Radiation recovery
Comments
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Radiation ended 3/30, one month later I've got an infection, it mimics the symptoms of Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Swollen, red, with Orange peal surface. Anybody hear of that? Anybody hear of Angiosarcoma? On Keflex but it doesn't seem to be working, 4 days now.
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As my swelling went down my orange peel look went away. I want to say it took about 6 months. If you are concerned Marijen ck with your Ro.
April, she is such a sweetie!
Hugs to all.
Anyone heard from Bunkie, she's been mia for some time now?
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Diane,
Truly great news - uplifting for all of us. Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know.
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Marijen, it sounds like truncal lymphadema to me. Most Dr don't recognize it, but your RO should refer you to a physical therapist who specializes in lymphodema. Your description is exactly what my breast looked like months after rads. The massage really works. Good luck...
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Thank you Sew, Charger, Cindy, April and Sunnyone. I can relax(okay at least for a minute- haha) now. Idk how many of us are 5 years or beyond but at least I'm in the purported 90% stats category for survival of 5 years. God that sounds so unfeeling.
April - the little one is just precious!
On a different subject DS is moving into a large apartment with his GFF and the children next weekend. He wants to be with his children every day. I admire him for that. This will be a test to see if he can live with her again. Not the ideal situation but it is what it is for now. We have had them visiting all weekend. 6 year old birthday party at the neighborhood pool was actually fun. Kids had such a good time. DH and I are exhausted.
Have a good week everyone!
Diane
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Lets do a roll call of sorts
How far out from active treatment are you?
I'm 2 1/2 yrs out.
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I'm 4 years 7 months....amazing to think about
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Sew almost at a milestone! Keep up the good work. remind us when it gets closer as I will forget But do want celebrate with you when it hits.
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Only 2 weeks since end of treatment (rads) so you can imagine how happy it makes me feel to read positive posts from those of you who are years past treatment. It's exactly what I have planned!
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Lx 1 year ago, rads finished 9 months ago, 4 years and 3 months to go on exesmestane. Seems like it was a long time ago.
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Yea Sew - almost there! It really does seem like a lifetime ago. I'm off Tamoxifen in August. I hope it's one of the reasons for the joint pain and some sleepless nights.
My SIL was DX more than 8 years ago but they found scar tissue so she is still being checked by her oncologist.
Diane
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a little bit over 3 years
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April, have you already been 3 years? Way to go......
Charger, absolutely, we are ALL going to totally celebrate when I hit the magic 5. I may end up staying on the Arimidex past 5 but that has yet to be decided. Partying anyway!
Sunnyone, you're on the way and that's a good feeling. So do plan on that milestone party. Actually, partying at 1 1/2 years is good too as it seems to me that by that point I was no longer thinking about this blasted cancer daily anymore. Actually party all the time since you're finally on the road to full recovery.
Orknitter..... you must be a knitter, so am I, avidly actually. Are you on Ravelry? My user name is Mostlysew, as you might expect. Keep on knitting.
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Just few weeks ahead of April...
About the same time as Josie... Think we were surgery sisters Jan 2013
3 years !
Cindy
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MostlySew - thanks for reminding me that I won't be thinking about BC every day. I've actually seen a decrease in brain-time dedicated to BC since rads finished but I'll be happy to have a whole day pass without it. It's funny because I'm more apt to tell people about my BC now that treatments are over. When I was in the midst of it all, I didn't want people to know because I didn't want to be looked upon as that girl with cancer. I didn't want people to run from me because they didn't know how to handle it. Now that I look at the whole episode as 'in the past', I feel like one of the 3+ million US women who HAD BC but are just living their lives, albeit with a lot more gusto.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences, especially years after finishing treatment. It means more to us recent gals than you'll ever know.
(((((Hugs)))))
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Mostly sew, yes I am on Rav, probably too much! I'm Laura1953. I "friended" you, hope that's okay.
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Update: 7 days now on Keflex, prednisone added, referral to lymphologist for massage and stop the letrozole for a while. Didn't know that letrozole can cause swelling. Dx is cellulitis which can become sepsis if not treated. Prednisone scares me. Thanks for input ladies. Also found out it can go on for months, but I'm hoping by next week back to normal. Why didn't RO warn me of this complication
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why can't I post!
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Add BUNKIE10 as a Friend Block BUNKIE10
I wish that were true. If I had stayed in Cali I would be much healthier. I am still stuck in my home. I have been plagued with kidney stones and this constant daily vertigo that makes me fall and have been in a rehab facility twice. They can not find it. I have been to every Dr in the Midwest. I spend most of my time holding on to walls. Right now I have a nurse and a PT coming to the house to try and get me well. They are trying to retrain my brain so far nothing is working. Lets add in that they got me hooked on Valium and now I am trying to detox that awful med. So I am glad you checked in. I miss everyone and please share with the group that I am a mess and will check in when I can.
How are you doing?
