posts: 8,847
    edited July 2007
    Well Marin, at least you have your sense of humor! Glad to hear you at least know what is bothering you.

    LuAnn
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  • fire
    fire Member Posts: 153
    edited July 2007
    Marine, thank you for sharing.
    I wish and hope you will be good soon.
    My family think that I'm crazy because I go on internet
    every day.
    They think that I have to forget about bc and live my life.
    But how to forget?
    Every day brings something new, and usually it is not good.
    And doctors ask me some questions wich show that they know less than me.
    How can I trust them?
    I'm mad that my family, instead of reading with and for me, make me feel stupid.
    I'm very upset that Adriometin(sp)- red devil, work only in 8% of BC.
    And I read about its side eff. on heart.
    What to expect? When?
    I'm worried again...
    I can't relax, sorry
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  • honeygirl
    honeygirl Member Posts: 1,718
    edited July 2007

    Marin , sorry to hear about your scars. But at least it is something they can take care of.Hang in their girl, this bc stuff just SUCKS!

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  • Bugs
    Bugs Member Posts: 1,719
    edited July 2007
    Hmm, I find this VERY interesting. At my last onc visit in June I told him that I have been having an itchy throat (up a little higher than what you described) and sometimes my TONGUE itches. He blamed it on after effects of Taxol (yes, even a year later he said).

    What did your PCP use to find this scar tissue? (I'm picturing some big scope going down my throat)

    Take care,
    Bugs
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2007
    Bugs....She just used a tongue depressor and a light! For my RRP (the recurring tumors), they stick all sorts of paraphernalia down there (even little cameras!), but she saw the scar tissue with the naked eye. I do find it strange that the radiation could have reached that far up, even though I had four sites radiated. Powerful stuff, huh?

    Marin
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  • Maria_C_
    Maria_C_ Member Posts: 69
    edited July 2007
    .

    If you had the
    supraclavicular lymph nodes (neck area) radiated
    that can happen, if not ...
    Geezz... at least I'm not not seeing
    how radiation could have affect your throat.
    Then again... so much odd things can happen...

    .
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  • wallan
    wallan Member Posts: 1,275
    edited July 2007
    Wow... what a bummer. But I am glad you have an answer. That always reassures me too, when I know what is going on.

    Wendy A
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2007
    Maria...I did have the supraclavicular area radiated. I'm sure that's how my throat got it.

    Marin
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  • Bugs
    Bugs Member Posts: 1,719
    edited July 2007
    I also had the supraclav area radiated.

    Bugs
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  • Maria_C_
    Maria_C_ Member Posts: 69
    edited July 2007
    Makes sense then.
    I had those symptoms on my throat but
    not so annoying as you describe,
    they came months after Rads.,
    but by then,
    what bothered me most was the neck muscle
    that would have a thing around
    tingling, pulling and pricking
    at times that would go up to my right ear;
    Rads Doc. said it was rads effects
    and it would go away, as to the throat feeling
    she mentioned it's not very common to happen, but it happens.
    After months can not be precise how long was that,
    all disappeared.

    But having scar tissue such as that,
    that can be id so easily ... have no idea,
    neither ever heard how that can be managed.
    In the end, is always good just to know what is going on.
    .
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