Just thought I’d share this in case it comes in useful to anyone else?!
I’ve had tenderness under boob since rads but in the last week it’s got progressively worse and it feels bruised and raised a bit. One of my BCNs said it may be an inflammed rib from Rads, even though 4 months ago - taking paracetamol for a week and if no improvement then I’ve to go in and see them to be on the safe side. It’s very uncomfortable, can’t wear bras or sleep on that side which is my usual side.
THEN I’ve also got skin splitting on my Hoo-Hoo (euphemism for lady bits) and very very dry, sore, stinging when I wee and bruised feeling. They reckon that’s Tamoxifen, so I’ve been prescribed replens and also Sudocrem to try and heal up the splitting. Very painful indeed.
How delightful and feminine do I feel right now… man hair, fatter, spots, splitting lady bits, dry hoo-hoo, dry legs, scarred boob and keloid scar under arm. What a delight. My lovely OH said “I still love you” and I said “yes, but I’m not finding myself very attractive at the moment”.
Still, as I keep carping on, all this is still better than the alternative. Keep telling myself off but at 35 I probably have a right to feel miffed off about all of this when I should be having babies etc.
Morning El Katrrano,
What a pain literally, you poor, poor thing. Sometimes over the counter anti inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen help with bone pain. As for your splits ouch!!
I know how you feel - lymphoedema swelling over ribs causing pain, bilateral mastectomy with side wings and Cruella Deville hair sticking up like a startled baboon. Like you my husband still loves me and I am "here ".
Best of wishes for getting rid of both problems soon.
Cackles
So glad that someone else has mentioned splits in their lady bits! I started having splitting skin around my finger nails towards the end of my chemo. I am now 1 year and 2 months post chemo and still get the splitting skin around my thumb nails which is very painful! I do notice that every time my thumbs split so does the skin on the hood around my love button!!! B****Y sore isn’t the word! Stings like billy-o when I have to wee and as for any love action - forget it! Oh yes and also the corners of my mouth split at the same time!! OUch ouch ouch!! I have tried putting canestan cream on splits around mouth and bits - it sooths but they seem to heal on their own. I just wish it would all stop now. getting very boring!!! I too am suffering from very painful ribs and hideous spasms in my shoulder blade!! seeing onc very soon.
I hear you, El Katrano! As if the dealing with cancer isn’t enough, the SEs from treatment can be so b***dy hard to take… I haven’t actually suffered from split lady bits, but I’ve been using Replens for about 5 years (since I had an ooph at 35). Even so, I haven’t managed sex for god knows how long because it’s just too painful and I couldn’t even get a smear test done after 3 attempts in December because they just can’t get in there!! :0~
Like you, I was and am dealing with all this while my friends are in their sexual prime, having babies and loving life. I don’t begrudge them a moment’s happiness, of course, but just sometimes it can get me down, like at their kids’ parties where I’m invariably the only childless woman there (unclean! unclean!), and the other mothers don’t seem to cope very well with any conversation that doesn’t revolve around the Little Ones… I remember not long after my ooph being asked by a lad I was in school with if I was too focused on my career to have kids. Should have seen his face when I told him that I’d been too busy having cancer instead!
Hope the aches, pains and splits get sorted soon. Take care, Angelfalls xx
I know what you mean with sore lady bits! Since chemo and now tamoxifen, sex is painful. Things have improved slightly since being prescribed vagifem by onc, but still not the same as it was before. I only hope things can improve further when the hormone therapy finishes.
Hi there…I know what you mean about the pain under the boob…I finished my rads 9 months ago and the area is so terribly painful, cant even wear a bra, or even bear to touch it myself…As for the other bits, ditto. I came off the Tamoxifen, my own choice due to the unpleasent side effects and against the oncologist recommendations. I am now back on it for just over 2 weeks and feel crap and can feel all the old side effects kicking back in again…oh joy of joys…
Steph,
I’m surprised to hear that you’ve been prescribed Vagifem when taking hormone therapy. What was your onc’s explanation around the oestrogen in Vagifem? Has anyone else been prescribed this?
Thanks for the info, Angelfalls xx
Hi Angelfalls My onc was prepared to prescribe it as she says the amount of oestrogen that gets into the blood stream is extremely small. A friend of mine who lives in a different area was also prescribed it by her gynaecologist who said the same. Although the friend does not have breast cancer, ovarian cancer is in her family and so she doesn’t want to take HRT, despite having sore bits. Both have said it’s completely safe. One of my gps was horrified and would not prescribe it as that’s who I asked first for it just over a year ago. I drove home in tears. I’m still getting hideous hot flushes so I can’t see that a great deal is getting into my system. I had to do something, even wiping myself with loo roll caused bleeding. At least it’s not that bad now. I still drink wine too, sod it, live isn’t gonna be worth living otherwise!
It’s just guff to use a good Scottish word. I’ve posted about this before. My bits swing between dry, cracked and tender to producing an obscene amount of mucus.
Hard to feel sexy when you’re either dry and sore or have pads and knickers and pajamas lol!
My soreness was worst during first two or three months and nothing helped, even simple soap! I think I may have to ask GP for replens because my ONC didn’t offer to prescribe.
My joints aren’t too sore just now, but that’s this month lol. It’s a case of ‘watch this space’.
Energy levels zero by Thursday night, hence in bed at 6pm!!
