After Radiation
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Juanita----the on and off breast pain once in a while is normal(AT LEAST THATS WHAT MY ONCO SAID)I still have pain under my arm where they removed the final 6 sept 2010...its very tender.thats normal too.I dont think the white coats know whats really normal as each one of us are different and we heal differently too.We together have to figure this out.Hope you feel better and come to visit us more often.
Sherry----a tomatoe----wow...you are feeling betta..yay!!!!!!!!!!
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Hi Lee, I had superclav radiation just ended beginning of June. My clavicle area is tender to the touch, but not painful. I am having painful episodes right over the tumor site which is really high up on my chest - my tumor was sitting on chest wall, my incision for lumpectomy is right across the top of my breast. I keep thinking I'm having pain where tumor was, but it's really close to clavicle area as well. I have an appt with RO on the 14th will ask as well.
Juanita - I have severe take me to my knees pain about once a day. I'm afraid Sherry might be right about nerve issues - I just noticed yesterday I have a very different sensation on my skin near the incision, almost an asleep feeling.
About the stomach issues - I stopped eating animal products in March and all of my stomach issues went away - no reflux, no heartburn, no running to the bathroom etc. And chemo constipated me as well, I thought I was going to be hospitalized. I drank chocolate milk with every chemo after that - that worked faster than even ex-lax!!! lol.
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I stopped all dairy and my migraines went away!!!!!!!
If i eat animal products it is organic only and only once in a while.My stomach Dr.wants me to eat meat once a week to try to gain some weight...so far no luck yet!!!!!
and the beat goes on!!!!!!!happy 4th.everyone.Im goin away till tues.dont think ill be on the puter much soooo everyone enjoy,be safe and remember what the 4th means.
God bless.hugggggsK
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heheheh Grannydukes, I stopped all meat hoping to LOOSE weight...so far no luck either!!
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Sherry, just a quick thought on the heating pad for swelling. Might be useful for some kinds of swelling, but all of us who have been treated for breast cancer are at risk for lymphedema of the breast (or chest) as well as the arm, and heat can be a trigger for that.
Radiation is a secondary cause of breast/chest lymphedema and definitely ups the post-surgery risk. A lot of times our doctors don't recognize or know how to diagnose breast/chest lymphedma (it's called "truncal lymphedema"), so it's worth asking for a referral to a well-trained lymphedema therapist for evaluation.
Here's information about truncal lymphedema:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/breast_chest_trunckal_lymphedema.htmAnd here's how to find a well-qualified lyphedema therapist near you:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htmBe well!
BinneyEdited to add: Lee, ice too is a lymphedema trigger (any temperature extreme draws more lymph fluid to the site), and you might want to get the help of a lymphedema therapist for that too. Some post-rads swelling is normal, but if it's complicated by lymphedema, then the sooner you're on top of it the easier it will be to control on-going.
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Binney I had not thought about the heat, but I have asked several of my doctors about truncal lymphedema and they all say I do not have it. My breast is just taking a long time to heal and they all call it edema from radiation damage. I did however on my own get a massage therapist that is trained in Lymphedema massage and I go to her once a week for a full body lymph drainage massage.
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Sherry-as you know i too have/had edema.the only dr.that agreed that there was something was the RO and he said edema right away.I also went for PT and still wear the compression bra and tight sports bra 24/7.My PT told me edema and lymphedema are cousins.Edema can/might/should go away.
I didnt think that the heat was good. Thanks Binney for the info.
hugggggggggggs K
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Hi, How soon after radiation is done can we shave our arm pits? I did not have radiation to the area but did have two lymph nodes removed.
