| | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP  Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 | I will finish my second week of radiation tomorrow and so far it has been going okay. This week the right side of my neck and my right shoulder have started to get really tight and sore again. It feels close to what they felt like right after surgery. I've been continuing my stretches and exercises but kind of gingerly. The muscles just feel tender and damaged. I'm afraid to be too rough with them. I was thinking massage might help but I'm not sure if it's a good idea during treatment. Plus my neck skin is already pink and sunburned looking and I have a pretty gross rash from the Erbitux so I'm not sure a massage therapist will feel comfortable working on me. My sister is a massage therapist but has no experience with the effects of radiation and is reluctant to do much more than a really gentle rub. Did anyone try massage during treatment? Was it helpful? Painful? I see my RO on Tuesday so I will ask her if there are any medical reasons why I shouldn't do it.
Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 | I would skip the massage - because of the skin, massage it a little as you apply the cream but wait until you're a bit out of rads to start massage - I was a month out of rads now I go weekly. But do continue to do your excises they are very important for mobility in the future. Take care!
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 291 Gold Member (200+ posts) |  Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 291 | I did have massages during treatment but not on my neck or face. They said they were prohibited from massaging any part of the body that was undergoing treatment.
Cheryl's right about doing your exercises during treatment. Those might help with some of your discomfort anyway.
Anne
SCC tongue 9/2010, excised w/clear margins:8 X 4 mm, 1 mm deep
Neck Met, 10/2010, 1 cm lymph node; 12/21/'10: Neck Diss 30 nodes, 29 clear, micro ECE node, part tongue gloss, no residual scc
IMRT & 6 cisplatin 1/20/11-2/28/11 at MDA
GIST tumor sarcoma, removed 9/2011, no chemo needed
Clear on both counts as of Fall, 2021
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | OP Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 | Alright then. Exercises it is. 
Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
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