Pain under breast after radiotherapy

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Hi everyone, I had a lumpectomy in January followed by 5 days radiotherapy beginning of March. Since April I have awful pain to the right under my treated breast. I’m taking cocodamol 30/500 which eases the pain but doesn’t get rid of it. Have also taken Ibuprofen in desperation but I’m asthmatic so shouldn’t. When I cough the pain is horrendous. I’m finding it very tiring being in so much pain and getting desperate for a solution. My GP thought it was muscular but my oncologist when I mentioned it to him just dismissed it as radiotherapy pain and just said we did talk about it before op. Would appreciate your thoughts and similar experience if any.

TIAx

  • Hi KrazyKat Lady

    I am sorry to hear that you are having so much pain after your radiotherapy. It does sound really uncomfortable. You have done the right thing in speaking with your GP and oncologist but you are still not getting enough pain relief.

    I wonder if it would be worth contacting your radiotherapist? They would be the experts in the post radiotherapy pain and would be able to hopefully give some reassurance and suggest some treatment. I say this because when I finished my own radiotherapy for endometrial cancer I was told that at any point, if I had symptoms that could be connected to the treatment- to phone or email them and they would get me in to check things. 

    With my own radiotherapy I was told that side effects could sometimes increase for a few weeks after treatment finished and then would hopefully gradually start to get better. I wonder if this may be what is happening with you. 

    If talking things through first would help then please give the Support Line a call and have a chat to one of the nurses.

    Jane

           

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

  • Hi Jane, thank you for taking the time to reply Blush I have an appointment today with my GP but if I still don’t get any where I will try the radiotherapy department as you suggest. Fingers crossed x

  • Hope the GP can help or at least give some help with pain relief. Let us know how you get on

    Jane

           

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

  • Hope you get some answers. I have pain after radiotherapy and my oncologist said that it was the pain from odema (fluid pocket) after the radiotherapy.

  • Hi Asa26, that’s interesting as I have oedema on the left side of my breast. Is your pain bad? Did your Oncologist suggest anything for it? I saw a GP today who prescribed a low dose of pregabalin for nerve pain but I’m a bit reluctant to take it because of the side effects.