Radiation recovery
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run... Yep it's me from the running thread. On to the next her you see. I'm a bit worried about swelling. I had a huge amount from surgery and still some unresolved seroma hardness. It's been 6 months since surgery tomorrow. Sigh
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Josie - what a great photo of your DD and new puppy, love it!!!!!!!
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Hey - so my RADS were over on May 12; healing pretty well - skin still sensitive of course but just this past week, I can lift my arm up about half way and then the pulling sensation kicks in. Location is like under my arm and down the side of my breast. Is this part of the healing process? Feels like if you over exercised and your muscles are tight..........don't THINK that I have seen that SE out here but wanted to ask.
August 5 is consult with surgeon on reconstruction...........
THANK YOU!
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HI Dogsneverlie...glad you're done with Rads and seem to be doing well. Been awhile since you checked in here.....should have known the puppy picture would wake you up. lol. The tightness you feel under the arm and down the breast is normal, in my experience. That seems to be the first area that wants to tighten up and it is not necessarily LE, but rather muscle tightness. I think the sentinel node biopsy brings it on and rads aggravates it. I used to stretch my arm out twice a day to help with that. When making myself a latte treat, I would put my hand as far as comfortable up the overhead cabinets in the kitchen and lean in to it until I felt a stretch. I told myself the reason I needed 2 latte's (one decaf) was for the calcium and for the exercise! I still do it occasionally just to keep it from tightening up again. I think stretching it out is a necessity and there are some great gentle exercises you could do. I know quite a few since I've had to have both shoulders repaired over the years, and no, they don't all involve latte's.
PrincessM, Sorry to hear about the swelling and seroma hardness. I had the same thing, and now when I get a mammo they tell me all is normal, and I have some "thickening"...ya think? Anyway, when I started rads I also still had quite a bit of swelling, but was assured by both my MO and more importantly the RO that it wouldn't affect the effectiveness of the rads, nor would the rads worsen the swelling. I think that was true. In my case, the swelling never did really resolve, and eventually turned in to what they call "truncal" LE...which is swelling of the breast and trunk, but not really the arm. It didn't turn in to that for at least 1 1/2 years though. So, I'd guess (IMHO) you're good for rads, but I would watch to see if that swelling wants to resolve in say 6 or more months after rads are done. If not, you might want to get looked at by an LE PT specialist (lots of MO doctors don't really understand LE, but the PT people fully trained in LE sure do). I'm actually able to make this thickening go away with about 20 minutes of LE massage. It comes right back, but I can get rid of it if it gets excessive. Mostly I don't worry about it, but I do watch for swelling. Good luck, let us know how you're doing......
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Good news that your husband's surgery went exactly as expected, RunFree. Happy dance time! Bummer about the catheter, however. It sure seems logical that things would start swelling after a while, causing trouble, so I'm another one who's surprised they were in such a hurry to take the first cath out. I can certainly emphasize with your patient: After my hysterectomy/bladder hoist, I went home on my own, came back the next day for a catheter. They wanted to take it out again the next day, I think, but I was so concerned about irritation, and absolutely wanted to make sure that all systems were go, that I insisted on waiting one more day. Glad I did.About that tightness, Dogsneverlie: Most probably it is scar tissue forming and, as Sew suggested, gentle stretches are called for. All through rads, I'd lie on the floor once or twice/day, stretch my arms out to the side, and then turn my lower body slowly to the side, just until I felt the stretch. If you feel a cord-like thingy, that's cording. Stretching helps that too. As scar tissue keeps forming for about a year, you'll want to continue your stretching routine for a long, long time. I would absolutely recommend a session (or more than one) with a lymphedema therapist, and firmly believe every blinking breast surgeon should make sure each and every patient meets with one. These ladies have lots of experience with all those annoying breast changes, can identify lymphedema, cording, scar tissue issues, and probably much more, and show you how to get relief from all of them. The best thing my therapist did for me was give me reassurance that I was not developing lymphedema. The second best thing was to identify, several months later, that my scar tissue was getting stuck and distorting my breast. She was able to release the scar tissue and show me how to do it also. Oh, and by the way, this is a specialty of physical therapy, so it is covered.
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BigD - praying that you are resting comfortably! Fingers&toes crossed...good news please.
