radiation side effects

I've finished radiation treatment for the past 5 weeks and am now encountering lumps and bumps in my breast.  Is this normal?  If anyone has gone through this please let me know.  Plus I have episodes of pins and needles at various times of the day.  Again, if anyone had these symptoms let me know.

Thanks.

Maryann 

On 12/31/2008 Maryann S. wrote:

I've finished radiation treatment for the past 5 weeks and am now encountering lumps and bumps in my breast.  Is this normal?  If anyone has gone through this please let me know.  Plus I have episodes of pins and needles at various times of the day.  Again, if anyone had these symptoms let me know.

Thanks.

Maryann 

Hi Maryann,

Congratulations on getting through the radiation.

Do not be alarmed - a lot of people have problems after radiation.  The pins and needles sensation should go away with time, as your nerves have a chance to heal.  Consistent dosing with a complete B complex vitamin might do a lot to help speed that along.  Just remember that nerves heal at a slower rate than flesh, so be patient.  Also, talk to your dr - ask them what they recommend to decrease discomfort.  (You might also get responses from others who have been through this and found solutions that worked for them.)

As to the lumps and bumps, radiation is VERY hard on both the lymph system and the immune system - you may be retaining lymph fluid in your breasts and that can feel pretty lumpy.  Some women find that their breasts are much more fibrous after treatment. Also, you may find that as a result of the radiation, your breasts are more sensitive to hormones, caffeine and some other foods that can cause lumpy breast tissue. Plus there is bound to be scar tissue that will feel lumpy and bumpy.

To be on the safe side, make an appt with the dr, and get a breast exam, find out for sure if that's all this is.  Ask the dr to take a little bit of time teaching you how to examine your breasts - especially teaching you how scar tissue feels compared to normal tissue, and the characteristics of  fibrous densities that may have come about because of the treatment.

I also recommend you purchase a copy of Dr Susan Love's Breast Book, 4th edition, and start reading. Lots of very valuable information there on what to expect after treatment, and how to take care of yourself to promote optimum breast health (as well as spiritual and emotional health.)

Sincerely,

Tre

I had radiation on my left breast nine years ago for 6 weeks after a lumpectomy to remove my cancerous tumor.  Within a year, it resulted in so much scar tissue that it caused pain which mimicked a heart attack.  They even admitted me into a hospital overnight for testing because the pain was so intense but it was just the scar tissue from the radiation on my left breast and not my heart.  Three years later, I had to have a mastectomy of my left breast because of this intense pain and because I would never know if I was really having a heart attack because of the pain from the scar tissue from the radiated breast. I also opted for reconstruction at that time.  However, since then, my reconstructed breast shrunk to half the size of my other breast.  I was told that this can occur when a breast is radiated and then later is reconstructed.  As for the tingling in the arm, I also suffered with that for about five years. I personally would never get radiation again.  If the cancer should show up in my right breast, I would have a mastectomy and not a lumpectomy which requires radiation.  However, everyone is different and I do know several women who did not have scar tissue (or arm tingling) and thus their recuperation was far better.  Good luck!