However, i have told my BCN on many occasions how it is getting me down and she has put me in touch with a lady from the Christie Hospital in Manchester, who has developed a pessary containing cocoa butter and essential oils, which is meant to heal things from within.
She told me of the silent population of women out there who are suffering and that although replens and sylk may give some temporary relief, they do not heal things up altogether.
I am going to see her soon, to discuss giving this a go, as i am sick of being so dry and sore in that area, and still have three more years of tamox to go.
There is an excellent doctor at northwickpark hosp in London who deals specifically with patients suffering menopausal symptoms after cancer… She takes out of area referrals too.
With regards to the vagifem… This isn’t considered to be hrt as the hormone level s very small but it is enough to help with symptoms… There are two doses, a month of the higher dose is the same a 1 day of standard hrt, and a year of the low dose one is the same as 1 day of normal hrt… So both extremely low dose.
If you have sore nether regions it may be useful to have swabs done to rule out infection or virus as they can sometimes cause cuts or allow bugs into th broken skin, especially if you have had chemo which can leave you with low immunity for a year or longer.
Other treatment like replense which is a moisturiser or yes, glide, sylk which are lubricants… All of these treatments should be able to be prescribed for free by your gp.?.. They need to be sed regularly for a number of months to see any benefit is not something that works in a week or two unfortunately.
Try Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter - Olive Oil & Chamomile .
Great for nether parts - not so good as a face cream as advocated by The Guardian a few years ago!
Thanks for the info on the Vagifem. I guess that being on my second recurrence and having had an ooph to get rid of as much oestrogen as possible from my body, putting even the tiniest amount back in just wouldn’t sit comfortably with me. But that’s just my paranoia!!! Glad to hear it’s helping those using it, though.
I wonder which essential oils are in those pessaries, too, as there are lots that us ER+ girls are supposed to avoid… You see, my paranoia is at it again. Lol!!! Bet they smell delicious, though! Have a great weekend, everyone xx
I too have been suffering from excessive discharge! this started approx 3 months ago - yippee. At first I thought I had an infection as the constant leaking made my bits and bobs very red and sore! But no not an infection. It’s just hideous feeling like you are wetting yourself constantly!!! I really hope this settles down cuz wearing pads all the time really cannot be good for a girls health!
Just a few months ago it was explained that my rib pains, esp near the breast bone, are damage to the cartilage and ribs from the radiotherapy. It is nealy 5 years now, and he din’t expect it to improve. Gentle xercise seems to help keep ribs moving and reduce pain. The damage is worse where breast tissue is thinner, ie at edge of breast and at site of my lumpectomy. Have to say side effects of Letrosole are really getting to me now after about a year. I gave up on tamoxifex pre meopause as I felt dreadful on that.
Yes what an attractive pair we make, indeed. I had a couple of weeks where I thought the ‘excessive moisture’ was settling down but now I am back to nightime knickers again.
Hi Derynt, my pain is now most severe on my shoulder blade and side so that ties in with what you’re saying too. Trying to get it checked out by my BCN too.
I thought I was the only one suffering with sore bits! I’m to embarrassed to ask my doctor about it and have been smothering myself with Sudocream and have even used haemorrhoid cream round that area…never thought it could be Hormone treatment! I’ve been walking around like John Wayne for weeks. Between my sore bits, aching joints and legs like lead and rapid weight gain I feel positively bloody hideous! Forgot to mention bald head, no eyebrows and pain in the ribs plus breathlessness and fatigue! I just wish I could have a day without a single side effect…but, I must be positive one day soon…
Not been on forums for a while, 18 months since diagnosis I’m getting some modicum of normality back. I was taken offtamoxifen for a month due to bOne pain, turned out to be osteoarthritis (yes at 36) and fortunately not secondaries.
Just been back on it for a weeowns and guess what? Horrendous thrush and splitting lady bits again. It’s definitely hormonaL for me! Stinging and burning and itchy and swollen… Great. Anyone gets this, use a vaginal tablet and for splits use sudocrem as it helps, takes days to heal.
hi All
Splits are sore. I went through a phase of having them while taking tamoxifen, Now dry because of impending menapause (still impending despite being 55 and taking tamoxifen for 5 years). I use vitamin e oil when thing get interesting in the bedroom I find the normal lubricating gels drying. It’s not expensive and it goes a long way. It doubles up as a treatment mask when soaking in the bath.
picked this tip up from the forum.
Good Luck
Chinook
Hi All
I am so pleased to have stumled on this thread. I too have lulu splits and hadnt a clue they could be caused by Tamoxifen. I have been on it for Just over 2 months so its still early days for me yet. Also have the ‘excessive moisture’, although I was happy to get some moisture back at first after being so dry during chemo. Thanks for all the tips ladies and hope these se’s settle down for everyone.
Best wishes
Patchit
My onc was prepared to prescribe it as she says the amount of oestrogen that gets into the blood stream is extremely small. A friend of mine who lives in a different area was also prescribed it by her gynaecologist who said the same. Although the friend does not have breast cancer, ovarian cancer is in her family and so she doesn’t want to take HRT, despite having sore bits. Both have said it’s completely safe. One of my gps was horrified and would not prescribe it as that’s who I asked first for it just over a year ago. I drove home in tears. I’m still getting hideous hot flushes so I can’t see that a great deal is getting into my system. I had to do something, even wiping myself with loo roll caused bleeding. At least it’s not that bad now. I still drink wine too, sod it, live isn’t gonna be worth living otherwise!