Pain in breast 2 years on

Life after a breast cancer diagnosis Coping with fear and anxiety
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Hi, sorry if this is a bit rambling but I had bc 2 years ago which didn’t spread to the lymph nodes and was removed and then 15 rounds of radiotherapy . I’ve felt pretty traumatised since but I started a new job in January and am trying to get on with life.

Anyway, my dreaded mammogram is coming up on Wednesday and I thought I was doing okay until Friday when I noticed a strange twinging pain in my affected side now and again which has got worse & worse over the weekend. It tends to move around sometimes I think it’s my ribs (I fell a few weeks ago but thought I was ok), sometimes my breast especially my nipple) sometimes my neck or back. I was just bathing my daughter and she was splashing water all over and my breast really hurt when I leant over and I felt absolutely terrified.

Another thing is that I’m on Tamoxifen and also going through the menopause I’d gone about 5 months without a period then suddenly it came back out of the blue which makes me wonder if I’ve put weight on (I’m already obese) and therefore have more estrogen in my body and that’s made my bc come back.

My last mammogram didn’t go so well as I was recalled - turned out to be nothing but I was a mess. I’m just so frightened.

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The knowlege that youve had cancer never leaves and makes us hypervigilant for signs of a recurrance. That’s the crap side ongoing after the treatment is over.
Did you fall and hit that side of your chest? Its quite possible if the pains only started after the fall, its linked to that.
I still had periods while on tamoxifen, but lighter and further apart. As I understand it, it doesn’t stop you producing oestrogen, but blocks the receptors, so you will still have oestrogen in your body and fat cells produce it too which is what AI’s block ( so used in women who’s ovaries are not producing it). On the one hand its bad luck that you fell, but good timing that your mammogram is due and can hopefully allay your fears. Might be wise to get an xray if you banged your ribs as you can fracture bones easier after treatment.

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Hi @Kazi1976,
One possibility is that the pain & twinges are late effects of radiotherapy. It might be worth contacting your radiotherapy team or BCNs. In the meantime, keep stretching if you can to maintain your flexibility as it can cause radiation fibrosis where everything gets tight & stiff.
Glad mammogram ok x