Does anyone else have very hard tissue after rads?

Heart2930 · April 2014

Heart2930 · April 2014

I was very active on the discussion boards but I haven't been on in a while. I just kind of needed a mental break from the whole breast cancer thing. But now I have a problem and know this is the best place to come for answers. The mental break is over I guess.

I had a very large lumpectomy in April 2013, and finished rads in June 2013. I was told prior to rads that the breast tissue can feel firmer after rads. Up until about 4 months ago the skin on the underside of my breast was still gray (this is what it looked like after it healed from rads). Then it turned pink, but the area is not just firm. It is pretty hard. The skin over the hard area looks kind of like an orange peel. Has this happened to anyone else? I am hoping it is just an artifact of the rads, but after doing some reading I am getting really worried.

Unfortunately, to add to this I have a brandy new lump just off the edge of where the hard skin is. So I am going in for imaging, ultrasound and the works next Wednesday, but in the mean time I am a lot freaked out.

Does anyone else have some pretty solid tissue after rads, and did it happen right after rads or was it months later?

Thanks!

Infobabe · April 2014

Heart, I am giving you this bump because I want to know too.

Redheaded1 · May 2014

Heart---what did you find out?????

Lily55 · May 2014

my chest was solid as a rock a few months after rads and very stuck together, even tissue stuck to the bone so i think its not uncommon as i was told its normal. Often we get hard fatty lumps so lets hope this is what yours is

MrsDarcy · June 2014

Heart - I have this as well. I had bc jn my left breast and I am a 36d. I now have a long "bar like" hard area on the lower bottom of my breast - along with the orange peel effect. My doctor confirms this is from radiation but I have yet to find out if it goes away.

I finished rads at the end of Jan 2014. I am not overly concerned although it does physically bother me sometimes.

Sorry i couldn't shed more light on this - but we are at least not alone in it now

Summertime76 · July 2014

Heart,

Mine did the same thing, was very hard at the surgical site for a long time after radiation. Also had a new bump come up and after an ultrasound, was told it was fluid. After surgery our bodies will send fluid to the injured place as part of the healing.

The fluid stayed until 1 1/2 years after surgery. I'm 3 years out and the hardness has went away but my dent and scar are still prominent.

Hope you are feeling better!

Sunshineinky · July 2014

I have one hard area and it's in the lower portion of my breast as well. I just finished rads and my RO said that it could be there forever. Sometimes it goes away and sometimes it doesn't.

Good luck to you!!!

Heart2930 · July 2014

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond, I have had some other health issues going on that I had to deal with. Well.... my breast surgeon just said that after surgery and rads I will have a lot of lumps and bumps and hard areas and not to worry about them. Easy for him to say. Fortunately after the biopsy I found out the new lump was just more necrotic fat from rads. I end up with a biopsy every six months and so far it has all been necrotic fat thankfully.

Happy Summer to All!

Bounce · July 2014

Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier - I finished rads in December 2013 and began to feel hard skin under my breast along the rib.

Because my breast and under arm area were painful I went for lymphedema massage and it really helped soften the skin and make me feel better in general.

I am sharing this because I was not diagnosed with lymphedema but the treatment really helped me feel physically and emotionally better.

For anyone with issues a few months after surgery and / or rads I would recommend trying a lymphedema therapist - but to make sure it is someone qualified.

Does anyone else have very hard tissue after rads?

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