Does the pain/discomfort ever go away?

if you can get through chemo
if you can get through chemo you can get through rads. I was more afraid of the chemo. give your body time to heal it does get better. 3 weeks is not that long, to heal swelling to subside etc.... hope the planning goes well! You can do it!!!

carkris said:

if you can get through chemo
if you can get through chemo you can get through rads. I was more afraid of the chemo. give your body time to heal it does get better. 3 weeks is not that long, to heal swelling to subside etc.... hope the planning goes well! You can do it!!!

I agree
Rads were easier on me than the chemo. I did not really get any tender spots till week 4 and it was not to bad then.wishing you the very best. God Bless
(((Hugs))) Janice

Jean 0609 said:

Sorry about your pain.
I didn't have much pain at all with my lumpectomy, however, I didn't have my lymph nodes removed at that time either. Hope everything goes well, Ronda. Keep us posted. Hugs, Jean

Ronda,
I had to wear a bra
Ronda,
I had to wear a bra too just to hold up my boob so it wouldn't hurt. I thought I was the only one! Thank you. LOL
I loved the surgical bra that I woke up in (very comfy with velcro front ) so I went back to my hospital and asked if I could buy 2 more.
They actually went into the surgery center and got them for me.
As far as the lymph node incision, mine was painful for quite a long while. Sorry, but you asked. My boob felt better after about 2 weeks.
Best of luck. I didn't go right into rads after surgery because I had chemo first so I was all set by the time rads came around.
Hugs,
Wanda

aisling8 said:

Sending good thoughts
I didn't have aches and pains from my lumpectomy till months later, after the nerves regenerated, and now it's just an achiness from time to time. Sometimes I feel like the sentinel node incision "catches." But then again, besides the fact we're all different, I'm really different in that I'm small breasted and I think I read in one of your posts that you're pretty much the opposite:)

I know you're really afraid of rads and I hope that once you start your fears will be dispelled.

Just basically sending you good thoughts and moral support!!

xoxo
Victoria

Pain
Rhonda, my lumpectomy was in April 2008, and I still have soreness/pain in the incision area. There was only one incision, as they removed the lymph nodes from the same incision they did the lumpectomy. My oncologist told me last week that when the surgeon ties everything back together, sometimes they don't exactly match up nerve for nerve, which causes there to be ongoing pain. My first oncologist told me that sometimes you never lose the pain. (Very encouraging, huh?) Anyway, the pain will lessen from what you first felt folowing surgery. You may just have ongoing soreness for quite some time. For me, the surgical bra didn't work because my incision is almost under my arm, right where a bra will cut under your arm. I have been wearing a camisole that is somewhat elastic in feel. They are more comfortable, and you can't tell I'm not wearing a bra (not so heavy in the boobs....one of my many failures in life.) Good luck, and hope you begin to feel better soon. Hugs, Judy

So sorry you're hurtin
It will get better in time. Rads should be easy after chemo and surgery. Your set up appointment will take much longer than any of the others, unless the machine breaks down. Just use whatever creams they recommend and drink lots of water, and continue being good to yourself.

Lighthouse_7 said:

So sorry you had to wait so
So sorry you had to wait so long and then go back. I hate when appointments don't run smoothly!
I can't believe that he told you about being big breasted and that you will have raw skin!!!!!!!!!!!
That makes me so mad.
I am big breasted and NEVER had raw skin. Such a terrible thing to say. What he should have said is everyone is DIFFERENT but
with a lot of cream everyday , let's hope all goes well. Give me a break....
The only place that I did get a slight burn was on my upper collar bone because I didn't apply cream there. Had nothing to do with my breast.
OK I think I've calmed down a little, sorry, but you are frightened enough. Please remember to apply cream at least twice a day and God Bless. This is far more doable than chemo.
Hugs and Love,
Wanda

Forgot to tell you, I had 7
Forgot to tell you, I had 7 weeks of radiation 5 days a week.