nerve damage from rads?

blossomtime
blossomtime Member Posts: 98
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My friend finished her radiation about 6 months ago. Now she has severe arm pain, and decreased muscle strength in that arm. She has seen pcp, ortho, neuro drs and they have finally said it is damage from the radiation. She is going to try hyperbaric but no one seems to know if this will resolve. I finished treatment a little over a yr ago and never had any problem like this. Has anyone else experienced this or heard of any others?

Comments

  • wildangel
    wildangel Member Posts: 81
    #2
    Are they sure it is from the rads? Did she have her axilla nodes removed? That definitely causes nerve damage and hurts terrible as they try to heal and regenerate.
    As far as rads go, I had 43 and had severe burns that needed to be operated on and I even had lung scarring from it. So I think ANYTHING is possible from rads. I hope she feels better. I didn't know that a hyberbaric chamber could help that.
    Good luck to both of you.
    Angela
  • DeeNY711
    DeeNY711 Member Posts: 476 Member
    #3
    Another option worth exploring is a consultation with a physical therapist certified in care of patients with lymphedema. Each specialty area seems oblivious to what the other might have to offer. There is a special massage technique that might help alleviate some of the difficulty your friend is having if it is intenisified by lymphatic congestion. I really hope this helps because I know the sense of total frustration when you tell the pcp and the onc and everyone else with two ears that you are having pain, only to draw a total blank from them. Vexing.
    Hugs,
    Denise
  • chessie
    chessie Member Posts: 40
    #4
    Yes, I'm also experiencing nerve pain. I finished treatment in Aug (mastectomy, lymph node dissection, 6 pos nodes, chemo ac/taxol, and 30 rads. I didn't have pain until Taxol started, and has intensified after radiation. I went to the pain clinic at my cancer center, and I am on a anti-depressant, desipramine, and Neurontin, a anti-convulsant. Both of these drugs help with nerve pain. They are helping me. Also, physical therapy helped me to keep the range of motion. I found that I was 'guarding' my arm and not using it because it hurt. That can make the muscles tighten and press further on inflamed nerves.
  • hummingbyrd
    hummingbyrd Member Posts: 950 Member
    #5
    chessie said:

    Yes, I'm also experiencing nerve pain. I finished treatment in Aug (mastectomy, lymph node dissection, 6 pos nodes, chemo ac/taxol, and 30 rads. I didn't have pain until Taxol started, and has intensified after radiation. I went to the pain clinic at my cancer center, and I am on a anti-depressant, desipramine, and Neurontin, a anti-convulsant. Both of these drugs help with nerve pain. They are helping me. Also, physical therapy helped me to keep the range of motion. I found that I was 'guarding' my arm and not using it because it hurt. That can make the muscles tighten and press further on inflamed nerves.

    Definately can be a problem as can damage the brachial nerve and cause a 'brachial plexopathy'. I know because I have it. Ask about use of vit E and selenium. Research at a University regarding repairing and preventing radiation damage to astronauts showed these to be helpful. Do a search on net for further info. Can't remember right now which university it was...chemobrain among other things. LOL
    Best wishes and God bless.
    hummingbyrd
  • roxanne53
    roxanne53 Member Posts: 154
    #6
    I seem to be doing the same thing. I will write more later as I am in the library now and have to go. called off Roxanne
  • blossomtime
    blossomtime Member Posts: 98
    #7
    hummingbyrd said:

    Definately can be a problem as can damage the brachial nerve and cause a 'brachial plexopathy'. I know because I have it. Ask about use of vit E and selenium. Research at a University regarding repairing and preventing radiation damage to astronauts showed these to be helpful. Do a search on net for further info. Can't remember right now which university it was...chemobrain among other things. LOL
    Best wishes and God bless.
    hummingbyrd

    Exactly hummingbird, that is what they are calling it, brachial plexopathy. She was to see the hyperbaric dr yest, she was concerned about high levels of O2, if any cancer cells around would this provide excellent medium to grow???
  • hummingbyrd
    hummingbyrd Member Posts: 950 Member
    #8
    blossomtime said:

    Exactly hummingbird, that is what they are calling it, brachial plexopathy. She was to see the hyperbaric dr yest, she was concerned about high levels of O2, if any cancer cells around would this provide excellent medium to grow???

    No, absolutely not, cancer cells actually grow in an 'anoxic' environment (one without oxygen). So the more oxygen the better for us and death to the cancer cell! HOORAY!
    Acid pH makes cancer grow, as does sugar, so cut back on sweets and cokes. UMMPH, hard to do!
    Cruciferous veggies, such as cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts (YUCK) and bok choy contain indoles that studies show helps prevent breast and prostate cancer and makes tamoxifen work 30% better. These veggies even help with ER- breast cancers. Hope this helps.
    Oxygen is so hard on cancer cells I think one day we will see it used as part of radiation treatment, meaning we will breath through an O2 mask 5 minutes before and during radiation because it will help destroy the cancer cells and save the good cells.
    God bless.
    hummingbyrd

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