Thistledown. I have been having trouble with the grip on my effected side Fortunately my sister is a physio and reassures me it’s down to the nerves etc reconnecting following the surgery she is a bit of a tyrant when it comes to me doing my exercises but has told me to practice taking the tops of bottles several times a day to improve grip. It does hurt but she tells me that’s good. Her mantra no pain no gain!!
Hi thistledown. 10/14 days after I’m afraid. ?. My emotions are all over the place 9 weeks on along with more discomfort that the last 4 month. Have mailed my bcn this morning just for a bit of re assurance. I am sure she will ring me later so will let you all know what she says. I am sure it is all part of the healing process and all the nerves settling down. Will be back when she has rang me.
Thank you so much for the replies, Chris and Gill, really encouraging to know I’m not alone…I am ringing a contact number today to see if I can sort out some counselling or CBT, whatever, to help. It really hits me hard sometimes and makes me feel life, good life, is over, you know ? Awful. I’ve had depression in the past and it’s not nice.
Been doing the arm and shoulder exercises, but sometimes only once a day, I admit…and having a physio for a sister is very handy, Chris, even if she sounds a taskmaster ! ? - I will try the jar-opening exercises, that’s a great tip.
Drinking water and putting on the cream… yes…
I had an awful fright yesterday too, I stupidly upended half a bottle of hydraulic oil all over myself, on my bad side too…! - while helping to do a mechanical job on the boat. (Concentration is not good at the mo and I can’t use chemo brain as an excuse, but that’s what it felt like!) I forgot completely that there was no bottom on this plastic bottle, (it was upended to drain the oil into the steering, can’t explain better, sorry) and when finished, I just turned it right way up…stupidly…Oil everywhere…boat is in a right mess, and I was worse!
Had to rush down to the shower block- thank goodness there’s a shower ! - and wash off the oil that was all over arm, clothes, bra and boob… I was convinced it was stinging the skin on my hand, and was imagining the arm visibly swelling with Lympho …Other people must’ve thought I was nuts racing down marina with a towel and shower gel while clad (braless) in husband’s spare trackies and sweatshirt !
Good grief. Well it made me momentarily forget the aches and pains I’ve been getting !
How to get rid of oil smell on good jeans ?? ? (I’ll stick to housework and trying to get the garden less like a jungle, safer than messing about in boats at the mo…)
Regards, and thanks again, ladies !
Helen (Thistle) xxx
Gill
I know - totally daft thing to do, but with the excuse of finding a nice ‘oil smell removing’ fabric conditioner to treat my jeans and polo to, I went round Tesco’s trying out the brands by smell-test, good excuse for hand and arm exercise with twisting tops off…!, - also Mrs Google says bicarb works wonders, so clothes have been duly bicarbed and have to report it worked well…one small mercy for my favourite jeans !
I hope your BCN gets back to you, I feel a right pest bothering mine as I had a couple of issues with a very pink breast, uncomfortable stitches and possible Lymphoedema after my TM op, and felt I was being a nuisance. I actually got more help, info and reassurance from the Rads nurse who reviewed my treatment, she said pinkness after TMs can go on for at least six months, got some stitches out for me, and I got help with the Lympho, which was confirmed as being there, (mild, thank goodness) when the BCN said it wasn’t…
Got my Rads treatment completion letter today, (the one that goes to the GP) and it says there, in confirmation of what others have said here, that ‘side effects will continue and reach their peak after 10-14 days…’, bit different to what the oncologist told me initially, that it would be at its worst 2-4 days after ! ?
Had to look up ‘erythema’ as mentioned on the letter, (knew about fibrosis, the hardening, but erythema just means redness) …I’d say mine was the one described as ‘bright’ ! There is also a mention in my Rads booklet, that I’d not noticed previously, says rads can make the arm weak, - it’s down to nerve damage again, however that is not a common SE and is described as a late effect.
Cheers, Helen xx
Morning ladies hope you are all well and feeling a little better each day. Pleased to say nipple not so sore can actually bear to have clothes next to skin so progress.
Sue hope you are okay after yesterday and that you were able to finally relax last night knowing that you haven’t got that awful long trek to do today. Weather is really grim here today so I think I’m go to have a sort through my wardrobe, lived in leggings and baggy tops for weeks easily taken off for Rads.!! Time I stopped looking like a bag lady xxx
Hi Ladies
I hope you don’t mind me popping in…
After rads I too had very sore nipple. The nurses gave me Medi honey and it worked really well. I believe you can get this on amazon. Would highly recommend.
Sue xx
Afternoon Chris glad the boobs feeling bit better. Im going to leave those polypem off for day or two my nipple looks worse so im going to let it dry a bit. I know what u mean about tshirt and leggings ive lived in them too lol.
Im glad to be free of that place tho grateful for treatment but jez couldnt wait t fin and ysday just fin me off. I feel like the whole experience happened to someone else its strange.
Hope your feeling better emotionally its a rollercoaster for sure.
I didnt know at the time ysday but as i was sat in rad centre my sister was admitted t aintree with heart trouble…mt family tjought best not t tell me whilst i was sat next door to hospital…jesus what an afternoon. Shes ok thankfully but got t go back for scans etc…rock and roll life! Xxx
Hi sue. Pop in anytime the kettle is always on ?. Chris’s turn ?
