Topic: After Radiation

Mar 8, 2011 08:27 PM grannydukes wrote:

i tried my regular body cream under my arm where the SN was removed and had the rads but it burned sooooo im still using the claendula cream 2x a day.afraid to change.snother gift from the bc.my burn was not that bad either.Neither was the fatigue.the best way to describe it was doable.

My biggest problem is the bras.i took all the underwires out of my old as well as my new bras.Itseems everything catches me where the wire is under my arm from the SN biopsy.

Perhaps some sistas will come on here to share what their new normal is????I am soooo ready to move forward and I really am but Im still lookin over my shoulder.

Mar 8, 2011 10:45 PM Eloise wrote:

I finished a week ago yesterday and had a followup with the nurse today.  She shared something which I haven't read elsewhere: once your skin has healed up, keep using some kind of moisturizing lotion or cream for 2-3 months, and instead of just patting it on the skin, gently massage it into your breast twice a day. (Or if you're really lucky, perhaps you can get someone else to do it for you!) The idea of the massaging is to prevent the formation of scar tissue so you don't end up with a hard boob. 

Mar 9, 2011 01:37 PM Sherryc wrote:

My RO told me to use a vitamine E cream for three months post rads.  I also go back for a follow up so I guess he will tell me if I need to continue using it after that.  I cream morning and night. As long as I keep having all these Dr's appt not sure what normal is.  Maybe in a few months things will slow down a bit. Just trying not to think about bc quite so much these days.

Mar 13, 2011 09:09 PM BrilandGirl wrote:

Grannydukes--you may want to check with your insurance company about post-surgical bras.  I went to Nordstrom's right after my lumpectomy and all I needed was a prescription from my surgeon to be faxed to them.  My insurance covers 4 bras--I got two made by Amoena and they are really comfortable.  If you can get to a Nordstrom's, call them for an appointment with the special fitter--this was a great way for me to get new bras without any out-of-pocket costs. 

Mar 13, 2011 09:42 PM Claire_in_Seattle wrote:

Nine months out from radiation, my left breast is finally healing in that it is getting softer again.  I have been wearing the bra that is comfortable waiting for this moment.  There are a couple of others I alternate with.  So I would caution against spending money too quickly if you have something that works.

One of the positives from the experience is that I am following the advice of Mae West in that I rub a nice skin cream into BOTH breasts on a daily basis.

As I had chemo, there is a lot of waiting in the hair growing out process.  Ditched the wigs shortly after finishing radiation, but that meant dealing with uber short.  That was fine, but the next stage wasn't.  Finally getting to a style I might have chosen on my own.

It takes some time to process this experience.  It helped me to go back to doing endurance events.  And screwing up the courage to network again professionally, difficult until you get past the hair thing.  As I remained fit and was only missing a couple of chunks of flesh, I didn't have body image issues. 

Little things can throw you off too.  As in the first time I went skiing again just before Christmas.  I just pushed through and was fine the next day when I got back to the trails I love.  That sort of thing.

But don't toss your bras until your breast heals.  Because you can't tell until you heal what will be comfortable.  You will be laughing about this one year from now wearing your collection of fabulous stylish bras. 

Mar 18, 2011 10:02 AM Sherryc wrote:

I finished rads on Jan 24th.  On Feb 28th my breast started having a dull ache deep down.  A couple of days after it started I spoke to the rads nurse and she said oh that is normal take Aleve.  I am allergic to it and told her I had been taking Aspirin she said Tylenol works better.  So I have been taking Tylenol every since and have now gone back to Aspirin because it works better.  Yesterday I started having tightness in the muscle that stretches from your breast to your armpit.  Was very tight all day (it does not feel like cording).  I do a yoga class twice a week so I stretch those muscles on a regular basis.  Anyway the girl next to me in yoga last night noticed I was rubbing my muscle all night so she asked me about it after class.  She is a PT student graduating next month.  She said that it is very common after rads and has become even more common with lumpectomies.  She gave me several stretching exercises to do during the day time at the office.  She said you do not want your muscles to contract because it will really cause you problems down the road. I have been massaging twice a day with vitamin E cream per my RO's instructions.  I go back to see him the end of April.  My muscle feels better this morning but will do my exercises as the day progresses.

Mar 18, 2011 10:30 AM Sherryc wrote:

Valgirl I am also on the computer all day and wonder if this aggrivates it as well.

Mar 27, 2011 04:36 PM Sherryc wrote:

Saw my MO on Friday and ran into my RO at Relay for Life and disussed my breat issues with both of them.  Basically they said this is common after rads.  It is the inflammation from rads that is causing it.  The advice i got was to use ice pacs a couple of times a day and also ibuprophen or aleve which I cannot take so the RO told me to try Celebrex.  He said to try my husbands over the weekend and if I did not have a reaction and it worked to call him on Monday and he will call me in a script.  I have been icing down all weekend.  That and the Celebrex are working.  My breast has not felt this good in a month.

Mar 27, 2011 06:14 PM MarieKelly wrote:

Hey Grannydukes -

Why does your diagnosis profile keep changing???