In reply to:
mia
from 70charger May 23, 2016 08:57AM
Thinking of you & missing your posts. REALLY hoping your rehab is all done & that you have sold your house & moved to California with your significant other. Huge hugs Fran0 -
Hi Fran,
Thanks for looking up Bunkie and giving us the update. It doesn't sound as though she is doing at all well. I sure wish, and I'm sure she does too, that she could get out of that house. If you post back to her let her know we're all pulling for her (I'm sure you've already done that)
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((((Bunkie)))) Poor thing. Valium is a very hard detox. I hope that they are monitoring her if they are pulling her off of it and tapering instead of banging her down all at once. I had a very good friend who was taking Ativan by the handful for years (with her doctor's blessing) and they are the same class of drugs and she finally wanted off. It was horrific for her. Keeping you in my thoughts dear Bunkie. Hugs!
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Fran - Thanks for checking on Bunkie. Bless her heart she can't get a break. I had vertigo years ago but it came and went. There has to be sonething the doctors can do to help her. She didn't mention her boy toy. I hope he is still there helping her. Of course we are all concerned and praying for her.
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Fran,was this recent from Bunkie or was that a while ago?Im confused.Im friends with her on Facebook and she has posted recently or at least shared things .Thats encouraging .
BTW I'm almost 3 and 1/2 years since diagnosis. And 3yrs since the end of rads.
Diane,
I am glad your son is able to see his babies daily.
My daughter is doing well but still very thin. She found out the sex of the baby.
It's a girl!!!
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Great news, Diane!
Hugs to Bunkie.
2 years for me.
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Josie that was sent to me today from Bunkie.
I missed her posts & was so hoping she was doing better. I feel so bad that no one has found the cause for her or a treatment that works.
One of our daughters has been going through that for 6 yrs now. As of yesterday she has a new Dr. He is going to review her history & see if anything was missed. The only cause they have guessed at has been nerve damage. It is so hard to watch & not be able to help, plus knowing the Drs cannot do anything for her. All they do is give her more potent pain killers.
Take care, hugs to all
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Thank you Josie and Ohiofan. I can finally relax -at least about the mammo.
Congrats Josie - a girl! Yea! We have 8 grandsons and 4 granddaughters. It's nice to buy pink stuff every now and then.
We will be spending the weekend helping DS move into their new place. I'll miss him.
Diane
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Hi there everyone. I am 5 years out too, and due for my mammogram. Diane, I am glad yours came out so well. Hurray for that! Also, so good to hear about Bunkie. I have wondered how she was doing. Tell her hello from me also?
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8 mos. post-lx, 6 mos. post-rads, 5 mos. into a 5-yr. course of letrozole.
Josie, congrats on the new granddaughter!
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Hello friends,
I could not believe I had not posted since late April. I have read a few times but often fell asleep before I could post.
I am having major insomnia the last few days and am trying to function with a stubborn cold.
I had a crazy end of semester, as usual, and left the day after it ended on a wonderful vacation with DH who is turning 70 this summer. I surprised him with a trip and we really had a great time. We returned Sunday night. Monday night I was ill - so, either I caught this from our guide who was sick, or on the packed plane, or from a bad mosquito. I went back to work 12 hours after I returned home. My days are very long - early AM to 9 PM as I am teaching a 5 week summer semester at night.I really enjoyed reading back a lot of pages, and welcome the new ladies who have finished rads. Congrats. I also experienced "delayed" fatigue - I worked through rads and then after I finished, I needed 2 weeks off. I recovered quickly, though.
I am happy to hear about those with good reports and 5 year milestones. I have not heard of the test for recurrence. I have about 9 more months on Femara...I hope I can get off. A few friends have had recurrences and it is just such a life interruption.
Gigi, so sorry to hear about your SIL - I can't imagine the shock and sadness.
And your friend's accident...so sad. I hope your family is doing well.My dear friends in Colorado who I've visited annually are struggling with his onset of a rare blood disorder. He transfuses way too frequently, there is no remission, and now chemo is started to try to slow down the progression. This is the first contemporary friend to be so ill and I feel so helpless. They mean the world to me, we have had the best of times, and I am so far away.
Life is full of ups and downs...highs and lows...joys and sorrows.
Josie, I agree that a baby brings joy...and I've always said where there's life there is hope. I wish good things for your DD and especially good health. She will need your support as she figures things out.
Diane, you are a model of working through the rough spots with your son and his twins. Time flies!
Sorry to hear you scraped your car.
SAB, when I read that you were achy, I was hoping it was from a 5 mile hike in the hills. Work is taking its toll on me too...but I push through. I am in PT for knees and core strengthening. It seems to be helping - I was able to hike up to the top of a volcanic crater with no problem.
Brookside, April, Cindy, Sew, so good to hear from you. Cindy, not sure where you ended up - knew you were looking in Colorado - did you settle on a location?This is getting long, ad I am not getting any sleep....I have a 12 hour day ahead of me. I'm glad for Memorial Day - an extra day off. But my DD may come with her kids and new bf....I am not up to it but can't say no. It will be perfect beach weather here this week end.
Hugs and prayers to all....will try to get back and read the latest and keep up. We have come a long way in this group. Remembering Joyce (Kate) and also praying that we will hear from Joan - Big D again.
Janis, please check in....if you have not already. (I am still behind)
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Joan811 said: "I have about 9 more months on Femara...I hope I can get off. A few friends have had recurrences and it is just such a life interruption."
Joan, why do you hope you can get off Femara? Have you had side effects? It looks like you're just about 5 years post-surgery so I presume you've taken Femara all that time? Also, is your MO giving any consideration to keeping you on Femara after you reach the 5 year mark?
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