Tingling/Pain in Breasts After Cancer?

cakeisgreat

Hello, All!

 I have two questions that maybe someone(s) can answer...

Has anyone continued to have tingling in the breasts (mainly nipples) AFTER lumpectomy and treatment of cancer?  I have this - it's in both breasts (the good one and the cancer treated one).

How about new pain(s) in the good "other" breast where no cancer was found?  I have this also and wondering if cancer can start again so quickly?  I'm not even done with radiation yet.  I got an MRI of both breasts during radiation which was useless to the "cancer" breast being radiated, but nothing of concern showed up on the other non-cancer breast, yet I have pain. I never had pain in the "good" breast before, so now I'm concerned. It's been there for about 3 weeks.

I also got post-op mammos of both breasts (the good and the bad), and the mammo came back fine.

Am I just being a wierdo?  Could there be something there (DCIS or other) that did not show up before and is not showing up now, but is there?  I have an oncologist appt tomorrow so I will ask, but I thought I'd throw it out there to you experts.  

katherella70

Hi Cake,

Since my core biopsies I've been experiencing a similar type of sensation/pain and then I will feel it later on the other non-cancer side in the same spot.   During my pre-op my surgeon's nurse told me that it is not unusual for the body (since we are built in a symmetrical way) to have "ghost" pain.

???

Who knows... but that was the first I had heard of it.

My Best,

Kat 

Nicole112

OMG- Jo-5!!!!! I have finally met someone who has had experiences similar to me, this sounds crazy but I want to here about your cellulitis! I had this prior to getting diagnosed with bc, and to get rid of it I had to have surgery and pack it three times a day for two months! I thought that was the end of it... then a year almost to the day later, I got diagnosed with bc in the OTHER breast... I have had a lumpectomy, followed by reexcision, chemo/rad... and am now 9 months post treatments.... and then I got the red, sensitive feeling again in the breast where bc was located. I was petrified and though it was recurrence but come to find out it was infection, deep tissue infection which needed to be aspirated to gt better. I did a followup MRI and doing an ultrasound tomorrow to see if all is clear... all I can say is wow! I am tired of going to the "next appt", I thought I was past this point. WIth this said, as crazy as it sounds, I am completely healthy otherwise! Next chapter, PLEASE !

So there was my story in a nutshell, I would love to hear yours!

London-Virginia

Hello Cake - I had lumpectomy left, breast reduction both sides. (June 24 surgery).

I go for a while with nothing much happening (numbness mainly), then my nipples (which were re-sited and mercifully have a lot fo sensation, just usually at inconvenient moments!!) decide to have electric  excitements and are rather sore, then a sometimes get a bit of stabbing pains and aches.  Luckily for me I have been constantly monitored by me breast care nurse (twice  a week) who is very experienced in this field.  This seems to be very normal healing process.  Some days my breasts swell for no apparent reason.  Some days they are sore.   They do seem to have a life of their own at times.  I am still quie sore in the "tails" the muscle area going under the arm.  I am doing chemo presently and have had sore armpits sometimes, so I rather think that treatment can upset the nodes/;lymphatic system.  (bloody good job if so - hopefully the chemo will kill off any stray nasty cells ).

 I would imagine the rads can have the same sort of effect for different reasons.

My nurse has now supplied me with some special dressings to help make the scars fade, and also has recommended I do self massage round the breast, very gently, to help get rid of numbness and get the blood flowing nicely.  I think overall that breats are sensitive things and it takes quite a while for everything to heal.

Good luck with your onc visit -

xxxxxxx

annadou

Hi All

Could it be a fluid build up causing the problem?

I have also got some strange persistant pains in the bad boob and axilla and I am 6mths post op.I am still too sensitive to have a feel round to see if there is anything and I would  no doubt 'find a lump' and have to rush off to the docs yet again. The first time I did it I was ultrasounded and told that there was fluid.I cant believe how painful a 1cm lump has been and people opt for cosmetic breast surgery!.I think that also radiation is to blame for the tingling feelings as I didnt have them before and also the lymphedema causes similar feelings esp if you have overworked the arm which I do all the time.

Hi Virginia-Im glad to see you are doing ok with chemo-hope it continues. Are you getting radiation next or the axillary strip? Im in Crete till end of oct if you feel like it!!

 Hugs to all 

Anna

cakeisgreat

thanks for all the info, guys!  My onc looked at everything and said for now doesnt look like anything to worry about.  whew!

London-Virginia

Cake - hoorah!  Yay!  Good news!  Really happy for you.  xxxxxx

Anna - good to hear from you!  I probably can't fly yet, but am thinking about coming into Athens December time, or January.  Chemo ok, still have quite a lot of hair due to the cold cap, haven't lost eyebrows as yet, haven't yet decided about the axilla op or not, but rads for sure, probably January at some point.  Next chemo is next Friday, so mid way through.  It all seems to come so quickly.  Hope you are feeling better now - do pm me to catch up.  xx

sorry everyone - just catching up with a friend.

love to all xxxxx

Kindergarten

Dear Cakeisgreat!! I just love your name!!! I had a bilateral mastectomy almost 5 years ago and I still also have tingling and burning pain in my right area where my breast used to be. I did not have reconstruction. My onc says it is nothing serious.

cakeisgreat

Yeah, LOL, I guess I wont be posting on the healthy diet sections any time soon .