Post Edited (We can do this) : 6/25/2021 11:57:40 AM (GMT-6)
Hi, I hope you don't mind the male visitor. I'm looking for some advice for a friend. I spent a while reviewing posts but couldn't find anything relevant. Stage 4, lumpectomy followed by radiation, finishing in February. She's now experiencing a hardness in the affected breast, plus "it feels like I have a spiky rock in there". Is this scar tissue that may break down over time? Is it a permanent effect of the radiation? Anyone any insight? Any articles or resources that might be useful? Many thanks in advance.
I have known quite a few women with various forms of breast cancer but none of them has ever described something like this. Your friend needs to be talking to her dr to get an explanation about this. I would push for an answer.
Sorry I am not of any help.
Susie
Moderator in Chronic Pain & Psoriasis Forums
Sorry I am not of any help.
Susie
Moderator in Chronic Pain & Psoriasis Forums
Been there - radiation; have that - hardness.
It's sort of like cooking a piece of chicken in the microwave. It gets hard and stays that way.
I'm on my second trip down lumpectomy lane after 12 years, and I still have the hard slab of meat where the radiation cooked me first time.
The second surgery left me with an ugly breast I can't live with looking like it does, so I'm getting plastic surgery. Only, if it gets radiated again (not same location) it will get hard and I wouldn't be able to get the plastic, or it wouldn't be correctible. (Yes, I can get a second rad in the same breast - because the first one was only on the other side of it.)
It's sort of like cooking a piece of chicken in the microwave. It gets hard and stays that way.
I'm on my second trip down lumpectomy lane after 12 years, and I still have the hard slab of meat where the radiation cooked me first time.
The second surgery left me with an ugly breast I can't live with looking like it does, so I'm getting plastic surgery. Only, if it gets radiated again (not same location) it will get hard and I wouldn't be able to get the plastic, or it wouldn't be correctible. (Yes, I can get a second rad in the same breast - because the first one was only on the other side of it.)
Alcie,
Did you got through with your sinus surgery? I read an old article from you and was wondering how it went?
I was injured during an antrostomy procedure and was hoping you did okay.
Did you got through with your sinus surgery? I read an old article from you and was wondering how it went?
I was injured during an antrostomy procedure and was hoping you did okay.
Sinus surgery was years ago. It didn't help right away, but after a year I noticed I was having fewer chronic type sinus infections. It's not a fun surgery - breaking bone isn't pleasant! I wouldn't recommend doing it unless you get a second opinion. Some docs are doing it in office, but it's a lot more invasive than they advertise, and they may just be doing it to make money. Get a second opinion.
But radiation for breast cancer is not fun either. I suffered anemia, axillary cording and a lot of pain, but not much burning. I didn't have whole breast rads, just where the cancer was removed and a lymph node area. Unfortunately it also hit my stomach and a couple of ribs, which caused the anemia. My doc said later that the one rib would probably break sometime. Rads kills new cells, not just cancer cell, all of them.
But radiation for breast cancer is not fun either. I suffered anemia, axillary cording and a lot of pain, but not much burning. I didn't have whole breast rads, just where the cancer was removed and a lymph node area. Unfortunately it also hit my stomach and a couple of ribs, which caused the anemia. My doc said later that the one rib would probably break sometime. Rads kills new cells, not just cancer cell, all of them.