After Radiation
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Sandee - Crossing fingers everything is fine and that you can get to some of those plans you have.
Slept really well last night. Today is a new day and I am not looking back. Have several things to get done today and in the next several months.
Hope everyone is having a Great Sunday.
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Hi Ladies...............just wanted to say something quickly ,...........have to get ready for the Baptism of my Identical twin grandaughters.........(some of you probalby remember them being born while I was planning my cancer surgery...............
Ok, I had Rads, but guess what..................got LE before I started Rads.......they kept saying it was "surgery swelling).................I thought they were wrong, and they were.....................after a couple weeks in Rads, I asked my RO...............she sent me to a Board Certified LE specialist....................who confirmed it was LE...........now I go 2 times a week...........so it doesn't have to be caused by Rads..................its like which came first the "chicken or the egg".......Not the end of the world, but a huge pain in the ass................the wrapping is the worst, especially when you live alone...............
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I am finding that the rowing and gym exercize I do makes a huge difference in the swelling of my arm etc. but I woke up, put on my camisole this morning and watched my arm swell around it...lymphodema clinic appointment tomorrow pmat 1pm
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Sandee - My turn to jump in your pocket tomorrow. Will be thinking about you.0
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Thanks Jo....will make sure I have a sweater that accomodates you....hoping they call about last week's mammogram tomorrow as well.....get that news over with regardless....staying distracted this week and trying to convince myself that they were jus being thorough because of last year's discovery...would they know that information? gues they would....ah well..At least I will get informatino on lymphodema and how to stop my shoulder from hurting....All good!
going to go to the Greek festival in a bit to distract myself then visit with a dear friend I was supposed to visit in April who is back from Turkey for a short visit. Aren't girlfriends the best?!?!?
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Sandee will be in your other pocket tomorrow.
Jo glad you are up and about and sound like you are feeling good.
Had a busy day. Went to church came home and then went to pick up my oldest GD and her friend who will be with me for the week (teenagers). Had to drive 2 hours there and back, but stoped in Victoria and ate at the Olive Garden. Have not eaten there in a long time and it was very good.
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Feeling better today. Just a little sore throat where the breathing tube was during the procedure. Didn't realize I had one. Been eating ice chips all day and trying not to talk too much - for me that is easier said than done. LOL
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Hi everyone, I think I had a relapse today with this respiratory issue I'm having. Felt okay yesterday, starting coughing at midnight, coughed all night, till 4 am.....slept all day....thinking I might visit with a family doctor not cancer related....need another opinion.
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Gina: Sounds like a good idea. What exactly did your RO say? You probably should geet checked for an infection just in case.
Sandee and Jo-sending lots of luck your way for good results!!
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Morning Gals! Gina.....You really should get checked as soon as you can. I had SOMEthing wrong and it lasted for over 2 weeks, & the cough was the worst! Acute Bronchitis, and Asthma was what they said, so anti-biotics, inhalers, vaporizers, & those Nebulizer treatments 3 times a day....
That coughing can cause it's own problems also....so just be careful! But the cough lasted forever it seemed like....Even cough syrup couldn't help...Are you wheezing? Hope you get it checked out...
Jo....thinking of you....! Let us know! xoxoxoxoxo
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I will get my results of the hysteroscopy D & C on Tues of next week. Crossing fingers for B9 results.
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Susan and Chevyboy: The RO kept telling me the lungs were clear - like that was his only concern - sort of like throwing your hands up and saying "not my problem". If my lungs are clear I'm not sure where all the gunk was coming from.....I slept Sunday, all day....literally....then had no trouble going back to sleep last night and got about six hours in. I woke a couple of times as I rolled over on my bad boob, ouch, still doesn't like pressure. I feel so much better today, I didn't cough at all last night....strange but I'll go with that! No fever the last two weeks either. Can you have an infection without fever?
Jo~praying for you!
and I'm officially molting.
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Jo/Sherry/Susan....thanks for being with me today....got the all clear for NO Lymphodema and ...No CANCER!!! you folks were right...they were being super cautious and making sure no cancer was lurking in the right breast in the spot it was found in the left last year..got the all clear from my doctor's office at lunch today.....whhheeehhhaaa!!!!!!!!!instead, I apparently have tendonitis!...overworking the left shoulder....being too protective of it at times and then working it too hard I guess. have an appointment next Tuesday with a physiotherapist who will apparently help me out.....sooooooo relieved!!!
