Symptom Management Resources
…Under Development…
We are looking for Licensed Professional Contributors
If you are an Oncologist, Breast Surgeon, Breast Reconstructive Surgeon, Integrative Medicine Doctor, Naturopath or Acupuncturist with an Oncology or Breast Cancer speciality, an Oncological Gynecologist or a Urogynecologist, a Lymphedema Specialist, Oncology Physical Therapist, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, Researcher or any other type of Oncological Medical Professional, who wants to join with us and contribute to our mission to share useful and meaningful resources with breast cancer patients and survivors please contact us. We are seeking professionals who can speak about and offer guidance around the topics listed in the symptom management sections at the end of this page. Email our team at the button below.
Topics We Would Like to Cover
Forced Menopause, Osteopenia, and Hot Flashes
Forced menopause comes with a few unfortunate side effects, and the younger you are when this happens, the more intense these seem to be. One of the most obvious and uncomfortable side effects is hot flashes. Sometimes they are like a wave of fire that rises or comes over your body suddenly and causes your face to flush. Other times, they are like an explosion that can cause sweating or even drenching sweats that often happen at night…
Insomnia
Insomnia can happen for a number of reasons with or without a cancer diagnosis, but for many women dealing with breast cancer, sleep can be hard to come by. Whether it’s due to forced menopause symptoms like hot flashes, the cancer medications, or simply the stress of the diagnosis and treatment, it remains one of the most important things you can manage for health and recovery.
Vaginal Changes
Vaginal dryness and Vaginal atrophy are one of the unfortunate side effects of both chemotherapy and radiation, and hormone suppression for the ER/PR driven cancers.
Mouth Changes
During Chemotherapy, it is common to experience mouth sores or changes in taste and smell.
Nail Changes
During chemotherapy, it is not unusual to see changes to the nails and nail beds on the hands and feet. Discoloration, nail clubbing, and sometimes even having the nails fall off are a common side effect of especially IV chemo.
Sexual Dysfunction
Vaginal changes can affect sexual intimacy.
Range of Movement Obstacles
After surgery for breast cancer and/or after radiation there can be changes to a cancer survivors range of movement.
Emotional and Psychological Challenges
Getting a cancer diagnosis and undergoing treatment can and often does rattle a person to the core. Fear, anxiety, depression, emotion dysregulation and trouble adjusting to ones new identity or new normal is very challenging.
Body Image and Dysmorphia
After breast cancer treatment ones relationship to their body very often does a 360. Seeing yoursel for the first time after a lumpectomy or mastectomy can be shocking and painful. Watching how radiation can change your body can also affect how one related to themselves, how they see themselves, how to relate to sexuality and how the manifest a feeling of sensuality and sexiness.
Surgery and Post Surgery Care
So your body feels different and moves differently after surgery…
Lymphedema
Coping with lymphedema is arguably one of the most annoying side effects of cancer treatment…
During and after chemo and radiation, while on hormone suppression or after the removal of the breast(s), uterus, and/or ovaries, cancer survivors grapple with a range of difficult and life-changing side effects…
Dry skin on the body and in the sensitive skin of the mouth and vaginal tissues can cause trouble swallowing and big sexual side effects. Dryness in the vaginal area can make the body susceptible to more urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, tears and infection. The loss of nipple sensation and feeling in the breast, along with reduced sexual sensation or pain during intercourse can also contribute to sexual dysfunction and dissatisfaction, leaving a question mark where intimacy used to be. Tightness in the chest and underarm area can affect quality of life, mobility, agility, and create the feeling that a person is inhibited now which can lead to depression. Lymhedema is a common complication of having lymphnodes removed and is arguably one of the most annoying and inconvenient side effects of cancer treatment. Anxiety about recurrence, sadness about the changes in the body, anger ~ rage even, are common and can impede ones drive to move forward. Insomnia can be a problem due to menopause or stress. These and so many other side effects of cancer treatment are common. Often, the doctors on our teams can’t offer solutions to these problems that are useful, lasting, or that result in the desired return to functioning.
Here we share meaningful resources and methods that we used ourselves to help mitigate some of these symptoms.