I am posting here hoping to find some answers as the docs do not seem to have any!!
I had b/c about 2 years ago, grade 3 invasive carcinoma, her+, negative to hormones. Did chemo, lumpectomy, radio (in this order).
Chemo stopped my periods which came back about 15 months ago and have been roughly regular (between 21 and 28 days).
I can’t say exactly when it started, but definitely many months ago, but my “good” breast is always incredibly sore, in a pms way, for at least 3 weeks a month. Sometimes it gets better during my period but then it starts again. I also feel constantly premesntrual, with cravings, weight gains, spots, moodiness the whole lot.
My gyno explains this by the fact that the “bad” breast has lost most of its gland tissue, so its like the other one is working double to make up for it, so there’s a surge of hormones going on. But she wasn’t sure and it was just her way of trying to explain it I’m seeing my oncologists in January and will ask them as well, but in the meantime I’m curious to know if anyone else experinced the same? anyone asked their drs??
thanks a lot as always
don’t know if this helps, and since no-one seems to have experienced same problem. When in my thirties I used to have breast pain in both breasts which I described as “red hot pokers”, so sore even if my arm crossed nearby it hurt.It lasted 2-3 weeks every month. This was 12 years before being diagnosed. I decided it was “hormonal” and never got it checked at GP as didn’t fancy taking any meds!! Just as well I didn’t know what was ahead of me. Anyway it did settle down in time, can’t remember how long but may have been up to a year. I suppose I’m asking is it possible that it is menstrual and not due to BC? Hope you get some help at your next appointment.
I was really interested to read both your comments on this. For the past few years I have complained both to my GP and Practice nurse about painful breasts. Sometimes they were so painful that I couldn’t have anything near them It was so bad that even the bed clothes on them hurt. I was constantly either ignored or told I was perimenopausal. I had my first mammo on the 30th November at 50 and I remember thinking oh well at least I will find out if anything is going on especially in the more painful left one which always felt heavy. I rarely managed 7 dys in a cycle without the pain.
I ended up having a left mastectomy on the 13th January and they diagnosed grade 1 4mm invasive to left breast and microscopic in one node. It started off as DCIS and now I face chemo next week and Herceptin. The right breast is now equally as uncomfortable especially the nipple which is so hard and painful but the mammo in November found only cysts. I am tempted to ask about another mastectomy as I really am quite uncomfortable and have enough to worry about with this chemo.
I don’t know about sore but my brests were incredably itchy for a good twelve months prior to my bc diagnosis. When I mentioned it to my gp she laughed and said it was probably hormonal and wasn’t a symptom of bc. The itchiness stopped as soon as my treatment started so to me its obviously was a symptom!
i agree that is how i first found my lump i was constanty scratching,i told docter this but he didnt think it was conected,i think this should be looked into.