pain and other sensations near the mx scar

TectonicShift
TectonicShift Member Posts: 752
edited January 2021 in Stage III Breast Cancer

I'm nine years out from mx. I have little twinges and vague pain - I'd call it tenderness - in the area of my mastectomy scar. Sometimes I think it's nerves regenerating or scar tissue just being scar tissue. Sometimes I have vague pains in what feels like the ribs or the muscles or cartilage. There is an area on my rib that has some pain when I press on it. Not terrible but it does feel sore.

Does anyone else here have aches and pains, burnings and twitches and twinges and tingling, feelings of tightness, etc, in the chest area at or near the scar or in the ribs undneath so far out from surgery and rads?


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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2020

    Tectonic - I answered your same post on the other thread - PMPS

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  • TectonicShift
    TectonicShift Member Posts: 752
    edited July 2021

    Oh thanks, MT. It's good?? to hear others with similar diagnoses and timelines have some problems too. (Not good but you know what I mean.)

    I'm especially interested in people farther out from surgery like you and others on Stage 3 board. Hence the double post here and on the Pain board.

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  • Ausykaren
    Ausykaren Member Posts: 68
    edited November 2020

    Hi Techtonicshift,

    I know I’m not as far out as you but I have rib pain on my cancer side. I was sent for X-rays which came back fine and when I told my oncologist she said it is common and is from the radiation. I don’t poke my ribs anymore cause it makes it worse and just makes me worry.


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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited November 2020

    OK - I'll copy my other post here too.

    7 years out - I still have twinges & some pain mostly on the side & arm when I went back for ALND. And yes - radiation problems are forever. I try to stretch every day so the muscles don't pull back & stiffen up. I was just thinking the other day - since it's constant and not debilitating, I'm brought up short every once in awhile trying to remember what it was like before. Also I have breast & truncal lymphadema so I always have to watch that. It makes it impossible to forget BC.

    Like Magiclight - I also have neuropathy in my feet that can travel up my calves sometimes and never regained full feeling in my fingers. Fortunately there isn't much pain, but it's like having dead blocks of ice for feet. I have to watch where I'm walking so I don't stumble or trip.

    I guess I just try to ignore random pains - when I'm not pissed about something I can no longer accomplish.
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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited November 2020

    It's not constant by any means, but the tissues in my chest, back, and armpit, that were unlucky enough to be in the radiation field in 2012, are very prone to cramp. All I have to do is move a certain way, reach a certain direction with that arm, and boom, agonizing cramp. It's not worrisome, just annoying.

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  • trinigirl50
    trinigirl50 Member Posts: 343
    edited November 2020

    Hi Tetonicshift

    I have exactly the same type of pains that you describe. I have a particularly sore spot on my ribcage above my implant. Its been 5 years. I attribute it to radiation.

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  • Newnorm
    Newnorm Member Posts: 100
    edited November 2020

    Hi TechtonicShift

    I'm not as far out from surgery as you are but I do have tingling and some times sharp twitches that are painful. These pains happen about every 3 months or so. I've also had two episodes of Costochondritis on my cancer side, which was really painful. Like others here I do try and stretch and rub to loosen the tightness since I never had reconstruction. As I say, BC is the gift that keeps on giving! If it's really worrying you, and lingers around or gets worse, you could always get it checked. During my last chest ultrasound they told me they can check for bone irregularities to rule out mets. Good luck.

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  • JMouse
    JMouse Member Posts: 78
    edited November 2020

    Hi, I'm only two years out from my mastectomy (no reconstruction), but you've perfectly described my symptoms, too. I have an achy spot near my drain scars I'm particularly concerned about. My oncologist responded to my concerns with: ribs just can be tender. My surgeon said fat deposits can become sore. I assumed she meant left-over tissue from surgery. (I had hoped by this point I'd look sleek and smooth like a seal, ;) but alas no.) Both of these conversations were frustrating.

    I understand your concerns. It's nice to see you're 9 years out. :D I wish you many years to come. Please let us know how you do.

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  • fredntan
    fredntan Member Posts: 1,821
    edited December 2020

    Hi!

    I have had constant post mastectomy pain.

    It's in my armpit. It's just constant pulling dull ache in that area. I had a modified radical.

    I let someone work on it last year. They made the pain worse.

    I dont think my surgeon handled my severed nerves very well. The first year was horribly painful. She was from Sloane Kettering too.

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  • Scottie719
    Scottie719 Member Posts: 34
    edited December 2020

    Finding this thread today was such a relief - Thanks, all! I'm 3.5 years post MX, and have had occasional bouts of cramping on a rib near a drain scar, but last night, out of the blue, had a series [maybe 12 - 15] of REALLY sharp needle-like stabs at the site that lasted about a half-second each, over a three hour or so duration. Knock wood, but I'm just a bit tender today, no pain. I'll watch the site for signs of shingles over the next few days [had that delightful experience pre-BC] but for now am going to chalk it up to rads and/or surgery nerve damage. As with so many aspects of post-TX, it's good to know others have had a similar experience.

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  • Lotus888
    Lotus888 Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2020

    I can't tell you ladies how much this thread relieved by anxiety today. I am trying to enjoy Christmas with my family, but feeling very tender on my mastectomy side under arm area and having a hard time being present. I have heard so many times that radiation and the nerve damage can take years to heal, and that for some women the pain is lingering for a very long time. It's hard not to let your brain go to the scary places, but hearing these stories helps calm my nerves.

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  • Shellsatthebeach
    Shellsatthebeach Member Posts: 316
    edited January 2021

    Glad I read this post today. Makes me feel less nervous seeing we are all dealing with the same issues. My scar area has been sore lately. I figured it comes with the territory. I hate that needle feeling that comes every now and then. Ribs have been sore on and off since chemo and rads. I also get that cramp.

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited January 2021

    Me!!!

    I have twinges, aches, and even occasional feelings of sore breasts. The feeling that would come right before my period..it's very odd.

    The other thing that happens is if I bend down or reach in a weird direction the scar tissue on my chest feels like it moves. This can be quite painful!


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