post radiation problems (SOMEWHAT LONG)

Hi all- I am hoping I can get some input-- I don`t post much but read everything. I am 45, had IDC diagnosed in Oct. 2000. Tumor 1.7 cm (normal mammogram 4 months before!) Lumpectomy, CMF, radiation, then CMF. A few months after rads, my breast became edematous-- my cup size went 2 bigger! One year post rads, I noticed my posterior nipple area protruding-- I applied pressure, and was rewarded with a grainy white substance spewing forth. According the my surgeon, it is ecstasia (dead cells), and a benign process. Two days ago, I suddenly had alot of pain in the nipple area-- I exuded alot of thick, grainy stuff, then purulent icky stuff (I checked it under a microscope at work- all WBC and bacteria). I put myself on on Keflex. I called my rad onc today, and he said to continue the Keflex- if things didn`t improve, call back, and he would order ductography (ouch!). My concern/question is: I don`t hear of anyone else on this list having the problems I have post rads-- my breast is still huge and hard -- and it`s been 2 years! And now I have an infection. Anyone else suffering from hard boob syndrome? I have complained to the docs-I get treatment- but I respect the opinions here. thanks--Jeannette

<< Anyone else suffering from hard boob syndrome? I have complained to the docs-I get treatment- but I respect the opinions here. >>
HI Jeannette, sorry I can`t help you. I would, however, suggest getting a second opinion. My situation was quite different. What brought me to the dr. was a change in my nipple. It began sinking into the aereola. I had had a normal mammo 9 mos earlier. However, very soon after the mammo, I felt a hard mass--was almost above my breast. I went back and showed it to my ob-gyn. He flippantly reminded me that I had had a normal mammo. I told him that I was confused about what one should be looking/feeling for. He wrote in my chart (that page, somehow, mysteriously disappeared and is no longer there) that patient does not like to do self-checks. (I never said that). 9 mos. later my nipple--which was about 4 inches away began to change. I had a biopsy done on that hardened mass that appeared w/in a day or so after that last `normal` (or supposedly normal) mammogram. This time it was positive. Most of the dr`s I saw thought the nipple change was from that tumor pulling on it. That was not the case. They were wrong. I had a separate tumor in the nipple within dermal lymphatics (a rare presentation of inflammatory breast cancer). So, based on my experience, my suggestion is to get a 2nd opinion at a center that sees many breast cancer patients. My best thoughts are with you.