Although I had my last radiotherapy session in Aug 22, in the last few months my breast had become hard, tender and painful. A few people on here recommended the Australian Breast Physiotherapist Jen Mckenzie’s self massage YouTube posts. I only started doing them a fortnight ago, but I can already feel such a positive difference. I particularly liked her advice to only do the massage for 3-5 mintes once a day. So thank you so much for those of you who posted about her.
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I am in the same boat had rads in 22. I have been worried it’s so hard in places. Seeing surgeon to check soon but good to know about massage x
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Hi. The Jen McKenzie videos are very good, but ‘Cancer Rehab PT’ and ‘Breast Cancer Rehab’ are also helpful.
If you have a local MLD practitioner, it might be worth getting help as they often deal with fibrosis as well. My fibrosis in skin, breast & armpit hit me in October 24, 5 months after radiotherapy, and the whole area felt hard, tender and stiff. The skin was getting noticeably thicker and I had some calcification on one edge of my implant. My MLD lady did some deep oscillation therapy (DOT) on the whole area and I felt the difference after 30 minutes - skin softer and more supple, less pain and the hard edge to my implant reduced by about 2/3. I want to shout about it from the rooftops as it is a game-changer! It is NHS approved too.
She also does DOT on my scars and armpit, does very light cupping and MLD. I’ve now been 5 times in 5 months and feel so happy with the result. She now recommends going every 4-6 weeks or when I feel I need an intervention.
In addition, I do self-massage, skin stretching and SLD as I have mild lymphedema in breast and trunk. I also do Pilates, golf, stretch and go to the gym to keep the whole area moving, flexible and active. It’s important to massage the fibrosis and stretch the skin as there is a link between fibrotic tissue and developing lymphedema.
You could also use Mobiderm pads inside your bra over the affected area, which helps to massage the fibrosis as you move around.
It feels and probably sounds a bit high maintenance, but my surgeon assures me that this won’t always be the case and things will settle. But, as we all know, you have to be proactive about seeking help and self-help after cancer treatment.
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