I had WLE in September 2007, grade 2, 6mm. 25 sessions of rads and Tamoxifen for 5 years.
Yesterday afternoon I discovered a discharge from my nipple on my affected breast. The discharge was clear and very sticky.
I washed in the shower and it’s been OK since. My breast was obviously swollen also because there were deep marks from the seams in my bra. It still feels a little swollen this morning.
Over the last couple of months my breast and scar under my arm have been more painful than usual. I still get pain in that area from the rads anyway.
Has anyone else had this experience. I don’t know whether I should contact my BCN or, with it not discharging anymore, to leave it and see if it starts again. Should I only worry of the discharge is continuous or is a nipple discharge usually intermitent.
I would be so grateful for any information and advice.
I haven’t experienced this but I’m sure someone will be alone soon who has. I would definately phone bc nurse in the morning for advice and get it checked out for peace of mind. No point in worrying about it alone.
This forum is amazing for support and advice…but to ask complete strangers if you should call your bc nurse because you have NIPPLE DISCHARGE & a SWOLLEN BREAST regardless or not if you have had bc, is a bit odd.
Of course you should call a medical professional. Hopefully it is nothing. If it was me, 9am tomorrow morning would be on the phone to bc nurse for a fast track appointment to see a consultant.
Best get it checked out, I would ring the nurse on Monday. When I found a lump at 4am, I was on the phone at 8.30am the next morning (it was a week day). I now look back and I think I’d noticed one breast was a bit different than the other (hanging a bit lower)-wish I’d picked up on that and maybe I would have caught it earlier.
Nice to hear from you. I know what I should do really. It’s just that I don’t want to go to the hospital. I thought that maybe I should only worry if the discharge was continuous. It hasn’t started again since yesterday afternoon.
I’m well thanks, I’ve had a problem with a pain down the side of the bottom part of my leg- worse when standing. I’ve had a bone scan and mri. The bone mets are stable and it’s not cancer causing the pain so I’m off my GP tomorrow to see what to do next.
I know you know what to do really but it’s nice to talk things through with people especially over a weekend.
It must be a huge relief that your problem is something other than your bone mets. If I get a pain anywhere I immediately think BC. I can’t help it it just pops into my mind.
That’s what happened yesterday. Yes it is good to be able to post on here with people who understand and maybe have been there. As you know my husband is far from supportive.
I will let you know what happens. You let me know about your leg pain too.
I had the same problem. The nipple discharge was not continuous but I did notice spots in my bra and on the bed sheets. This went on for about a year and my onc was not worried about it (said it was due to rads). Earlier this year a hard lump appeared almost overnight in the same breast. Had a biopsy and the result was an abcess.
Hopefully your BC nurse will get it checked out for you. Mine was brilliant.
Hi Jan…I had exactly the same as you, same time as well except I had to have lymph nodes removed and chemo.
I went to see my surgeon last month as I was having a slight discharge too. She told me not to worry as it was the after effects of the radiotherapy. My scar is feeling more tender now too than it was but I am just putting it down to the rads. I’m sure you will be fine. If like me you are having your first follow up mammogram in September then hopefully this will put our minds at rest!
Thank you for your reply. I spoke to the BCN today and she said just what you’ve said, it was most probably down to the rads. I’m going into clinic on Wednesday afternoon just for a check over.
My scar has been very tender these last few weeks. It’s good to know someone else has the same thing. I also have painful ribs but I do know that is down to rads damage.
I had some lymph nodes removed as well but didn’t have chemo thank goodness.
Hi Jan,
I’m glad you’ve got some advice and will be seen in a couple of days. I too thought Gretchen sounded a bit harsh, but maybe she hasn’t had that same feeling of being utterly unable to decide what is an urgent symptom and what is ‘making a fuss’. I certainly recognise it. I think there’s a long psychological process we go through when we get symptoms, from starting to think we identify it, to admitting that it is most probably real, to voicing it aloud to another person - which somehow brings it into the open and makes it ‘real’, and finally telling a medical professional (who invariably takes it seriously and makes you feel silly for not mentioning it sooner). It’s kind of a relief and a horror all at the same time when they take it seriously, I’ve found…
Wishing you all the best and that it is indeed just a reaction to the rads, and taking time to settle down.
love Jx
You have explained it so much better than I could ever do.
Also this forum is a way of telling someone and being able to cope with their response when you feel able. If I’d have told my family and friends at the weekend they would have been so worried and asking about it and making me discuss it when I didn’t want too.
I have told them now that I feel calmer and I can tell them that I’m going to the clinic tomorrow.
I’m sure that the doctor will tell me it’s down to rads damage.
Thank you all so much for your responses. You’ll never know how much you’ve all helped.
Hi Jan, let us know how you get on at the clinic. I have had pain in my ribs too which has only just started. I was wondering what it was. It feels like I have been kicked! Dont know about anyone else, but I wasnt told about all these weird side effects of rads. All I knew was that my skin could get a bit burned and to make sure I use a high factor cream in the sun.
I’ve had my rib pain for quite a while. I asked about it at one of my appointments and was told that it was a combination of nerve damage from surgery and rads damage. I also get lots of nerve pain down my arm and the back of my shoulder and arm are both numb which is a bit of a contradiction. I’m not sure how I can get pain in an area which is numb!!! I also get itching in that area which drives me round the bend because all the scratching in the world does nothing to relieve it.
I take co-codamol for the nerve pain when it is bad.
When I was DX I was told that I’d be OK again in 3 months!! No mention of lasting rads damage, nerve damage and pains in ribs but hey I’m still here large as life, in fact larger since the Tamoxifen!!
I’ve been to the clinic, I’m sure that place gets busier every time I go. All OK. Nothing to worry about but I am having another check at the beginning of September when I have an appointment anyway.
Thanks to everyone for your support. You all got me through a bit of a panicky time.
J