Breast pain after Radiotherapy finished

Hi Dolly

I had full node clearance and radiotherapy for 20 sessions 13 years ago. 

I hate to say it but my armpit still gets tight if I don't stretch it out. I'll often do basic yoga stretches when I was working my kids often did stretch I was shown by physio in their PE warm ups. 

As for pain, still getting odd twinges and aches. I did at one time get really sharp pains at the beginning. When I asked the consultant I was told and I quote

" why complain you're still alive?"

" when you get pain massage it"

Things may have changed regarding bedside manner! I often wondered what Ofsted would have thought about me teaching while massaging my right boob.

All I can say is its very very early days. Radiotherapy has a much greater impact on our bodies than people think. It seems so simple so undramatic but it does have a big impact on the body. Combine that with surgery which can take a while to heal.I'm of the opinion that because we are sent home after the surgery on the same day, we think it's minor surgery and it isn't.

So be patient, take pain relief if you need to, because keeping moving is important, but rest too.

Listen to your body and be kind to yourself.

Hugs

PS you might find that shoulder aches as the weather gets colder so having an extra layer is good. Also extra careful in the sun next year

Hi Dolly64,

Following a Mastectomy in July 2018 I had RT 15 sessions to the Chest Wall, which takes in the very low level axilla. I get pain where my breast was, this is tightness, sometimes pain, stabbing pains and it radiates to under the arm and behind where my breast was, the pain feels so deep inside the muscle sometimes.  I have mentioned this to my Surgeon several times,who advised me to use Ibuprofen Gel!! I still do the exercises when it's really tight that I was advised to do following my Surgery. What I have learnt from a Physio and by reading up about RT is that it affects the muscles and can weaken the bones, hence why some, including a friend, can end up with a fracture of the rib/s after RT. 

Best Wishes. 

Hi

I had lumpectomy in June 2017 and radiotherapy in October 2017.  When I had my final appointment with my BC nurse in Feburary 2018 and said that my breast still hurt she said "it's early days yet".  It was true, I was astonished how a broken bone could heal in 6 weeks, but it was a full year after finishing radiotherapy when I could lift my weekly shopping bags without any pain.  

It was literally 4 months after my first annual mammogram when I realised that it had stopped hurting! 

I think I overdid it a bit on the use of my arm when I first had the operation as I didn't really have much choice.  I lost my right elbow in a  road accident when I was 17, so I had to use my left arm (left breast with BC) to do things, so that might be why mine took such a long time to stop hurting, but the BC nurse didn't seem at all surprised or worried when I spoke to her in February.

Hope this helps,