Swelling after lumpectomy, lymph node removal and radiotherpy

Hi Granny7

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear that you were diagnosed with breast cancer.  While it hasn't happened to me I thought I'd reply to you to welcome you to the forum.  I suggest that you either ring your breast care nurse and tell them about the swelling or mention it when you go for your mammogram tomorrow.

Best of luck with your mammogram tomorrow.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hi Daisy53

Thank you so much for that lovely welcome. To be honest I don't think that I really took it in that I had cancer, because my mum had been showing signs of dementia, so she is all I was concerned about. I did speak to the nurse specialist and she said that it sounded like something that can happen following radiotherapy. That is fine if it is that, but I just need someone to tell me that. Thank you Daisy, its not coming quick enough lol..xx

Hi Granny7, and another warm welcome to the forum. One suggestion is that you ask for a referral to the lympheodema service, in case that’s what the swelling might be. If it is, there are things you can do to help it. I was referred after my oncology follow up, 10 weeks after radiotherapy. I had queried why my scooped out and radiated breast was now bigger than the other! They gave me antibiotics in case there was an underlying infection but also (thankfully) referred me to my local lympheodema service. The specialist nurse there confirmed that it was lympheodema. It’s a lesser publicised side effect of radiotherapy. She advised a number of things, including a fully supportive bra, some exercises, and recommended that I start Nordic walking or aqua aerobics/ swimming. Worked a treat and at my 6 week follow up she discharged me but I can self refer in future if it gets worse. I still have it but it’s ‘under control’. 
Of course I’m jumping the gun and it may not be this but I’d definitely ask for a manual examination and ask about a lympheodema referral. They probably can’t arrange anything in the mammography department but you could phone the breast clinic to ask? Hope you get some answers, and good luck with the mammogram tomorrow. Love and hugs, HFxx 

Hi HappyFeet1

Thank you so much for your lovely welcome, really nice people in here..

I was wondering if it was lymphedema myself because the swelling is pretty obvious. It is not painful in the least but I know that its there and wasn't before my operation. I will try the breast nurse again in the morning because she is returning from her annual leave. Just don't want to appear to be a pest but we have been through a lot the past year. My mum started off just forgetting things and ended up with dementia and bowel cancer and we lost her 8 weeks ago. I have cried numerous times a day and can't seem to stop thinking about that day and what happened to her. If I don't get the nurse, then I will go to where the clinics are held and ask to even speak to her on the phone. The whole team were wonderful during my diagnosis, operation and radiotherapy. I am imagining all sorts here so need someone to tell me to stop worrying.. Thank you HappyFeet1,I will let you know how I get on...Many thanks again ...xx

You’ve had such a lot to cope with Granny7, definitely need some answers re the swelling so I hope you can get a face to face appointment at the breast clinic to get it checked. Glad you’re finding the site supportive, I was so glad I’d ‘joined’ when I finally got round to it after ‘lurking’ in the sidelines for a while! Xx

Hi HappyFeet1, had my mammogram, which was painful. No results as yet and apparently I have a follow up appointment on the 29th August, so a few weeks away. Hope you are doing well.x.x

Hi Granny7, good that you’ve had the mammogram (but ouch I find them painful too on the treated side, sometimes think they’ll rip it off it’s such a strong pull and squash), even better that you have a follow up appointment in a few weeks. You need someone to examine you and see what they think is causing the swelling/ query lympheodema. I had my annual mammogram a week or so ago and have a face to face appointment mid august. Currently away on holiday which is lovely and stops me dwelling on the scananxiety! Love and hugs, HFxx 

Welcome Granny7 I had my lumpectomy and sentinel node removed  in October chemo from December to April then radiotherapy in May , I only started feeling pain in my shoulder and in breast again a few weeks after the radiotherapy   I am waiting for a review now on the 3rd of August from oncologist and I will be telling them about the pain in breast shoulder and down arm. Hopefully it will go away. And I hope you get sorted too..xx