Lhermitte's Symptom or Sign

Skiffin16 said:

Dogs Do Rule....
Morning Jen,

We had a Black Lab (Ebony) for 13+ years before she passed, she was a huge part of our life and is still thought of nearly everyday. She is gone but definitely not forgotten. We always comment on how she prepared us for the two sisters we have now. They can't get away with nearly anything thanks to Ebony "training" us...LOL.

Is this going to be your first post PET, if so I know it's rather scary, not sure if they ever don't become I guess.

As for the massage, I never really found out a proper method or procedure. Some on here utilize types of exercise and mild weights also. I just mainly gently use my finger tips with mild pressure having the fingers spread a little. I pull them down along the outside of my throat starting behind the ears, down over the neck to just past my collar bone. I do that to the entire sides and front of my throat, face and cheeks included....

I also try stretching my neck a little side to side, opening my mouth wide keeping those muscles from tighting up. I dunno if any of it works, I just know that my Turkey Neck has reduced significantly the last few months. I used to be able to run my finger tips over the front of my throat and feel the lump from swelling over my adams apple. That lumpness is no longer there.

It use to be worse in the morning, I suppose from laying during the night restricting any lymphatic fluid from flowing. I believe it is more gravity dependant on flow anyways...

Hoping that you get great news on your PET and that your road to recovery is well underway.

Good Luck, God Bless,
John

dogsrule said:

follow-up PET
Hi John,
Just got home from work. This will be my first follow-up PET. I am feeling positive and hopefull that it will be OK. It is scary but I have to do it. Surgeon wanted to wait a few more weeks but my onco said it was time. It's not scheduled yet, as of now but the office is working on it. Doctor said he wanted me to go to the same place and use the same PET scan machine. Don't know what's up with that but I will do what he says.
I had a physical therapist come to my home about a month after surgery and she showed me some stretching excersises:
Look all the way down at feet and hold 2 seconds and then all the up and hold 2 seconds 10 times
Look all the way right hold 2 then left hold 2 10 times
Next one is kinda like a chicken bobble stick out your chin straight and then pull back in 10 times
Tilt you ear over to your shoulder and hold 2 and then to the right.10 times

Then look all the way right again and put your fingers on your chin and push your head even father and hold for 10 missisipies and then left same thing
Last roll your sholders backward 10 times. Do it 3 times.

She told me it would help with the scar binding and increase the flexabilty.
It's helped me
God Bless you to
Jo

staceya said:

Thanks for the neck
Thanks for the neck stretching exercises. I just tried them, and wow, my neck is tight. I had no idea. Maybe the exercises will help with the narrowed throat feel, one can only hope!
Stacey

Landranger25 said:

While at Onco today for PET
While at Onco today for PET followup I mentioned the L'hermitte's sypmtom to my Doc and that I had heard of it on this website. He was quite surprised anyone knew of it as he said it it is not a common after effect for everyone. He assured me it would go away in 6-12 months. I hope I lose it soon. Anyways, thanks to all for putting me onto the L'hermittes' symptom. As for the neck stretching, I have been doing it since my treatment as my neck felt tight and I noticed a limited range of motion. Even in how far I could open my mouth. I do my stretching every morning in the shower. I think the hot water helps loosen things up a bit. turn head in all directions "feeling" that stretch when I reach the limit. I believe it also increases circulation as those muscles work and this will help remove any excess fluid in this area. I once asked my surgeon about the puffiness and volume that was now present in my neck and had said it was "fluid looking for a new way home". Just a comment on the PET. I had my first one at 3 months. Showed uptake at the old cancer site in my right tonsil. When surgeon got the report he was not happy. Said I had requested it too early and that this only muddied the water with his diagnosis. Everything he could see and feel looked good but now he had a oiece of information that cast doubt. After a call to a colleague he said it was probably residual tissue damage from the radiation. In the end it all worked out but could I do it over I would be more patient and follow his recommendation.

Mike

Kent Cass said:

schedule
My first post-Pet was 3 1/2-months. The next was 9-months later, or around a year after the last rad.

FYI

kcass

And I believe other neuropathy will subside after time passes...or at least improve.  I remember getting that first "zap" down my spine when I looked down at my sink...scared the crap out of me.  Only lasted a month or two.

Good luck.

Brandon

for several months during the 1st year, post-tx, but it gradually went away. was more noticeable when I was working, and I got in certain physical positions

alenoard said:

Freaked me out

This started for me a couple of months after treatment. It freaked me out. It felt like electricity was shooting down my spine every time I looked down. I was afraid it would be permanent,  but it faded over that first year and then it just stopped. 

Didn't start until well over a year after treatment and **completely** freaked me out. Dealt with it for around a year - and then it was gone, never to return. Weird.