talk me down, please!

caaclark

Looking for some reassurance....I had a rt mastectomy in 2006 and stage III bc.  A yr or so post treatment I had a biopsy on the remaining breast.  Biopsy was neg-which my docs expected.  Close to the biopsy scar I am having intermittent twinges of slight pain.  I have a doc appt in 2 weeks but hoping for reassurance in the meantime.  Could this be a scar tissue thing.  Also, my original bc caused no pain.  Ok girls....talk me down.

littletower

I can only say I've had the same thing in all my biopsy and surgery areas and according to most recent tests, all was clear. Hate this anxiety we deal with so frequently. Big hugs.

flash

sounds like it really is scar tissue or could be a neuroma. (nerve gets a funny spot a tthe end where it was damaged.)  It would be about the right amount of time to be either of those.

sushanna1

I agree with flash.  I had really strange pains (best described as "intermittent twinges") in my axillary node dissection arm five or six years after the surgery.  Best guess is that it was nerve related as I seemed to have lost some of the numbness in the general area of the twinges.  I went to a physical therapist since I already have periodic lymphedema in my hand and really feared that the pain could be lymphedema related.  

I'm not an expert, but I wonder whether your pain could relate to scar tissue blocking a lymphatic pathway.  Sometimes even mild lymphedema can hurt.  Does the pain happen only when you move a certain way or if you put pressure on the scar?  If so, ask the doc about the possibility of a mild case of breast lymphedema.

Good luck and try not to worry.

Sue 

KerryMac

I would put my money on scar tissue too, or feeling coming back to the area. I don't think cancer is supposed to cause pain.

Also because you have an onc appt coming up, I wonder if you are just hyper-aware of things....I totally freaked myself out before my last onc visit thinking I could feel a lump, and it was just a rib. The mind is great at playing tricks on us.

Hang in there, try not to worry.  Let us know what the Onc says.

elmcity69

just another voice putting money on the scar tissue.

I think the damnedest part is: no matter how well we ARE doing, the fear lies in the back of our mind, always ready to take charge (however briefly).

I agree with Kerry that upcoming doc appointments can also ratchet up the anxiety.

Hugs to you. Thinking of you!

Let us know how it goes.

J

NancyD

I get twinges all the time...mostly my underarm on the cancer side. But unless it's constant, I wouldn't worry. Nerves were cut and suprizingly, they do try to regenerate. Unfortunately, that often means they cause twinges as they misfire in the process, sometimes when you're not doing anything.

Scar tissue can also be pulling on a nerve. Does it happen when yo move a certain way? 

kathleen1966

I also get twinges of pain all the time. I think the nerve ends get mixed up and they send these odd signals from time to time. I recently had AN MRI of my right breast and left chest wall so I am confident these twinges of pain are nothing.  I did, however, have an intense deep periodic pain in the left breast before my diagnosis. It was an obvious very deep pain.  This pain is not the same. It is every once in while.

caaclark

Thanks, Ladies.  I also think it is probably scar tissue but just wanted to get it out there.  So, here is the funny (sort of) thing....I said something to my husband last night about it and he said, "Do you think it's the new bra you have been wearing?"  I had not really given it much thought but I started wearing a new style mast. bra right about the time the intermittent twinge started.  Today I wore a different bra and have felt NOTHING!  DUH!!!!   I will still mention it to my oncologist but I am not nearly as concerned as I was when I posted last night.

OneBadBoob

Ain't it the truth Carol!!

We get outselves all into a tizzy, and then forget that we did a "little something" different, like a new bra, and that may easily explain the tinges!!

All fingers and paws crossed here that this is what did it is--THROW THAT NEW BRA AWAY OR BURN IT!!

Our bodies are do delicate after all we have been through--gotta watch any changes we do, garments or exercise, that can cause "twinges."

Keep us updated!