After Radiation
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Hi gals! Eloise! You work out? Man, you are in better shape than I am....
I tell myself planting tomatoes & working in my garden is enough work-out for me....Ha! Kantalope! I just KNEW you had other fun things to do! I was going to write little Tori & tell her Happy Easter, then I got busy cooking dinner, & didn't do it.....!! SO HAPPY EASTER, Y'ALL!!
And you wear dark glasses? Just be careful driving gals....it's so easy to nod-off if you are alone in the car...at night....!
It smells like liver in here! Man, I cooked some for Lacee, and this whole house sure smells like it! Okay....gotta run, do something....don't know what, but I know I gotta do it!...
HUGS all around!!!!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
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Hey ladies! WASSUP?
Had my second appt with my PT for LE. Turns out it's mostly chest related so he is pretty sure it's an easy fix...My PT is a great guy. He has been a LE therapist for the past 17 years and been a PT since 1971. He is so smart. He has videotaped what I can do at home to keep everything at bay and for now, there is a big improvement. He says his goal is to get me back to normal and teach me how to stay there...he doesn't believe in bringing patients in just for the heck of it. So far, so good, so I'm hopeful...
Granny--good to hear you had some fun...hope all goes well with your PT tomorrow...
Chevy-right back at you girl!
Skin is all healed from rads...it was amazing how quickly your skin can heal...I"m still tanned, but it's looking really good...I think anyways...
Someone said that fatigue can hit you pretty hard the weeks following rads...maybe that is why I'm still so tired at night...ugh..
Hugs and High Fives to you all!
Tori
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SherryC-
I am one year out from the end of rads, and the rib area below my radiated breast is still somewhat sore. It's more like the rib "meat" area than the actual ribs themselves. And it's not really a pain, just kind of a tired muscle feeling. My doctor said this is a direct result of radiation and I may have it for a long time.
I also feel like I'm ready for bed earlier these days since breast cancer. That could be blamed getting older, I guess. I do find that exercising makes me feel like I have more energy.
Mary
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Morning gals! After reading what happens to you all during Rads, just makes me feel so bad for what you have to go through... Like I said before, I had the MammoSite Device for the Rads, and the radiation was localized, and it didn't take but almost a week. The only thing was AFTER I was finished, I ALSO was so tired! But I didn't get burned....so congratulations to all of you, for doing everything you can to prevent any cancer from coming back! You will all feel better, someday soon....but you will look back on this time, knowing you made a lot of friends, to help you through the rough times.... Man, that sounds more normal than I really am!
Tori! Sounds like PT is going to help you a lot! I'm glad you found someone to help you! Okay sweet gals.....time for breakfast....
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GrannyDukes - my LE appointment isn't until next Monday. Tori, glad to hear you are going to the LE therapist and getting it under control.
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im goin in a little while but i just wanted to check in to see how everyone was doin
Chevy...what a breakfast.I told you not to eat that crap.Cancer loves sugar....damn.
i just broke a front tooth.right off.so now im goin to a new PT without a front tooth.
HOW BROOKLYN GHETO IS THAT?????ya gotta do what ya gotta do.
TORI---glad your doin ok.....
hello Mary----i heard it does get better..yeah WHEN?????hugggs K
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Eloise - that is so funny your doc told you to exercise and you're falling asleep on the treadmill. I also think I'm having more fatigue now at 4 months post rads than I did in the first 3 months. I'm wondering if it isn't still emotional "let down" from the big fight to get thru surgery, chemo, rads and now adjust to chemo & tami induced menopause. Wow! Such fun!
Sherry - Congratulations on a good check up and clear mamos!! What a relief. I do have a bit of pain in my rib under the rad boob (right side), but nothing too bad. I was told that the radiation could make my bones more fragile in that area, also that it could hit a sliver of my lung, which so far has been okay. I was told it could be easier to have one of my ribs break after all this. Also have had a bit on the left side toward the bottom under my ribs, I think in my stomach. I'm guessing this is leftover from chemo and worry. When I drink a bottle of water and take deep breaths it helps.
grannydukes - glad you got so much rest! Sorry to hear about your tooth, but you are sooo funny, Brooklyn ghetto, LOL!
Tori - glad the LE therapist is so much help!
Barbara - hope your LE apt goes well. I saw an LE therapist before rads, I don't have LE but was measured to get a baseline and she was so helpful about how to prevent it from occurring.