Was also fit for the sleeve I already have for the times I fly...the sleeve God-is-good gave me fits just fine.Apparently my arms are shorter than she had expected (???really...I am 4'10"....arms should be short!) and the sleeve I have is a tad long but it will more than suffice for my purposes....alll is well in my world...now...time to decide where the tattoo is going to go!
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Sandee - I will get out of your pocket now - was waiting for the other gals to get out so I would not get stepped on. hehehe Big Congrats on the clear mammo and no lymphedema. Such great news, the kind we all like to hear.
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Thanks Sherry!!! HAD TO SHARE WITH YOU GALS!
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Sandee - such amazing news! I am so happy for you. I hate that we have to have so much worrisome waiting - but when the news is so good like this - it is such a joyous time!!!
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THANKS aimee...was holding my breathe and preparing to go through this whole event again....but delighted that I don't have to and can travel!
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Hi ladies, I finished radiation last week and yesterday and today I have gotten really sharp pains in my boob - the same kind I had a few times after the partial mastectomy - like tissue is trying heal. Anyone else?
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sagina - I had sharp stabbing/burning pains. Found out it was nerve damage from radiation. Go figure. After 5 months of seeing doctors and having tests run I was put on amitriptyline and it is working great.
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Great, great news, Sandee!! love to hear the GOOD news...good luck with that sleeve. I pick mine up tomorrow
Yes, Gina, I am still getting occasional shooting pains. RO says that it means that scar tissue is forming and we then need to stretch our arm to keep the tissue moving.
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Congratulations Sagina!! It's a great feeling, isn't it? You need to celebrate!!
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I am relieved to hear others are having the sharp pains...not relieved that you are going through it, but that it may be normal? I am 5 weeks out of radiation, on vacation, and am having daily pains. It seems more tender in one area too. Is it permanent nerve damage does anyone know, or is it just trying to heal?
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I just got home from seeing my BS. Surgery was One year ago last Saturday and I finished rads in September.The swelling from rads has just now gone down enough for me to wear my former bras. Most of the "lumps and bumps" are gone but I still have some tenderness. The shooting pains I had subsided enough to be bearable without medication about six months after rads.
Dr said today it will probably take at least another year for all the tenderness to go away and all the internal damage to heal. At that rate I'm glad the discomfort is relatively minor.
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Yay for SANDY---thats wonderful news
Jp-did you get any results yet???i think today is tues.
Chaba--you give me hope.i finally granduated to a part time sports compression bra.
reading what your Dr.said just makes me not want to throw all my bras out....i too am shrinking back to my regular size.my last surgery was Sept.2010.its about time.
im stayin with a friend in brooklyn.she lost her dog and lost a piece of herself too.AND SHE HAS THE SLOWEST PUTER EVER...
lets hear some more good news ladies.huggggs K
(((((((((((CHEVY))))))))))))))))))))))
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Gina- I had sharp pains too...I am now 6 months out of radiation...I sill have achiness sometimes but Jo, you have given me hope that the wire bras will come back... I went to the lymphodema clinic yesterday and found out I have tendonitis in my shoulder (hence the pain and swelling) so relieved....was also told that wire bras, if you have lymphodema, are a no no as they basically act like a tourniquette and cut of the flow of lymphatic fluid so....careful out there. tried on a TaTA Tamer at lululemon but want to wait until the breast is where it will be when this is all over to see what size I need...just not a sports bra fan. If I have not found what I want, I will check at a Norstroms when I am in Tampa florida this September...
thanks Susan/Granny....my energy difference today was palpable....fear has been lifted...cancer free and was told that my heart is in great condition so....relief!
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Gina and Kathy sorry to hear of your pains. I am 5 months out of rads and my pain started the first day of rads. I have also been diag with permanant nerve damage and am on amytriptoline line jo and also a compouned cream for my breakthrough pain. After rads it just conintued to get worse and I have had surgeries before and I just knew that it was not my nerve growing back together. It was different than anything I had had before. It was burning pain that radiated and also stabbing pains that would bring me to my knees. Keep and eye on it and if you think it is nerve damage don't take that is normal from the doctors. For some reason they do not want to admit it.
