Hi, just finnished second week of radiation, no problem except pain of appointments being at different times and messing my day up. To early i suppose for soreness or fatigue.
But what i did notice today was that when i did my excercises the muscles in my chest were realy stiff. I have been doing these things every day since the op and have full mobility and range of movement and to be quite honest have been getting bored with them and was wondering why i am still bothering with them. So it was a bit of a wake up call today to fing they were suddenly not quite so easy. Nobody at the hospital has said to keep on with them or that i might get stiff.
I was told before starting rads that I should continue the exercises throughout and indeed from time to time for up to TWO YEARS!!!
The physio told me the best thing was to do them in or just after a shower where the water warms up your muscles, and that the ‘walking up the wall’ one was probably the best - walk hand(s) up as far as possible lean in and hold for ~ 20 seconds. Otherwsie, shoulder rotations and/or hunches help
I am now 3 months post rads (where’d that time go?!) and still doing my stretches… so far, so good.
Hope this helps. Just don’t do the stretches whilst drinking wine through a straw…
I had no stiffness after surgery or during/after rads (completed March) until 2 months ago when swimming I started to feel uncomfortable & stiff.
This started after a swelling appeared in my underarm; went to Gp he confirmed a common side-effect to carry on swimming/gym wasn’t sore then just stiff.
Anyway been getting worse (I wasn’t told about any exercises prior/after surgery (2 WLE). Radiographer did advise the walking up the wall if it got stiff. As I didn’t have any issues I didn’t and now wish I had.
Today had Onc appt & saw registrar I mentioned this issue; he said carry on with what I’m doing take paracetamol regularly I haven’t been & only took them when it was sore. Told me to go to GP if it didn’t help. I’ll give it a go.
I mentioned exercises for the arm/shoulder thought it was a good idea but he didn’t know them!!!
Could be he was one of the Registrars who move around every August, only been there a couple of weeks. He referred me for my first annual mammo and asked if it was both boobs! I said as I had 2 yes please!
I’ve e-mailed my GP to get paracetamols on prescription & also just ordered the leaflet/dvd from BCC which will hopefully help. He did however put my next clinic appt for 4 months rather than the 6 I was down for, so relieved about that, hopefully he’ll be a bit more informed by then.
He was very nice & carefully checked both boobs, just a bit surprised he wasn’t informed over the exercises.
Hi OAL
Keep doing the exercises! I did them throughout rads and afterwards, several times per day, and eventually (after several months) thought I didn’t need to go to so much effort any more. I was wrong! Even though I was exercising every day, that wasn’t enough and I ended up with stiffening pectoral muscle and slight cording in the armpit.
I’m now 11 months after finishing rads and still exercising the shoulder and armpit every day, plus doing stretches on it at intervals through the day. I find if I don’t do any exercises even for one day things start to tighten up again.
Someone else at work recognised the stretches I was doing and I asked her how long she had the stiffness symptoms - 20 years she said!
gosh, I did use to do them three times a day, but when they got so easy i dropped it back to once. Its weekend so i have some time, i will up it to three times to see if that makes a difference
OAL - Sounds like a good idea if you don’t want your drumming to be affected. I am so bored with doing the exercises, but if I don’t do them the consequences are even more boring. I see a physio from time to time as well, and she gives my shoulder and arm a really good work out. I’ve found that holding onto a door frame or beam above shoulder height and then leaning my (considerable) weight against it also helps.
I started the walking up the wall exercise in the shower this weekend as thought warm water would relax chest muscle first. Seems a little easier after or may be more a result of paracetamol I’ve been taking since Friday.
I did read the Dr Love breast book yesterday where she advises the chest muscle can become inflamed & painful a few months after rads has been completed.
Has anyone had this delayed reaction & if so how long did it go on for?
I assess my situation and do the exercises if i think i need to, but to be honest my arm gets plenty of daily exercises and im afraid ive thought sod it now if lymphodeama comes its not going to mess my life up. It has started in the top of my arm but its not going to change anything as far as im concerned.
Hi SimplesL
Yes, that’s the sort of stiffness I started getting about 3 or 4 months after the end of rads - the physio told me it’s the pectoral muscle across the chest that is tightening up. That’s continued for several more months, though beginning to ease now 11 months after rads, but I’m still doing quite a lot of exercise on it.
I find driving for a long time is the worst thing for it, must be the shape you form when holding the steering wheel.
I’ve just had an “aha” moment - am having rads on my spine for secondary mets and muscles are so tense in mid- back area I’m living with heating pad and hot water bottles close to hand to try to untense them; this thread has just helped me to realise that I’m probably doing the right thing - but why didn’t the hospital tell me about this SE???..
Hi again SimplesL
My GP suggested amitriptyline for nerve pain and I found it so much better than paracetamol. Don’t be put off by the fact that amitriptyline is an anti-depressant, it’s prescribed at a small fraction of the anti-d dose for nerve pain, with the added bonus that it has a sedative effect so taken just before going to bed it helps you sleep.
Sarah
Hi francesw
I know what you mean about tense muscles - and I’ve found that the BCC exercises have been brilliant at helping ease them off. I also do regular Pilates exercise classes, plus practice them at home, and that makes a big difference. I gave the BCC leaflet to my Pilates teacher and she’s incorporated some of those exercises into my lessons, and also teaches them to other people who are stuck at a desk all day at work, on the grounds that many of the exercises are helpful for most people.
Hi Sarah - it really sounds as though this booklet of exercises will help - do you know the title of it so I can find it on BCC list?
And the advice on Amtriptyline too - I’ve some left from GP for nerve pain over my head so could try them as I’ve had codeine and ibuprofen and paracetemol and don’t think they are really helping - luckily no pain at night so long as I lie flat on my heating pad but it’s awful getting out of bed in the morning when everything has seized up…
Am wondering about using some of the muscle relaxant gels in the chemists - anyone tried these? My best solution so far is lying on my garden lounger which supports my back, is easy to get off of and with heat on my muscles I can really relax - will try exercising on that to see if that helps the muscles - with this lovely summer weather (not) I’ve brought the lounger into the house and watch TV from it!!! Thanks for the advice and support
Fran
have you been in touch with your hospitals physiotherapy department. They might be able to give you some massage or exercises to help. Some hospitals macmillan centres also give massages, but that is more for general all over relaxation rather than targeting a specific area.
as to my stiffness, i have made sure i do the exercises every morning now, and am doing them with a lighter weight till the stiffness goes. It has improved over the last couple of days.