Living with Breast Cancer: Understanding the Physical and Mental Changes

Living with Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a disease that affects both the body and mind. Beyond the obvious stress of being diagnosed and needing various treatments, you may experience physical changes you weren’t expecting. Here’s more about how breast cancer affects the body and how to deal with those changes.

What Are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

You may not experience any symptoms or show any signs during the earliest stages of breast cancer. As the cancer progresses, you may notice some physical changes, including: 

·         a lump in your breast or a thickening of the breast tissue

·         unusual or bloody discharge from your nipples

·         newly inverted nipples

·         skin changes on or around your breasts

·         size or shape changes in your breasts

Early detection is key for early treatment and better survival rates. It’s recommended that women over age 50 have mammograms every other year. In addition, it’s a good idea to routinely check your breasts for any of the above changes. 

You can perform a simple checkup by following these steps: 

1.     Stand without your top or bra on in front of a mirror, first with your arms at your side and then with your arms above your head.

2.     Look for changes in the shape, size, or skin texture of your breasts.

3.     Then, lie down and use the pad (not the tips) of your fingers to feel your breasts for lumps.

4.     Repeat this step again while you’re in the shower. The soap and water will help you feel more detail.

5.     Lightly squeeze your nipples to check for any discharge or blood.

Risk Factors

The exact cause of breast cancer isn’t entirely clear. There are biological and environmental factors that increase a person’s chance of developing breast cancer. Often, it’s a mix between these two things that puts someone at greater risk. 

Biological risk factors include:

·         being a woman

·         being over age 55

·         being Caucasian

·         having a family history of breast cancer

·         having your period before age 12 or menopause after age 55

·         carrying certain gene mutations

·         having dense breast tissue

Environmental risk factors include:

·         engaging in a sedentary lifestyle

·         having a poor diet

·         being overweight or obese

·         frequently consuming alcoholic beverages

·         regularly smoking tobacco

·         having radiation therapy to your chest, especially before age 30

·         taking certain hormones for menopause

Unfortunately, 60 to 70 percent of people diagnosed with breast cancer have none of these known risk factors. On the flip side, if you any of these risk factors apply to you, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll develop breast cancer. 

How Does the Body Change During Overall Treatment?

During treatment, you’re likely to experience changes ranging from hair loss to weight gain. 

Hair Loss

Chemotherapy can cause hair loss by attacking hair follicle cells. Hair loss during cancer treatment is almost always a temporary issue and usually starts a couple of weeks into your treatment. Your hair should regrow once you finish your treatment. Sometimes, it may start to grow before you finish.

Menstrual Changes

Breast cancer treatments can disrupt normal hormone production and lead to interruption of your regular menstrual cycles. This means you may experience: 

·         night sweats

·         hot flashes

·         joint paint

·         weight gain

·         a loss of sex drive

·         vaginal dryness

·         infertility 

In some cases, you may resume regular periods after treatment. Other women will never regain normal hormone production and will enter menopause. This is most likely to occur in women over 40.

Swelling

Lymphedema is a condition in which fluid collects in different parts of the body and causes swelling. Having breast cancer surgery or radiation puts you at risk for developing lymphedema in the breasts, arms, and hands. You should be referred to a lymphedema specialist after your surgery to reduce your risk or reduce symptoms if you already have them. You may be given specific exercises or a special compression sleeve to help prevent or reduce your symptoms. 

Skin Changes

If you have radiation for breast cancer, you may experience a red rash that looks similar to sunburn in the affected area. In some cases, this can be severe. Your breast tissue may also feel firm or swollen. Radiation affects the body in many more ways. It can cause: 

·         underarm hair loss

·         fatigue

·         nerve and heart damage

·         arm swelling or lymphedema

·         cardiac damage

Weight Gain

Many women gain weight during breast cancer treatment. Significant weight gain during treatment is linked to the risk of developing obesity-related diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The weight gain may result from chemotherapy, different steroidal medications, or hormone therapies. 

Patient Stories: How I Survived Chemotherapy

How Does the Body Change After Specific Procedures?

Beyond the nonsurgical treatments available to people breast cancer, there are several surgeries that can also affect the body. Although surgery carries the risk of bleeding and infection, it’s usually necessary to remove cancerous tumors and lymph nodes. 

Lumpectomy

A lumpectomy is sometimes referred to as “breast-conserving surgery.” This is because it can remove smaller tumors locally without removal of the entire breast. The surgeon removes the tumor, as well as a margin of tissue around the tumor. This may lead to some scarring or other physical changes or breast asymmetry.

