Axillary and lumpectomy Post op pain

Hi, my scar area was painful for quite some time, and if I press on it even today, 4 years on, there is some discomfort.   However, in saying that, it might be worth just asking one of the team at your next appointment. Best wishes, hope your chemo is going well. 

Hi, I came on here tonight to see if anyone still had pain and tenderness a year after a lumpectomy and radiation.  My breast still hurts when I run or go down the stairs. I had 2 lumpectomy's, the last a year ago.  The MacMillan Nurse did tell me at the time that you can get continued pain for over a year, 18 months.  I just had my first mammogram since and it was fine so guess it is just where they cut through the nerves?

Good luck with your treatment

Hi RustyB

I had a lumpectomy with re-incision Feb 24. Where I had the lumpectomy above the nipple to top of breast & where I had auxiliary lymph node clearance is still very tender & a little painful. The re-incision was due to margins not being clear & because I had a bad infection. Maybe that’s some of the reason it’s still hurts? I did have 6 chemos & radiotherapy. Think radiotherapy is known to cause issues.

I’m hoping to have some physio & scar tissue massage therapy as I’m getting fat necrosis & calcification. 

Not good having this discomfort after is it as you’d think it would just heal & be ok. 

Thank you for replying,that's a comfort to me. I did wonder whether the radiation had something to do with it. I too had the 2nd lumpectomy due to margins not being clear, and reincision around the nipple as Cancer was above on left hand side towards the armpit. The pain I get is like a constant ache right up into my armpit. I would rather have it than the Cancer but you can't help wondering if it is normal!

Thanks for your comfort, hope the physio helps.

Hi, I had my ops in Oct and then Dec ‘24. Radiotherapy Feb ‘25. I also still have tenderness and pain. The radiotherapy causes fibrosis of the tissue I think. I was lucky to be referred for scar therapy as my scar tightened after the radiotherapy. The practitioner I saw was amazing and said she sees a lot of people with post rads effects. Very light massage and lymphatic drainage massage have really helped me. 

Thank you so much, I will try that

You could possibly ask your breast care team for a referral for scar therapy or my local hospice (which is where I was seen) has a self referral scheme for post cancer wellbeing. 

There’s a lot of fibrous tissue which has increased since mammogram a year ago. I have been doing lymphatic drainage massages for a year now which has dealt with the lymphoedema but not that. It’s good to know that this scar therapy could help especially as I’m having symmetry surgery in March to reduce right breast to size of left & also fat transfer into left surgery site as it has sunk in a fair bit. 

Thanks for the info