November rad girls check in here!!

Ggma,  isn't it the greatest feeling.  I'm so proud for you.  I don't think our family members realize just how happy we are and how excited we get. 

Kerri,  Things will get better.  I still have shooting pains - I finished my treatment December 17, 2007.  All the peeling skin is gone the skin tags of course aren't gone but they will be soon. (I'm having them taken off.)  I have an increase in cysts developing but it's okay just sore at times.

Good luck,

Leesa

Hi Kerri, I don't get to write very often but I wanted to know how you are doing?  I'm fine, I'll have my check up 2-5-08.

Hi all -

I also finished my rads in early January.  I didn't feel so bad at that point, but got progressively more exhausted for the next 2-3 months.  Now I am getting some energy back.  My breast has started to hurt terribly the last couple of weeks.  Wearing a bra is really problematic - totally unnatural!  I usually have to wear underwires and that's a drag, but my boobs are so large that I don't feel comfortable going out of the house without one.  I have switched to non-underwire bras and that's a little better - but I still am having significant pain, enough to keep me awake at night.

When I had my followup with my rad onc and told him how horribly tired I was feeling, he said it didn't have anything to do with the rads (!) and ordered all these other tests (thyroid, cardiac, anemia) and all tests were normal.  I'm glad I know I'm okay on those counts, but I couldn't believe it when he said it had "nothing" to do with the rads.  And I had really liked this doc up until that point!

Although I'm sorry other people are hurting, it was reassuring to see that it's not just me that's still having significant pain three-months post-rads.  

Kimarene -- I can't believe your rads onc said that!!! (but I'm glad he ordered the tests). I complained to mine that it felt like I was on the verge of getting a cold for the past few months -- you know, that really run-down feeling -- and he said, well that's normal for the radiation. I was really surprised by just how fatigued I was (and still am sometimes). I decided that it was ok to give myself permission to do flat-out nothing, which is what I did on my vacation day on Friday. Totally worth it!

Gagal -- Yes, the underarm, and sometimes the ribs, for me. I keep feeling all over those areas, searching for lumps. Sometimes there's a distinct spot that hurts, but it's smooth. And itchy too. Glad I'm not the only one either!

Hello all -

Checking in about my breast pain.  I saw my surgeon again last week and she said I have breast lymphedema.  Who knew?  I had the SNB but she actually took out two nodes because they were stuck together.  So now I've googled breast lymphedema and found a bra made specifically to counter this condition - www.bellisse.com - and I've found a retailer in my area who carries this type of bra.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Anybody else been told they have breast lymphedema?  (I don't have swelling in my arm that I've noticed but feel pretty puffy now that I think about it.)

Best of luck to all of you!