April - geeez
so sorry DH health now...hope you gave answers soon...how's the baby:)Joan - ah Cape Cod
conference get a way 
)) just zone out...chillRunFree - darn, can't believe DH went home without foley...hum? We've gone to ER because the cath plugged...irrigating to pass blood clots...a nightmare...hubby on blood thinners...makes surgery recovery difficult. Fingers&toes crossed stage 0 with possible BCG tx. Take good care...pace yourself...hung bag on my moms walker...shorts...hubby hated the leg bag...just do what you gotta do...humbling.
Shout out to all!
Cindy
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Brookside and Mostlysew - THANK YOU SO MUCH! NOBODY told me about this - I had no clue.
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I'm concerned. I developed severe cording after lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy. I have very minimal LE to my wrist area and hand. I so scared it will all come back the swelling the cording. Gah
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I think if you mention these symptoms to your surgeon, or RO, or MO, they'll probably address them and get you your referral, but sometimes it's only the squeaky wheel that gets attention.
I don't know where you are in NH, but I had all my treatment at Dartmouth and can speak very, very highly about at least one of the lymphedema therapists there.
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princessm, I agree with Brookside, get a referral to the LE specialist. I had some cording after surgery too, but with stretching and light massage it went away. I don't think rads will aggravate nor cure the situation, so no worries there. You should just learn LE massage...which they actually teach out here before you even go in for surgery. Hopefully you won't get full blown and terrible LE.
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ER trip #2 this afternoon because the catheter started to come out. They took it all the way out and were about to send him home without it, but then they found his temp was elevated and made him stay for blood work, urine sample, urology consult. Finally got the all-clear after about 4 hours. Brookside, there was no original bag! I guess this urologist is just really anti-catheter. Things are moving better now, although he still has a lot of burning. Finger crossed, I think the worst is over.
Dogsneverlie, I can recommend the same PT as Brookside can, and I also saw a good one in Concord. The pulling is normal and not actually dangerous, and the cording's not dangerous either, as I understand it--just uncomfortable and alarming-looking. Gentle stretching is the name of the game, like walking your fingers up the shower wall or toward a latte, whatever's your pleasure. But good PT will also work on softening up the scar tissue and making those tight muscles all buttery soft, and you will learn some lymphatic massage that is very handy, as Sew says. They can really do a lot to take care of cording too, almost make it vanish before your eyes in some cases. Princessrn, I'm not sure exactly what's going on with your swelling, but you also would benefit from a properly certified PT.
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run free....so sorry to hear about all these hiccups in hubby's recovery. And his surgery went so well too. Ok....here's hoping to a smooth sail from here on out, poor guy (and you too). Take care....and a long run tomorrow morning if he's well enough for you to leave.
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DogsNL - I did have mild cording and swelling post-rads that went down slowly. I still have tenderness in the scar tissue area which always surprises me. The cording would come and go but eventually disappeared.
Princessrn, it takes time for swelling to go down after rads, but it was relatively steady for me. Most of the body changes during rads do go away unlike some of the surgery SEs. Try not to worry ahead of time; concentrate on rest and hydration. Keep as active as you feel you can, but do try to rest. I worked through and took my rest after rads was over - it was winter break and I was able to stay home for at least a week and do nothing.Run, it is good to see you back but oh, what a difficult turn of events. I hope DH improves every day, and that the path report is the best possible news.
April, what's next for your DH? I hope you have some answers soon.
Janis, where are you? Can you share some party details? Safe travels....
Cindy, have the SEs dwindled yet? I hope you feel "normal" soon.
It has been 3 years since my biopsy confirmed my BC that was found on mammo.
I have the mammo next Monday.Today was so relaxing...I found a nearby beach with a gentle cool breeze. I started a crochet project of my own design and it was so calming to work on that while sitting at the beach.
Josie, yes your daughter is beautiful - and so are you! I keep wishing we could have another visit that is more than 45 minutes....
Wishing everyone a good day....
PS...Diane, I did read your comment about putting in centrail AC. I know it would be very difficult, messy and expensive in my house. We have such humid summers and my downstairs gets really warm. It's a dilemma....