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Congrats sagina...I have 2 more to go...done by Wednesday. Wont know how to act not making the drive everyday. The techs were great. First class Cancer Center. Having discomfort under the arm from the node removal and then the RADS and the peeling has begun but nothing I cant handle. Silver cream the Dr gave me is working great. Looking forward to a break from drs appts. See ONC on July 15 for bone density test followed by THE first mammogram since the DX. Kind of scary. Good luck everyone and happy 4th! diane
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starella, I finished rads on Dec 3rd and still have not shaved under the left arm. Still have to do the right which is totally weird. I think each one of us is different. I would think you could shave anytime just be careful - if that area is still numb you will not feel the razor.
edwards750 - Welcome and congrats on seeing the finish line with rads. I have already had my first mammo since dx and it was reall easy - no pains like I thought there would be with the squishing. Yes, it is kinda scary - the waiting for the results part. Crossing fingers for B9 results. You will do great!!
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THANKS JO
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starella I only had 1/2 of my armpit radiated so I do still have to shave. I think I waited one week or two and gave my skin time to heal. Once you feel it is healed you can shave.
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Im back !!!!!!!! missed everyone...hey I got the genie bras today....they are really nice especially for the $$$$$$$.they are such a relief from the compression bra and almost as good as the sports bra.....so now i have 6 genie bras,3 sports bras and 2 compression bras.......you wont hear me complaining about bras except that i hate new one....just like new shoes....
Welcome Starella------glad you are at this point....another step closer to the finish line.
hugggggggggs everyone.hope you are doin good.
God bless K
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Okay Grannydukes...I want to know more about the Genie bras....did you order them online? How long did they take to get to you? Are they sized? So many questions....I know, I'm such a good pest!
Starella...good to see you on the boards again! Always good to hear from you!
Had another follow up appointment with MO today...bloodwork came back beautifully and he is now doing manual breast exams with me...he had a student with him today and I let her "feel me up" too! She was kind of surprised that I offered...guess many patients don't let her. She's got to learn, right? Besides, it was kind of selfish on my part...I had 2 people making sure that nothing felt weird....One thing that I have noticed with BSE since getting done with rads is that my rad boob feels almost "tighter" or "tougher" than the other...weird....and it's still kind sore...makes me dread getting my first mammogram....
Did everyone have a good 4th? We got to watch a beautiful fireworks display last night...such a different feeling than a year ago!
God bless us my sisters!
Tori
DE COLORES!
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Tori - Where have you been hiding? Missed you. Glad to hear the onc appt went well. Guess 2 people "feeling you up" is better than none. I know that first mammo is kinda scary but believe me it was not as bad as I thought it would be.
Had a great 4th of July
Love & Hugs
Jo
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Hi Everyone! So happy to join the After Rads group (finished up a week ago) i go to BS next week for my surgery follow up, then see rad doctor end of this month for rad follow up, then MO in Aug some time.
Here is my question: Who orders the follow up mammogram? My BS told me i would have to have MRI from now on because of dense breast tissue. and when is the follow up test? is there a general timeline for these?
It has been a mentally so freeing not going to rads everyday. Things are starting to peel, i expected that, and still get some "zingers" lol as i call them, and sore sometime, but i am ok with that, cause it has to be going towards getting better now right!?!?!?!
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ftblmom3 - Welcome to the group - sorry you have to be here with us but ths is a fantastic group of ladies. Ask all the questions you need to but be aware we can get wild and crazy sometimes - there has to be a bright side to all this messs.
In answer to your question about who schedules future mammos - in my case, my MO does that. Seems each one is different, some their RO does it, some their BS. Bottom line is you will have to ask your medical team who is going to be responsible for this. As for when are these done? Again, that is also different for everyone it seems. I had mine in June when was 10 months after diagnosis. My MO has told me that a mammo once a year is enough.
I have been out of rads for 7 months now and don't even see my RO anymore - saw him for a one week follow up and was let go. I do not see my BSs anymore either. I was having some issues with stabbing/burning pains in the BS boob as well as recurrent seromas. All those issues have been addressed and I have been released from the BS as well. I am now down to seeing my MO every 6 months and my family doctor. It is nice to have just 2 doctors managing my care. Oh! I do see my gyn once a year for the annual pap.
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ftblmom3-glad you are done with rads and can join us now. I had a three month follow up with my RO and he had ordered the mammo so it was done prior to my visit with him. From now on my MO will order them. I too have dense breast tissue and my follow would consist of yearly mammo's and yearly MRI's alternating every six month, but I now have permant nerve damage from rads so will be having a DMX and then I won't have to have any of the scans, just clinical and self breast exams. That will be so freeing not to have to worry about this stuff any longer.
