After Radiation
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jo - I am so happy to hear that your pain is better!!!!
Welcome to the new ladies Angelica and Kathy!!
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Chabba - You are more than welcome. I loved serving my country for 20 years. I come from a military family - dad was in the Air Force for 28 years and DH also served in the Air Force for 20 years.
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Chabba--my husband, my brother and my brother in law are appreciative of your thanks...in fact, I'm sure all military folks are appreciative...
God bless all of our military and bring them home safe and sound...
Tori
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Have a question - anyone have tight pec muscles on the rads side? They don't hurt it's just when I stretch I can feel this band of tight muscle - or what feels like muscle. Anyone else?
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Omaz, that's just what I was coming here to report. Well, I don't know if it's my pec muscle or some other muscle, but two or three weeks ago (about 10 weeks out from end of rads) I started feeling a tight or achey feeling on that side when I put my arm over my head and stretch -- specifically, at the gym or stretching to get something off a shelf. It's not constant, some days are worse than others. I reported it to my radiation oncologist and he's set up an appointment with a physical therapist at my HMO this week....will let you all know what she or he says in case it's useful.
So, I'm 3 months out of rads at this point....and still fatigued. Not as bad as it was, but not normal (and my normal is pretty low, I've always been a lazy slug). I finally went back to work full-time last week, because I felt like it wasn't getting any better by staying home. But last week was very hard; by Friday I was actually crying when I had to get out of bed in the morning. I'm glad I had today off.
But, onward, if not upward!
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Omaz,
Yes, mine felt very tight but now are starting to loosen after 3 weeks, and is feeling much better. I have been stretching as I can, and it seems to be helping:)
Happy Memorial Day to you all
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Eloise - The fatigue does go away. I am 6 months out from rads and occasionally have days I have to slow down. It does take time and can be very frustrating. Just listen to your body and rest when it tells you to. My rad onc told me it could take up to a year. I'm not convinced - I don't think it will take that long.
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Eloise - I am about 10 weeks out too and that way you describe it is very similar to me. I'll be interested to see what you find out from the PT. Thanks0
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I am hoping that someone can help me out as I am feeling very scared right now. I finished rads the end of February. My breast is still quite swollen and very hard, but the onc assured me that the swelling would go down and the breast will soften up. What has me most worried now, is that tonight as I was preparing to bathe, I noticed that the nipple was folded in half. As I opened this "fold" up so that I could clean inside (much as you would clean in your belly button) a tiny speck of blood came out of the nipple. I am hoping that someone can tell me this is normal and will correct itself. Deb
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Keepingthefaith - Your onc is correct when he says the swelling will go down and the breast will soften up. However, the rest that you describe, I have not heard of. If it were me, I would be getting in to see my onc and find out what is going on. I don't want to arm you, I'm just saying that you can never be too careful and this should be brought to someone's attention. It may be nothing. Good luck to you.
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Thanks Jo.
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hi, has anyone had a mammogram yet? How long after rads is the usual time for a mammogram. Im scheduled for one nine weeks after last rad treatment. Do you think this is to soon? I really want to find out if anything is going on.0
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Deb - I second Jo's advice.0
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Starella, I am having my first post-treatment mammogram today. It is 6 months since diagnosis, and 2 weeks since finishing rads. I too want to know if anything is going on, since I am triple negative I don't get any other treatments.
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aimee, was it very painful? my breast is still sore and slightly swollen0
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starella - I had my first one at 6 weeks. Tell the tech, mine was kind since she had also been through BC.0
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starella - I have mine on Friday. It will be 6 months post rads. My BS gave me some pain meds to take the morning of the test. I am going to have the tech do my good boob first then when she does the bad boob, I know I will be just about done.
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Hi Jo - Can you share what kind of pain meds your BS gave you for the mammogram?
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I was just thinking - I know that rads sparked my LE in my arm and I am wondering if possibly the breast swelling is lymphedema in the breast.
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AimeeMac, sending you out BIG hugs because I too am Triple Negative.
My RO and Breast Surgeon said no mammogram until 6 months after last rad treatment. My good RO however, ordered one before I started rads, after my chemo was over and all was fine then, back in Feb., nothing with either breast. So, since rads ended on April 15 I'm assuming my next mammo will be in October, mid month.
I am having pain, sometimes burning pain in the shoulder blade area on the back and up over the shoulder in the front but not down as far as my Medi-Port is on my upper chest. It seems more like a muscle pain as it isn't constant and heat does relieve it quite a bit. All the strange pains of women after this deal!! I don't see how that side could have anything to do with the rads do you? Clear on the other side of the body!?! I see my Oncologist in 2 days so I will mention it to him. I'm anxious to see the results of my Tumor Marker test that day and praying like everything my number is still down.
It will be 1 year Saturday since I was diagnosed, June 4, 2010. I can't believe I have survived the year and gotten through chemo and radiation. God Is Good!!!
Have a great week ladies.
Hugs,
Juanita
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Jwatrlily,
thanks for the hugs; I am just trying to stay busy working from home before I go in this afternoon. I have to go to the Breast Center where I first received my ultrasound and diagnosis. Back to "the scene of the crime" for the first time. Don't think there's much chance of anything being there since I am just out of chemo in march and rads in april, but one never knows. thanks for the support!
Aimee
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starella - My breast surgeon said mammo 6 months after completion of rads. I'm due middel of June.
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A friend recommended, and I have been using Jeans Cream - it's available online. A bit expensive but so worth it. Rad Onc. said my skin is holding up beautifully (7 more of 30 treatments). I will continue to use for at least a month after. Also, had some left over on my hand and applied as a facial cream - best I ever used! Good luck.
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GabbyCal - My BS gave me Lortabs 5/500 also known as Tylenol with codeine. Same stuff he gave me after surgery. This medicine does not make me "loopy" I can still drive and function. Good for pain though.
Aimee - Sending prayers and good thoughts for B9 results. (((Aimee))) Let us know what you find out.
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For any who still have breast swelling here is a link and some advice from another member who is very knowledgable about lymphedema:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/breast_chest_trunckal_lymphedema.htm
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Omaz and Eloise when I went to the RO for my 3 month follow up I was having the same issue with my pec muscle on the rads side. He told me that rads really messes with our pec muscles. I am very active and do yoga so it is very noticeable to me with my stretching. He said for people who are not very active they probably don't notice it at all. He gave me stretching exercises and said that along with my yoga I would be fine. I asked him how long it would take for the muscle to calm down and he said 2-3 years.
Starella-I had my first mammo 3 months post rads. I was still quit sore but the tech did a really good job and did my good boob first. She was very gentle on me.
Jwatrlily-God is good and has seen all of us through this journey that we did not want to be on.
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Thanks Sherry - I have heard 2 years to recover things too. Amazing.0
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Okay, 5 months post rads here. Size is much more normal, no pain, doesn't look like the non-rad boob, but closer, and it's still quite pink??? WTH? Why still pink? No major problems at the moment and I love what Sherry said that God is good and has seen us though this journey! Hope everyone is okay!
Love & hugs,
Beanie
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