Pain free, finally!

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MAJW
MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
Hello Pink Sisters...
I'll make a long story as short as possible...I had radiation for the second time due to a recurrence in my lymph nodes..the rads had to overlap an area that was previously radiated for the first 10 treatments...I had some nerve damage in the breast from the first go round...well this second one caused severe neuropathy....at times it has been excruciating...and always present to one degree or another...and on top of this I have suffered from tendinitis in my right elbow..and I wish I could say it was from playing tennis....but no...anyway I told this to my oncology PA in July and was told I couldn't get a shot of cortisone in that arm due to the chance of infection since that's the side of lymph node removal when I had my lumpectomy...so I have sucked it up all this time with pain meds....all this double pain was affecting the quality of my life big time...
Fast forward...got the okay to get the injection...saw my family physician yesterday...not only did he do the injection but also prescribed Gabapentin for the neuropathy...well for the first time in 5 months I am PAIN FREE!!!!! I had forgotten what it felt like to be pain free...I feel like my "old" self...even on the chemo drug Xeloda, I am tolerating it extremely well....I have walked around the last two days being so thankful and grateful! What a blessing...! Let's hope it continues....I have my scans on Nov. 28 and will find out if the Xeloda is keeping the beast in check...

Wishing all my pink sisters peace and happiness...
Hugs, Nancy
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Comments

  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #2
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    :)
    Hi Nancy! So happy to learn that you are feeling so much better! We tend to forget how it feels to be "normal" again after a prolonged period of treatment(s). I'm excited for you. May you continue to be pain free. Amen!
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #3
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    LoveBabyJesus said:

    :)
    Hi Nancy! So happy to learn that you are feeling so much better! We tend to forget how it feels to be "normal" again after a prolonged period of treatment(s). I'm excited for you. May you continue to be pain free. Amen!

    that is awesome. Being in
    that is awesome. Being in pain is so debilitating. So glad you got the ok wish it was sooner.
  • gami43
    gami43 Member Posts: 281
    #4
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    carkris said:

    that is awesome. Being in
    that is awesome. Being in pain is so debilitating. So glad you got the ok wish it was sooner.

    Nancy Iam so happy for you.
    Nancy Iam so happy for you. Pain relief is soooo
    good! Pray your scans will look great.

    Luv & hugs, Teresa
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #5
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    I am so happy for you!
    I am so happy for you! Yippee!!! Painfree is wonderful. Praying the xeloda knocks the beast on its butt. You are an inspiration, Nancy. ((Hugs)))
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #6
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    CypressCynthia said:

    I am so happy for you!
    I am so happy for you! Yippee!!! Painfree is wonderful. Praying the xeloda knocks the beast on its butt. You are an inspiration, Nancy. ((Hugs)))

    Great news Nancy! Pain free
    Great news Nancy! Pain free must feel awesome to you!


    Hugs, Diane
  • Chickadee1955
    Chickadee1955 Member Posts: 355 Member
    #7
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    DianeBC said:

    Great news Nancy! Pain free
    Great news Nancy! Pain free must feel awesome to you!


    Hugs, Diane

    Yayyy!!!!!

    Yayyy!!!!!
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #8
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    Glad for you
    Happy Happy Joy Joy!
  • natly15
    natly15 Member Posts: 1,941
    #9
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    Nancy this is reason to
    Nancy this is reason to celebrate. I know it's been a long, tough road and I'm very happy that your quality of life in some measure has returned to you.
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #10
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    Nancy, the gift that keeps
    Nancy, the gift that keeps on giving!! I am happy to read that you finally have some relief from the pain. Cortisone is a wonderful drug. And, back to your "old" self is the best!! Take care and sending lots of good vibes on your scans coming up and hoping with everything I have that the beast has been annihiliated. Take care. (((Hugs)))
  • mwallace1325
    mwallace1325 Member Posts: 806
    #11
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    MyTurnNow said:

    Nancy, the gift that keeps
    Nancy, the gift that keeps on giving!! I am happy to read that you finally have some relief from the pain. Cortisone is a wonderful drug. And, back to your "old" self is the best!! Take care and sending lots of good vibes on your scans coming up and hoping with everything I have that the beast has been annihiliated. Take care. (((Hugs)))

    So happy
    So happy to see that finally the pain is gone. Go on out and ENJOY!!!!!!


    marge
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #12
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    I am so glad for you, Nancy.
    I am so glad for you, Nancy. xoxoxox Lynn
  • debi.18
    debi.18 Member Posts: 850 Member
    #13
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    lynn1950 said:

    I am so glad for you, Nancy.
    I am so glad for you, Nancy. xoxoxox Lynn

    Bye Bye Pain!
    Nancy, that is great news! So happy for you!

