I had a lumpectomy and full node clearance on March 5th. We then moved house/area on 23rd March. I am really struggling with the pain in my breast and feeling very low. The breast cancer team think I have an infection and fluid retention. I am on antibiotics and hopefully having fluid drained on Thursday. Obviously I can’t start chemo til all this is put right so feeling frustrated. I thought by now I would be up and running!! Has anyone else experienced the same?
Hiyer Truffle,
Ooohhhh 6 weeks to be in pain, thats not nice at all. There are others here who have definitely talked of similar unlucky symptoms following their lumpectomy, but I haven’t personally, but didnt want to just ‘walk by’. I didn’t have an infection, but I did have (and do still have) fluid in the whole breast and pain in the area of the surgery (seroma). I am now 2 years post surgery and month by month I can feel it getting a weeny bit better as the body adjusts and adapts. I hope that doesn’t sound depressing, but what I’m trying to say is that for some people (its all so individual) it can take much longer to get rid of some of the symptoms and 6 weeks isn’t that long in the scheme of things. Mine wasn’t drained eventually, but I was given a set of manual drainage massage things to do on the breast to try and move the lymph to the nearest exits lol. I am wondering if you are feeling a bit better now you have started the antibiotics, or is it too early to say?
oAny pain is very draining emotionally, ontop of trying to deal with the diagnosis. I can understand it getting you down, especially with the chemo delay. I am SO hoping that things start moving quickly after Thursday for you. Hoping someone else comes along who has experienced the same situation as you. x
Remember too, there will be some nerve damage from the surgery and that will be adding to your pain. That should slowly slowly get better.I did a quick forum search titled ‘pain after lumpectomy’ and pages came up, where people talked about still struggling many weeks later. I’m not sure they would be entirely helpful for you to read as aren’t exactly your situation, and you have your team looking at it actively, but I just wanted you to know that many have experienced the same.