My Breastie Says

Sometimes we’re tired of hearing ourself complain, or maybe we feel like we’re being a baby, or just know that the doctor will blow you off.
Whatever your reasons for keeping your symptoms to yourself, DROP THEM NOW!
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Let’s reframe this as SELF-ADVOCATING. You are important, your symptoms are important and it’s important that you get the care you need.
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If you’re not getting the response you need- ask again! Ask another doctor! Ask me who to go to next and maybe together we can figure it out!
You are not a burden, just a human being in a sh%tty situation and you deserve all the help you can get.
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As always, if this resonated with you, please share! 💙🙏

Beware of this one!
So many women have told me that even though radiation was physically easier than chemo, they were much more emotional during the process. It was the time they found themselves feeling weepy and emotional when up until that point, they had kept it all together.
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I am NOT a mental health care practitioner. I am simply sharing what I have observed so if it happens to you, you dont have that awful feeling of feeling even more alone or surprised by your emotions.
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I do have some personal theories as to why this happens.
For a lot of women, radiation happens months into your diagnosis when shock has begun to wear off and the “new reality” is really sinking in.
There is only so long you can keep a smile on your face before the rest of the emotions crack through. Radiation really challenges your endurance: you have to go Every. Single. Day.
So that’s every day you are reminded of your diagnosis. Every day you are lying in that cold room in a hospital gown. Every day you see the other cancer patients in the waiting room. It’s A LOT!
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So when preparing for radiation don’t just think about your skin, prepare for your mental health too! If you don’t already have a therapist, ask for a referral from your doctor.
Be kind to yourself, you’re going through a lot.
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If you found this helpful, please share so that others are prepared for radiation too! 💙🙏

If you didn’t see Part 1 of “Is your thumb pain related to breast cancer,” save this and go read that first!
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Next, do the little test I demo. If that is positive, and you’ll know it is bc it will feel yucky, esp compared to your other side, then this post is for you!
(NOTE: I say that, but please remember I haven’t personally met you or your thumb and you should always see a doctor first. This post is meant to inform you only and not treat you personally.).
A few spare points:
💙. If you do buy a brace and are at risk of or have lymphedema, err on the side of wearing it a little loosely. In other words, dont pull the strap so tight you’re giving yourself forearm muffin top. We don’t want to even come close to cutting off any circulation here.
💙. That thing about “follow the bottle” for Aleve and Advil: when we take it here and there like we usually do, that helps with pain, but to get the anti-inflammatory response we’re looking for we need it to build up in our body, hence we take for at least a week and several times a day. Always check with your doc before beginning a new med even tho it’s over the counter.
💙 For CBD I really like the brand but there are lots of good ones out there.
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If you have any questions please comment below. And as always if you found this helpful please share so others can learn too! I appreciate it!🙏💙.

If you work as a physical therapist who specializes in breast cancer long enough, you start to notice things, like how many of your patients end up with thumb pain.
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People in general can have thumb pain, especially the way we are all glued to our phones.
However if you have hormone positive breast cancer and are forced into menopause, all of your tendons become much more sensitive. The cute little thumb tendons are no exception.
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This post is actually inspired by my neighbor who was wearing a giant thumb brace. The overzealous physical therapist I am, we got into a huge convo about how she could actually wear a smaller brace and the ways she could easily manage this situation on her own.
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So much of medicine/healing is receiving the correct info.
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I will share what I gave my neighbor in PART 2 of this post! So make sure and follow !! (Sorry for being cheeky- this post was becoming too long!)
And if this was helpful please forward so others with thumb pain learn too!! 🙏💙

I dont know what it is about specifically that has mandatory gratitude as a side effect.
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Hear me out: Gratitude is Grand! I’m not saying we cancel it completely.
I just want to acknowledge that *maybe* it’s ok to NOT feel grateful ALL THE DAMN TIME.
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There is this weird expectation that those with breast cancer experience their diagnosis with grace and sunshine, inspiring all those around them. Again, there is nothing wrong with those who do.
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Just a friendly reminder that it is NOT MANDATORY, you are allowed to feel all of the feels, and as a human, those feelings can change from day to day.
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So let’s do something different:
You know that phrase “dance like no one’s watching?” Let’s use the comments to complain like no one’s watching! 😂. Feel free to vent it all out.
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And as a medical professional I have to put in a reminder that if you feel your complaints are swallowing you up, PLEASE ask your doctor for a mental health referral. This is a sh$t ton to go through and we all need the support of a non-family member/trained expert from time to time.
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Now that the disclaimer has been disclaimed, Vent Away! And if you found this helpful, please share so others feel seen too. 💙🙏

