#59349 10-24-2006 11:38 AM | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 160 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 160 | I tried the search engine to see if anyone else has experienced this, but didn't find anything. What is happening to me is everytime I look down(move my head to look at floor) I get a tingling type of feeling run down my spine, legs, and even sometimes my arms to the fingertips. This can happen sitting or standing. I finished radiation and chemo in June, had brachytherapy in July of this year. Have an appt. in Nov. with radiologist, and I will ask him about it then. I didn't notice this when I saw him 4 wks out of tx. It doesn't hurt, and I'm not going numb from it. Is it a side effect of radiation? Anyone ever hear of this?? Linda
Dx3/20/06 SCC,BOT,1N Tx:5cycles Carbo/Taxol, Rad:35x, brachytherapy:6x, completed 7/24/06
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#59350 10-24-2006 11:55 AM | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 137 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: May 2006 Posts: 137 | Oh yeah, I've got it too. It's called l'hermittes and it's a demylinization of the spinal cord -the sheath comes loose- caused by the radiation. It's very unpleasant, but it's supposed to be temporary.
dx 2/13/06. modified radical neck dissection 3/9/06 multiple biopsies of upper airway and direct laryngoscopy. 1 of 47 lymph nodes positive for metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma (lymphoepithelioma). Unknown primary. Finished radiation 5/24/06.
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#59351 10-24-2006 12:00 PM | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 248 Gold Member (200+ posts) | Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 248 | Hello Linroth, I also haqd the samething. I think it took awhile after treatment but your right every time you look down it like this electric sensation shoots down your spine into your legs. I forget the proper terminology for this but it is some form of neuropothy. Mine lasted for I think about a yr and then it has subsided I still get a sensation every now and then and I'm over 6 yrs post tx. Was told it is nothing serious. Hope all is well. Mark.
Mark D. Stage 3 Nasopharynx dx10/99 T2N3M0 40xrad 2x Cisplatin 5FU. acute leuk 1998.
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#59352 10-24-2006 02:21 PM | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 837 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 837 | Linroth,
RileyMc is right -- it's called L'Hermitte's sign and lots of people here have had experiences with it for some amount of time after radiation (and yes, for most people it seems to be a temporary thing).
Cathy
Tongue SCC (T2M0N0), poorly differentiated, diagnosed 3/89, partial glossectomy and neck dissection 4/89, radiation from early June to late August 1989
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#59353 10-24-2006 05:28 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 65 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 65 | Mine has lasted from year 4 to year 7 so far..... but I got nuked to the max as well.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant. | | |
#59354 10-25-2006 03:07 AM | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 160 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 160 | Thank you all so much for the replies. Thank you for this board, as I am not alone anymore! I didn't even want to tell my family about this, it would just give them more worry. Atleast now I know this happens to others. And I have a name for it. I'll still mention it to the radiologist so he's aware, and I'll just have to see how long it lasts for me. Have a great day! 
Dx3/20/06 SCC,BOT,1N Tx:5cycles Carbo/Taxol, Rad:35x, brachytherapy:6x, completed 7/24/06
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