After Radiation
Comments
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Romansma - Sending big (((HUGS))) to you. Hope you get some answers and feel better soon.
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Stage 1 - there was a GYN ONC present at my surgery and he said the cyst (10 cm) looked benign. Around here, it takes 3 weeks to get pathology results and it's been just over 3 wks and I haven't heard anything. So I'm taking that as good news. Turns out I had a ton of endometriosis on the same side as the cyst and perhaps all the pain was actually coming from that, rather than the cyst. They had a hard time getting the left ovary out because it was adhered to the pelvic wall by the endometrium. In any case, everything's gone now and I feel amazingly well . . . except for the hot flashes.
The combination of Tamox and now the surgery have conspired to cook me to death. LOL I'm taking 37.5mg of Effexor which was fine before the surgery, but now I think I need to bump it up to 75mg and hopefully that will tone them down a bit.
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Thanks, all. I think I must've developed an infection at my incision site. I will call the on-call RO today.
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Maybe - Why not call your BS? Wasn't he/she the one who made the incision? That is who I would call if I was in your situation.
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Pennythoughts - Thanks so much for your thoughtful post. I finished rads a month ago and the anniversary of my Dx will be December. It's helpful to hear your perspectives.
I had been thinking I had successfully dodged the inevitable depression, but gosh it hit me hard just this week. I just feel so fragile. It was helpful to hear your progress from you as you're a few months ahead of me, but on a similar treatment path.
Peace and good health, Gabby
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Hello ladies. I haven't posted much to this thread yet. I finished rads about a month ago and now I've got a couple questions for you all.
1- New pains today - I've been doing stretching exercises which I thought were helpful as the tightness in my pecs was going away. I think I might have overdone it yesterday as today it hurts to stretch, not just the pecs, but the excision site. I feel a bit like I did right after surgery and can't raise my hand to comb my hair without it hurting. Do you all think it's possible I did something to bring this on?
2- When I had my wrap-up meeting with my RO at the end of my treatments, they gave me a standard form they give to all the patients about what to expect going forward. Depression was right at the top of the list and I'm starting to feel that now. I think I need to talk with a counselor but don't know how to find one and whether insurance will pay. Any experiences/advice on that?
Cheers to you all.
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Gabbycal-call your isurance company. many companies now have a 3rd party that they use to help coordinate counseling services and most insurances do pay for it. glad you are finished with rads and have joined us here. the pecs take awhile to feel better. I am 6 months post rads and mine are still tight. i still do my stretches plus am active in yoga so I get stretching there as well. My RO says sometimes it takes 2-3 years for your pecs to get back to normal
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GabbyCal: My cancer treatment center has one available to me, you can also check you County cancer services center - they have free counseling for breast cancer survivors and so does the American Cancer Assoc...
As far as the pains - I am having sporatic, sharp pains that feel like my breast is ripping (sorry for the graphic).. I am on my third week post-rad and also crying alot. Counselor told me to cry all I want, I deserve to let it all out... she then listed all the reasons that I might want to cry... she told me if she had that list, she would cry too! At least someone validated my reasons for crying.
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Pennythoughts, good luck with the path report, the gyn must know what he sees. You have been through so much.
all..Well, My fifth Arimidex dose, I threw it up. I never throw up. So, I am going to take it at night, instead of 1pm. Maybe I will keep it down. I thought I was going to get away without SEs. I had not read that anyone had this problem...
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stage1 - Are you sure it was the Arimidex or maybe an upset tummy from something you ate????? Hope you are able to take it at a different time and it works for you.
I don't know if you are aware of it but there is a thread for Arimidex - some of the gals there maybe better to answer your questions. But of course, we want to see you here - just trying to suggest and be helpful.
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Thank, Jo1955, I will check out the Arimidex thread. I am not sure, but I ate the same as my hubby and he did not get sick. I am hopeing it was not the drug, as it is the better for SEs. Have a good evening
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stage1 - You are welcome girlfriend. Where in CA are you? I am originally from Riverside.
