Rads scarring.First scare!Last scare?

[Alice]

I was wondering if any of you have had shortness of breath due to radiation scarring? I have been finished with radiation treatment for 7 months now and am trying to get ready for the walk in San Diego in november. I was concerned enough to go to my Dr. he ordered chest x ray and all it showed was scarring. This is a good thing. He is worried about my weight I have dropped 15 lbs. in about 2 months. I even started having more fast food to try and stop the decline. Now I'm waiting on blood results and he has ordered pelvic ultra sound and ct scan. I feel like we are looking for a needle in a hay stack. Part of me wants to find it, if it is there, sooner rather than later and part of me wants to put my head in the sand and pretend all is rosey. Do any of you feel this way? All may turn out rosey after all. I didn't think I would be haveing cause for alarm this soon Is this the way it will be forever? I think I'll take the day off work and go to the beach! What a good idea.

Thanks for letting me ramble on, Alice

[Chelee]

Alice, Since I have been going through quite the ordeal to get my radiation done...which is NOT going to happen it seems. I have talked to so many rad doc's, and read so much on this topic and I do know that many times problems with radiation won't show up till much later AFTER you finished radiation. Like this breathing problem your having. Thats why they don't want me to do rads. I have major lung issue to start with...if they did me...it would probably kill me. Radiation DOES permanent damage to *some* of the lung no matter what on everyone...there is no way around it from all the information I have gathered. But MOST people will never notice it and it won't cause any problems. It will show up on x-rays...but usually thats it. But they MAY have hit more of your lung then they planned too. It happens. (but I am NOT a doctor & have no way of knowing what the problem is?)

And it is pretty rare to run across the problem your having...but it DOES happen unfortunetly. But then I can't say for sure its even from your radiation tx's? It could be any number of things and it sounds like your doctor is doing his best by running all these tests to find out what is behind it all? It could be as simple as lung damage from Rads...or any number of things? I know its NOT easy to do tests and sit and wait for the results...but your going to have to TRY to relax...and see what he finds out. My heart goes out to you. I know your stressed out and worried. But your doctor will get to the bottom of it soon. Wish I could be of more help...but you hang in there ok. Keep posting and letting us know how you are and what they find out.

Sending your warm, healing thoughts & prayers.

Chelee

[mts]

Hi Alice,
I understand your shortness of breath. I too have had scarring, but I really feel that the exercise mostly all of us lack during bc tx is the culprit to shortness of breath. I mean, I was able to run 3 miles in 28 minutes prior to bc tx, and after tx was done I would get winded just walking to the mailbox!
If you really think about it, all that time we lay around recuperating from the side effects of chemo, rads, and healing times from surgeries, makes us all lose muscle mass, endurance and stamina. I feel my body is still healing and my rads were complete in June '05.

Don't eat that nasty fast food! It will just clog your veins. Try a Weight Gainer product that has all the necessary vitamins and calories you need (GNC has a good one that is really chocolatey if you blend it with ice cream and ice) plus you don't feal guilty after having it. I was drinking 3 a day. I fattened up all right -straight into a size 12 (when I used to be a 8)!!!

Hang in there! And be careful to not overdo...
Maria (MTS)