Forum Discussion
One warm, one cool
I’m just putting this out there to see if anyone else has experienced this, or if I should go for full-blown panic.
Nine months ago I had a lumpectomy, and radiotherapy for 20 treatments. During the recovery from surgery I developed breast lymphoedema which settled in for good during the radiotherapy. I do manual drainage massage every day which seems to keep it under control.
My query has to do with the temperature of each breast. The unaffected breast is usually cool to the touch. The bc breast is warm to the touch.
The bc breast is a little heavier, has various bumps (which the doctors assure are ‘normal’), and it still has a bluish dye in one area. The skin is a bit tougher but I think that’s because it gets all that massage every day.
Is this the usual result of the chopping, sewing, cooking and pummelling my breast has endured?
Nine months ago I had a lumpectomy, and radiotherapy for 20 treatments. During the recovery from surgery I developed breast lymphoedema which settled in for good during the radiotherapy. I do manual drainage massage every day which seems to keep it under control.
My query has to do with the temperature of each breast. The unaffected breast is usually cool to the touch. The bc breast is warm to the touch.
The bc breast is a little heavier, has various bumps (which the doctors assure are ‘normal’), and it still has a bluish dye in one area. The skin is a bit tougher but I think that’s because it gets all that massage every day.
Is this the usual result of the chopping, sewing, cooking and pummelling my breast has endured?
12 Replies
- Hi @Smurfee,
How long is a piece of string??? I had 30 rounds of rads.
It takes months and like @arpie says, you kind of just stop noticing. Even now,17 months later, it can heat up and go a bit pink if I've been out in the sun or doing a lot of physical work. Or, sometimes just whenever it feels like it. Pretty sure it has a mind of it's own these days. I don't worry about it any more.
xoxoxo - Hi @Smurfee - it can vary depending on how many treatments you have - and even the location of the radiation.
I had 18 treatments & 2 extras (over 4 weeks Mon-Fri) and from memory - my breast continued being warm for at least 2 months, probably even more. I just stopped 'noticing it' over time.
All the best with your treatment xx - Can anyone give any sort of indication of how long the warm breast thing lasts for?
- Hi @Bravo I just wanted to say the heaviness, toughness and bumpiness of the breast is due to the radiation not your massaging. My breast was terrible post radiation, the blue dye also lasts a very long time. So I would say its all normal for radiotherapy.
I no longer have that breast as 4yrs post that diagnosis I had a recurrence in that same breast, just bad luck they said :/ hmmm - At last I have found something mentioning the warmer breast.... I have been wondering whether it is just the factory of healing cells 3 months after radiotherapy.
- My left Brest has been slightly red and warmer since surgery - 1/4/18. Oncologist, breast surgeon, radiation oncologist, radiation nurse ALL assured me it was unusual but certainly not abnormal.????? Twelve months since diagnosis its still much warmer and looks extremely odd. I could not work as a pole dancer or topless waitress such is the difference. (LOL at 67 not sure its a career choice). I have lymphoma of the breast and now arm, stretch marks and orange peel look of affected breast, nipple is inverted, green looking and the aerola areas is huge. It would seem that whilst everything is new for us it is fairly NORMAL for the medical team. In that anything WE each develop is NORMAL given we have had breast cancer and the associated treatments. I also wonder what side effects come from the hormone meds we take now too...
- Thanks guys, for all that assurance. Much appreciated!
- I too have one warm breast and one cool and my radiotherapy finished May 2017.My oncologist told me it is a side effect of radiotherapy -UV seems to worsen it even thru clothing. It is not really bothering me but guess you could use Calendula cream or Moo Goo or whatever you used during treatment .I had a blue nipple/ areola for over 7 months which was the blue dye they use for the sentinel node biopsy.That said talk to your oncologist if you are worried.
- Hi @Bravo,
I am 8 months past all my treatment. I had a lumpectomy (October 2016) with re excision, chemo, rads. I'v had up and down seroma most of the time since surgery. It has settled most of the time now, the skin is a little tougher and firmer after the radiation but is getting better , there is still lumpy tissue around the scar area and it can still be warm a lot of the time. The more physical work I do during the day, the warmer it is. I've had everything checked and my team is unconcerned and says it will get better over time. Get it check out to ease your mind but it's probably just still getting over all the nasty stuff it's been through.
xoxox. - Hi there love cant hurt to get it checked I know I would if it was me especially with the lymphedema. I would want to nip it in the bud early in case there was an infection brewing. There might not be too but just for reassurance at least Margie.xx
