Bloating, weight gain or something else?

Going through breast cancer treatment Surgery
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Hello

I finished chemo in March and had a double mastectomy with DIEP reconstruction in April. I’ve recovered well and am finally starting to feel a bit more like me. I started Tamoxifen in June and other than some joint pain, headaches and mouth ulcers haven’t had any significant side effects. However in the last fortnight I have developed an area of bloating or weight gain between my new belly button and the bottom of my ribs. That whole area feels quite tight and hard (DIEP scar area conversely seems much softer). I lost about a stone in weight while on chemo and have put some of that back on but I have NEVER carried weight in this area before. I walk everyday and have a reasonable diet (not perfect but not awful either). I know that hormone therapy can cause weight gain but it seems to get worse as the day goes on so I’m not sure if it is surgery related or just bloating or even something else completely. Any suggestions or advice? Should I get it checked or am I going to get laughed out of the consultation room?

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I doubt you’ll be laughed at as all the staff understand how much we worry about these things.

I’d ring your breast care team tomorrow. Not because I believe it’s anything sinister but because they’re the people with the answers.

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I am 2 and a half years out of immediate DIEP surgery. Had lost loads of weight pre surgery and during chemo and radiotherapy. The weight has started to creep on, probably about half of what I had lost and it’s settling in different places than before. Above my belly button, down the side of my rib cage and towards my back. I am very top heavy and a different shape than I was before. The weight doesn’t really seem to be settling under the diep scar. I would get it checked, not because I think it’s anything sinister, just to put your mind at rest. I have been back to the GP and to the breast clinic umpteen times as every niggle has me spiralling.