Pain after radiotherapy?

Hi all

I had my first RT session last night and the process was easy as expected. Went to bed early so I could get some restful sleep buy woke up in pain a few hours later. My breast felt swollen is the best way to describe it and I had some shooting pain. I didnt expect to feel anything so soon as that is what I have been told. 

Could it have just been in my head or is this actually normal? I feel fine today but now nervous about my 2nd session and sleeping tonight. 

TIA

Hi Tia

In your head or in your breast, it’s still pain regardless. I’m sorry I can’t answer your questions as I’d had a mastectomy and chemo first and I felt no pain till two weeks after the 15 zaps. If you’ve had chemo, you may have neuropathic pain which hurts (I take pregabalin to reduce that, three years on). Some people find the radiotherapy programme difficult, some sail through unscathed. You need to report your symptoms to the radiographer before you next treatment as they may be able to tweak things a bit.

Good luck xx

Hi 

i had lumpectomy and I had exactly the same thing happen to me first night shooting pain and swollen

i finished my last radiotherapy session two and half weeks ago I had a really bad stabbing pain one night and felt exhausted for about 10 days and feeling better each day so hopefully it will be the same for you. I made sure I moisturised really well and still am, dont know if it helps or not. 

sparkle

I just started treatments last week and like you, felt shooting pain for several hours after the treatment. I took some ibuprofen and that seemed to help. After my second treatment, I had some mild pain but not the same as that first day, though I still get occasional sharp, shooting pain but nothing that lasts like that first day. I wondered if it was all in my head too, as I didn’t think I’d feel anything after only one treatment. I hope things are feeling better for you now!