I still have pain :(

Kristin N
Kristin N Member Posts: 1,968 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had my lumpectomy in January this year and am currently in radiation treatments. I still have pain..is this normal? My radiation oncologist checks my skin every week, but, I keep forgetting to ask about the pain in my breast. And, my nipple is so sore from the radiation. Any help with something for that? Thank you!

Comments

  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #2
    Kristin
    I also had a lumpectomy in January (21st) and have had NO pain. Of course it could be the location of our incisions ... size of incision etc. causing your pain. I am having chemo and will not start radiation until the chemo is finished ... but I would certainly let the surgeon and radiation oncologist know you are having pain.

    hugs.
    teena
  • Kristin N
    Kristin N Member Posts: 1,968 Member
    #3
    tgf said:

    Kristin
    I also had a lumpectomy in January (21st) and have had NO pain. Of course it could be the location of our incisions ... size of incision etc. causing your pain. I am having chemo and will not start radiation until the chemo is finished ... but I would certainly let the surgeon and radiation oncologist know you are having pain.

    hugs.
    teena

    Thanks Teena!
    I will let them know. Maybe it is the radiation that is giving me the pain. It isn't bad, but, my breast is tender. My incision is very small. So, I am thinking it might be the radiation that is making my breast kind of tender. Thanks again Teena and good luck with your chemo and radiation!
  • Jadie
    Jadie Member Posts: 723
    #4
    rads
    Hi Kristin

    It is probably from the rads. I had chemo before rads so I can't say for sure. I am sure that some of the sisters who had rads following surgery will chime in and help you.

    Take care
    Jadie
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    #5
    Hi, Kristin N
    My best guess, as others here have said, is that your current discomfort is caused by the radiation treatment vs. post-lumpectomy surgery. Although, at this point, you are probably still healing from the surgery. I saw my rad onc weekly, too. I know it's hard to remember everything & all questions while undergoing treatment. Maybe write yourself a note, put it somewhere you'll certainly find it when you arrive for your appt. w/doctor - like in your purse with your insurance card, or something. Please do whatever you need to in order to mention your pain to the doctor. We suffer enough, you know? Radiation causes changes within the breast way before we can see anything happening on the outside. Also, don't apply anything to the tender nipple skin - or anywhere else on the area being treated - unless it's approved first by your rad onc. Some widely available skin moisturizers can actually diminish the effectiveness of the treatment (depends on the equipment itself, I believe) - nobody wants that!

    Hoping you get some relief, soon.

    Kind regards, Susan
  • Kristin N
    Kristin N Member Posts: 1,968 Member
    #6
    Christmas Girl said:

    Hi, Kristin N
    My best guess, as others here have said, is that your current discomfort is caused by the radiation treatment vs. post-lumpectomy surgery. Although, at this point, you are probably still healing from the surgery. I saw my rad onc weekly, too. I know it's hard to remember everything & all questions while undergoing treatment. Maybe write yourself a note, put it somewhere you'll certainly find it when you arrive for your appt. w/doctor - like in your purse with your insurance card, or something. Please do whatever you need to in order to mention your pain to the doctor. We suffer enough, you know? Radiation causes changes within the breast way before we can see anything happening on the outside. Also, don't apply anything to the tender nipple skin - or anywhere else on the area being treated - unless it's approved first by your rad onc. Some widely available skin moisturizers can actually diminish the effectiveness of the treatment (depends on the equipment itself, I believe) - nobody wants that!

    Hoping you get some relief, soon.

    Kind regards, Susan

    It is the Radiation..
    I finally remembered to ask my radiation oncologist today about the tenderness in my breast. He said it was the radiation which I thought it probably was. He said it will go away shortly after the treatments end. The techs told me today they are having a hard time even finding my incision/scar, which made me happy. It has healed up nicely and the radiation just tanned around it so you can barely see it. Thank you all for your replies! You are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #7
    Kristin N said:

    It is the Radiation..
    I finally remembered to ask my radiation oncologist today about the tenderness in my breast. He said it was the radiation which I thought it probably was. He said it will go away shortly after the treatments end. The techs told me today they are having a hard time even finding my incision/scar, which made me happy. It has healed up nicely and the radiation just tanned around it so you can barely see it. Thank you all for your replies! You are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Hey Kristin
    Yes, I am having some pain too and it is from the radiation treatments. It isn't bad. They gave me a prescription for ibuprofen that really helps. Good luck to you! GRRRRRRRRRRRR to radiation!
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #8
    Hey Kristin, I was going to
    Hey Kristin, I was going to tell you that radiation does cause tenderness from what I understand, but don't forget also, that nerve endings were cut when they excised the tumor and that can take over a year for the endings to regenerate. You may also feel tingling in the area or almost like a phantom pain. This too is normal. Hugs, Lili

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