Chevyboy - you are so sweeeeeeet to make such a beautiful breakfast for us...glad you didn't have the rads we had. BTW - loved your story about how Kantelope got her name, so cute!
Hugs to you all!!! ~Beans
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well im back from the PT and its not lymphedema.IT EDEMA.OK...my arms are fine.range of motion is fine bit the swollen breast is like a clogging of a sink.the protein was good.i liked her very much.in fact she knew people who i worked with in AIG.we did bond.its kinda uncomon and very treatable.im gonna have to start lookin around in a different direction.wonderful.BTW i did show her my ghetto tooth.dont even want to think about the dentist yet.tomorrow im goin to get that long awaiting shingle shot.mt script says by dr admin.im goin to the pharmacy.NO DR,HOSPITAL,CLINIC PHARMACY has it and im net gettin it again.so ill go tomorrow with this one tooth again.that is really soooo ghetto.with makeup,jewelry all dressed up,hair all done and then i smile and people bust out alughing.just wanted to share my wonderful day.thanks bc for the edema.gotta smile girls.0
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WTH Kantalope? You have a "tooth?" Is that all you have? I'll tell you a story...... Once, when I was working for Pepsi, demonstrating in the stores, I went to lunch with one of the cashiers I had made friends with..... We were talking and she said, "You are so pretty, but your teeth are so ugly"....... I almost wanted to cry....but she told me what I had known for years... that I had better DO something about it, because I was stupid to think people didn't notice!
So right after that, I went to the Dentists, where he made me an upper plate. When it was finished, I went in & he pulled all of the teeth I had left on the top... 8 of them. Then he slapped that beautiful plate in, & I could smile again! And I didn't feel "ugly"...... So did I embarrass you? I don't mean to...I just want you to take care of business, before they get worse! Why don't you pull out that tooth, & put it under your pillow? I would send you a dollar!
And Edema.....that means fluid under your skin.... That is what's causing that terrible rash I have on my lower leg...BUT since I stopped Tamoxifen, it has gone away!!! I don't know why!
Do you have to take water pills? I had a "Seroma"....a pocket in my breast, filled with fluid, after my lumpectomy....I was worried about it, but after 2 mammograms, it finally got smashed to smithereens, & I can't even fill it now. If it had been filled with blood, it would have been a Hematoma. But fluid just went into a pocket, & would have gradually taken care of itself, had it NOT been for the Mammograms, which sort of hurried it up a bit.
Now what ELSE is wrong with you...?? Surely there must be something else!
Sherry! Congratulations on a great check-up! I'm going next month for the 6 month Mammogram..... I just hate to think about it....maybe I'll have some of that champagne first!
xoxoxoxoxo
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Chevy and Grannydukes you gals crack me up
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Sherry--you did not see anything yet.andd yes she has been tellin me about my teeth for a while now as i have been havin trouble but hey im not a magician,i just got finished with rads,dead tired,went to dentist for a bandaid for $450.00 that i was hoping would work till i saved the $$$$$ to have all this work done.it doesnt just happen like puff.done.
and besides im an astrologer(like you didnt know) and the sky is not good for me to have any dental work for a while soooo why dont you leand me those pearly whites for just a couple of months till i can do it right.ha.you know this is for chevy right?
now back to business....i invited you here for your help dear one.what the hell am i supposed to do for this edema besides what the dr said.and this compression bra.its big,ugly,heavy and its 80 deg.i bought 3x different tops.now the new ones are too low cut for this harness....any suggestions??????
After Radiation thread my butt....and the beat goes on
boy did i miss you girs.hugggggggggs God bless my sistas. I pray for a vacine.thats all.is that too much to as???????luv ya.K
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Okay miss K... $450? Honey, my whole plate only cost $600, and that included pulling my 8 teeth....course that was in the "olden days'...... but believe me....It was so worth it! My play teeth are so much nicer than my own teeth were. I don't take them out at night either....otherwise my whole mouth might collapse ....Ha!
Okay the Edema problem....sounds like beans or something....... The bra's I wear are like compression bra's also! We used to have "Dickies' to put over our head, that fitted under a shirt, or go get a cute little "camisole!" Do they still make those? They have lace at the top, so it would hide your bra, and it would work perfectly!
It's 80 degrees out? So that means you get hot? Tough! We freeze around here, still....It is not Spring here, except for a few hours during the day!
