5 years after radiation ache/pains

Jeni1962

It’s been 5 years since radiation on my left breast and I’ve been having occasional pain in my chest wall and armpit area. Hard to describe. Sometimes so painful it takes my breath away. I keep thinking I’m having a heart attack or something. It doesn’t happen all of the time. It’s very sporadic. I just wonder if anyone else has had issues like that. I have talked to my Oncologist about it and he says it could just be nerve pain. Again, just wondering if anyone else has a similar story. Thanks.

ksusan

Jeni, have you had any scar massage on the radiated area? I get pain and tightness if I don't.

Jeni1962

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

I had a lumpectomy and as I do have a scar under my armpit and on my breast, the pain comes from something deeper than that. Hard to explain. I have told my Doctor it feels more skeletal if that makes sense. If I stretch too much a certain way, it feels like it is tearing in between my ribs. I also worry that my heart and/or other organs may have been compromised since its on the left side.

It's something I will just keep monitoring. Thank you for the suggestion though. It might be something I try in the future.

Shellsatthebeach

Jeni, have you had an echo lately?

sdianel

I know how you feel. I have the same pain. I had radiation in May 2017. This pain started 2 weeks ago and got progressively worse until it was excruciating! When i took a deep breath or moved, getting in and out of bed or in and out of a chair. It feels like it's in my ribs and goes around to my spine and in my shoulder blade. I've never had a broken rib but people who have described the same pain. Sharp, severe, stabbing like a knife. I have researched online it and there are several names that I found. Pleuritis, chrondritis, rare but does occur is osteoradionecrosis. I don't know if there is anything they can do for it. After 2 weeks my pain has subsided a bit. It's worse at night. Doctor won't prescribe any more pain meds and I can't take NSAID's so Tylenol is it which does nothing to stop the pain. I'm so depressed. I've been in pain for 6 months with the radiated breast swollen, red, hot and sore to the point I can't sleep at night. If I had know I would have these terrible side effects, I would never have had the radiation.

5yrslater

Hello, I had a Breast lumpectomy in August 2012, Did 6 chemo treatments because I was Triple Negative, and 35 Radiation treatments. I have had so many aches and pains in my breast since then it's nuts. It wanted to make me fear and I would tell the Dr and he just looked at me. No answers! 2 years ago I even had my mammogram early because of the symptoms. The symptoms would come and go. Just recently I have a new set of symptoms and it wants to make me fear. I fight it daily. I am trying to let it play out and see if it goes away like all the other symptoms that have come and gone. My breast is still sore when pushed upon. My breast did not decrease in size as the radiation oncologist said it would. Does anyone else have crazy symptoms. like a sharp sting in different places in your breast? At first I thought, is that my heart? As I have tried to wait it out it seems it is the breast instead. IDK just weird feels in that breast! Anyone please weigh in on this??? Thank you.

Moderators

Dear 5yrslater,

Welcome to the community. We are sorry for what you are going through but glad that you reached out to our members to share your story. This thread has not been active too recently so if you don't get timely responses to your question you may want to start a new topic. Let us know if you need help. The Mods

KarenZ0305

i finished my rads 11/2012 and I also get excruciating pain in my lump area. Also my shoulder is so painful I can use it. Shoulder pain has been progressively getting worse over the years. I wish there was a pamphlet that gave a list of all SEs so I wouldn't have to wonder the cause

BellWAMissy

I just had my lumpectomy in December, but ended up with the flu and then an infection at the seminal node site that traveled into the breast. I have been getting those sharp pains you described since the first week of radiation!! I finished up 20 sessions on this past Friday. Thursday I went for my very first acupuncture treatment. I figured I've been poked and prodded enough, what was a little more. I was a little (ok- a lot) skeptical whether it would help. I was really surprised that while the needles were in me for that 30 minute session, I could feel the pain start and increase, but it would only go to a 4 on the pain scale rather than the 12 it usually does. Since that treatment, I'm still getting the pains, but it's definitely better, maybe the highest being a 9 (still painful, but compared to the scratch the eyeballs out). I have an appointment to go back next week.

Gwinnettgirl

hi everyone.

I finished chemo. Heading to do cleanup lumpectomy at tumor site Spril 10.

I was surprised when the oncologist told me yesterday I needed radiation after surgery. I only had a single tumor started 2.5 cm now I think it’s down to nothing. I have said no because I’ve heard so many side effects of radiation including further cancers in the future related to rads . Any of you would change your minds after having gone through radiation?? How many would have still done it? I am Stage 2b. Txs

Cpeachymom

Gwinnett- I had one of those “rare” side effects they don’t like to tell you about upfront, I wound up with radiation pneumonitis that took 5 months of steroids to treat. During rads I had burns that the skin just peeled away (moist something that I can’t spell!) That being said, I also had LVI and a positive node after my mastectomy. So for me, even getting screwed by rads, I would still probably do them...You have to make the decision you can live with, and they’re all sucky choices!

mlc96

It's 5 years post radiation for me too. In the last year I had a BC recurrence with a lymph node tumor spreading into right shoulder tissue and wrapping around the venous return, which created a very swollen arm. Had 16 weeks of Taxol which cleared the tumor, however was still left with a very painful arm, along with numbness and lack of strength. Oncologist thought my arm would feel better after the tumor shrank, but it hasn't. Just had an MRI to brachial plexus area and determined to be scar tissue from radiation pressing on brachial plexus which controls arm and hand function, and an EMG determined some nerve damage. I get deep muscle contractions and cramping on my right side and chest wall, plus my shoulder is very tight. I'm waiting for another evaluation to see what can be done to correct it. Hard to believe I can "survive" tumors and chemo twice but may have permanent damage from radiation. Of course I'm right handed, I can't button clothing, cut my own food, or write. I guess I have to learn to be left handed!

123_ABC

Hi

I know how you feel and have questioned myself if I should have had the Radiation Therapy. Have problems with using my left arm with pain in my arm, shoulder and a pressure felling on my chest. I can only describe it as if the skeleton in the upper body is just not stable and pressure making it difficult to breath sometimes. I had told my GP and got the same response as you, just a look. It seems there is no follow up for this kind of thing. We are just left to have to accept that there is going to be pain and discomfort long after Breast Cancer. For me it is stopping me from doing the normal day to day activities I need to do. They send me to the physio and they ask you to make some simple movements. If you can do them then no problem. Just do some exercises and you will be fine. The pain is worse with exercises and I am sure it is not a muscle thing but nerve damage or damage from the Radiation treatment. Knowing what has exactly caused it is half the battle. At least then you can research and figure what you can do about it. It seems once you are discharged from the hospital that's it, you're on your own. I don't know how many times my GP has said it is just depression and anxiety because I have had Cancer. I was fine with coping with Cancer until a year further on and now find I am struggling and getting no help. Who wouldn't be depressed about that.

I really wish I had researched everything about Breast Cancer at the time but was too shocked, I guess, to know that just going through the motions is not necessarily the best thing to do.

Felicia50andup

ita been 5 years for me since i har radiation due to breat cancer and at times i have bad pains inside the area in chest i have arm pain shoulder pain it hurts so bad at times what can i do abour it ?

Felicia50andup

i know the feeling if i move a certain way i have the same pain you have after 5 years im afraid to move when it starts feel like a cripple you are not alone kmow i have Anixty and depression real bad and PTSD because of it.im very sad