Mastectomy

Surgeons often perform a mastectomy on larger tumors. The entire breast is removed in this procedure. This includes the removal of the: 

·         lobules

·         ducts

·         tissue

·         skin

·         nipple

·         areola

You may explore a “skin-sparing” mastectomy, which is when doctors attempt to preserve the skin of your breast and sometimes your nipple for later reconstruction. 

Some women opt to have both breasts removed, which is called a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy. This may be a good option if you have a strong family history of breast cancer, a known genetic mutation like BRCA, or if you have an increased risk of cancer in the other breast. Many women who have cancer in one breast don’t develop it in the other breast. 

Lymph Node Removal 

Regardless of the breast cancer surgery you choose, your surgeon will most likely remove one or more lymph nodes found under your arm. If there isn’t any clinical evidence or suspicion that the cancer has already spread to the lymph nodes, you’ll most likely have a sentinel node biopsy. This is where only one or two nodes are removed. If you’ve had a lymph node biopsy that showed cancer before your surgery, you’ll likely need an axillary lymph node dissection. During an axillary dissection, your doctor can remove as many as 15 to 20 nodes in an attempt to remove all cancerous nodes. This will leave a scar at the incision sites in the upper outer part of your breast, near your armpit.

After lymph node dissection many women will have pain and decreased mobility of the affected arm. In some cases, this pain may be permanent.

How to Adjust to the Changes

You may choose to consult with a plastic surgeon before undergoing surgery to discover options available to you. Reconstruction can be done by either salvaging your own breast tissue or using silicone or water-filled implants. These procedures are typically performed in tandem with your surgery or afterward. 

Prosthetics are an alternative to reconstruction. If you don’t want breast reconstruction but still want a breast shape, you may choose to use a prosthesis. A prosthesis is also called a breast form. A prosthesis can be slipped into your bra or bathing suit to fill the space where your breast was. These breast forms come in many shapes, sizes, and materials, to suit your needs. 

Life After Breast Cancer: Transitioning to Daily Life

Beyond reconstruction, you can do some things to help yourself adjust to your new body and even combat some of the changes.

·         To ward off weight gain, eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit your sugar intake, drink lots of water, and get good physical activity.

·         To help with swelling from fluid retention, you can ask your doctor about different diuretic medications that help the body get rid of excess water.

·         To deal with hair loss, you can consider cutting you hair short before starting chemotherapy so the loss will feel less dramatic. You can also look into buying wigs in a variety of shades, lengths, and styles. Wigs made of real hair may cost $800 to $3,000. Alternatively, you may choose to wear a scarf or hat.

·         To ease the discomfort from radiation, wear loose clothing that won’t irritate your skin. Ask your doctor about different creams or ointments that might soothe your skin. Ice packs and heating pads don’t typically help ease symptoms. 

Adding various treatments and their associated physical changes to the mix may certainly feel like too much to handle at times. If you’re struggling with body image or depression, reach out to your friends, family, and medical care team. 

What Is the Outlook?

In a study published by Psychosomatic Medicine, researchers explored the link between psychological distress and cancer survival. They collected data from over 200 people with cancer at their time of diagnosis and again in four-month intervals for up to 10 years. The researchers found that if symptoms of depression were present, a shorter survival time was predicted overall. 

Above all, be kind to yourself. Surround yourself with support and reach out for help if you’re feeling low about your changing body. Call on your support system whenever you need a boost.

The good news is that early diagnosis of breast cancer is leading to better survival rates overall. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that the five-year survival rates for stages 0 and 1 are 100 percent. Five-year survival rates for stages 2, 3, and 4 are 93 percent, 72 percent, and 22 percent, respectively. In other words, the majority of people diagnosed with breast cancer will survive it.

source;healthline.com

Symptoms of Knee Pain

Knowing the various types of knee pain — and what the symptoms often feel like — can help you better communicate with your doctor.

Your knee is a complex piece of equipment, and as a result, many common conditions and injuries can cause knee pain.

"There are a number of different ligaments around and inside the knee, as well as tendons and bursas — little fluid-filled sacs that can get inflamed," says Joel Press, MD, medical director of the Spine and Sports Center at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. "There are lots of different structures there, and a lot of these types of pains will overlap. The physician must get a good history to see how this came about, do a physical exam to try to pinpoint these structures, and try to correlate that with any type of imaging studies that are done."

