Tightness in chest, 6 months on

Hi  

I don't have any answers for you, but didn't want your post to go unanswered and drop down the page!!

It might be something to ask of the nurse, here.

In the meanwhile, this has been bumped up and someone else might see it.

Hugs xx

Hi PicaPica, sorry to hear you are having this problem. Have you a follow up with your onco? If not perhaps you could ring your team or the breast care nurse. You should not have to struggle alone with this. You need to be seen by one of the docs to get some answers.

Big hugs xxxxxx

Thank you toxophilite and seaspirit (and all thanks for bumping it up)

I did see my oncologist and BCN who both thought it was tight scar tissue that would be eased by massage. But I’ve been having that for a while now and it has loosened the skin, but the underlying tightness is unchanged. I’ll send my query to the ‘ask a nurse’ service - thank you for that idea. I’m sure there must be other women that it’s happened to, so am hoping someone else may share their experience and advice! Thank you both for responding. x

Hi PicaPica

Are you on Tamoxifen? That can cause chest tightness. Did you have rads both sides? It may be that the heart was temporarily affected. Either way why don’t you ask you GP for a BCG?

Best wishes 

F

Thank you Fenouillard 

Not on tamoxifen, no. I’m on anastrozole for ten years. The chest tightness was before I started taking that in January, so I’d discounted that but maybe I should investigate further.

I had rads both sides and under my arms as well so it was quite extensive. I can see how that would harden the tissues, and hoped the massage would relieve it. Can see that my heart and lungs could be affected because the rad people didn’t think it would be possible to do the deep breathing and move my chest wall evenly on both sides. But thinking back, I’m certain my chest was tight back in November, so rads don’t seem to be the cause, though it might have worsened it. Perhaps my GP is the way to go. I’m currently waiting on a reply from the Macmillan nurse.

Thank you for your thoughts. I really do appreciate you replying to me. x

Hi pica, I had left breast mastectomy in sept. 17 and like you 3 weeks 15 sessions of radiotherapy in November, no reconstruction. Today I have had my check up after  surgery and everything is good. I did explain like you about the rib pain From collar bone to the bottom of rib cage. I feel as though I have chest armoury on it feels so solid and tight. My armpit becomes sore and I have sleeping difficulties only 3-4 hours a night then a Rest at lunch time. These symptoms are there most of the time but I take pain killers 24 hours a day, it wakes me during the night as the pain killer wares off. My skin is supple but I apply double base moisturiser (can get on percription) daily. I do the breast exercises every morning, most days with this routine I can cope. The surgeon said it is early days and I am doing everything right, it all takes time to heal and the rib pain is from the radiotherapy, be patient and I will see you in six months time. So here I go looking forward to the summer, we all try different things to help us keep well and each to our own, just started  reflexology this is helping. Keep trying and good luck x

Thank you callierose. It does sound like you are having a tough time with the chest tightness. Yours seems more extensive than mine - my ribs feel fine lower down - it’s just a band around my scar tissue from the double mastectomy. So your oncologist is saying to be patient and it’ll sort itself? I was hoping for some improvement 6 months post surgery, but it is only two and a half months since rads finished, so maybe it’s still early days. So frustrating feeling like you’re in armour! Did you have radiotherapy to both sides? x

Hi PicaPica

Sorry to hear about your chest tightness. Depending on the person - rads can have quite a drastic impact on tissues. My mastectomy was October 2016 and I still have tightness and hardness in my chest from rads. It's beginning to soften, but then I haven't had any proper massage on it - only what I do myself. My breast physio told me it can take years for the effects of rads to disappear and she gave me lots of exercises to do to stretch all the tissues. Is your physio a specialist breast physio? 

When my surgeon explained the mastectomy to me, it made sense that it would be tight. I can't explain it as well as him but if you imagine removing a very round shape from a very flat surface, there has to be a certain amount of "pulling together" They make a decision about how much skin and tissue to remove in order to sew the gap together with enough room to allow movement but not so much that there is visible excess. I haven't expressed it very prettily, but you get the idea :)

My chest tightness doesn't sound like yours, though, mine is definitely concentrated where my breast used to be. It did take about a year before I saw much improvement and I still don't have a full range of movement in that shoulder - my chest is just too tight. All the people I see seem to think it's an acceptable stage to be at in the time frame. See what the nurses have to say but you possibly just have to stick at it for a while longer. it's so frustrating, but you will get there eventually!

R

Hi it’s interesting to read about your pain which sounds so similar to mine. I had a lumpectomy in November 2016 and a mastectomy in Jan 2017 followed by radiotherapy in March no chemo. I have regained some movement in my arm I have neuropathic pain in my chest wall and where I had the lymph node clearance it’s so tender to touch I have also been advised to rub cream into the area. The pain keeps me awake and I struggle during the day ,throughout all the treatment I have only ever taken paracetamol but in the last few days I have spoken to my GP and he advised amitriptyline low dose for nerve pain and there is certainly a slight improvement already although I was reluctant to take it. I rarely wear any tight clothing or even a bra due to the pain but the consultant has said it will improve.

It’s helpful hearing other people’s difficulties.

Hi dollys

Just nipping on to say I have been on amitriptilyn for just over a year now - stopped and started a bit as wasn't too comfortable taking them. Am kind of resigned to them just now - I have found that the effect builds up, and I did increase the dose slightly - with my GP obviously. The pain is in my arm rather than my chest but it is slowly improving over time. Hang in there!

R