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Hey ladies .... hope everyone is doing well. The oncologist confirmed tamoxifen as the cholesterol culprit .. going to give serious consideration to the oopherectomy. Diet &exercise plus massive lipitor aren't doing it. It would just piss me off to stroke after kicking BC to the curb! 2B continued ..
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Torigirl---glad something caught your attention---here is the scoop!!!!!first called the 1800-388-2356..spoke for a long time and still was not convinced they would work.after about a week i got a card in the mail with additional discount and i called again.the # on the card.1-800-801-5063.original price w/s%h was $85.97....with the discount it came to $59.97.there was no code on it or anything.you can try and see what happens.I spoke to them a long time again.they are very nice.after i ordered them i got a email saying they were on back order (which i heard from the genie bra thread) so i was not expectiong it as sooon as i got it...im guessing about 3 weeks the most....And yes they are sized.call everyone...hey for that $$$$$$$ they are pretty good.i wore one last nite for about 4 hrs.very comfy. ANYTHING ELSE?????ask away...Glad to see your blood work came back good.YAY...and my rad bood if you remember we called kantalope!!!!!...still harder then the other one and under my arm is still sore....not complaining.....im in heaven with all these bras!!!!!!!!.
Bluelilly what is oopherectomy?????I dont think i ever heard of it and if i did i forgot...
hope everyone else is doin good.goin away again either tomorrow or friday...gonna try to keep up with everyone....
hi to all my other sistas.....hugs and God bless.K
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Kantalope - A oopherectomy is a procedure to have your ovaries removed. Not all GYNs like to do them as it stopped estrogen production but is necessary in some cases. I asked my gyn about doing a complete hysterectomy and oopheectomy. He said wait until next year and we will discuss it more at length. He felt in my case the hysteroscopy was the better choice right now. If the Tamox keeps messing with my uterus and making it thick - I am going to insist on having it don.
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thanks jo---now that you explained it i did hear about it.How are you?0
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I just found the date i ordered the genie bras.June 24th..,,,0
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Kantalope - Life for me these days is really good. The amitriptyline has helped so much with my sleep and I have so much energy these days. Hate taking another pill but WTH - I'll do it if it makes me feel like this and no pains.
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Hey Jo---Have I told you lately that you rock!!!!!!!!
We came a long way sista.holding each others hand.Im soooo glad you are finally doin good.its about time....so am I......It took long enuf but we are finally on the mend.....Lets just keep it that way!!!!!.
To all the new sistas that just joined us I wish you a speedy recovery....bc sure does suk.
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Granny - Yes, we are finally on the mend and our worlds are rocking. It is about time we both caught a break and we will keep it that way.
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JO, what dose amp do you take? just at night? when I was having trouble sleeping wi/chemo..doc tried everything, and amp 20mg helped tremendously. I actually stopped taking them in may or early june. Doc said it was an older med, that seems to help strange kind of aches and pains that other meds don't touch. Glad its working for you.
I am making an appt with LE therapist for a baseline eval, just in case, and also I may be flying in a few months, want to make sure everything is ok. Looks ok, but ya never know.
Still having achy joints, some days worse than others, hope that subsides as the days go on!
Sending everyone postive energy to everyone for s/e free days ahead!!
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msjag - I am taking 50mg of the amitriptyline. It is not addictive but has a sedative effect. Yes, I do take it at night and sleep very well - thank you very much. My onc and family doctor both agree with the dosage and don't have any plans on increasing or decreasing the dose right now. Onc also said it was okay to take with Tamoxifen.
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msjag I take 25mg Amaytriptiline. I think it helps sleep but I still take Melatonin as well.
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Ok ladies have one question for you - my last day is tomorrow and being they were radiating my lymphnodes they told me not to pick up over 10lbs because of the possible lymphedema issue... the question is how long before I can pick up over 10 lbs.?
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