Hi lucaboo and welcome to time after ring that bell that you didn’t ring. Big ring for you from me. Glad sister is ok. Tense time. Come back let us know how your getting on. Bring cake and I will make the drinks!! ?
I too feel like this all happened so long ago and to someone else! Seems so unreal now and feel like I’m at a bit of a loose end.
Silly mare.
???
I hadn’t thought about looking and feeling like a bag lady- I turned into one without noticing. I am happy to have my 2 battered and scarred breasts but since start of radiotherapy they have been encased in M & S brilliant supportive crop tops instead of usual underwired nice silhouette! I am almost scared to return to usual bras but I do look s sight!!
Amazing how these things don’t matter when your life is challenged
Xx
Lilacmoon…its almost unreal its called dissassociasion. What happens is your brain is on auto pilot because of high levels of stress, so when you look back on it all irs happen to someone else not you in ur mind. That is how ue mind keeps u safe and sane. But little bit will come filtering thro as months go on and ur mind will process them and put them to bed in another room in ur head. You will get there lovely but bit by bit. Distration is the key …distract urself few hours each before u know it uve not even thought about it and thats how u recover. Hope all u lovies are well and feeling a much better … we stick together…and were strong when one has fallen. So we do what we can but pick them up. But be sure someone will ur never alone on…so goodnight my beauties sleep well xxxxx
Thank you so much Lucaboo xxx
Feeling very very low tonight. My B/F has really peed me off being so stupidly blokeish and thoughtless and I’m beside myself with stress and upset. Really not what I need right now ???
Hopefully things will calm down by the weekend and he’ll realise what an a☆☆e hole he’s been.
Sorry xxxx
Morning lilacmoon…dont be sorry ever…men/women/kids they can all be insensitive to someone with cancer diagnosis, they dint mean to hurt you. But like weve said before people in general think youve had the op, you had chemo/rads etc now suddenly you should be all better. Well im afraid lifes not like that. Cancer diagnosis is a huge huge mental curve, and your lived ones need to support you. If you cry…let it out…if you want t shout…shout…anything that makes YOU feel better. And if boyfriend understands he will just walk into another room and let yoy do it then come back and calm you. Your treading on a lune at the moment…one false move mentally and u wobble over it for a while…but u will get back on track. So if yr bf is being insensitive again just get out the room…dont retaliate that makes u worse stress wise…if u can go for little walk and just get away from the situation. You be suprized how different things look when you take a step away. So dry those tears my lovely…you will get there…as the old saying goes which is very true " when life says give up…HOPE whispers …try it one more time…Big love and hugs xxxx
Hugs to you lilacmoon. Lovely words there lucaboo. Did any of you hear on radio 2 yesterday. You me and the big C and putting can into cancer. I listened to some of the podcasts and will listen to the rest today. 3 ladies who have had cancer in different ways. There are several podcasts on there but one is called “about the nearest and dearest”. Good listening. It is an hour long but lots ring true to me personally. It is the 3 girls and family and how those close really didn’t understand what the girls were going through until this podcast was recorded. There is also visual recordings of the girls talking of their journey. Just type in you me and the big c podcasts and take a look. You do have to sign up to listen to the full podcasts but it’s quick and easy. We will get there my lovelies but it sure is going to take time. I keep looking back at hour far I have come to today and you know what I have done pretty good even though my hubby says my feeling are all in my mind ! Huh yeah right! I think it all about keeping busy as lucaboo says do something each day that takes your mind off things. I have bought a bike and go round the village 2/3 times a day and it is helping. Have a great day ladies and speak later as off on me ?
Hi! Can anyone help with some advice on how to treat very sore patches underneath the breast post radiotherapy? It wasn’t happening during the treatment but has got worse in the week since finishing. It hurts!!! Xxx thanks xxx
Hi Gill, yes I have listened to that podcast and Neareat and dearest… it was really interesting and comforting to listen to other people’s thoughts and know that how you feel is also how others feel when dealing with cancer. I am really struggling with the reality do what has happened to me in the last few months and am having some sessions with a therapist but ultimately YOU are the only one who can deal with your feelings and at times that is scary and lonely and hard xxx sending hugs to all of you out there post treatment xxx the journey is not over xxx take care xxx
Hi Jclarke and welcome. I was sore under the boob just after I had finished rads it was on the creaseline and the skin had broke down. I rang my rads team and they advices to leave off the cream and place a cotton hankie between the bra and boob to allow air to get their. It soon dried up and was fine. Hope this helps
Hi
It’s Medihoney barrier cream. A bit pricey, but we’ll worth it.
Sue xx
Hello Ladies
I hope you don’t mind me popping in on this thread. I finished my rads nearly 12 weeks ago now. Didn’t get to ring a bell as I’ve had all my treatment in France where I live…however came home and rang the doorbell several times instead???
Lucaboo you’ve said some lovely things and I think everyone takes comfort from what you’ve posted. I still feel a little ‘lost’ at times but try not to ‘indulge’ myself too much!! It’s just so lovely to be able to speak with people who have been there too as nobody else quite understands in the same way.
Gill, I too listened to the inspirational ladies on radio 2 yesterday and have listened to some of their podcasts in my early days of diagnosis but now need to catch up with a few more.
Lilacmoon, I’m sending you some hugs all the way from France - hope all is well now.
Take care all you lovelies and thank you for listening to me.
love Rosie xx