Pain Months after Lumpectomy/Radiation

I have not had that. I would get it checked out so that you can have peace about it.

Yes me too experiencing the same

kec1972, yes it is normal to have some pain after the treatments are over. I remember taking Ibuprofen/tylenol which helped with the pain. As others have suggested, stretching exercises do help.

Did you have the lymph nodes removed on the side of your lumpectomy? I had slight lymphedema after radiation, so I had to wear a compression sleeve.

I am within 2 weeks of my one year anniversary from radiation. My breast is still achey and sore. They even sent me to PT last March, she said I do not have lymphedema, which of course is good, and gave me stretching exercises to do. I did them religiously at first, but really, it doesn't seem to help. I should try to make it a priority again tho. I do also always massage my radiated areas with coconut oil twice a day. I don't know if the pain is from rads or the lumpectomy or both, in which the surgical area was a centimeter under my nipple, an extra sensitive spot. I have tried OTC meds and nothing really helps. Aleve and Advil take the edge off it a little. I find I am more comfortable with a bra on, but I'm still dying to take it off after work! I really hope it gets better. It's' slightly better than last Feb and March. Funny, because it did not hurt until 2 months post lumpectomy.

kk - my RO told me I would have to stretch EVERY DAY for the rest of my life to counter the radiation damage. Apparently those muscles, nerves, skin, etc. are like a rubber band once they have been radiated. If you don't keep stretching, they will pull back.

I had to stop my regular exercise for two weeks due to cataract surgery. I can already feel the difference and it's not comfortable.

I feel exactly what you describe! finished radiation in May. PT helped a lot with the radiated tissue. but in past few weeks my breast has shrunk notably and become harder and more pain again. i have so much pain in my rib on one side right at base of breast. i cannot wear a bra past few days. im so disheartened.

It's been three years and my treated breast still hurts. I guess it's the new normal. It's ok if I don't poke at it, so I try to leave the entire area alone.

My treated breast doesn't hurt and is now close to the same size (but perkier) than the other one.

However, I also have found that I must stretch frequently or it hurts when I raise that arm high above my head and / or move my elbow up and behind me.

Rads can effect your heart and your lungs. Good that you're having consults.

I'm wondering if anybody else has pain and some sort of heavy numbness along the underam after rads. I was afraid it might be lymphedema, by my MO ruled that out and said it was probably the nerves being affected after nodes removal and rads. Does it go away eventualIy?

HI everyone,

This is another example of a huge problem in the cancer industry. In June 2011 a study was released that the majority of women who receive lumpectomy and radiation will be in moderate to severe pain for a year. Was this ever explained to you by your doctor? Did they explain how much radiation would help you? In some women it only lowers the chance of their cancer coming back by 7%. Is that worth a year of pain...and is that right for your doctor to decide that for you by telling you you must have a treatment. Also, did he tell you that there is treatment? The only treatment is HBOT with is FDA approved for radiation pain and damage. MOst radiation oncologists do not know this. SO they give you a treatment that causes you pain, dont tell you how much it is helping you and then they don't even know how to treat it.

I need your stories!I am currently writing a book on stage 1 breast cancer as I had a horrific experience that didn't need to happen.These ranged from gender bias where my symptoms and pain were not believed, resulting in unnecessary suffering and damage, to doctors having very little knowledge in their fields, for example Hyperbaric oxygen specialists that not only unaware that it is the only approved treatment for radiation damage, but even after giving them studies to support this, they still didn't believe me and refused treatment.

On top of this, there is the industry's constant over simplification of guidelines (mastectomy or radiation and lumpectomy for every stage 1 BC case) and the over treatment of patients.In 2018 a study came out that 70% of early BC patients did not need chemo.Then why were they giving chemo patients that didn't need it!Why were they testing a treatment before it was administered! Women are never told how much each of these treatments will help them so they cannot weigh the benefits and costs to treatment.They are just told they have to do it.

Then to top it off, there is no accountability in the industry (please read "Unaccountable" by Dr. Makary) and completely driven by money (please read "The Price We Pay" also by Dr Makary. Dr. Makary is a surgeon and teacher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health)

So I want to hear from you.Were you ever told how much different treatments will help you?Were you ever in pain and a doctor said it was in your head or it wasn't that bad?(Both of these were said to me.)Were you told about all of the side effects of treatments, before you started the treatment, such as a long-term safe effect of chemo is cardiovascular damage?Or that you would have permanent damage to your skin, muscles, ribs (and heart of it was done on your left side) from radiation?Post-cancer did you have issues and no doctor had the knowledge to help you?

To all of my BC sisters I want to thank you for your time and we will get through this!!

I am 6 months post op and my breast is still tender but looks normal (kinda) I did have a seroma which dr said will take months to go away. I had a left lumpectomy and radiation