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Tashie125's avatar
Tashie125
Member
12 years ago

What pain do you report?

I have all these new aches and pains in my body that I didn't have at the start of this journey! I had a lumpectomy last July, 6 rounds of chemo, have just finished 7 weeks of radiation, started tamoxifen in December and have on going herceptin until October this year. With all this treatment I have 'funny niggly' bits or aches that seem to come and go but I'm not sure what to tell my oncologist without sounding like a hypercondriac! Since radiation I have had a sore neck and aching muscles/ tight back, my arm pit is numb (but that comes and goes a bit), my two outside toes on both feet go numb every now and then too. I have lost confidence in my body and now every time I get a niggle I worry. I've had a couple of massages that have provided relief but I have found it hard to find someone to massage a cancer patient as most don't want to release toxins into your lymphatic system...I mean really!!! I have just finished pumping in all the worst toxins...surely massaging them out isn't that bad. I'm sure half my aches are just tension from stress/ anxiety but the mind does wonder sometimes. Do you all report every little thing you feel?

1 Reply

  • AnnaB's avatar
    AnnaB
    Member
    12 years ago

    I hear you.  I am 6 months post radiation after 7 months of chemo and bilateral mastectomy and axillary clearance.  I keep telling myself that this is my new 'normal'.  However, things keep changing.  My Rad Oncologist said that the fibrosis (scaring)  from the radiation will always need managing ie stretching etc.

    Thankfully I don't seem to have any neuropathy from chemo so most of my aches are related to the surgical and radiation sites.  Lots of hyper and hypo sensitive areas, tightness and I have now developed some cording which really needs intense massage. 

    I guess I want to say you are not losing your mind and thanks for posting because I feel I sound hypocondriacle complaining and the bottom line is no one can tell you what's normal as everyone's body responds differently.

    Oh cancer treatment - the gift that keeps on giving!

    Anna B