Forum Discussion

55Jlz's avatar
55Jlz
Member
7 years ago

Painful Boob

Hello everyone  :)
I love having these forums, they're just such a help to know that others are like me!
Anyway, I'm slightly concerned about my poor old boob!  :o
I've had surgery on y left breast on 15th & 27th March this year. Then I had radiation therapy from 1st - 24th May.  Luckily I didn't have much in the way of side effects - a lovely slightly pink boob and fatigue. Had a few bad days during radiation and made some friends. The staff at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane are incredible people who helped me through so much. Still got the fatigue and a pink boob...my male friend was hoping that i'd glow in the dark, lol! Soon showed him o:)
Anyway, the main purpose of this discussion is to find out if anyone else has a very painful boob. After I had surgery the pain for the lumpectomy and for the node removal gradually improved until there was no pain, well except for a little where the node was removed. However, now my poor boob is quite painful, and even hurts when I use the softest bra I can find.  
Has this happened to anyone else? Is it a normal thing, maybe after radiation therapy?
Would love to hear any comments and ideas. :confused:
  • Payne's avatar
    Payne
    Member
    7 years ago
    Hi @55Jlz, I am 12 months post radiation after firstly having a lumpectomy with axillary clearance followed by chemotherapy.  My breast is still tender, slightly pinker and firmer than non affected breast.   Turning over in bed on that side wakes me up and can't lie in stomach.  My radio oncologist said the discomfort can last for some months or even longer in some cases.  However,  the pain is gradually lessening and the little shooting, stabbing pain is alleviated by applying a magnet to side of soft bra.  Hope this helps.
  • melclarity's avatar
    melclarity
    Member
    7 years ago
    @55Jlz yes I remember going through that, for me it was after radiation therapy and I noticed probably starting about 6 months post, I believe it was the radiation that caused it. the boob was painful in general, unfortunately at 5yrs post initial diagnosis I had a single mastectomy post chemo from a recurrence at 4yrs. I didnt realise how sore that boob was until it was gone...sheesh. The pain was purely radiation, and the tightness and hardness of the boob from that. So for me the pain was more than just nerve pain that subsides over time. x Melinda
  • Jax1964's avatar
    Jax1964
    Member
    7 years ago
    Yep, same same. Surgery in Dec and rads in March. Still get a shooting pain into the side of my boob, nowhere near the scar. Doesn't last long - just give it a good rub and it eases off.
  • kezmusc's avatar
    kezmusc
    Member
    7 years ago
    Hi,

    Same here.  On and off pain, occasional sharp pains around the scar tissue in breast, aux clearance scar and where they nuked my chest nodes.  Almost a year (July) since rads and it has all pretty much settled down now. 
    I was hoping chemo would make me glow in the dark or turn me into an xmen, but , alas, no such luck.
    xoxoxo
  • arpie's avatar
    arpie
    Member
    7 years ago
    Hi ya - It is still early days for you - it takes about 6 weeks for the pink (and heat) from the rads to go away .... and you will probably see your Rad Onc specialist again about that time - so make a note of any concerns you have to raise with them.  

    It can be a continuing thing, this 'pain after' thing!  :(    Every now & then, I get sharp stabbing pains (similar to what I had now & then during Rads - more in the boob than in the node area ...) and now & then, when I roll over at night, I feel more of a 'discomfort' than pain ... but I am monitoring it!!  Also had a bit of a pain in one side most of yesterday & still there today - not sure what has caused that!!  grrr  (I finished my rads in late March & am now on Letrozole for 5 years.)

    I had more of a continual 'ache' in the node area & luckily it has settled down - tho the area is still numb to the touch.

    All the best on your recovery xxx