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Hi ladies, we just got back from our trip today. I will share more about that tomorrow but wanted to let you all know I just got off the phone with Big D...our dear Joan. Since she has no computer she asked me to let everyone know that she is doing really well. She sounded so upbeat. There hasn't been any news yet from pathology but that she expects to hear soon. She will post an update as soon as she gets out and can share her personal experience with you. The best news for now is that she is not in any severe pain and sounds so good. I am sending great big hugs!!!
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Great news about BIG D===JustmeJanis, I am so glad you talked to her and gave us a report. ((HUGS)) to you for doing that for all of us.
Guess I have to share my ignorance? What is "cording">
I too have the exact symptoms DOGSNEVERLIE described. It seems like it is getting worse too-- I sleep on my left side (surgical side) and stretch that arm out at night and it is now increasingly more uncomfortable. Tonight my cancer center had a class on Exercise and preventing chronic illness and she had us do some exercises and I found out I could hardly put that arm above my head. YiKES I was doing that every day during rads..... I'm calling for help in the a.m.
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Janis, Thanks for the update on BigD. So glad to hear she is doing well.
Run, my DH went through some prostate trouble awhile back and had to have catheters, before he had a laser procedure. Being an MD, he lean red how to flush his own catheter, but things can get pretty tricky with swelling and blood clots. Hope your husband is doing better now.
Josie, you daughter is a real beauty. Oh to be that young again.
For you ladies who are having trouble raising your arm on the radiated side, I so well remember having those problems. It would pull like crazy. I just kept gently working it, and now three years later I just tested and arm goes way up with no pulling, stiffness or pain. Nice that the muscles and connective tissues do heal eventually. It seems as if things will never be normal again, and then suddenly they are. My doctor referred me to a LE clinic. I held off and things improved on their own. I am not sure why I held off, but I think it had something to do with being too busy to commit to being there on a regular basis. If it had gotten bad enough, I certainly would have. I still have a bit of pulling once in awhile when I bend over to pick something up off the floor from a seated position, but it goes away quickly.
April, I hope things work out okay for your husband. I know you are so worried about him. Hopefully there will be an easy explanation for the anemia.
My daughter informed me today about a big recall on peaches, plums, nectarines and pluots. As luck would have it, I bought a lug of peaches and we have been happily eating them. Now I find out the lot number we have been eating are recalled for Listeria. The incubation period is up to 90 days. We washed it carefully, so hopefully that was good enough. I just hate finding out about this stuff after the fact!! I can be a real hypochondriac! I refuse to worry very much about this however!! Hopefully it will just pass.
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Redheaded, cording is also known as axillary web syndrome (I think). You can read all about it on the breastcancer.org section. In my case, when I raised my arm over my head, it felt like one muscle fiber was being pulled. My lymphedema therapist helped me identify a "cord" running down my arm toward my elbow. It wasn't much of a big deal, and probably would have gone away all by itself, but she showed me some techniques to speed up the process. The hospital where I was treated also has a lymphedema-friendly exercise class for breast cancer patients, encompassing safe range of motion movement, strength, balance, and aerobic activity. I absolutely loved it because I was so afraid of lymphedema and this class showed me what I could safely do. The muscle tightness I mentioned earlier is a separate phenomenon, absolutely normal and expected after surgery, and responds slowly but definitely to gentle stretching.
BigD, I am so very happy to hear you are doing well, praying for a very positive pathology, and very much looking forward to hearing from you in person. Janis, so happy you and your phone are there so we can all breathe easier.
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Hi Y'all
BigD - yippee you did it! Trusting for speedy healing and favorable news! Thanks for calling Janis
Janis - welcome home Bday girl! Thank you for the message from BigD...:D
Josie - yes, beautiful DD and cute puppy...gorgeous
wow she looks like her mom. Cording & LE ugh
(( finished rads with a 3rd girl...called MO and was sent on to PT & LE specialist...so Please call and get referrals Redhead Dogsneverlie Princessrn and anyone else who is having any symptoms. I've gone for 3 series of sessions and it does make a significant difference...LEBed DVD helps and I live in my compression sleeve and bra...and a compression shirt...self massage...it's a full time job...just can't get that last bit of fluid out of my arm...trunk...so bat wing and puff:( GiGil - ugh, recall on fresh fruit..,we just bought peaches will double check...how's country house?