(This time with spelling error corrected 😉

This goes out to all of my Type A, Get Sh*T done ladies! I see you bc I am one of you!!!
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Unfortunately, this attitude that serves us really well in certain situations doesn’t always help when recovering from surgery.
In fact it often leads to us beating ourselves up and questioning why the hell it’s taking so long.
Or if, like me, you also have a dash of anxiety in there, it’s easy to assume this “long” recovery is bc something went wrong.
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I’m jumping into your feed as your friendly neighborhood Physical Therapist to remind you that recovering from surgery is a PROCESS!
A few things to remember:

💙 Most likely there was some point of recovery where you had to just lie around. That will alone zaps your energy and energy doesn’t just turn back on when your doctor gives you clearance. That has to be built back up again and that takes time!

💙Anesthesia is its own little beast. That can mess with your gut biome, your sleep patterns etc and takes time to clear out of your body.

💙Lastly, this surgery probably wasn’t done in a vacuum, ie, you also have the stress of your life to manage while also trying to heal. That is a huge energy suck.

So my friends, be gentle, and ask for help if you need it! And if this post was helpful please share so the other Type A ladies can give themselves a break too! 🙏💙

You know those people who can fall asleep anywhere? I have absolutely nothing in common with them. I need my pillows just right, a weighted blanket, a sleep mask, a sound machine, a fan, a glass of water, a mildly interesting but not too interesting podcast….it’s absurd.
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As a recovered insomniac/Ambien addict, I have had lots of time to think about sleep.
And as someone who has the energy of the world’s big sister, I can’t help but worry about my friends diagnosed with breast cancer and how that can wreak havoc on their sleep.
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I explain some of my thoughts in this post, but I’m happy to really dive into it if you’re interested.
Like a lot of things in the post-breast cancer treatment world, sleep isn’t given a lot of specific attention from the medical system other than reminding you it’s important to get good quality. Weird, huh?
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Let me use my science background and all the research I did for my own sleep journey to help! Please drop in the comments any thoughts/concenrs/questions you have around sleep.
And if you found this helpful please share! Let’s spread the word and improve .💙🙏

It can be sooo hard to interpret what your body is telling you- full stop.
But add in a diagnosis of breast cancer and all bets are off.
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I’ve met many women who tell me since diagnosis they are now “terrified” of any little ache or pain bc “what if it’s the cancer?”
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I wish a simple insta post could tell you 100% explain what that pain is you may be feeling but since I can’t, I’m instead sharing something else to hopefully ease your mind.
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As Healthcare Professionals we’re trained to listen for certain “red flags” when patients describe their pain. I’m sharing 5 of those with you to help you better self-assess your pain. However, it’s always best to tell your doctor if you are even the tiniest bit concerned!
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Special thanks to Paige from for helping me compile this list! give her a follow if you don’t already.
And if this was helpful, please share so other women can learn these too! 🙏💙

Thank you to everyone who came to my session (“Why you still have pain after your mastectomy…and what you can do about it!”) at the 2024 YSC Summit in Vegas this past weekend!!!!
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It was my first time being a part of it and despite a severely delayed flight Friday night I had an amazing weekend. I learned so much and was just honored to be among such incredible women.
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Kudos to for the incredible weekend!!!
And cheers to the old and new friends I met!! Give them a follow if you don’t already:

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Who’s coming to Vegas!?!
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This is literally a dream of mine to present at the YSC Summit and I’m so excited!!
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My talk is actually inspired by a post from this group that received so many “thank you for ACTUALLY acknowledging this!” That I knew it needed more attention and deserved further discussion.
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My topic is “Why you are still in pain after mastectomy, and what you can do about it.” I don’t have any info yet re/: what day or time I’ll be speaking but I’ll let you know.
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I put a link on my link tree for more info- go check it out! Really hoping to see you there!!!