Symptoms of Knee Pain: What to Tell Your Doctor

If you have knee pain that you're planning to discuss with your doctor, be sure to talk about other factors and symptoms that might be associated with the pain, including:

• Where exactly is the pain? Is it in one spot, or is it spread out around a larger area of your knee? What makes it feel better? What makes it hurt worse?
• What were you doing before your knee started hurting? Had you put down a tile floor the day before? Did it start hurting while you were skiing? If so, had your ski turned outward or inward?
• What other symptoms do you notice? Does your knee make a popping noise or have a clicking sensation? Does it feel weak or unstable?

Symptoms of Knee Pain: How Different Types of Knee Pain May Feel

Here's a look at some of the specific symptoms of the common causes of knee pain.

• Osteoarthritis. This condition occurs when the cartilage that allows your knee to move freely becomes worn. Shortly after the condition develops, you may notice that your knees ache after you've been physically active. Over time, your knees may hurt more often and feel stiff after you get out of bed in the morning or after you've been sitting down for a while. Your knees also may be swollen and make a "crunchy" sound while you walk.
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome (chondromalacia patella). Also known as "runner's knee," this is a common cause of knee pain. The pain feels like it's coming from behind or under your kneecap, and may feel like it involves your entire kneecap. You may feel pain and stiffness in particular after you've been sitting a long time. The pain may also be worse after you've gone up or down stairs or you've been running.
• Meniscal tears. Your menisci are disks of tissue between the thigh bone and shinbone in your knee that provide cushioning. These can develop tears from injuries. The pain may be slight or severe, and it may feel worse when you straighten your knee. Your knee may make a clicking sensation or feel like it gets "stuck."
• Ligament injuries. You have four ligaments — which are strong bands of tissue that hold bones together — on the inside and outside edge of your knees and within the joint. If you over-stretch or tear a ligament, which can occur during accidents or sporting events, you may hear a "pop." Depending on the ligament that's damaged, the injury may or may not cause pain. Another symptom is that your leg may feel wobbly when you try to put weight on it.

There are many different types of knee pain and knee conditions. If you are experiencing knee pain, see your doctor and describe your symptoms in as much detail as you can to get the right diagnosis and treatment to alleviate your knee pain.

What Are Kidney Stones?

There are several different types of kidney stones, but each of them can cause a lot of pain.

Kidney stones are small chunks of solid material that can form in your kidneys, a pair of organs that filter your blood.

The "stones," which are usually yellow and brown, vary in size and shape.

For instance, some may be jagged and as small as a grain of sand, while others may be lumpy and the size of golf balls.

A stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract — the body's waste and excess-water drainage system — and get stuck, causing severe pain in the belly or side of the back.

Other symptoms may include nausea, chills, and blood in the urine.

Prevalence and Demographics of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract, resulting in more than a million visits to health care providers and 300,000 emergency room visits each year in the United States, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

Kidney stones affect both men and women, though struvite stones are more common in women and uric acid stones are more common in men.

Overall, however, the prevalence of kidney stones is higher in men than women.

Kidney stones are also more common in obese people than non-obese people, and less common in non-Hispanic African and Mexican-Americans than in non-Hispanic Caucasians, according to the European Urology study.

What Are the Kidneys?

Part of the urinary system, your two kidneys are fist-sized, bean-shaped organs, located just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine.

They have a number of important functions, mainly filtering the blood to remove waste and excess water, resulting in the formation of urine, which is stored in the bladder and emptied from the body through the urethra.

The kidneys also:

• Balance the body's levels of electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, and phosphate, to maintain the body's balance of acids and bases
• Produce hormones involved in regulating blood pressure, producing red blood cells, and maintaining bone strength
• Prevent the build up of waste and fluid in the body

Development of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones develop when the concentration of normal kidney substances (especially calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus) increases substantially.

This process — sometimes known as nephrolithiasis — can be due to various factors, including low fluid intake, diet, or medications such as diuretics and calcium-based antacids.

A number of issues can increase a person's risk of developing kidney stones, including:

• A family history of kidney stones
• Medical conditions that affect the levels of urinary substances
• Urinary tract blockage
• Digestive problems
• Recurrent urinary tract infections

Types of Kidney Stones

There are four main types of kidney stones: calcium, uric acid, struvite, and cystine stones.

Calcium stones, of which there are two forms — calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate — are the most common type of kidney stone.

In most cases, calcium oxalate stones form from high levels of calcium and oxalate in urine.

But if there are high levels of urine calcium and the urine is alkaline (has a high pH), calcium phosphate stones may form instead.

Uric acid stones develop from overly acidic (low pH) urine.

This can result from a diet high in purines, substances that are broken down to form uric acid and are found in high concentrations in animal protein.