Joan - cool breeze, great spot on the beach and busy hands in mindfulness
we will be in your pocket for that year 3 mammo! Breathe, no fear! I get it my knees knock when I go in there rather do the MRI. It will be all clear! Rah rah!RunFree - hope it was a good night and DH is doing better. Give yourself (((hug))) scary care giving going to and from ER. Here's to a calm easy rest of your week and staying on schedule with your work project. Hope your kids are handling all this well.
Dogsneverlie - yippee healing and soon reconstruction...moving forward...go girl!
April - thinking of you and DH!
Sew - how's the cakeball supply!
Feeling better...Zometa slowed me down but back up to 5-6 miles a day. Dancing
I gave myself gasp ' vacation from Aromasin' will restart next week...jaw pain went away...and I've got cleaning next week and wanted to not have any issues...open wide...also was a bit disenchanted with the bone loss, elevated cholesterol...but onward I go...gulp!Headed out to lunch play date with GF and after that on to lake time!
(((Hugs)))
Cindy
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Cindy...I ate the cake balls! Janis is the best ever maker of them and now that she's home, who knows, we might get more. I'm glad you're back up to normal activity. I just had a cholesterol test and am waiting for results. I've got a new primary care doc and I'm afraid she will want to mess with my typically high numbers.
BigD....it's wonderful to hear you're so upbeat. Ok, now for the healing .... Got those flashing forehead lights installed yet? Thanks for calling Janis with your update
Janis, ok I'm waiting for the birthday report.....tell all
Joan, most of your vacation sounds great. On the fruit recall I think you're ok too especially since apparently the did it out of an abundance of caution as no one has gotten I'll yet. Are you canning that lug? Dehydrating them?
April, when's hubby's next test? Sending big hugs
Run....do hope everything is now calmed down at your house. How scary. Too bad they didn't just keep him overnight instead of trying to do out patient.
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Great news about BigD. Thanks Josie.
RunFree- hope your DH is feeling better and that the rest of the week is uneventful.
I have been reading the comments on cording and LE with great interest because I am having trouble with the area of my chest that is under my arm and where they removed 9 lymph nodes. I have LE in my arm and wear a sleeve and glove most of the day. It is the area where the BS left extra skin (I think for reconstruction) that swells and feels heavy. I also thought my ROM would be back to normal 7 months after surgery. Unfortunately, I was only given one brochure from the hospital with suggested exercises. Once I could do those comfortably, I had no further suggestions of what to do next. I was diagnosed with LE between surgery and Rads, and began to see a therapist. She massaged the arm, and showed me how to massage it, but dismissed me after about 2weeks because she thought my co-pay was too much($75/ visit). I thought she thought she had done all she could. I ended up going back to her within 2weeks and then saw her 2x a week till I came back to Fl. Other than massage, she never suggested any exercises. I found a therapist here, but they are having a problem getting all the paperwork thru. She thinks she will have to wrap me for a couple of weeks because she says I am having tissue buildup in my lower arm. I was so happy to read about others having the same problems and especially GiGil saying, with time and gentle exercise it does get better.
Anne
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Well, thank heaven DOGSNEVERLIE posted about the underarm pain. Last night at my ReNEW class, the speaker was on Exercise and preventing chronic diseases. She had us stand up and do some really simple movements, and I had trouble with the balance ones and the one using he left arm. She mentioned a "STAR" Program they have at the hospital with therapists who are specially trained for cancer patients. I called and left my RO's nurse a message asking for a referral.If she won't do it, I will pester the surgeon and the Med Onc. and if all else fails, I am sure My PCP will do it.
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JEEZ, can you tell the Arimidex is fogging up my memory. I already told y'all about my class last nite. So sorry.......
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Thank you for the update on BigD Janis. Collective sigh of relief. Hoping for a good Path report. We all want to hear about your birthday.
I didn't know what cording was either. Thanks Brookside.
Joan - a/c in any form is essential esp in the south where I live. Of course it's hot everywhere but here the humidity is miserable. We could rob our account yet again but we would rather suck it up with window units for a few more months and then replace it in the off-season and save a few bucks. The window units are working fine. It's hard to comprehend growing up in Texas but mostly Louisiana, with only attic fans and no a/c in our cars or in the schools.
Diane
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Happy to hear that BigD's surgery went well.
Birthday reports, girls???