I've seen 4 different ones for you just within this month of March 

1) on 3/8/2011 it said DX 4/15/2010  LCIS, 1 cm, stage 1, grade 1, 1/1 nodes, ER+/PR-, HER 2+

2) on 3/9/2011 it said DX 4/15/2010  LCIS,  4 cm, stage 2, grade 2, 1/6 nodes, ER+/PR- , HER2-

3) on 3/13/2011 it said DX 4/15/2010  DCIS, 4 cm, stage 2, grade 2, 1/6 nodes, ER+/PR- ,HER 2-

And now TODAY it's DX 4/15/2010  LCIS, 4 cm, stage 2, grade 1, 1/7 nodes, ER+/PR-, HER2 -

What's up with all these changes?

Mar 28, 2011 09:08 AM Chevyboy wrote:

Hi little GrannyD!  Just having Breast Cancer is confusing enough, without keeping track of all those reports, stages, grades, etc.  But I DID remember mine was 0/3 lymph nodes!  But of course everyone recommended the extra added precautions of Tamoxifen or Femara....I even asked for Tamoxifen over Femara, due to the side-effects I had been reading about.

So I took Tamoxifen for 14 months...And I did GREAT!!!  Not too many leg cramps, nor "warm waves".....Just issues with a good nights sleep.  Only thing is, after 12 of those months I went deaf.  For the last 2 months on Tamoxifen, I went nuts trying to "open" my ears, especially my left one.  Those nasal rinses, Claritin, nose spray, a humidifier....And nothing helped....My PC said it could be allergies....It wasn't...

She sent me to an ENT...HE said, I have 100% hearing loss in my left ear, but only 50% loss in my right... "Permanent Nerve Damage"...... I went home, & started researching all I could, about hearing loss..."Could it have something to do with the Tamoxifen?" my Husband asks.... I said, no, that's not one of the SE's.   THEN I found 5 articles about "Deafness from Tamoxifen"...

I reported this to the FDA, & I'm waiting to hear back...Nothing they can do for me, except maybe have the manufacturer add this to their list of "possible" side effects.  And oh, I even wrote Astra Zeneca...they wrote back, Nope, sorry, we don't make this.

So I'm wearing hearing aids now...And as neat as they are, they don't take the place of "normal hearing"....

No-one would believe me...Not my PC, my Radiologist, who suggested Tamoxifen after Rads, nor 2 Oncologists, and not even the ENT. 

So GrannyD, I understand WHY you are so hesitant to go any further with "treatments"....If I would have known what would happen, I wouldn't have had more either....

But I didn't have any bad nodes....Did you say you had one?  Do they do "tumor markers" on you...??? Those blood tests every 3-6 months?   That would help the Oncologists know if anything is going on inside...

Also, I had a terrible "reaction" to the Tamoxifen, but maybe Femara, or Arimidex would't be as bad..... We just don't know....But I would never advise you that you had to take one! 

So now I bought some Cruciferous Complete....Supposed to be good stuff for women who won't do the extra meds!   And maybe with all the other vitamins I take, I'll live to be 100, and fall off a 3 story building somewhere! 

Just make some sort of decision, then stick with it....even if it's only for a week.  You can always change your mind...and go for extra treatment...... Me?  Nah....gonna go cold turkey!   If I get BC again, well I'll think about that if/when the time comes! 

So go massage that sore breast of yours, use ice-packs, & whip that puppy into shape!  Yes, it could be lymphodema...so you have to be aware of that... SherryC !!!  Good advice!

Hugs gals! xoxoxoxoxo

Mar 28, 2011 03:08 PM Chevyboy wrote:

Hey gals....Is it true that any one of us can get Lymphodema  long after our surgery?   I  read this somewhere....but don't know if it's true. 

Every time I get a little pain in my breast, I think "Oh no!".....but I'm sure it's just still trying to get back to normal, after going through that traumatic experience it found itself in.

I wish we could hear from gals that are doing great after Radiation, without taking any of the prescribed preventive meds.....  And how/what they did ....... I wish there were a way to prove that by taking those meds, like Tamoxifen, Femara, Arimidex, etc, that we would NOT get cancer again.....

Mar 28, 2011 03:33 PM BarbaraA wrote:

Hi GrannyDukes! I am doing fine after rads. I had no skin problems and my suntanned breast is fading back to pale white again.

Mar 28, 2011 04:52 PM Chevyboy wrote:

Mar 28, 2011 05:33 PM Sherryc wrote:

Thanks Barbara I knew I was being impatient. Can't make my scars go away but would like my skin to look normal again.

Mar 28, 2011 05:37 PM jo1955 wrote:

HI Chevyboy- I am still on the Tamoxifen thread and have a great time there with the other Tamoxibabes.

Hi Sherry, Valgirl & BarbaraA  - Nice to see you here. 

I finished rads on Dec 3 and am doing great.  Skin is completely healed and the boob is fine.  I am smaller than the other side but not too bad.  No signs of sunburn or even pink.