    Hugs,
    Debi
  • mollyz
    mollyz Member Posts: 756 Member
    #14
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    Wonderful News!!
    I am so glad for you, PAIN FREE is a relief for you. ((HUGS)) Mollyz
  • dbhadra
    dbhadra Member Posts: 344 Member
    #15
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    mollyz said:

    Wonderful News!!
    I am so glad for you, PAIN FREE is a relief for you. ((HUGS)) Mollyz

    I am so glad to read this!
    And glad that you are continuing to tolerate the Xeloda well. Hope your scan on Nov 28 gives you an all-clear. I have one on Dec 29.

    Laura
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #16
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    natly15 said:

    Nancy this is reason to
    Nancy this is reason to celebrate. I know it's been a long, tough road and I'm very happy that your quality of life in some measure has returned to you.

    Fantastic news!

    Fantastic news!
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #17
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    dbhadra said:

    I am so glad to read this!
    And glad that you are continuing to tolerate the Xeloda well. Hope your scan on Nov 28 gives you an all-clear. I have one on Dec 29.

    Laura

    Good news Nancy!
    I'm so glad you're out of pain. I didn't even know that you could have radiation twice.
    You are an inspiration and I wish you all the best.
    Hugs,
    Wanda
  • creampuff91344
    creampuff91344 Member Posts: 988
    #18
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    Lighthouse_7 said:

    Good news Nancy!
    I'm so glad you're out of pain. I didn't even know that you could have radiation twice.
    You are an inspiration and I wish you all the best.
    Hugs,
    Wanda

    Good news!
    Nancy, so glad to hear you are pain free, finally. Sometimes the treatments we are asked to endure turn out to be almost as bad as the illness. For those of you who have been able to find relief, I send my best. To those of us still having prolonged pain, just hang in there. Our time is coming. Congragulations, Nancy, on achieving this pain free environment. Hugs, Judy
  • Different Ballgame
    Different Ballgame Member Posts: 868
    #19
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    Sweet Music
    Dear Nancy,

    Sweet music to hear!!!!! It's wonderful that you became pain free.

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle
  • SIROD
    SIROD Member Posts: 2,194 Member
    #20
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    Just in case, you are not aware...
    Dear Nancy,

    If your radiation treatments went to your jaw line, you might be interested in knowing that it often kills the saliva gland in the lower jaw. Due to lack of saliva (dry mouth) my teeth went.

    I was radiated in my neck. A year later, all the bottom teeth in the lower jaw collapse on the radiation side. I ended up with a bridge. No one warned me of this fact. I have over the years read that it does happen. You might check with your radiologist oncologist and dentist. I do experience dry mouth due to my many prescription medication. The collapse teeth only happened on the side that was radiated. I was quite shocked when this occurred. I did try the Biotene but, didn't like it.

    I have pain in the area along with a torn supraspinatus tendon, chronic bursitis. I first used Amitriptyline for many years and now on Gabapentin. I have had cortisone shots too. I wear a Fentalyn patch to help with pain there and everywhere else.

    Best wishes,

    Doris
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #21
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    SIROD said:

    Just in case, you are not aware...
    Dear Nancy,

    If your radiation treatments went to your jaw line, you might be interested in knowing that it often kills the saliva gland in the lower jaw. Due to lack of saliva (dry mouth) my teeth went.

    I was radiated in my neck. A year later, all the bottom teeth in the lower jaw collapse on the radiation side. I ended up with a bridge. No one warned me of this fact. I have over the years read that it does happen. You might check with your radiologist oncologist and dentist. I do experience dry mouth due to my many prescription medication. The collapse teeth only happened on the side that was radiated. I was quite shocked when this occurred. I did try the Biotene but, didn't like it.

    I have pain in the area along with a torn supraspinatus tendon, chronic bursitis. I first used Amitriptyline for many years and now on Gabapentin. I have had cortisone shots too. I wear a Fentalyn patch to help with pain there and everywhere else.

    Best wishes,

    Doris

    Thanks...
    But my teeth are just fine! And I have no problems with saliva production....I had a cortisone injection due to " tennis elbow"...which has now cleared up...I feel great now! The Gabapentin is for my neuropathy due to an overlapped area in my breast....this isn't my first rodeo with rads...if anything should crop up with my teeth, I'll cross that bridge when I get there....right now I am trying to stay alive! Teeth can be replaced....I only have one chance to live! And I wasn't radiated at the jaw line....

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