Calling all breasties with chemo brain or general brain fog!
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Dr Anna Boone from the University of Missouri is conducting a research study on the topic.
The study is done over Zoom so no need to live in Missouri.
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If you are interested in helping her help the Breast Cancer Community (and receive a cash stipend!!) either call her at
573-882-7023
Or email at
[email protected]
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Please help Anna out by forwarding this! 🙏💙

If you have achey joints and have been forced into menopause this webinar is for you!
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My bff and I are doing a 3 part series on how to manage this common side effect.
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She starts us off from the Functional Medicine perspective, teaching us how to manage with supplements and explaining why this happens in the first place.
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Webinar is Oct 24th, 5 pm EST, and will be recorded and sent to everyone who signs up so if you can’t make it live NBD (you can also send us questions to ask).
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More info/ sign ups in bio!
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The situation in Israel is horrifying. There are no words. Sending love, prayers and strength to Israel and also the innocent women and children of Gaza.

Lymphedema can lurk around like a scary monster, ready to ruin your life once you’ve finally finished treatment.
I hate that.
I also feel like we as health care providers have done a sh$t job of doing anything to help reframe or remove some of the intense fear.
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That’s the goal of this post, to give you some knowledge to help you manage the next time you come across some swelling.
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Knowledge = Power, right? 💙
Now don’t go getting all drunk with this new power, it still is VERY important to mention any new swelling to a doctor to figure out why it’s happening.
But please use it as a tool to help monitor for lymphedema. And if you think it’s lymphedema, no need to panic, just make an appointment with your friendly local certified lymphedema therapist (CLT) and we’ll help you with next steps.
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As always, if you found this helpful please share! Let’s spread the knowledge power around!!! 💙🙏

Chemo-induced neuropathy is a common side effect from breast cancer treatment.
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Symptoms are typically bilateral, meaning they are not just in one hand (or foot) but both hands or in both feet.
It can feel anything like “pins and needles” or “burning” or just straight up “numb.” Neuropathy can begin during chemo or even after chemo has ended.
In a perfect world, you would all have met with before beginning chemo to know the perfect amount of supplements to take to help decrease your chances of developing it in the first place. Placing your hands/feet and ice while receiving chemo can also be helpful.
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For a wide variety of reasons there are many situations where chemo neuropathy cannot be avoided and in those situations we can treat it with medication (talk to your doctor). If you find that you are having a hard time walking/dont like to wear socks/ and/or are stumbling bc of the symptoms in your feet, then Physical Therapy should be added to your life. Now if you have neuropathy in your hands that makes it difficult to button a shirt, pick up small things, or is really painful, ideally you would see an Occupational Therapist, but a PT could help too (we have some overlap).
At our last webinar, explained the exciting research about cannabis use in treating neuropathy! She is a great resource to follow.
And if you’ve heard about red light therapy (a new wellness trend) it does show promise for treating neuropathy. I’ve put a link in my bio to the unit I purchased for my mom.
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Do you have chemo-induced neuropathy? What has or hasn’t worked for you? Comment below!
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And as always, if you’ve found this info helpful, please share! I really appreciate it!💙🙏

This has been my week.
I’m traveling today for the start of almost 2 busy weeks of fun stuff. However all week leading up to today I’ve been so anxious. Like that just under the surface, low rumble of anxiety you can sometimes not even notice it so subtlety sneaks in.
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Lucky for me I also had therapy this week which help focus me to the fact that my chronic migraines have added this layer of stress to travel where I *almost* don’t want to leave the house.
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I came up with this analogy to share with my husband so he understood why I was so needy and moody etc this week.
I thought I would share it bc I’m sure it translates to the club, when your body isn’t quite the same.
Actually I’m just making assumptions as I don’t know this for certain, other than what women have shared about lymphedema concerns.
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If this did resonate and you don’t mind sharing why, I would love to learn and also offer tips. Like a “sisterhood of the traveling bombs” sort of thing Altho I imagine that club would get us on a list we don’t want to be on!
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Also please share if you found helpful.