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I know this post is long but felt I needed to share my appointment with my plastic surgeon with my rads sisters since this is the after rads thread and my problems are rads related.
Had a 2 hour appt with being measured and pinched and thorough history and physical. After all that the news is not what I wanted to hear. He said my radiated breast is severely damaged and that implants are not an option at all for me. He said his recommendation is a DIEP but i don't have enough tummy fat to do that either. He said that 5 months out I should not still have as much color in my radiated skin as I do. I also still have lots of edema. My left breast is still bigger than my right and after 2 lumpectomies taking 5.5cmX2cmX2cm each time and I am not very big to begin with so I should be substantially smaller. He said the same thing the pain Dr said that since I had nerve damage in my left hand from my car wreck in 1995 when I broke my neck I should never have had radiation on my left side that all my nerves were way to vulnerable. He also could feel all the scar tissue that I have in my breast. So the bottom line is I have to gain weight in order to have enough tummy tissue to do the reconstruction. He feels that I should have a double MX and not a uni as my BS was wanting to do. But I have to remind myself that she is very conservative. He felt that with my history of ADH and my age that I have a higher chance of getting a new BC in the future and he feels that I should do a double to try to keep my odds down. He did not feel he would have trouble convincing the insurance company that this is what we need to do. He also said that with my skin being so damaged that he wants to do the MX to make sure about all the blood vessels etc. He does not normally do the MX but he said on the hard cases he does not like the general surgeons to do them he wants to be the only one touching all my blood vessels so will do both the MX and reconstruction with one of the other PS working with him. He also feels we need to wait a little longer and let my skin continue to heal. So the plan is go back in Sept to see how my radiated tissue is coming along. Because of my work schedule Jan-mid march is out for surgery, so the plan is to do the surgery the end of March or beginning of April if I can gain enough weight. I stopped by Whole Foods after the appt and picked up a bunch a single serving protein mixes that I can try out to see what I like. He said I need to eat lots of protein but he still wants me to work out and keep my core stomach muscles in shape. And to think the RO's report makes it sound like I breezed right through radiation. ugggggggggghhhhhhhhhh The PS said the RO's never give patients all the information of all the bad SE's of radiation. He said we probably give too much information but I want all my patients to know what can happen in case they are one of the small % that have problems. Why are RO's not like that I do not understand.
So I was in the dumps and called DH and cried. I honestly did not think it would be that bad. I am very thankful to be alive and to even have what little options I do have but at the same time I am pissed. DH being so sweet wanted to know if I wanted to get another opinion but these guys are one of the best in the Country and people fly in from all over to use them. The only place I can think of to get another opinion is the Dr's in New Orleans that are so good. I'll have to sleep on all of thatl Thank you all for being there for me and for listening.
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Oh Sherry......all I can say is that I too am thankful you are alive....the protein shakes are what I was going to suggest (until I read you were stopping by to get some)....my expartner gained his weight back with protein shakes....guess you can add ice cream to them too, hmm? So glad youfially got honest answers..the truth may be brutal but it is your body...you need to knwo the truth so you can process it and make decisions that will work for you. He sounds like the perfect surgeon ...great that he plans on doing it himself as you sound like you trust him. If the insurance comany says no, let us know and we can inundate them with letters of support!!!! give all these discussion board gals a project and we will get it done.
Sending you huge, gentle hugs....
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Saw the pain specialist today and asked him how long I would need to be on the amitriptyline for the nerve damage to the BC breast and he told me for the rest of my life - WTH! Not looking forward to another pill but what else can I do? My RO should be horse whipped for not telling me this could happen. I don't have to see the pain specialist anymore - he is going to turn me over to my onc for management and medication refills. I can scratch one more doctor off my list. That is a very good thing.
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Sandy you made me laugh, I needed that. After the health food store I stopped at the liquor store for a good bottle of wine. think I might indulge with DH to unwind after being on information overload.
Jo I am glad he agreed to let your MO take care of it from now on. At least that pill is a tiny one.
maybe we should gather up all the RO's and give them radiation and as jo said a horse whipping. haha
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