Prolonged Breast Pain after Lumpectomy

ked329

I got my dx of DCIS in mid-April and wire localization lumpectomy in mid-May.  Recovery was fine -- no infection -- but my breast was incredibly sore and tender for weeks.  Doctors didn't see anything concerning, but I had to scale back almost all activity except the stationary bike (I wish I could have scaled back more housework!  Only a little bit of success there.) 

After six weeks, the pain had gotten better enough that I only had minor, occasional discomfort . . . and then I started radiation.  After a week of treatment, the pain has returned.

I just joined these discussion boards and can't tell how typical such pain is.  I've been religiously putting on the cream that the RO prescribed and know I may have skin problems with radiation.  But have others experienced this?  I'm not large-breasted, but I have dense breast tissue.  The things I used to love to do -- hiking, fast walking, riding -- I can't do without pain, and for the life of me, I haven't found a bra yet that really helps.  I've got a drawer full of bras now!!

Any thoughts??

BeckySharp

ked--I have also had breast pain.  I then developed lymphedema in my right arm.  The therapist told me I also had truncal lymphedema (LE).  My breast would be slightly more swollen at the end of the day than the one not affected.  I started wearing a compression tank top I got at K-Mart over my bra.  I am also getting manual lymphatic drainage from the therapist.  My pain has been almost totally gone after several weeks.  I exercise with the tank on.  I am not sure if that could be your problem.   You could also have a hematoma or sertoma in the breast.  Your dr. could tell you that.  Hope it resolves soon for you.  Becky

Sherryc

ked I did not have pain after my lumpectomy, I healed very quickly and all seemed ok.  The first day of rads I started having weird pains in different places in my breast.  I kept telling the techs and the Dr about it and they all said it was too early to feel anything from rads.  I became very swollen and was in discomfort all the time.  I worked really hard at keeping my skin in good shape which I think I did pretty good but still had problems at the end.  But that I think is fairly normal.  After rads I just continued to hurt, it finally turned into radiating burning pain from my SNB down into my breast and stabbing pains behind my nipple.  They were so bad I would be in tears.  I finally went back to my BS (this was 2 months post rads) and told her something was wrong and I could not take the pain any longer.  She immediatly said I had nerve damage.  She said my nerves were compromised from surgery and that rads basically fried them and it is permanant.  She put me on amytriptoline 25mg and it works pretty well.  I was still having breakthrough pain so she sent me to a pain dr. who also put me on a compound cream for the breakthrough pain that works really well.  I also had developed a very bad left hip joint pain and he put me on Celebrex (I am allergic to ibuprophen and naproxen).  I have noticed that the celebex is also helping with the pain.  Since adding that I am not having near the breakthrough pain any longer.  I am 49 and hate the thought of being on meds the rest of my life, so I have decided to have a MX and they will sever my nerves permantly and I will have no feeling at all.  I told all my doctors I would rather be numb than to feel the pain.  I would ask all the Doctors about possible nerve damage.  I wish that my RO had picked up on this in the beginning, I would have quit rads then and gone and had a MX.

ked329

Thanks BeckySharp and Sherryc.  I'll be seeing my RO tomorrow and talking with her about what's going on . . . and asking about the things you both brought up.  By the end of the day, I try to avoid bending over because of the pain, so it's definitely interfering with regular, daily life.  (I have two sons who need to get better NOW about picking up their stuff off the floor!!)