Actually little honey....you WILL find a way to feel better..... Do what that Doc says....I mean you have to mind SOMEone...right? Are you going to name a new thread...."After Radiation, my butt!" Oh please don't! xoxoxoxooxxoxo
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Hey Ladies - Have been lurking here on and off and would like to join this group. Granny encourages me to read through this thread but have not been able to find the time until now. I see several familiar names here from other threads. I will try and go back and do some reading in the next day or two.
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JO- im gonna need all the help i can get here.Chevy is pickin on me as she has been doin for about 1 1/2 yrs now.she thinks i can get my teeth pulled,caps removed,a root taken out all for a few bucks.not now i cant.unless i go to a clinic.and im not.
i have to wear that huge copression bra.no cammie,sports bra just the compression bra.it does feel good but its huge.ok ill get over it.
just gotta keep remembering its after the rads.I just thought we were gonna be finished and just cream and see our drs.do some exercise and move on...again thanks bc.i keep forgetting we cannot go to the return line.
in the mean time ToriGirl and BarbA and myself are having problems and goin to PT.is anyone else.we need to get info for our next batch of sistas who are gonna finish the rads soon...lets not scare them away.
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Granny - I'm here and I have your back. If I see Chevyboy coming, I will let you know so she can't sneak up on you. LOL
How long do you have to wear that dreaded compression bra? Hope not too long. What a bummer.
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she didnt say how long but she was real please that it felt good.and to sleep with it too.and the straps are soooo wide.what will i wear in this heat?????/gosh this should be the biggest problem that i have right????
Chevy is really the best influence i had before i went through the rads.she hounded me and im forever grateful.my sista from a past life.sometimes she thinks she is my mother.BUT she does spread lots of good cheer where ever she goes.God love her.
BTW i did get the calendula oil and the 100% aloe vera oil while i was in PA.I also found a shampoo and conditioner without parabins and sulfates...see it wasnt all play.
keep creamin,drink lots of water and exercise...every dr.says the same thing......
still prayin for that vacine...I swear I dream about it.that would be sooo nice.huggggs K
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After rads??? Still having pain in the radiated breast. Still have discomfort in the armpit area. I have been exercising and the swelling has gone down in the armpit/underam area. Right now I am down with a horrid sinus infection. To add to that, the air here is filled with dust and molds after our long winter that causes leaves and flowers to rot under the snow, (yuck). Allergies are huge right now.
I asked my Dr if I might be allergic to Tamoxifen, and she laughed and said nice try.
Hang in there, GD, the swelling will go down and soon you can crack out the Victorias Secret bras.
Take good care and just breathe. . .
Teklya
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Teklya----yea after rads.I thought we are gonna share wonderful stories of how good we feel now that we are done with the rads.right????what an eyeopener....im just waiting for someone to come on here and say they are doin wonderful.no S/E from the rads and feelin great...if you are that person please step up and give us the great news.
i highly doubt ill ever wear Victoria Secret bras.ha.they dont make 34DD without underwires and i think by the time the edema is gone(hopefully)my size will change.
gotta do 30 min of exercise 2x a day for breast plus my reg.exercise of 25 min once a day for my back.and the beat goes on...feel better Teklya you too had a rough time.hope the shingles are all gone by now...im doin the breathing a lot lately
huggggs all around.K
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Okay Granny! I just have to step up and tell you I have having no problems since finishing rads on Dec 3. I have adjusted well to Tamoxifen and only have an occassional real hot flash. Usually just have warm waves that are quite tolerable.
Have to take Melatonin for sleep problems but have had them for over 5 years so I should have done this years ago. Sleep or lack thereof has nothing to do with BC.
To sum it all up - Life Is Good For Me Right Now! That could change down the road - still waiting for that first mammo since dx but not worryiing or stressing about it right now.
That's my story and I am sticking to it.
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Is it just me or was anyone else MORE tired after rads was over then during? It's crazy and frustrating...ugh
Hugs and High Fives!
Tori
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ToriGirl, yes, I'm more tired now than I was when I was having rads. That's what my doc told me to expect, though, and also I've gone back to work a couple of days a week. I find that trying to conform to an external schedule -- waking up to an alarm clock, getting to the subway station at a certain time, getting to work on time -- is harder than it used to be. If I can move at my own pace I don't feel as tired.