Have a good night
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My RO told me to expect problems in my underarm, as this is where my tumor was and I had two surgeries there. I called the on-call RO (sounded like a resident) and she wasn't much help. Why do things like this always happen on weekends?
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Maybe things always seem to happen at the wrong time. The first bad time I had in rads was over Christmas. Well you know you can't get any help over the holidays. Seems the oncall people don't want to do much. So I self medicated myself with what I had in the medicine cabinet. Luckily I used common sense and my RO was not upset with me. Call your real RO in the morning.
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Chevy- well at 5'1".you ARE closer to the sun...but how is the ozone layer down there? Apparently Nova SCotia has the highest percentage of BC in Canada...I would imagine environment has more to do with it than height hmm? short big and small breasted women get it just as much as far as Ican tell from the look of the paddlers!
Romansma-that was what was happening to me when my Gp recommended anti-depression meds...I opted to just go home and cry and be done wih it..but I am not sure if it is the change of one of my heart medications or just toomuch on mypersonal plate...so I started dumping things of my to-do list, including parties and events with friends...just too much. My concentration is much better this week and so is my energy level adn I am no tcrying so...I hink fatigue has a HUGE part to play in all of this..hard to be positiv ewhen you are exhausted. How is your sleep lately?
Gabby- call in the troops when you feel like that..ge out in the sunshine and walk...count your steps ( i know it sounds nutty but it helps to dfocus your monid on something ...counting)....then trot off o the grocery store and get some yummy for you food. these distractions will certainly help you...and if not...you re also allowed your tears. I talked to a consellour. He was not covered by our MSI ormy provate insurance in canada but it was because he has a masters indivinity ad is not a psychologist or psychiatrist. if he were, they would have covered it. Your insurance should cover it. Call your GP and ask for a referral to a place she/he recommends and then call them. I called the one I go to..left a message on the phone to their receptionist saying "this is my situation and this is the kind of person I am looking to talk to" and BANG! done.nd......and whenever I feel I need him, I call, go in, sit on his couch and let it all out....feels damn good to talk to someone who is not worried abot me personally, does no have their own issues re. the cancer (or my heart attack or whatever) and who really listens. I just chose the one I thoght was best for me...because I also figured, it couldn\t hurt and I was worth it. This is a joureny we need help on, I think,,,there were free counsellours at the cancer centre too and the nurses and drs were more than happy to make an appoinment had I wanted one. good luck...feel better
pennythoughts- good to see you back here....mayb ewith breakfast when you get food in your belly? with milk or yogurt..followed by ginger tea perhaps? poor you@W#%%
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Thanks Sandee and Jo. I think too much on my plate might have something to do with it. For the first time in my life, I let it all go while I was sick. I let everyone take care of me and do for my family. Now I'm back to work full time, the kids are all home fom school and I'm resuming my board position and just trying to do what I used to do. Theres a part of me that doesn't want to waste the wonderful lessons that I learned over the last 10 months. I feel that slipping away and life going back to the same hectic pace it was before. I find myself questioning wether I should make small changes or whether I should really shake the etcha-sketch hard and do something some would call radical. I want change , I know that much. Whatever time I have left on this earth should be filled with relationships and wonder.....not stress and living to work.....I want to work to live....how do I do that?
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Thanks all for your suggestions. Wow, it takes 2-3 years for the pecs to get back to normal. Good to have a reference point so I can set realistic expectations. They had been feeling almost normal, then - bang! - way worse than before.
Does anyone know what's actually going on inside the radiated area with the post-rads healing?
I'm feeling now sort of like I've torn something inside the cavity where they removed the tissue.
Thanks to you all for your help.
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Romansmom-I think sometimes we let our lives get to hecktic. I know a few years ago I found myself in that situation and always felt pulled or felt like I had some kind of boligation. I started getting off of boards that I was involved it etc. I had to learn to start saying no to some things. I think it is harder when you have kids at home because they are involved in things which means you are involved in things. Just try to get rid of the non essential things out of your life.
