#55896 12-02-2004 08:57 AM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | OP Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 | Hi guys Has anyone else had problems with the scars on their arms? I presume it's sore and pulling because I'm now using the arm more, (no it's not the arm for lifting the wine glass, BEFORE anyone asks) Sunshine... love and hugs Helen
SCC Base of tongue, (TISN0M0) laser surgery, 10/01 and 05/03 no clear margins. Radial free flap graft to tonsil pillar, partial glossectomy, left neck dissection 08/04
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#55897 12-02-2004 04:21 PM | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 261 Gold Member (200+ posts) | Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 261 | Hi Helen! I helped my sister move yesterday & while I had the truck rented, my brother-in-law & I picked up 22 sheets of 4'x12'x1/2" sheetrock, 2 62 lb buckets of drywall mud, etc. A couple of different moves really didn't feel so good to my left arm, but you adjust. Same feeling, soreness & pulling, feels tight. You know, it's funny, I remember 6 months ago, I couldn't lift my right arm over my head to rinse the soap out of my arm pit in the shower because of right neck dissection! Did you have flap from left arm, same side as dissection? That would be tough for sure! Erik
dx 2/11/04 scca bot T3 IU 2B MO poorly differentiated, margins ok, 3/16 modest, jaw split, over half of tongue removed, free flap from left forearm - finished chemo & rad treatment 5/20/04
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#55898 12-02-2004 05:51 PM | Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 104 Gold Member (100+ posts) | Gold Member (100+ posts) Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 104 | Hi Helen,
I was co-caregiver for my best friend who had terrible burn to her foot. When they did the skin grafts her donor site was from mid & upper thigh on the side. She also experienced much pain and discomfort (pulling & tightness) from this area. It took about 6 weeks for the donor site to really start to loosen up. She was given a special cream (bacitracin). You might call your regional burn center for more advice.
Jack .......... Dx 1/15/97 SCC rt. tonsil met to rt lymph node Stg IV, Srgry 1/23/97 tonsillectomy & mod radical neck dissection, Radiation 35 trtmnts both sides | | |
#55899 12-03-2004 06:49 AM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | OP Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 | Hi Eric, yes both dissection and flap on left side, but but my neck dissection has not afected my shoulder, has just left my neck tight, looks like I need more patience. Jack, thanks I'm using Bio-oil to keep the skin flexible, the main probem was that when they took the stiches out of my arm the wound ame apart and it's left a very wide scar, will ask at the hospital when I go on monday. Thanks Sunshine... love and hugs Helen
SCC Base of tongue, (TISN0M0) laser surgery, 10/01 and 05/03 no clear margins. Radial free flap graft to tonsil pillar, partial glossectomy, left neck dissection 08/04
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#55900 12-03-2004 02:32 PM | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 261 Gold Member (200+ posts) | Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 261 | Helen, part of my physical therapy was massage with focus on scar tissue. They would stretch & stretch it. It really loosened things up. They worked on my chin, jaw, neck, flap site. A little uncomfortable, but it did help. One of the pt's focussed specifically on very, very small muscles in & around the trach site & the tiny muscles at base of my skull where spine attaches. I'm rambling, oh well! Erik
dx 2/11/04 scca bot T3 IU 2B MO poorly differentiated, margins ok, 3/16 modest, jaw split, over half of tongue removed, free flap from left forearm - finished chemo & rad treatment 5/20/04
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#55901 12-07-2004 02:29 PM | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 458 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 458 | Hi Helen, the scar healing just takes time. Might try some vitamin creams and such, like anti-aging and anti wrinkle creams, stuff with vitamin E. I started going for men's facials (Ok watched too many episodes of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, plus here it's really inexpensive) and what ever they were using helped reduce the scar on my neck from the second surgery quite a bit. Again though it also took time, but I could tell a slight reduction after each treatment.
If you've got the Body Shop retail chain over in UK check their products. Bob
SCC Tongue, stage IV diagnosed Sept, 2002, 1st radical neck dissection left side in Sept, followed by RAD/Chemo. Discovered spread to right side nodes March 2003, second radical neck dissection April, followed by more RAD/Chemo.
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#55902 12-08-2004 03:47 AM | Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 148 Gold Member (100+ posts) | Gold Member (100+ posts) Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 148 | Helen,
My doctor gave me a sample of a product called "Scarless" that worked wonders on the the scar from my neck dissectomy, a friend's facial scar from being hit between the eyes with a softball and another's total abdominal hysterectomy. I bought it off the internet, it was a little pricey, but a little goes a long way. My doctor said it was like silicone for a caulking gun, didn't recommend using caulking silicone, but for some reason, this stuff works.
While my scar healed beautifully from my ear to my trachea on the right, it is wider over my trachea/thyroid area. It is however very soft and hides in a natural fold on my neck. My doctor swears by this stuff and massage.
Hope this helps. Private message me if you want the internet address for the stuff.
Lisa
Lisa SCC of Tongue Stage 1 (T1,N0,M0) partial glossectomy,modified neck dissection 4/14/03
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#55903 12-08-2004 02:24 PM | Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 206 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | Platinum Member (200+ posts) Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 206 | Hi Helen, I have some trouble lifting so I try not to use that arm. Hope you are doing okay otherwise. Cathy
Cathy
SCCA Stage IV diagnosed 01/90 base of tongue with 1/2 removed. With neck resection, radiation and chemo
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