My doc wanted to get some blood work to make sure nothing else is going on. I'd been putting off a cholesterol recheck my internist ordered a while back, but I fasted overnight last night and had my blood drawn this morning. I've already got the results of the CBC that my rads onc ordered, though not my doc's interpretation. Everything is within normal range, but my white blood count and my lymphocytes are down at the bottom of the normal range, and the white blood count is down a lot from what it was before my treatment started. I don't know if there's anything the doc can do about that, but it does look like there's been some effect of the rads even if it's not too bad.
Hope those of you in the Southeast are okay with all this bad weather.
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Eloise - White blood cell counts will go down during and after rads with rads being the culprit. They will return to normal on their own in time.
I worked through rads even though I have a great boss and could have taken time off for afternoon naps or whole days off if I felt I needed it. The fatigue started hitting me after the first 2 1/2 weeks and continued for about 6 weeks after I finished. It does get better and you will return to your normal routine before you know it.
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Hi Gals! Man, I'm getting ready to go to bed! Ha! Kantalope, honey, I meant wear a camisole over your bra! Then it would come up higher & cover your bra! Man, I have to show you everything! That way, pretty lace would show, and not your training bra...I mean your....what is it? You called it something...
And Teklya...just so you will know....My youngest Daughter, (48) seems to always have a sinus infection also! But now her ears are driving her crazy...Had to stop on the way home from work to see the Doctor, because the infection is in both ears! They are swollen, itching, and draining, & she can't hear! She is on anti-biotics, & we went over & put warm olive-oil in them, & took her Allegra, and Mucinex...but she is miserable! So be careful!!
Also, I have lost my hearing....I used to post on the Tamoxifen thread, but since I don't take it anymore, I just hang around here, and on the Older Women thread! Be careful with your hearing.... Sometimes these meds affect us differently....especially if we are older....
Hi Jo! Yes... You be the look-out, ha! I don't know what it is with little K....She just cracks me up too! And that LANguage! Holy Mackeral! But she always makes me laugh, and I think she is one of my kids or something....
Don't tell her that...she likes to think she is the boss. But I really am....Ha! Did you hear what Kantalope wears? A 34DDDD ...DDDD or something like that? If that were ME, I would be bragging!!! Hey sleepy-head Tori! Wake up! It will just take you awhile to feel normal again! I remember how tired I was also after....even with my puny dose of radiation! Sleep is the greatest healer...
Okay, I'm done....gotta tell you gals....This thread is sooooooooo fun!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxo
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Doesn't this look good?
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Chevyboy - A 34DDD? I would brag about that either. She must have one heck of a back ache. And then you have to tell her how to wear her clothes? She does crack me up. Hey! Maybe you and I should hold her down and wash her mouth out with soap. That would fix her. LOL
The breakfast certainly looks good. I love biscuits and gravy.
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Grannydukes - wow, so you got a big beautiful bra??? I'm impressed too with the 34DDDD, you and Chevyboy ‘bout had me spitting coffee this morning reading your posts about the teeth and the bras! BTW - I broke a front tooth in my early 20's while swimming in a river, I ran into a rock with my front tooth! It looked really weird until I got it fixed, good luck with the right time of sky for your dental work!
Question: what's the problem with parabins in lotions and stuff? My don't have it, but I'm curious....
I have only been wearing sports bras since my first lump sugery last March. I don't know if I'll ever wear a pretty one again. Now how sexy is this (and my bod isn't in such nice shape as this model!)? But it is comfortable, it's a Bestform 5096040 I found on hosierystreet.com and it let's my boobs be different sizes real easy cuz it's stretchy, cheep too, less than ten bucks. Oh this is so fun!
So glad you are doing exercises, me too, and it does help, yay! we will get thru all this!!
Chevyboy - could you tell me about your Tami rash? I bin having a rash for about 4 or 5 days that started with tiny red dots on my lower back and hips and bigger red welts on the insides of my knees...now a few tiny red dots on the underside of my arms and inner wrists, quite itchy but not horrible...I'm afraid it's from Tami as I've ruled out insect bites and have had no changes in laundry soap, etc. I've never had anything like this before and so I was hoping you might have some ideas for what to do....BTW thanks for clearing up the seroma/hematoma question, I had seroma and my MO said to press gently on it several times a day. Datz wat I continue to do for the cryin boob and the swelling has gone down a lot. It's really doing much better, not normal, but a lot better. LOL at that falz teef dog pic! And the breakfast looks so yummy too, thanks for that!