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I think some of you gals here have ordered a metal LE Alert bracelet to wear. Well, I found out that this bracelet can not be worn if you are having any kind of surgery. I had a biopsy done in June and my GYN told me to wear my metal bracelet the day of surgery but was told by the nurses after I got there that metal is not allowed in the ORs. They did make me a band with the alert on there but I don't know if this would happen everywhere.
I was given a website where you can get a FREE neon pink plastic bracelet. I ordered mine and got it in the mail over the weekend. Now, whenever I have to have a procedure done, I can exchange my metal bracelet for the plastic one.
Check out the website: www.lymphedema.com. There is also information on there about LE sleeves and other LE products. You do not have to purchase anything to get this FREE bracelet.
Here is what it looks like.
I know it is kinda hard to read - it says
ALERT: LYMPHEDEMA
No Blood Tests, Blood Pressure,
No I.V. or Injections into this Arm!
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stage1, that is the absolute worst - throwing up. Are you sure it's the Arimidex and not a flu bug or something? I've been on Tamoxifen since December and at first, I guess I did have some weird stomach issues and nausea, but I never did throw up (Thank God!) and it eventually went away. If it is the Arimidex causing this, maybe it will pass . . .
(((HUGS)))
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Hello sistas...im home finally....tryin to catch up with 2 pages i missed.here goes.
Sandy-----damn my heart hurts for you...sending you a big hugggggg
Did anyone actually read the article about the height and bc?????GmaFoley---no insurance...and all that other stuff goin on..yikes no wonder you are crying.let it all out sista.we are here for you holding your hand.
Gabbygal-----about the pecs,underarm etc...it will be 1 yr since my last surgery to remove 6 nodes.there are days it still hurts like hell.and yes i do daily exercises.My onco said that pain could come and go forever.thank you very much AND sometimes it is weather related,too hot,too cold,rain,humidity,anything can set it off.
again i always go back to when i started this thread thinkin we were done.yay.now its gonna be about the soaps,deoderant,changing eating habits...never did i think all this shit would come along AFTER RADS....And all the white coats tell you is about the fatigue and depression...oh and pushing the meds.never ever did any dr mention pain,LE,edema,PT.....
Once again i would like to thank the wonderful sistas who came on to help make this thread the success it has become....I love all of you...God bless hugggggggggs K
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We love you too Granny!!
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AW Shucks Granny - We love you too. Thanks for starting this thread.
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ToriGirl and JO JO----WE started this thread...remember when it was just the 3 of us?????look how far we got.Thank you.love my sistas.hugggggggs K0
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Granny - We certainly have come a long way. I remember when you had to tell me about this thread and wanted me to check it out. Sure glad I did.
Good Night Everyone!!!!!
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went back to the beg.of this thread....Thanks Sherry......you too have been with us from the start....givin all that wonderful info.......loove ya sistas.hugggggggggs K0
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Pennythoughts, thanks for the good thoughts, I am fine now. I will take it at night from now on. ((((hugs))))back to you!You are all so helpful...0
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Thanks Granny,
BTW I had my talk with the Onc today and he wants to start me on Arimidex but not until we recheck to make sure I'm really postmenopausal.. I'm a little scared but he explained the reason it is the most important part of my treatment... really high PR and ER +.. I tried to get off my aleve to give my stomach a break and all the nerve pain in the breast came back full force... I sure wish I could find some anti-inflammatory that is easier on the stomach
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gma - Is your breast pain a burning/stabbing kind of pain and how long have you had it. I started getting these kinds of pains about a month after I finished rads and several months later I found out it was permanent nerve damage from rads and was given a prescription medication to take care of it and it sure does with the added bonus that it gives me some great sleep.
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Jo1955 - the pain feels like a ripping/tearing stabbing between my two scars, one in the armpit and the other my lumpectomy (nipple and surrounding areas) - I started having it just before I started rads and then it eased up until the last week of rads... then it came back and spread with a vengence....they put me on aleve and then prilosec because the aleve is tearing up my stomach... but the RO said the only way to get rid of the pain was to take it. they gave me oxycodone for when it gets really bad... I'm d?@$% if I do and d?@$% if I don't...
edit: what prescription did they give you and was it the RO that gave it to you>>>
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