Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[AndieKC]

Hello Ladies
I was wondering if anyone has a similar experience and perhaps could shed some light on this (and ease my worries)

I’m 51, on HRT for a few years, very successfully managing my symptoms with 3 pumps of estrogen and mirena coil. In the past year I have also been using Androfeme testosterone only at half a dose.
Last summer a routine mammogram led to recall due to some microcalcifications in clusters so I had the whole works with ultrasound and 10 biopsies taken, which all fortunately turned out to be okay so was told to have another mammogram in 3 years. So I should be all fine and happy but the results experience has left me a bit paranoid about breast cancer - every time I feel a little tingle or soreness in the breast, I start worrying. The doctor at the breast clinic told me that it is possible for the scar tissue to hurt a little even after 5 months since the biopsy and also that they may have clipped a nerve which could cause the symptoms. The bizarre thing is that about an hour or two after applying my hormones (to thighs only) the area where biopsies were taken can feel a bit achey when I press it (no lumps), then pain can be completely gone for a few hours. Sometimes I will have an hour when I’ll feel mild tingling in the breast, like very light electric shocks, then it all stops. And often a gentle massage if of the achey area eventually stops the pain completely. And sometime at night I’ll feel the achiness in the area where the biopsy was taken. It seems quite random but I do wonder if it’s possible that the breast reacts to hormone levels changing throughout the day? I try to wear loose bras. If I wasn’t paranoid due to that experience of biopsy and the “what I have breast cancer”, i wouldn’t worry about the pain at all. I’m only aware of it if I carry a box and it presses against the area when it hurts or if I lie down on my front in a wrong way. Prior to menopause I have smaller breasts (I was slimmer) and no PMS symptoms so this breast pain malarkey is a bit new to me
Any advice appreciated
Many thanks

[CLKD]

Yep, nerves are strange critters!   A few weeks ago I mentioned that my sterilisation and appendix scars were feeling 'odd', both surgeries in the 1980s. 

Have U tried gentle massage with a good quality moisturiser?  Occasionally the breast on which surgery was performed in 1995 feels 'odd', the scar itches and I do wonder .......  and yes, if U think back to when U had regular periods, how your breasts felt in the days running up to a bleed? 

[AndieKC]

Hi CLKD
Thank you for your reply. Before menopause I’m sure I had some occasional breast pains but very mild, I never noticed, but as peri menopause must have been taking place it felt more pronounced I guess. The thing that worries me is that it’s now 8 months since the biopsies and it’s only the area of where they went but I guess there must be scar tissue inside? On the outside there’s a little dot visible only.
Massage does help, and really it’s not severe pain or anything, it’s just my mind doing overtime. All these articles say that pain itself is very rarely a sign of cancer (and I had a completely clean result!) but if it’s persistently in one area, then… It literally feels as if the ducts or whatever is inside the breast swells a little in response to hormones applied (to thighs) and then as if something was blocked so I feel pressure in the area. Massage it a bit and it seems to go away. Then comes back again perhaps when hormones are dropping towards the evening? If only I knew that yes, it’s scar tissue from biopsy blocking something or pressing on nerve, then I guess I wouldn’t even think about it.
Sorry to hear about your surgery, I feel like so trivial to complain about my lot when yours sounds so much bigger. How are you feeling about it all?
Is HRT still an option for you? Those 8 months ago it wasn’t just the possibility of breast cancer that scared the hell out of me but the prospect of life without HRT, just couldn’t bear that. After five or six years I am finally feeling like me, so they would have to prize the HRT out of my dying hand
Hope you are coping well with everything? Xx

[CLKD]

My surgery was in 1995, prior to each follow up I did wonder 'what if'.  I had a very good Team and now, down the line, I rarely think about it.  Even though I have blue tattoos where the radiation beam was aimed.

My oncologist told me that HRT wasn't going to be an option, however.  Had it been necessary, Quality of Life is important.

That out of control bus might get you long B4 breast disease ;-)

[Wrensong]

Hi AndieKC, sometimes when women are discharged from the breast clinic they're told they can contact the clinic again with any concerns, bypassing the need to go through a GP.  If this was the case with you, I would just give them a ring & ask their advice.  Otherwise I'd contact your GP, simply for peace of mind.  It's never time-wasting flagging up breast issues & medics would always rather we did this than wait & worry.
Wx

[AndieKC]

Hi Wrensong
Thank you for your reply.
I contacted the breast clinic about 5 months after the biopsy, a doctor from there then called me back and reassured me that it is possible to feel some symptoms after 5 months due to scar tissue being there, even though the leaflets say all pain should clear after 3 months. She also said that they took “quite a lot of biopsies” - 10 - and they may have pinched the nerve. Another few months has passed since , so it’s 10 months since the biopsy now, and it’s just not knowing what these tingling symptoms are. I feel a bit silly so don’t want to pester them again with my anxieties. I was hoping to find out from other women what normal hormonal breast symptoms on HRT feel like -

Thank you xx

[CLKD]

If U are worried it's not a pester.  !!  Is there a breast care nurse at the Hospital with whom you could raise the question?  I know that patients were advised to rub a good quality hand cream into any scar areas to ease any adhesions below the operation site. 

[Wrensong]

Hi AndieKC, I understand, bless you.  I have sent you a PM.  Hope that's OK.
Wx

[AndieKC]

Hi CLKD
I didn’t know about massaging advice, no one said anything about that to me after the biopsy. But that’s great to know, I’ll massage away and I’ll use the Bio Oil,  brilliant for scars. Thank you so much, I feel much more reassured xx

[CLKD]

Don't massage too hard to make up for time  .  I can't understand why patients don't get the 'full' advice  .  Orthopaedic patients often had instructions to gently rub in moisturiser into scar areas. 

[AndieKC]

Hi CLKD

Thank you for your advice, will be gentle and try to stop panicking

Have a lovely weekend xx

[CLKD]

So far weekend is fine.  If U are worried after a week of gentle massage, do contact a breast nurse at the surgery/hospital for reassurance.