I am doing what I advise everybody not to do, and that is googling my symptoms! So I thought I’d just ask if anyone here had had swelling of the breast that turned out to be lymphodema? I had wle last march, then Chemo, then rads in the autumn. My wle breast has seemed swollen a little over the last few days. It feels full all over. There is no distinct lump to be felt though. I had snb with just one node removed, but I know even this puts us at risk of lymphodema. My affected arm has had pins and needles in the fingers and through the palm, and it’s moved up to between the hand and elbow this evening. My wedding rings are tighter too. My breast has been sire and quite tight recently when I’ve tried to do my radiotherapy exercises.
I am of course worrying myself sick over what other explanations there may be. My plan of action is to call my bcn on Monday and to see my gp for anti biotics, just in case it’s an infection/cellulitis. I have developed a small red area on my wle scar round my nipple, first notice two days ago, and that’s sore too.
But wondered if anyone has had similar symtoms of swollen breast, pins and needles etc. I hadnt really realised that you could get it on your breast and over your trunk area as well as your arm, until I became Mrs Google tonight.
Sorry to hear you’re having problems.It could be a number of things including lymphoedema. I have it in my arm and breast,my arm is really quite swollen and my breast varies, when it is ‘playing-up’ more it does feel heavy and pins & needles/prickly.
Do talk to the BCN they will be able to refer you if it is lymphoedema. Good idea to talk to GP too, just to get the infection angle considered.
It could just be changes in sensation after op/rads, this can happen some time after treatment. I know it is difficult not to worry, but try not to let it get too overwhelming there is a very good chance it is something simple. But do get it checked out.
Hi Vickie, I have Lymphodemea of the arm, breast and chest wall. It’s awful !
By the end of the day I can hardly move my left side, it’s painful in the chest wall and on my breast.
I have been through the therapy of everyday hospital exersises then lymphatic drain. I did this for a month, but couldn’t carry on going as the cost of getting to the hospital was too much financially.
Exercises do help, but to be honest the slightest thing I do with my left arm it swells, just lifting a kettle starts it.
It’s a year now since my operations, mine started a few weeks after, had it ever since.
My oncologist also said it’s mastitis of the breast, hence why it’s so painful.
My left breast is 3 times bigger than my right breast.
Not that any of this put’s your mind at rest. Sorry.
I can’t comment on lymphoedema, but do keep an eye on that red area as it could possibly be cellulitis. I’m just recovering from that and thought nothing of the small red area under my arm at first but I ended up with it spreading across my side and breast and coming within 0.1 of a degree of temperatuer of being admitted to hospital.
It’s been unbelievably painful (not sore skin - a deeper pain), red and swollen and the skin on my breast was quite shiny. I’m taking huge doses of antibiotics for it (16 a day, plus one post-chemo one) and codeine for the pain and it is now responding well.
I wish I’d realised how serious it was earlier as I’d have got myself to hospital straight away rather than seeing my GP who didn’t prescribe strong enough antibiotics at first. It can be very dangerous for chemo patients and can lead to septicaemia.
I might now get lymphoedema as a result, so I’m keeping a very close eye on it!
Hi Vickie
Its quite possible to have lymphodema of the breast, without having any to the arm. I had a swollen breast after my WLE, and although they tried they were unable to drain any fluid. It slowly settled down and now 7 years on it is still slightly bigger than my other breast,which i always found rather odd, as a chunk was cut out!
I was quite scared at the time, as the info on lymphodema surprisingly never mentions the breast so I assumed it was something more sinister. However I think its quite common, I certainly have seen other posts on the same subject on this forum.
Sarah
Hi vickie, best thing you can do is get it checked out,my lymphoedema started 10 weeks post rads, I only had a wle and snb but ended up with lymphoedema to arm breast and trunk.
The first I knew of it was my arm being heavy but was more prominent in my boob and side,boob went tight and hard as a rock and you could see the visible swelling on my side. The self massage and MLD that I have is great as boob can go from hard to soft whilst having it.Sometimes it is fine and then other days it just “goes”,might be that I sleep on it,not quite sure but it’s very unpredictable.Good luck with your appointment,don’t get fobbed off as some of us know ,everything seems to be done to prevent us from seeing lymphatic specialists.
Thanks for all your info everybody, and for taking the time to reply. It’s not gone away, but I have rationalised the scary feelings slightly better today. My breast is sore and full, not acute pain but achy. My pins and needles in my arm have slightly worsened, though it’s hard to tell if that’d just because I am hyper aware of it. I can’t avoid picking up my 3 year old but hVe noticed it’s achy when I do. So it’s off to my gp, and my bcn and also getting in touch with my oncologist. The idea of scans etc makes me heave. There is certainly a change though do it needs looking at. My oncologist and gp are great, my bcn not terribly proactive or supportive but would probably be happy to do a referral and pass me on! Can you exercise or is that a no-no ig it’s lymphodema? Just asking as I recently started running for thd first time ever. I’ve got fabulous sports bra but still obviously quite high impact and I’m wondering if I hVe stupidly sparked it off (except when I’m wondering whether it’s a big scary missed cancerous tumour which defied Chemo rads surgery and tamoxifen that is.).
Going through the same range of agony with my broken arm on the same side as my mx.
It’s a hellish time for worrying, isn’t it?
When I find my big fat fingers, I’m afraid I just panic…
Although I’ve had an alternate dx.
There may be other reasons for your swelling too.
Really feeling for you Vickie.
Do hope BCN and hospital can reassure you this week.
Hi Vickie,
just sent you a text. I’ve been having some weird sensations in my boobs too since Thursday and I was wondering about lymphodema too (as you do). My side with node clearance is really sore, the boob feels heavy and tender, scars feel tender, same on the snb side but not as bad, sore nipples and scars …it’s just no fun is it? Cant stretch left arm up as it’s too painful
Hope you managed to get some info/relief/help. I rang Christie centre who told me to ring bcn, rang bcn…stil waiting for a call!!!
Let me know if I can help
Hugs hun xxxxxxx
that explains why i didn’t get a reply…trying not to worry but it’s flippin sore (no red or swelling just sore), it even hurts to lift my glass of lime and lemonade!!!
