Finished radiotherapy 12 weeks ago today for about 2 weeks or so I have had nasty pain that's getting worse around my ribcage starting at the edge of my breast and going round towards the back went to see BCN last week she calldd in Dr. Who had been my surgeon who said that RT just loves to keep on giving it could last up to a year or for rest of my life !!!! Anyone else experienced this ?
And the to top it off I just realised my eyebrows have completely disappeared I am very fair skinned so they didn't show that much anyone know do they grow back ?
I was feeling quite good and positive but this has knocked me back
Diane
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Iknitandstitch
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Hi, I can tell you that the eyebrows do come back - like all the other hair. So hang in there. They grow back pretty fast too. About the rib cage pain, unfortunately the doctor is saying what most doctors say - they have no data on it. It could be okay or last you a life time. Most of the people I know including me having undergone radio have gone back to reasonably pain free lives. Stay positive. And draw on some eyebrows - do you know so many women draw them on anyway? It isn't just us. Sending positive vibes for a quick return to a normal/near normal life.
My eyelashes are half grown and the eyebrows and hair sprouting...its 2 months after chemo, never noticed this with RT. Pain like you discribe, for me lingered over the years, more like a trapped nerve. It hit most in fits of laughter...then I stopped, hugged my back and breathed through the cramp. For an outsider they thought I was having a heart attack. In bad times I resorted to oestopath, in frequent times the chiropractor but have arthritus to add to it now.. But a good massage to soften the stiffness is possibly the best option...when pain becomes frequent because the attacks do reduce over time. My RT was 25 years ago. Now a year on with no chiro treatment I am resorting to freeze gell, ice packs and hot water bottle to ease pain. I need my chiro again...or do I? Maybe a massage or acupuncture might be better. Find what suits best...a little more recovery first, even a year...i wouldnt recommend a massage on burnt skin, or freeze gell. You might need to put on hold for later and try to find the right exercise that leans away from the pain to ease it, ok...its learning to do live with it.
Yes I had that with my ribs ..thought I had been kicked by a horse....as a precaution they gave me a bone scan ..all ok ..it lasted about four months ..still get the odd twinge ..so I know how you feel .I now have shoulder problems on the same side and the first thing they said was the radiotherapy was a factor in it ..so waiting on surgery for that .radiotherapy is the gift that keeps giving ..I am lucky and still have most of my breast but the radiotherapy has left it hard and l lumpy no way can I self examine.pain too told a couple of years ..now in third year .take care . If you still have concerns talk to the but again .
Tku all for your replies I had shoulder surgery last year same side so that doesn't help ! Plus riddled with osteo athritis had 3 knee replacements so I cud really do without any extra pain... I was starting to feel that it was being put behind me then this threw a spanner in the works so to speak ...lol my eyebrows were so fair and fine u cud hardly see them as I wear glasses I have got eyebrow liner pen and sometimes I do give a quick flick where they once were I got it when I went on the "Look good feel better" course at local Macmillan centre it was a great experience as I have never been one for much make up so the ladies did my face for me everyone said I looked so different and I must admit it did make me feel good and the stuff in the goody bag was absolutely amazing
I may try some gentle heat pad see if that helps have electric one with several heat settings
Started making Xmas decorations yes I know it's early but they are time consuming photos when I have done some
I too have RT pain on my back directly behind where i had chemo and radiotherapy 4 yrs ago. I have a good physio that i attend once a month which helps a great deal- worth a try! As for the eyebrows they eventually grew back - a good eyebrow pencil is worth investing in - but no hair ever grew back under my arms ( there are positves in everything). Just keep looking foward. It gets easier. Susan
Hello ladies goodness Diane you are in the wars you have my sympathy. I'm 2 1/2 months post radio and 4 months post chemo and I'm just getting the joint pain that comes with tamoxifen to accompany the post treatment fatigue so I'm not in as much pain as you. I feel for you 😔.
My eyebrow product of choice is wunderbrow from the livebetterwith.com website, never been one for make up for 20 years now but have made a good friend out of this product. Just be aware of the colour e.g. I ordered brunette even tho my eyebrows are black, to better match my wig colour so I'd advise you to choose one shade lighter than you think, if you do decide to purchase it. My eyebrows have still got bald patches! When they first started to grow back and I applied this product it looked like an upside down dead spider on each brow!!! 🤣🤣🤣. But you get an empty mascara brush to use for grooming so that calmed them down a bit.
I too was amazed at all the makeup after I went on the same course!! After the return of my eyelashes I will never go without mascara again!!
Hoping your pain will be a short lived side effect 🤞and you find some comfort and peace soon xx
tku all for your replies - I seem to have unfortunately managed to get almost every side effect going there is !!! and at every turn something that could go wrong has .... one catastrophe after another so to speak .... was up most of the night last night with the pain did however get some relief with electric heat pad but it wasn't quite the right shape - today I went to LIDL and purchased a black and stomach heat pad for £14.99 in a lovely dusky pink shade with a wide elastic Velcro fastening which has already been tried and tested out and its a great .... I have been using (when I remember) the Clinique eyebrow pen its very fine and the LGFB lady found just the right shade sort of caramel for my fair skin so am carrying on with it
I have a physio I have been using for about 12 years - when things settle a bit more (fingers x'd for that) I will go and see him
have 40 polystyrene egg shapes to cover with Xmas ribbon - that shud keep me out of mischief ...
I forgot to say I got terrible muscle pain when on Letrozole and the hot flushes and sweats were terrible = changed to Tamoxifen after 5 weeks but the flushes and sweats are not as bad although I find them difficult as I -never had these when had menopause !!!
After talking with BCN I went to Dr. about rib pain as it was "tender to touch" she sent me for chest Xray that was last Fri. just waiting for results pain shows no signs of subsiding yet !
I'm coming to 3 years since my surgery/radiotherapy, and got twinges in the breast where the lump was. I was warned that the RT would cause this by the radiographer, so I knew what it was. It gradually became less and less frequent and had now stopped.
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Sending positive vibes for a quick return to a normal/near normal life. 
Surgery and tamoxifen?
Feeling down a few weeks after the mastectomy and not ready to go back to work 
Lump over 50
