Did you have side effects from cancer treatment from radiotherapy or tamoxifen?

Pinklady66, what do you do to relieve the swelling in you arm?  I often have a tightness and burning sensation and find it extremely uncomfortable.  Would you recommend massage?  Have heard conflicting info regarding massage, and would love to try it but just too nervous?

The neck vibrating cushion on EBay costs less than a fiver from China and will fit under the arm quite easily. It might give some relief as it is just about moving the fluid on its journey. The tape may also work as it encourages compression slightly, certainly works on the neck. I think its called Kinetic tape, also available on EBay from a pound.

Your GP can refer you to a Lymphedema nurse if you are suffering pain and discomfort.

For me if I don't do anything for a week my neck is like a 'bull frog' and very tender and painful. 

These fluids in your Lymphatic system is your waste system at work. Retaining such fluids invite infection or worse, so should not be ignored.

My nurse at the hospice I go to has referred me to the Lymphedema clinic which is held in the hospice once a month. I the meantime there's a drop in clinic at my hospital on a Friday morning. 

Any advice from you guys would be greatly appreciated ?

Nothing really exciting about the Lymphedema Clinic, the nurse will teach you various massage techniques etc. to reduce the swelling and fluid retention in your cancer area. Your Lymphatic system drains away all your liquid nasty's. Your radiography treatment etc. damages the system so the fluid is retained in the area, the massage technique etc. gently moves this trapped fluid on. If the fluid is left it may lead to infection and discomfort.

So nothing really exciting, sadly a negative by-product of our cancer which we have to live with for the rest of our lives!

I don't think anything to do with cancer is excitable really. It's really knocked me for six. I'm also having therapy just to help my mental state. 

I'm finding it difficult to come to terms with it. I should of been elated at the news my surgeon gave me but I feel numb and unattached to everything.

My therapist has labelled it as PTSD. ?

I had three weeks of radiotherapy in 2012 following a mastectomy other that blistering of the skin over the site and the marking tattoos not too bad. The most annoying thing was the daily 100 mile round trip for treatment. My skin is now very sensitive and prone to dryness.

I didn't take tamoxifen but zoladex for 4 years and now anastazole. Zoladex wasn't too bad except for the menopausal symptoms, anastrazole is much worse on top of the menopausal stuff, there is also muscle weakness and joint pain and bone thinning.

Everyone is affected differently though, far better to go into it with a completely open mind, some folk really suffer with side effects and some don't. Doses can affect how you feel as can sites affected for radiotherapy therapy.

It's just so nice to be reading how others are getting on. All such brave people having to go through all of this. I've had no side effects from tamoxifen and having second session if radiotherapy today.

I moaned about my 1 hour drive to the hospital never mind 100 miles! You must be shattered? 

Hi Nicnocnoo, I try to see the positive in all things, so even if the traveling could on occasion be a nightmare, the hospital had a Costa coffee shop so I treated myself most days!

Good luck with your radiotherapy xx

Ha don't blame you. 

Thank you. I'm finding it ok. Just tired but I do start work at 7am and not getting back until after 5pm. 20 to go them I'm done and will get the prosecco out ? x

Good for you! Having read some of the other cases on here I think I've been extremely lucky to have got off so lightly with the side effects of the various treatments I've been through.

I would be interested to know how many people here took steroids as part of their treatment. I refused to take any on the grounds that they actually do more harm than chemo drugs. I had a real battle with a senior chemo nurse and my oncologist, which I won! To this day I'm convinced that is why I've managed to get this far reasonably unscathed.