Phantom B**b sensations after mastectomy, which typically show up as “itching,” although sometimes pain, is really common, however if you ask, the NIH (National Institute of Health) just how many women they will give a very unhelpful statistic of “30-80%.”
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In other words, there’s not a ton of great research out there so we don’t really know. In fact, it’s nuts to me that this whole topic is not brought up as a matter of STANDARD CARE after a mastectomy.
The info I’m providing is stuff I learned in fancy pain science class when learning about arm and leg amputees….which got me thinking, what other body part is often amputated as a standard course of care for breast cancer?! 🤔
Anyway, sorry I’m soapboxing a bit. I digress.
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So while you’re “recalculating” you still may have times where the phantom sensations drive you nuts: the “wives tale” way to deal with it is to scratch your back, like opposite of where your breast would be.
What has worked for you re: phantom b**b sensations? Please comment below!
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And if you found this post helpful, PLEASE SHARE! This info needs to get out there!!! 💙🙏

Feelings of “tightness” in your tummy after a DIEP is totally normal, and improves with time and stretches!
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This one can be done in the traditional all fours position, however for those times when it’s not convenient to drop to the floor, you can also do this by putting your hands on the wall or a counter.
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And as always, dont forget to breathe! While you’re in the position, take slow deep breaths, letting your tummy expand as you inhale. This adds more depth to the stretch.
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Stretches should feel nice, and at the very least, “tolerable” so if you are finding this to be more in the “OMG I HATE THIS” then either do a smaller version, or just skip altogether.
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If you found this helpful, please share! 💙🙏

Finally! You can get all of your Medical Ma*****na Questions answered!
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Such as:
What does the research really say?
What is the correct dose? Method of consumption? ☁️
Join our Webinar THIS THURSDAY to ask Sherry Yafai, MD ANY question you have!
If you can’t be there live, DM me your question as everyone who signs up will receive a recording of the event.
Link in Bio to register!!!!

In the US, 38 states, 3 territories and the District of Columbia allow the medical use of cannabis products. Do you live in one of those states? And if so, was it offered to you as part of your breast cancer treatment plan?
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IMHO, medical ma*****na is underused bc (not surprisingly) most doctors were not taught about it in school, bc, well, when they were in school it was still illegal.
So that leaves you, the patient (or the doctor, even) to get your info from….the guy at the w**d store?
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If you google you’ll find that there is research stating the benefits of ma*****na during cancer treatment: for nausea and vomiting during chemo, and even to treat neuropathy.
I personally find it helps for sleep. However, again, how do you know how much? Or what type? And should you really be smoking it? I would LOVE to know what, if any, info you received during treatment, and what questions you may still have on the topic.
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and I have a big announcement in the next few days that might just shed some light on this hazy issue! Stay tuned! And post questions below! 💙
*****na

Cording, or “Axillary Webbing Syndrome” if you’re medical, is a common side effect from having your lymph nodes biopsied.
It’s something about the incision near the armpit that triggers this strange phenomenon.
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If you are one of the lucky ones who live near a physical therapist trained in breast cancer rehab AND your health insurance will cover them, make an appointment! Cording can easily be treated in the clinic.
For everyone else, here are some guidelines for dealing on your own:
First, it’s ok to move even tho you feel like something is going to “rip” and it hurts. As long as you can tolerate it, movement is one of the best self- treatments for cording.

Try a little bit of stretching in the shower even, where the warm water may make your cords a little less cranky. You can try some gentle massage over them. Use the same technique as if you were doing scar massage- really gentle pressure.

And remember: our goal is not to “pop” every single visible cord but instead to relax them enough so you can move your arm without pain or limitation.
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If this info was helpful please SHARE! Let’s spread the word on self-treatment for cording!!!💙🙏

Offering support for all those unexpected breast cancer treatment side effects is always in style!
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Other great life after breast cancer accounts to follow include:
amaral (for nutrition)

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Comment below any side effect you would like more info on and I’ll be sure to get it to you!

Breast Cancer and skin infections is a little random, but it’s something I’ve seen happen a solid handful of times.
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Like not NEARLY as many times as I’ve seen, like cording or someone get weepy during radiation.
But unlike cording and weepiness, a skin infection (cellulite) can be dangerous and lead to a hospitalization. ☁️
The good news, however, is if you know what to look for, it can often be successfully treated with at home antibiotics.
This is good info for after a surgery, but honestly, the women I’ve seen have cellulitis are often several years out of treatment when this pops up for no reason (that I’ve been able to determine anyway).
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SAVE THIS POST! and share to your other breasties, bc again, if you know the signs, it is really manageable!

