Hi everyone, I've not been on here for a few months as my life's been pretty full of non-cancery things. I recently left the family home with my two little ones and it's been an intensely stressful and emotional experience. Anyhow, this morning whilst showering, I found a lumpy area in the armpit which has had all the nodes removed with my mastectomy. I'm less than a year out of active treatment. I was on tamoxifen but switched to zoladex & exemestane a few months ago. I'm also on a clinical trial investigating palbociclib as a preventative. The feel of the lump is all too familiar, but I just don't want to face it. I don't want to tell anyone because sharing the knowledge of its existence means it's really there and I have to do something about it. I'm giving myself a day of denial then I'll have to think about that shit-awful process of scans and needles to confirm helldom. I'm not sure, even, if I should contact my breast surgeon or my oncology trials team. Damn this Ahole SOB disease. Any lymph-cleared, irradiated ladies out there, can you tell me if lumpy scar tissue might be a possibility? Marg @Zoffiel I know you had a local recurrance in the axilla. How did this play out for you? Any help or advice would be appreciated!

My self discovered lump in the other armpit (hadn't even finished chemo!) turned out to be a schwannoma - had to look it up but critical information was that it had probably been there for ages and was totally benign. We all fear the worst. You do have to get it checked, by whoever seems appropriate, but take heart, it may just be one of the weird but harmless things our bodies have that we don't know about! Best wishes.

Hi @Molly001 - did you make an appointment to get the lumpiness checked out? How did you go?

Hey @"Kiwi Angel" thanks for checking in. I've decided that since I'm not sure if the lumps are new or not I will monitor for a week & see if there's any changes first.

Thank you so much ladies I’ve never used this network before the first time around I’ thought I had it in the bag. My first post and now I know a) there is a help line I can call and b) someone who advocated public.cant thank you both enough already, I really appreciate it.

It could be anything from scar tissue or cording. I'll put money on cording which feels just like a node and it's springy. But if course you have to go through the bloody investigation process. Yeah to leaving your husband....as stressful as it is...things will improve eventually as you settle into your new life. X

Found new lump in dissected armpit this morning.

Sister
Member
7 years ago
@pennikins I'm hoping that you don't have to worry about private or public but if you do, check with your specialist about the gap first. My surgeon, knowing my circumstances, didn't charge a gap - he works in both the public and private system but I saw him as a private patient. My onc, I think, either charged a very small gap at the beginning or none at all (too freaked out at the time to remember). The genetics onc didn't charge her usual gap of $240 and $120 - bulk-billed me. It's always worth asking. Of course, you still have to go public for hospitals if that's the case so it has to be someone who does work in both sectors.
kmakm
Member
7 years ago
Whereabouts are you @Molly001? My course was run by Eastern Health (public hospital division in Melbourne) and 14 sessions and two individual assessments cost me the grand sum of $10. I heard about it from my oncologist who knew of three courses and said this was the one her patients raved about.

@Pennikins I went private and while there were aspects of it that have been fantastic, there are also aspects that haven't been. And I don't just mean the gap payments! At times I've been quite envious of some of the public health experiences I've read about here.

I've found this forum to be so helpful for me. It's an amazing hive mind I reckon! K xox
Pennikins
Member
7 years ago
Thank you so much ladies I’ve never used this network before the first time around I’ thought I had it in the bag. My first post and now I know a) there is a help line I can call and b) someone who advocated public.
cant thank you both enough already, I really appreciate it.
Molly001
Member
7 years ago
@kmakm I would really like to see an exercise physiologist. I have a chronic diseases care plan, so 5 medicare visits to a specialist. I was going to see a physio for my sciatica, but that's settled for now so I mi g t look into it.

@Pennikins my heart goes out to you. It's tough. Try not to overthink it, get it checked out & process the result when you get it. Easier said than done, but worry changes nothing. I went fully public & my treatment/team was amazing. Let us know how you go.
kmakm
Member
7 years ago
@Pennikins What a rough time you've had. Don't let the ache drag you into a vortex of worry if you can help it. Go get the doc to check it out. Your girls want you here more than they want to avoid anything else. If you'd like to, give the BCNA helpline a call tomorrow to talk it through. You might find that helps a bit. 1800 500 258. Let us know how you get on. K xox
Pennikins
Member
7 years ago
Hi Molly I think we are leading parallel lives. I’m a single mum whose marriage broke down, two girls, finished treatment 2 years ago.
my right arm same cancer side has been aching for three days my foob hurts to touch my chest wall on the top above my foob hurts when I press it. It all sounds too familiar. I never felt a clear lump the first time but just the same symptoms of pain that turned out to be a cluster of eight grade 2 tumours.
im terrified. I don’t want to put my girls through any of this again. I don’t have the strength. Being a single mum was tough that I’ve even ceased private health. I’ve no idea how it works in the public system.
Please keep me posted as to how you go xxx
Afraser
Member
7 years ago
Nothing bad, and nothing weird. Excellent all round.
Sister
Member
7 years ago
Great news!
kmakm
Member
7 years ago
Yay! :)

Have you looked into an exercise physiology course? I've just finished one and it's so good to feel stronger. K xox
Zoffiel
Member
7 years ago
That is excellent news. Mxx