Struvite stones, sometimes called infection stones, are made of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate, and typically form in alkaline urine.

They develop from upper urinary tract infections, including kidney infections, when bacteria produce urease, an enzyme that helps convert urea (a compound in urine) into ammonia and other products.

Cystine stones result from a genetic disorder that causes cystine, an amino acid, to leak into the urine from the kidneys.

Weird Early Pregnancy Symptoms No One Tells You About

                                                                  

Everyone knows the classic signs of pregnancy. You’ve missed your period. Your breasts are tender. And you’re tired all the time.

But pregnant women also experience a whole host of symptoms beyond these first signs. From mucus discharge, to tasting metal, to headaches, expect the unexpected.

Here’s a list of 10 weird early pregnancy symptoms no one tells you about.

1. Weird stuff will come out of you.

While many women experience vaginal discharge, it’s not often associated with pregnancy. But most pregnant women will secrete sticky, white, or pale yellow mucus early on in the first trimester and throughout pregnancy.

Increased hormones and vaginal blood flow cause the discharge. It increases during pregnancy to prevent infections as your cervix and vaginal walls soften. If it starts to smell, burn, itch, turn greenish yellow, or becomes very thick or watery, visit your doctor. You may have an infection.

2. Your body will turn up the heat.

When you first wake up in the morning after ovulation, your body temperature is slightly elevated. It stays that way until you get your next period.

But if this temperature, known as basal body temperature, stays elevated for more than two weeks, you may be pregnant.

3. Your head will hurt, you’ll feel cramps, and you’ll want to pee all the time.

Hormonal and blood volume changes during pregnancy can lead to headaches.

Some women also experience period-like cramps on either side of the lower abdomen. And most women will make extra trips to the restroom. That’s because your growing uterus puts pressure on your bladder.

4. It’ll feel like the room is spinning.

It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to feel lightheaded or dizzy in the first trimester. Pregnancy causes blood pressure to drop and blood vessels to dilate.

But pay close attention to your symptoms. Severe dizziness coupled with vaginal bleeding and severe abdominal pain could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, where the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus. Make sure to see a doctor right away to avoid life-threatening complications.

5. You just can’t go.

You may feel bloated, like you want to pass gas or go number two. But it’s just not happening. That’s because pregnancy’s hormonal changes can lead to constipation.

Your digestive system slows down during pregnancy. This gives nutrients just enough extra time to absorb into your bloodstream and reach your little one.

If you can’t go, add more fiber into your diet, drink plenty of fluids, and exercise regularly. If needed, you can also check with your doctor about adding a pregnancy-safe stool softener.

6. You may experience a false period.

About 25 to 30 percent of pregnant women will lightly bleed or notice spotting early on in their pregnancy. The slight bleeding can happen when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining. This is known as implantation bleeding. It’s common about two weeks after conception.

Bleeding can also be caused by cervical irritation, an ectopic pregnancy, or a threatened miscarriage. Make sure to get medical help right away if your light bleeding gets heavier, is accompanied by severe cramps, back pain, or stabbing pains.

7. Grab some tissues, pour some tea, and curl up in bed.

Pregnancy lowers your immunity. This means you’re more prone to a cough, colds, and the flu. It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to experience cold or flu-like symptoms early in pregnancy.

Talk to your doctor about pregnancy-safe treatment options. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to severe illnesses from the flu. This can lead to serious health problems for your baby.

8. Your chest, it burns.

Hormones change everything during pregnancy. This includes the valve between your stomach and esophagus. This area becomes relaxed during pregnancy, which can cause stomach acid to leak into your esophagus, causing heartburn.

Fight back by eating smaller, more frequent meals. Also cut out fried grub. Try to avoid fizzy drinks, citrus fruits, juices, and spicy foods.

9. You’re up, then you’re down.

Your hormones suddenly change when you become pregnant. This can throw your emotions out of whack. You’ll feel unusually weepy and emotional. You might also experience mood swings. This is very common during early pregnancy.

10. You’ll taste metal.

Increases in estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy can lead to changes in taste for many pregnant women.

A condition called dysegusia has some pregnant women tasting metal. You’ll feel like you were chomping on some old pennies with your lunch. Get rid of the metallic flavor by munching on saltines and chewing sugarless gum. Also try drinking colder liquids or eating spicier foods.

The Takeaway

Some of the symptoms listed above may make you think you’re just stressed and run down. But experienced together, they can point to pregnancy.

Pay attention to what your body is telling you. It might be time to see your doctor for a pregnancy test.