hello all, and a happy new year to everyone!
This is my first post- just looking for some information about stuff and found this wonderful website and discussion area! I have a question.
I was diagnosed with a grade 2 tumour in June 2009 - had wle in July and radiotherapy, which finished end of sept. I notice that my breast is still warm, and my skin is taking on the appearance of orange peel on the lower side of the brest. I have a mild bit of lymphoedema in arm and breast, so I am hoping that the skin changes are due to this. Anybody with any similar experiences? I will be calling my breast care nurse anyway next week so she can have a look, but am always interested in others experiences.
Hi Crafty
it is always best to get these things checked out, The chances are that it is as you say damage from the radiotherapy but it could also be the start of an infection especially as you say it is warm to touch.
My breast always looks like orange peel following WLE and rads!
good luck
Linda
xxx
Hi craftycrafter
‘Orange peel’ skin is very symptomatic of breast lymphoedema.
As lindsyloo says, it always best to get these things checked out. Hope fully the bcn will refer you on (or back) to your lymphoedema clinic and check herself to make sure you have no infection there
X
S
Best to get it checked out… there is a very rare type of bc called inflammatory breast cancer that has warmth and orange peel skin as symptoms… (it is the type i have…) hopefully it is not that - but best to see your bcn…
Take care
Theresa
I’ve got lymphoedema in my breast following WLE in Dec 06. It appeared about 3 months after surgery and I first noticed it because my affected breast was pinker than the other one, warm and swollen.
Good luck
Anthi x
I posted on a radiotherapy thread recently about still having a warm breast a few months after finnishing rads and got several replies saying others experienced the same thing and that it’s normal and can go on for several years. Skin is a bit orangey peel in appearance too but I just put that down to the radiotherapy as well.
I’ve got an appointment on Tuesday re small lump I found under my left arm christmas eve, so will mention the warm breast too and see what they say.
Thank you ladies for all of your words. I shall keep you posted! I am sure its nothing to worry about, but the bcn will put me right i am sure!
gocat, i wish you well for your appointment on Tuesday. You say some ladies experience warmth for years after??? It will come in handy for the winter - it will be like having my own mini hot water bottle - how handy!
I developed lymphoedema of the breast following end of radiotherapy last april. extremely painful. pleaded to see consultant who was very dismissive and said probably would never go away! Huh! finally got referred to lymphoedema clinic after many complaints and phonecalls…it only took them 7 months to see me ha ha ha!
They are lovely at the clinic though and now receiving weekly massage and self help techniques. A proper support bra has been supplied which is like a victorian corset but hopefully will help. Have been told swimming is the very best exercise for it!!!
I am amazed that so little information is out there about it. I was not warned about it post -op only about lympho of the arm. Now they are going to include it on their post op sessions.
Also our clinic is tiny and services a very large area. I think they don’t give it much prorioty because it is not life threatening!!..unless you get an infection of course.
It seems the aftercare generally was pretty poor…they do rely on people making a huge fuss, which I was loathe to do…but otherwise how do you get any attention any obviously you are pretty paranoid after having cancer. My breast cancer care nurse was also rubbish and I could never get in touch with her. I only got things moving because I had to go to another hospital in Bicester to investigate a new lump and the very kind onc. specialist there said he would chase it up for me. Otherwise I suspect I would still be sitting here with a great throbbing booby and not knowing what to do about it! I would be interested if anyone else in the Oxford area has had similar problems because this is obviously not the fault of the lymphoedema clinic itself just getting referred to the damn thing in the first place!
Hi AC
Glad to hear you’ve got yourself in the system and are getting some help.
Your experience mirrors mine, a few years ago now, in so many ways. And no I’ve never lived in the Oxford area.
BCN kept bleating on about how busy the lymphoedema clinic was. (did she think they all ought to be sat on their behinds twiddling their thumbs or something?) and would suggest anything (‘how about a couple of paracetamol, dear’?) rather than refer me on promptly.
It’s rationing by any other name.
I think we have to be aware that, due to the high profile bc itself has, there is normally a fairly efficient system for referrals and treatment itself is pretty prompt.
So we are lulled into a false sense of security, assuming that help for lymphoedema is going to follow smoothly on and in the same pattern, whereas lymphoedema care is only really accessed by those who make the most fuss.
There is good info’ about lymphoedema, including breast lymphoedema, on this site:
Hope you continue to improve, AC
X to all
S