Long Term Side Effects
Hello All
Hardly ever on the site now, wow its changed!! Hope I'm doing this right. Going okay, had to look up my details to remember when I was diagnosed .... and realised they were wrong!!! 1st November 2013 the day they officially said the big C (knew before then but confirmed) so yes apart from doc visits I don't think of BC constantly anymore. So had lumpectomy +auxiliary clearance, 4 AC, 4 Docs/hercepton, 30 days rads, rest of hercepton.
Still have a lot of side effects - although my sister did say "you have aged all the way through, so might be normal" 53yrs at diog, now 57yrs old!!!
My ears still ache every now and then. My teeth / jaw ache every now and then. My joints / bones never returned to pre treatment, and when I hurt myself it takes so long to feel better, and I am a walking orchestra - my joints audibly click a lot. Quite amusing. Still get tired quite often (as in I have to nap), especially stressful times, and my brain can only handle 1 problem at a time, so annoying. My hands and feet never got over the nerve damage - particularly my feet. Not numb, just stiff and weird feeling. Unfortunately walking not enjoyable anymore. Can't quite explain it, can't do anything for long. Walking, sitting, standing. Feet get heavy, ache and am tripping a lot. Still got a redness on palms of hands - all the fleshy high spots. Looks weird bright red on the 4 fleshy bits under fingers, the fleshy bit under thumb and the fleshy bit on the other side. Seem to of developed mild allergies - eczema on hands sucks, still using Dermaveen soap, shampoo. Get so itchy if I don't, but haven't had the full blown rash on my face/neck for a while. Still can't use perfumes, scented lotions etc. Nails have finally lost that yellow I'm going to come off look. Developed a thyroid prob during chemo (not not caused by chemo they say!!!) but I'll say if I had it before it was very well hidden. But it also isn't too bad, pills keep it under control. Am still dry, have to drink a lot of water, once oily skin/hair is now dry. So the feet problem the worst of it - has impacted on my lifestyle.
My boob has still got the distinct red look - you can still see exactly what they irradiated!! Hard lump on the scar sites, numbness especially around the node incision site. Finally lost the leaning on flywire, dirty look!! A bit of pain in the boob still. Get uncomfortable under the boob on the front and back, about down to the waist - it happens most afternoons so have deducted it is also fluid build up. Some days I want that Bra on, some days I need to flop around.
So whinge, whinge, and yes sometimes I so long for the old me, but most the time I am glad to be alive.
Pam
Hardly ever on the site now, wow its changed!! Hope I'm doing this right. Going okay, had to look up my details to remember when I was diagnosed .... and realised they were wrong!!! 1st November 2013 the day they officially said the big C (knew before then but confirmed) so yes apart from doc visits I don't think of BC constantly anymore. So had lumpectomy +auxiliary clearance, 4 AC, 4 Docs/hercepton, 30 days rads, rest of hercepton.
Still have a lot of side effects - although my sister did say "you have aged all the way through, so might be normal" 53yrs at diog, now 57yrs old!!!
My ears still ache every now and then. My teeth / jaw ache every now and then. My joints / bones never returned to pre treatment, and when I hurt myself it takes so long to feel better, and I am a walking orchestra - my joints audibly click a lot. Quite amusing. Still get tired quite often (as in I have to nap), especially stressful times, and my brain can only handle 1 problem at a time, so annoying. My hands and feet never got over the nerve damage - particularly my feet. Not numb, just stiff and weird feeling. Unfortunately walking not enjoyable anymore. Can't quite explain it, can't do anything for long. Walking, sitting, standing. Feet get heavy, ache and am tripping a lot. Still got a redness on palms of hands - all the fleshy high spots. Looks weird bright red on the 4 fleshy bits under fingers, the fleshy bit under thumb and the fleshy bit on the other side. Seem to of developed mild allergies - eczema on hands sucks, still using Dermaveen soap, shampoo. Get so itchy if I don't, but haven't had the full blown rash on my face/neck for a while. Still can't use perfumes, scented lotions etc. Nails have finally lost that yellow I'm going to come off look. Developed a thyroid prob during chemo (not not caused by chemo they say!!!) but I'll say if I had it before it was very well hidden. But it also isn't too bad, pills keep it under control. Am still dry, have to drink a lot of water, once oily skin/hair is now dry. So the feet problem the worst of it - has impacted on my lifestyle.
My boob has still got the distinct red look - you can still see exactly what they irradiated!! Hard lump on the scar sites, numbness especially around the node incision site. Finally lost the leaning on flywire, dirty look!! A bit of pain in the boob still. Get uncomfortable under the boob on the front and back, about down to the waist - it happens most afternoons so have deducted it is also fluid build up. Some days I want that Bra on, some days I need to flop around.
So whinge, whinge, and yes sometimes I so long for the old me, but most the time I am glad to be alive.
Pam