Ohio
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Thanks for all the kind words--my husband is feeling much better today, slept through the night with no crises, all flowing well though still a bit sore. I think he's on the mend. The surgery he had is a 1-3 day hospital stay in Europe, same day here. Once again it seems our insurance companies are making medical decisions, and we patients have to suck it up. Rant rant rant.
Great news about BigD! Thanks Janis for the call and report.
Anneb1149, I'm shocked at the way your needs have been dismissed, and a $75 copay is outrageous. I hope the paperwork goes through fast so you can get some proper attention from your new therapist.
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Run so glad to hear hubby doing well
Janis THANK YOU for the update on Big D
Big D THANK YOU for calling Janis, can't wait for you to get home & on the computer, Fingers crossed for path results.
We need a bingo call of B-9 for Big D folks.
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Runfree- Glad to read that hubby is doing better. My dad has had bladder cancer twice, removed twice and then a bladder wash done. So far so good. It is not the same as what Kate had. My dad got horrible spasms after surgery that had him rolling on the ground in pain, once that passed he was good. Sounds like your DH is over the hump.
April- scary for your DH, let us know what the test show.
Josie, thanks for sharing the 2 cuties with us, lovely pic.
Glad to hear Big D is sounding good. Prayer will continue.
I am seeing my PS on Friday. I am still just as swollen now as I was weeks ago, it is not going down. For something I cant feel the pain is horrible especially in the morning when I get up, I don't even want to get up. I am hoping that on Friday we can schedule something to put an end to this swelling. I think I told you all I have to go to Chicago on Aug. 18th and I am a bit stressed. No regrets on the surgery just getting frustrated as I am no good at patience!
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Janis, thanks for the update on Joan /Big D.I'm so relieved that she sounds good .
Joan, Janis,Lemon, Cindy,Gigil, thanks so much for the nice comments about my DD.
Joan, your right 45 min just wasn't enough time to chat.Wish we could do it again.How's Cape Cod?I'm jealous.
Cindy, you never slow down.I couldn't keep up with you.
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BigD, here's hoping you're in a regular room and feeling well enough to be getting a bit antsy. I don't remember how long you'll be there (another couple of days, I think), but I know you are counting down the minutes until you can get to a computer. Us too! Prayers still coming!
RunFree, sure sounds as though the European plan would have been better. I hope things have really settled down and hubby is back to (sort of) normal activity. Here's my personal hint for same-day surgery: I ask whether scheduling the procedure at the end of the day will allow me to stay over. It worked once, might again.
Lemon, that swelling just sounds absolutely miserable. I sure hope the doc has a quick and easy solution.
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Mornin ladies!
Runfree, glad hubby is doing better! Must be a huge relief for both of you!!
Josie, your DD is adorable...so pretty.
Janis, thanks so much for the update on BigD! We really were praying that all went well and it sounds like it did from what you said. Huge squeeze for you for doing that and hoping your birthday bash was as wonderful as you are! xo
Cindy, I agree with Josie...you never stop chuggin along!! I get tired reading about your activity. My grandbaby is growing in her mamma's tummy and in October, I will get to meet her (if she comes on time as she is due on the 28th!) and can't wait!!
Lemon, I hope the doctors can figure out why you are still swollen? It may be normal for this type of surgery though as our bodies swell when we are healing.
Sew, 40 lashes with a wet noodle for eating all the cake balls...
Sorry to those of you who are having pain from your rads. I have a bit of frozen shoulder still, but my rads were so different than everyone elses so who knows if my situation is normal. My RO gave me a prescription for PT, but I never went...too much going on in my life these days!
Thanks for all of your concern about my hubby. His appointment with the blood oncologist is not until August 5th!! Don't they understand that I am about to jump out of my skin waiting to find out what is going on????? Hubby seems unconcerned although he has cut back a bit on his n'said usage (was popping ibuprofen like it was candy!!) so maybe he is just not sharing that he is nervous. His weight has stabilized at least and he feels fine! He seems to have a lot of energy and is doing all of the usual things he does. But, I know how sneaky illness can be so not putting any faith in that being an indication that he does not have something wrong going on....just praying whatever it is is easily discovered and easily treatable!
Ok, at work as usual and we have to cover the front desk this morning! BBL!!
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