Hi, I finished my treatment two and a half years ago, I had chemo, rad, herceptin, and a mastectomy with all lymph nodes removed.
Lately I have been feeling a little breathless, and sometimes when I breath in deeply it hurts, and my shoulder and under arm are a bit tender/achy sometimes.
I didnt have any pain at all after the op and Im a bit concerned that I’m feeling pain now, in saying that the underarm area is still numb to touch. I did go to my GP and he prescribed anti-imflamatories.
Just wondered if anyone has experienced anything similar given the time since treatment stopped. Any comments will be much appreciated.
When I saw my surgeon earlier this year for my one year checkup, I asked what were the possible symptoms of secondaries that I should be aware of. One of them was shortness of breath.
I expect that there are all sorts of reasons why you could be feeling breathless, like a chest infection or asthma, but if I were you I would want to exclude the possibility of secondaries, just for my peace of mind.
Like Roadrunner I think you should go back to your GP and ask for further tests - just to be on the safe side. It may be nothing to worry about but at least your mind will be at rest.
I had a mastectomy in may 2005 and I am experiencing exactly the same thing. I have had a clear chest x ray and bone scan but I am in agony. It isn’t asthma. It appears to be muscular. The hospital are no longer concerned and my GP has just suggested co-codomol. It has been goin on since May now and I am starting to get really depressed by it all. Anyone got any suggestions?
I had all of the same treatment as you Katie. Started with pain in left shoulder (same side as op) then swapped to right as they said the other shoulder would have been compensating…
The ache I get is always on the right shoulder (same side as op). It no longer hurts when I breath in deeply so thats a bonus. I think is it probably muscular. I work in a bar and this involves quite a bit of stretching, putting bottles up on optics and stuff like that and it is often worse after I finish a shift. I didn’t go back and ask for tests, probably should have but I am due a check up in January at the hospital so I will mention it then. Thanks for the comments and best wishes to all.
Hi there … this is interesting because I was just beginning to worry about the same symptoms myself. Diagnosed Nov 2005, finished treatment Aug 2006 - so roughly the same timescales. Had WLE and ANC (not mastectomy) in my case. No breathlessness, but aches and pains in shoulder, and sometimes in the neck (on the op-side). It definitely feels more muscular than anything else - and there’s no signs of lumps or any swelling. I swim and ring church bells - both of which could potentially cause a strain, or certainly aggravate it. I am due for a check-up next month with the surgeon so haven’t bothered to annoy the GP or onco with it so far. It has been hanging around for about 10 days, some days worse than others. Had lots of niggley little aches and pains and other compaints over the last 2 years, but this is the first one that has begun to unnerve me. Did switch from Tamox to Arimidex 4 months ago - so this is another possibly factor.
Anyway, it is interesting to hear I’m not alone. Fingers crossed it is yet another belated side-effect/complication from original treatment. I have lost count of how many I have collected so far. Hugs and best wishes to all.
Hi All…Moll the doll I am in exactly the same bpoat as you …Dx oct O7 Mastectomy usual follow up s*****e bone scan Jan 08 Have been in agony ever since had blood test after blood test nothing Doc says nothing to suggest any malignancy spread wont give me anothe bone scan have been referred to an Ortho spec in Nov really hoping he can get to the bottom of it as the pain is daily and making my life a misery …like you open to any suggestions !!!