Breast swollen hot and sore. Lymphadema or infection?

BC2015

hi. Wondering if anyone has experience with a hot swollen sore breast after lump, SNB and rads. I finished rads 6 weeks ago. The swelling and pain started a couple of weeks ago. It has gotten progressively worse. I started lymph pt last weeks and have gone 2x for pt massage.by last night the pain was too much. Called onco and got antibiotics. Not sure if this is lymphadema, cellulitis or mastitis. I don't have fever

vlnrph

Good thing you got an antibiotic started. Hopefully it is helping the heat, swelling and pain to subside by now.

Usually we avoid compression or lymphedema massage until any possible infection is cleared up. Elevation of the area may help (at least try not to sleep on that side) and hydration is important.

I had a couple bouts of mastitis over 25 years ago, long before BC or LE but did not have the lumpectomy/radiation treatment you describe. Perhaps someone else will share their experience. Meanwhile, rest and heal

SusanSnowFlake

I had Lumpectomy, SNB and rads on left side.  I was swollen, sore and red from Rads.  Almost 1 year since rads my breast is still a little warmer on the left side when I'm active, a different shade of me than before, I also still have 2 tough skin areas that will not be going away and some occasional soreness at the SNB scar area.  Breast soreness lasted for several months after rads ended and seemed to subside moving outward, meaning my nipple stayed sore longer than anywhere else. I was poorly informed of the side effects caused by rads.  In my case, the Doc seemed to be disconnected from the side effects, sort of like "not her responsibility" to deal with.  Maybe there should be an after care Doc that takes care of all of this.

Getting over breast cancer treatment was, for me, a very different experience than the overly optimistic description in the little hand outs I received at the hospital!

That said, I would, if I were you, call your Docs office and ask the nurse LOTS of questions. If your doc has sent you for LE therapy without diagnosing you or examining you, you should see the doc or a doc to find out if you should continue treatment.   

BC2015

update - antibiotics not doing anything so this appears to be lymphadema and not an infection. I saw the LE pt today and she massaged for 1/2 hour. It was a little less swollen but still large and sore. This stinks!

labelle

I did have an infection in my breast (swelling, redness, pain that just got worse and worse and a low grade fever off and on were my symptoms) after RADS and a LX and oral antibiotics did not work on it. If this doesn't improve soon, I would suggest you see your breast surgeon. Eventually an ultrasound was ordered for me and the infection diagnosed. It required surgical drainage and IV antibiotics clear it up. Just because this hasn't responded to oral antibiotics doesn't mean it's not an infection. Don't let it go to long w/out having it checked out. I hated having surgery again, but was absolutely amazed about how much pain I'd been in. The surgery brought instant relief.

BC2015

labelle - thanks for the response. I definitely will contact BS. I did have a big seroma after surgery so maybe there is something going on. So hard to know which doc to talk to. Massage doesn't seem to help

Binney4

BC, I'm really sorry you're having to deal with this. Lymphedema is an inflammatory condition so, especially in the breast, can cause redness as well as swelling. A topical antihistamine might help, with your doctor's approval of course. But the long term fix for lymphedema would be Manual Lymph Drainage (massage) and compression. Are you using any compression on the breast along with the PTs massage technique?
Binney

BC2015

Thanks for responding - yes I am wearing sports bras with swell spot. Sleeping in it also. I typically wake at 3am in pain and have to remove it. The lymph garment consultant recommends a full breast swell pad. I am picking it up tomorrow. Today was a little improved - yah! Tomorrow is my last PT for a 10 day pd. I am messaging at night but it's not the same as my therapist. This woman is great