Now we’ve finally got some warm weather I’ve been pottering around in the garden, sitting in the sun, etc, and today noticed that when I got hot my non-BC boob was getting sweaty underneath (as usual), but the BC one didn’t sweat. This despite the fact that my BC boob usually feels much warmer than the other one thanks to radiotherapy. Does the rads treatment damage the sweat glands? Does anyone know?
Not sure. But I had bilateral mastectomies last June, with SN biopsies a couple of weeks prior to this, and i have never sweated under my arms since, I have not needed to use deodorants since and I do a reasonable amount of vigorous exercise, cycling, Zumba etc. I think it could be to do with the nerves that they inevitably cut during surgery.
Hi I think you do have a point here.My experience is similar. Also affected axilla does not perspire after ANC ( nor do I need to use any hair removal forms either )How have others fared? Jx
Hi
That’s strange! i,ve also noticed that i,ve not lost the hair under my arm on the mastectomy side but have on the other whilst on chemo. Bit worrying really as i want the chemo to reach there as well.
Maria x
Me too!
I noticed the other day that all my underarm hair had departed from my “good” side 'due to chemo) but my mx side still had its winter coat on.
“Bad” armpit doesn’t sweat either.
I haven’t had (and won’t be having)rads.
I noticed I don’t sweat under my arms anywhere near as much which used to be a quite a problem. In fact it’s hardly at all. I asked my breast surgeon the other day at my annual check-up and he said that is often the case especially if you have Auxilliary clearance which I did. At least that’s one bonus to the whole thing!
I don’t sweat at all under the armpit that had anc… big bonus, as I do sweat a lot, and it’s horrid in the summer. So, down to one sweaty pit now…lol… yup, you have to find the positives where you can! I haven’t noticed on the boob thing, I had a left mx tho, so not so easy to compare!!
Sophie x
Hi,
I asked my surgeon about my warm boob as i am considering lipofilling to fill in the dent (WLE). I asked if i had the op done would the fat transferred melt as my boob was warmer than the other. Sorry if that sounds a daft question but i know in this procedure you loose a certain amount of fat anyway. So the surgeon replied that the sweat cells or glands were damaged and that was why my boob was still warm - this was about 7 months after rads had finished. I’m not sure if it was surgery or rads that causes this.
Has anyone else asked about this? I didn’t ask how long it would be warm for! This is yet another side effect no one seems to be told about!!! Once it’s been explained i’m not bothered about it but was a bit worried about it when i first noticed it.
Take care.
I rarely have any sweat on my affected side and I only get a few very wispy hairs under my armpit. However, the unaffected side seems to make up for this - it now sweats more and I appear to have to shave more. A nurse who used to come to my house to give me Herceptin told me that it could be the sweat glands get damaged when you have radiotherapy.
Hi Cheshire Cheese - can I ask abit of a daft question - especially after 18 months of this ‘magic rounderbout’ but I only read what I have to and rarely do research - sends me into a headspin.
Now the warmer weather is hitting us I’ve been getting sore and abit swollen under my arm ( cant really call it lymphodema …yet) on my op side had six nodes removed and like you rarely sweat or need to ‘defuzz’. The under arm is getting to the point I cannot lay on it at night … is this normal - this time last year I was getting over rads , heart attck and a P,E. but dont think the last two have any baring on this flippin ‘soreness’ so this is my first ‘normal’ summer.
Hi all!
Yes, this is weird! I have had a totally sweat-free underarm and under-boob since surgery 3 1/2 years ago - but now - it’s coming back! I have been massaging and exercising area quite a bit because of lymphoedema so maybe that’s what’s happening! I have had 2 lots of rads to area too since I had a reg. reoccurrance last year. Maybe nerves do regenerate…not sure.
All the best, Sarahx
Hi Lazydaisy
Sorry for a slow reply but been busy raking stones out of soil!
It sounds like you should ask your BCN about the increasing soreness you’re getting - could it be the dreaded cording making an appearance? I found a bit of cording appearing a few weeks ago and it was very sore - that was 9 months after the initial surgery and I only had two nodes removed. I managed to overcome it with massage and exercise but mine was quite minor.
Whatever it is that’s causing the pain a visit to the physio might help a lot. I started seeing a physio 6 months after surgery and it’s helped a lot with the general stiffness and tightening up.
Sarah x