Preparing for Mastectomy is a Big Deal, and this is a post you’re gonna want to SAVE!
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Such a big deal, in fact, that for this post I’m doing something a little different.
I will provide a list of my suggestions as a physical therapist, but I thought I’d ask YOU for your personal expertise! Was there something that was really helpful for you that was a surprise? OR the opposite- something everyone said you needed but you didn’t actually use?
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Comment below! And thank you for sharing!!

Do you ever wonder why for the first time in your life you’re so aware of the fact you have a ribcage after breast cancer treatment?
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As this little graph shows you, there are PLENTY of reasons why treatment can cause this.
When I’m the patient and not the practitioner, I know I personally find a lot of comfort just knowing that my symptoms at least make sense- NO ONE wants to be the medical mystery. I’m hoping this little graph offers you some comfort.
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If you’re looking for even more comfort, I’ve made an hour plus master class in webinar form where I take everything I give my patients in the clinic and give to YOU in the comfort of your own home to manage your rib weirdness. This is for those people who have mentioned to their doctors their symptoms, and the doctors say “you’re fine,” aka, it’s always a good idea to let your doctor know what’s going on first.
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Then if you need more info- consider my Rib Masterclass! Price is $15 (link in bio to purchase) but if that’s out of your budget at this time just DM- I never want finances to get in the way of you getting the info you need.
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And if you found this graphic helpful, please share! Let’s take some of the mystery away from Rib Pain after breast cancer treatment! 💙🙏

A very common side effect after breast cancer treatment is weird feeling ribs.
As a physical therapist, it makes SO much sense why this would happen! And also as a PT I have lots of ideas how to make it better.
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I’ve taken those ideas, ie, what I give my patients in the clinic, and created a rib Master Class!
It’s an hour plus webinar where I explain:
How ribs are supposed to move,
why treatment interferes with that, and what you can do about it.
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I’m selling this workshop for $15 and there’s a link in bio if you would like to purchase. Once you buy you can watch as many times as you like, it’s yours forever.
If the price is an issue, DM me and we’ll figure it out! I never want finances to get in the way of the info you need to heal and recover.
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A simple but important component of recovering from surgery, such as mastectomy or breast reconstruction, is keeping your skin moisturized!
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I don’t know why it is, but the skin in the part of your body that hadandflakyafterwards- my guess is maybe it has something to do with the intense cleansing they do before surgery? (, any thoughts on this?)
No matter the reason, the long and short of it is this: Dry skin cannot do its job nearly as well as moisturized skin can. And since you’re in healing mode and last thing you want is an infection, let’s get that skin working and protecting us from germs!
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I focused on coconut oil bc it’s my personal fave, but honestly there are many equally as good choices. Just don’t rub it over the bandages if you still are covered, or rub onto your incisions if they are still scabby. Let those scabs fall off on their own!
And skin can be sensitive after surgery so choose something that doesn’t have a lot of harsh scents or chemicals.
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If you found this helpful, please share so others can learn too!🙏💙

Do your ribs feel different, and not in a good way, after breast cancer treatment?
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If so you do not want to miss the My Breastie Says Rib Recovery Workshop!
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There are many logical reasons why your rib cage might feel painful, tight, crampy, restricted, etc etc after mastectomy, breast reconstruction, and/or radiation and quite frankly it’s stupid practically no one shares this with the breast cancer community.
With a little bit of education and some specific stretches you’d be amazed at the improvements you’ll feel.
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I’ll be sharing the tips I’ve given my patients in the clinic as a physical therapist with over 20 years experience.
As always, the cost is “Pay what is appropriate for you,” I never want finances to prevent someone from receiving the info that they need.
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If you can’t make the live date- no worries!- everyone who signs up will receive a link to the recording.
And if you have a question you want me to specifically answer either post below or DM me.
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Please share! Let’s get the word out that Breasties and their ribcage can be friends!!! 💙🙏

If you have experienced weird rib tightness or pain after mastectomy, radiation, and/or breast reconstruction, this workshop is for YOU!!!!
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I take my 20 plus years experience as a physical therapist who works with those diagnosed with breast cancer and share with you the same info I give my patients in the clinic.
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As always, the cost is “pay what is appropriate for YOU!” I never want cost to prohibit anyone from receiving the info they need.
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To register, go to link in bio! And please share with any breasties you think would benefit! 🙏💙