Pain

[Gmaoftriplets]

Hello everyone, I have a question that I think sounds stupid but I have to ask. I am on Ibrance 100mg and letrozole. Does anyone experience pain or ache in the breast where your tumor is?? I haven't had any surgery, but every so often I get the pain and the ache. Just wondering if anyone else has. Thanks

[hdhonda]

I don't but it could be nerve damage . Is it a fleeting sharp pain. I had surgery on my right lung and I get fleeting pain occasionally. My oncologist said that it is nerve pain from the surgery. Blessings Hannah

[GollyG]

Yes, I get breast pain from time to time. Onc has nothing enlightening to say about it but for the first time last week's scan mentioned the breast as free of evidence of disease so I'm not concerned about it. I hope it's not too uncomfortable for you x

[Hidden]

Hi,

That isn't a stupid question at all. It's a valid question. I used to experience breast pain before my diagnosis and for a while afterwards too. It also felt and looked slightly different to the healthy breast when I compared the two. I occasionally get an ache in the affected breast, but it is fleeting. When I feel an ache I try to think that it could be a sign of healing rather than evidence of progression. If the pain is persistent and doesn't let up I would mention your concerns to your oncologist. Are you due a CT scan soon?

Take care,

Sophie 🌷

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Hidden]

The pain is not persistent it is also more of an ache, it is just every once in awhile. My next scan is in March. I'm going to go with your belief that it's the tumor shrinking!!

[Hidden in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

Let us know how it goes! Hopefully your scan will show your condition is stable and that the ache is simply the breast tumour shrinking. I imagine my tumour shrinking and dying off and that brings me comfort.

Sophie

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Hidden]

It isn't a constant pain more of an ache. Next scan is March. I talked to a mentor recently thru Pfizer and she said breast pain is common when on Ibrance and letrozole.

[Hidden in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

Hopefully the ache is nothing for you to worry about, and it's just a side effect of treatment.

Sophie

[8576]

Hi: Yes, I had pain were the tumour was. At first the pain was intermittent and then became more frequent. I would make a new appointment with your Oncologist. Let the doctors figure it out.

Cheers, June S.

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to 8576]

It is more of an ache,sometimes pain but not severe, I'm wondering now if it is my medication.

[Kathyquilts]

Letrozole gave me incredible breast pain. When I switched meds, the pain was gone.

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Kathyquilts]

I think you are right!! Thank you

[Hidden]

I get it all the time lately. I still have my tumor in my breast. My onco tells me that means the meds are working but I have lost confidence in her. She constantly tells me when I see her once a month that the tumor feels smaller (it is rather large) and I tell her you say the same thing every single month and I am telling you it is NOT getting smaller at all. Who knows better, me or feels it every single day or you (my onco does not measure it, she just feels it) who only feels it once a month and feels hundreds of breasts also.

I got annoyed with her. I said you dont even measure it. You tell me all the time it is getting smaller when I can feel for a fact it is not.

Lately, I have been having sharper pain than usual in that breast. It's fleeting but painful.

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Hidden]

Have you had any scans? My last PET scan showed my tumor was just scar tissue. Next scan is March, already getting anxious. I have heard the same thing about pain meaning the medication is working.

[Hidden in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

I have CT scans every three months. Been stage iv for about two years now though it seems forever. Was first on Ibrance and falsodex. I hated the Ibrance bc my week off, I could not get out of bed, was shivering when it was August and humid in NY. I could barely move and I live alone and I had no warning to expect that. Had to get off the Ibrance bc an infection did not go away and thus I had to have a very horrible surgery in which they cut tunnels in my upper groin. I had to have a nurse come to my apt. every day and the pain was unbelievable. It took four months for the holes to close up during which time I was not on the Ibrance. I didn't know enough about cancer or treatment to even think to ask her to lower the dosage.

Then put on Verzenio. I could not handle the 150 mgs. or the 100 mgs. and finally I am on the 50 mgs. (twice per day with no break). It was tough bc of the side effects. Well, STILL on Verzenio my CT (I had mets to the lungs) scan then showed two holes in my spine so now I have to get an additional shot of xyvega(?) for my bones.

I have lost confidence in my onco but do not have the energy to search for another oncologist and cancer center since I am at the best one in Brooklyn now and it would be uncomfortable to switch oncos at the same center.

But I wondered why is she keeping me on Verzenio if the breast cancer now made two holes in my spine. So out of a curiosity experiment for myself, I stopped taking the Verzenio for the last TWO MONTHS before my next CT scan which was two weeks ago. Without taking the med, I had stable, no progression. I just told my onco that I stopped it for two weeks. She said she would like me to go back on it. But I waited another week. I feel awful on it.

I just had another CT scan last Friday because now I have severe lower back pain. I cannot even walk 1/2 block with pain and my eyes tear up and I have to stop and find something to lean on like a wall, or a hydrant because my lower back starts really hurting so they did a CT scan to find out why. I do not drive, I live alone and have no family or friends even close to where I live so I am stuck in my apt. because walking even a short distance my back starts hurting so much that it takes me three times longer than it normally would to walk anywhere.

So now she is going to refer me to palliative care. No, my tumor is in my right breast and fairly large with alot of dimpling bc to me it seems to change shape. After my recovery period, she had me to another ultrasound and they found a new cancer tumor in my breast and they had to do biopsies. I was not sure why but then found out you can have two different types of breast cancer in the same breast. Luckily it turned out to be the same type I have.

I feel like it got bigger. She says every single month it feels smaller to her but she never measures it and I see her once a month and I feel it every single day. I went back on the medication only bc the tumor is really starting to cause pain (and I had stopped my meds for over two months).

Just odd how my cancer spread when I was on the medication but did not when I stopped taking it.

I still get CT scans every three months to see if it had spread. Friday's CT scan was bc of the lower back pain I am experiencing.

I was doing fine until pain started. Even though I am being referred for palliative care, the team will be working with my oncologist who I will continue to see. They are supposed to help me manage the pain, side effects of meds, depression and anxiety, etc.

My tumor has never gotten smaller since I started treatment. I really do not worry or lose any sleep the day before I have a scan. It is what it is and worrying is not going to change the outcome. I can even deal with side effects, but I cannot deal with constant pain. It is affecting my whole life bc I cannot walk far without my back giving out and I dont drive so now I have to order in my groceries.

Waiting to see if Friday's CT scan shows if the hole in my spine is causing the issue or whatever they find but its getting increasingly worse and makes one miserable feeling pain if they do something as basic as walking.

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Hidden]

I am so sorry to hear about how much pain you are in. As far as changing doctors I did and they are in the same office, the first one I had I knew I could not continue to see him for the long haul, if your not happy change doctors I promise you they won't care.

[bubblystream]

No i do not have pain in breast. But they took out my cancer area. It was a microcalcification not a lump for me. I take the same meds as you. They have really worked for me for 4 years now. 😊