Hi Dani01, I can’t help with the hard lumps you’re experiencing I’m afraid, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m only a little bit behind you in terms of treatment. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 weeks ago and had a lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy and an axillery node clearance last Thursday. I’m awaiting my pathology results and hope to have my drain removed as soon as possible! Hopefully one of the nurses will be able to answer your question for you when they’re back on here tomorrow. Hope you’re coping with everything ok,  I’m feeling a bit sorry for myself at the moment but obviously relieved that the surgery has been done. Sending you a big hug, 

Bex

I'm not a medical expert, but I've had a number of surgeries for BC over the years, and as a result I have extremely lumpy tissue in armpit and breast areas. Scar tissue feels knotty. I also felt tight cords in my armpit following node clearance.

Wishing you good news for your results and good luck with any further treatment.

Hi Bex, thanks for your post. I hope you are feeling well. Unfortunately, we are in the same boat and on the same journey. The hard and painful tissue in my breast and armpit was seroma - I had ultrasound and the consultant drained fluid. I still have hard tissue and was told that I need to massage it and the body will absorb the fluid. I have received my pathology results and I need to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I was optimistic at the beginning but now there are days when I feel awful. If you want to you can send me a private message so we can exchange our experience. I am sending you a big hug as well.

Hi Dani01

Just noticed how similar my situation is to yours. I had my surgery may 26th, lumpectomy for 3cm tumour and axillary clearance as the cancer was detected on ultrasound in the first lymph node. I had self diagnosed as stage 2 and was fully prepared for radiotherapy, however my pathology report came back as cancer spread to several lymph nodes under the arm and now need chemotherapy as well as radio, am technically stage 3. I feel far worse now than I did at initial diagnosis and am not coping well, sleeping or eating etc. I've a CT scan today and a bone scan next week which obviously I'm sick with worrying about. I'm still eating painkillers for the post surgery pain and have hard painful lumps in both my breast and underarm. Sending you best wishes and the hope that we both overcome this terrible disease

Was called in to receive my pathology results on Tuesday and unfortunately it’s not good news, the cancer was bigger & more aggressive than previously thought from the biopsy (originally was about 3cm stage 1 grade 1) but I’m now being told that it’s 4.4cm grade 3 & it was in 4 out of 9 of my lymph nodes so I’m assuming that means it’s stage 3 now. The margins from my lumpectomy weren’t clear of cancer cells so I’ve got to go back for more surgery this Wednesday, if unsuccessful this time it will be a mastectomy next. Got to have a ct scan on the 22nd then I’ll be starting Tamoxifen and 6 sessions of chemotherapy followed by Radiotherapy. I’m absolutely devastated, but trying to stay as positive as I possibly can  , it’s come as such a shock because I didn’t even think about the stage & grade possibly changing. There was me thinking it had been caught it early & I probably wouldn’t need chemo, now I’ve got to get my head around all this. I have a gorgeous 2 year old boy who is a welcome distraction and a complete ray of sunshine in my life, so I’m just trying to focus on him and other positive things but it’s just so hard sometimes. Coming on here and reading about yours and other similar experiences is a comfort to me at the moment, I don’t feel quite so alone on this rollercoaster of a journey that I wish no-one had to ever embark on. I really hope you are feeling a bit better now after your seroma and you’re coping ok with everything, big hugs to you xx

Hi Jools, it sounds like we’re on a similar journey unfortunately! Really hope you’re coping as well as any of us can be in this awful situation. Sending you a big hugxx

Just noticed that you had your ct scan today so I hope that it was ok and you get the results back quickly xx

Hi Bex

Yes went for the CT today, they said the results would be sent to my consultant in about a week. I've a bone scan after that, can't say I'm not panicking. The cancer was in 10 of the 11 lymph nodes they removed during the surgery. Tumour was 3.2cm , grade 3. I definitely knew it was in the first lymph node as it showed on the ultrasound, but hearing it was in 10 has knocked me badly. Im meeting my oncologist on Monday. Just hope my CT and bone scan are clear and I can get on with the chemo. What a living nightmare we are in. All we can do is hang in there for our kids, they need us to be strong. 

Take care xx

Hi Jools, 

I hope everything is ok with you. My cancer is grade 3 as yours. My tumor was 2.5 cm and it was in my lymph nodes as well. I have finished my chemotherapy and will start radiotherapy this month. How are you coping with chemotherapy?  

Best wishes

Dani