Jo - yippee!! So good to see you here and so glad you are doing so well after rads...I've had a few problems, but am hopeful about the future. It is so neat to read thru threads, so many of us have crossed paths this past year and it's so good to see we're all still here, dealing with it and enjoying life thru the (sometimes) tears and pain. So happy that life is good for you!!! YAY!!
Teklya - sorry to hear about a sinus infection, yuck! Allergies have been a problem for me too, and I do think I'm allergic to Tami! I got a rash to prove it. Sure hope that pain in your rad breast eases and glad the swelling has gone down in your underarm area. I swear, that part is doing better after a weird swelling episode, but now this darn rash...argh!
Tori - I am still wondering if my current state is PTSD, let down from the big fight, or frustration about a new problem (rash) just when the cryin boob was starting to get better...or leftover from rads, who knows, but I do think a lot of rest when needed is the key and exercise.
Eloise - sure hope all checks out ok with your bloodwork...my WBC had gone way down during chemo, but little by little all that has been getting better.
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Beans - There are so many environmental factors that supposedly can cause cancer. Parabins, etc are on that list. I, for one, refuse to change my lifestyle that much. I have used the same products for many years and like them. I am not going to stand in the stores and read all the labels. I have better things to do like go fabric shopping or planning my next cruise or visiting with all the gals on BCO.
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well another day.here goes.i cannot do the massage as the hand i was doing it with is killing me.i had to change sides of my mouse on puter.cant type much either.
jo jo--yes you are the 1....i knew you would respond...and yes the exception of the rule honey.keep doin what your doin.and yes 34DD does hurt the back.today its killing me.who needs it soo big.it was always too big for this 5 ft.119 lbs.
Torigirl...im still not back to myself on the fatigue along with everything else.but one thing i do is rest and sleep when i need it.
CHEVY---listen up sista---the only thing that will hide this harness is a turtleneck and i never ever wear them even in the winter.this morn i tried on clothes for the 4th time and i keep buying and have no tops to wear again.And i still dont like that food.ha.we are supposed to be eating HEALTHY!!!!DUH.
Parabins and sulfates are a no no...i know JO JO refuses to read labels but im not takin any meds soooo i need to make lots of changes and parabins and sulfates are in everything.
parabins,menthyl,ethyl,propyl&benzyl all inhibit the growth of bacteria,yeasts and molds.some parabins mimic the activity of estrogen=bc=turning up in bc.this i just started to do.i had to make some changes and this is where i started.trying to go holistic as possible.i also gave up beef and dairy.
Beanus----do you know anything about this edema????it is kinda makin me nervous
gald to see how nice this thread is comin along.AND how much the sistas are enjoying themselves thanks to my 2 partners in crime.love them and all of you.
This thread means a lot to me and i really want to see if there are any other sistas with positive results after rads.
I pray for a vacine for bc.every minute,every day.God bless us all.We are gonna win
huggggggggggs Kantalope(may as well use the name now ha)
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Jo - thanks for your perspective, I also am using the same stuff as pre bc, but just ponder if changes here and there are a good idea.
Grannydukes - sista, I don't know much about nuthin. that's why i'm Beanius, not Genius (get it), Just kidding...about the edema, I think your big boobs are the culprit...here is an abstract from a study:
"Abstract
Breast edema was evaluated in 45 patients with Stage I or II breast cancer (including two with simultaneous, bilateral disease), who were treated by breast-preserving treatment approaches. Multiple variable statistical analysis revealed that bra cup size was the only factor significantly related to the appearance of breast edema. Breast edema occurred in 3 of 20 breasts (15%) with bra cup size A or B, as compared to 13 of 27 breasts (48%) with bra cup size C, D or DD(p less than 0.03). Breast edema was more likely to occur in patients who underwent full axillary dissection as compared to those who underwent axillary sampling or no axillary surgery. This observation, however, was not statistically significant. Neither the radiation therapy parameters nor the use of adjuvant chemotherapy were found to be related to the development of breast edema. Breast edema appears to be a transient phenomenon observed most frequently in the first year after the end of irradiation. It was observed much less frequently in those patients evaluated over 1 year following the end of radiation therapy."
I know you think I made this up, but really here's the link...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4044338
You are a petite lady with a big cup size, me too...only not as petite as I would like. I think it's that the boob is big and hangs down a bit and makes it harder for the fluid (lymph) to get moved out, like you said, a clogged sink. So anyway, pressing gently seems to sorta squish the fluid and make it move out.
Good news that it is probably temporary....
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Since Chevyboy was so gracious and served breakfast - how about some lunch.
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