HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

lu ann · 05-04-2007, 07:45 PM

Thanks for the replies. I had my mastectomy 16 years ago with tram flap reconstruction. Twenty two lymph nodes were removed. All were clean. I was dx. with recurrance three years ago to my spine and mediastynime (area between breasts). I also have had pleural effusion for the last three years that was not drained until this last Dec. The fluid is back and worse.

My left lung is about 80% collapsed. I going in next Wednesday to have fluid removed and lung talced (acts like glue) to the pleural lining to prevent fluid from collecting there. The Doctor isn't confident this will work as the lung has been compressed too long and scar tissue might prevent the procedure from working.

I asked him if he thought the pleural effusion was causing the neuropathy. He doubted it as it is affecting the bottom of my lung.

I feel a tightness between my arm pit and the reconstructed breast. It almost feels like my breast got bigger or like something is pushing on it from the inside. Couldn't the fluid be pushing on tissue underneath the flap and causing it to pinch a nerve?

I have been on the following chemo., and other treatments: cytoxin, methotrexate and 5fu (16 years ago), taxol, carboplatin, zometa, herceptin, gemsar, navlebine, and xeloda (2004-2006), 4 treatments of doxil (Dec. 06-March 07). It seems like the neuropathy was more noticable since being on the doxil.

I'm scheduled for the MRI on the 10th to locate the possible source of this condition.

Thanks for all of your replies.
Lu Ann

05-04-2007, 07:45 PM	#6
lu ann Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Streetsboro, Ohio Posts: 365	Thanks for the replies. I had my mastectomy 16 years ago with tram flap reconstruction. Twenty two lymph nodes were removed. All were clean. I was dx. with recurrance three years ago to my spine and mediastynime (area between breasts). I also have had pleural effusion for the last three years that was not drained until this last Dec. The fluid is back and worse. My left lung is about 80% collapsed. I going in next Wednesday to have fluid removed and lung talced (acts like glue) to the pleural lining to prevent fluid from collecting there. The Doctor isn't confident this will work as the lung has been compressed too long and scar tissue might prevent the procedure from working. I asked him if he thought the pleural effusion was causing the neuropathy. He doubted it as it is affecting the bottom of my lung. I feel a tightness between my arm pit and the reconstructed breast. It almost feels like my breast got bigger or like something is pushing on it from the inside. Couldn't the fluid be pushing on tissue underneath the flap and causing it to pinch a nerve? I have been on the following chemo., and other treatments: cytoxin, methotrexate and 5fu (16 years ago), taxol, carboplatin, zometa, herceptin, gemsar, navlebine, and xeloda (2004-2006), 4 treatments of doxil (Dec. 06-March 07). It seems like the neuropathy was more noticable since being on the doxil. I'm scheduled for the MRI on the 10th to locate the possible source of this condition. Thanks for all of your replies. Lu Ann