Very Worried :(

Dreamdog

It's 4 months after my radiation (8 months after lumpectomy surgery) and for the past month I have noticed more swelling; hot to touch, orange peel and a thickened area as well as pain in the breast that started with a "bruised feeling" and now is more of a burning feeling...starting under my arm where the nodes were removed and spreading around the breast. My surgeon and radiation oncologist feel it is lymphedema but I am very concerned about the fact that these are ALL of the symptoms of Inflamatory BC???

Please any info or experiences you can share would be helpful - I AM VERY Worried

Thank you so much!! -Lisa

badboob67

Lisa,
All of these symptoms are, indeed, symptoms of LYMPHEDEMA. With the treatments you describe, you are definitely at risk for developing LE (anyone with any kind of chest surgery is at risk!). The thing with LE is that any suspected infection (CELLULITIS) needs to be treated IMMEDIATELY with antibiotics. You also need to be looked at by a LANA certified LE therapist. There are exercises and massage techniques as well as a specific wrapping technique with short-stretch bandages that you need to do to get LE under control. Please visit www.lymphnet.org for more information. Also, "binney" is a very knowledgable poster in the "LYMPHEDEMA CONCERNS" section of this message board. Perhaps you could post there and she can help you too. She certainly provided me with LOTS of support and information when I discovered I had developed LE this past February.

I would think that if the radiation ONC and surgeon are leaning toward it being LE, you can have some level of comfort about it not being IBC. I have found my RADS ONC to be extremely accurate in his opinions as they've all borne out with further testing.

The fact that you are describing symptoms that may indicate you may be developing an infection (CELLULITIS) means that you need to be looked at and treated right away. LE infections can be troublesome to treat.

I am so sorry you are going through this and will keep you in my prayers! (((HUGS)))

lexi4

Lisa,

I am sorry that you are having problems. It does sound like it may be lymphadema. Please seek another opinion if you need to. Make them listen until you have a firm diagnosis.

Hugs and Prayers,
Lexi

fd411

Lisa,

I have the same symptoms that you have described and had the same concerns. My Mammo, US and MRI all came back negative for suspicious masses. They were going to do a biopsy, but when I came back, the swelling in my breast had decreased and the radiologist decided not to do a biopsy after all. I have truncal lymphedema, but the thickening is getting worse, so I'm going to see the NP at the surgeons office who handles lymphedema concerns and see what kind of treatment I need.

Ferne

Fairchild

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