Breast pain years after lumpectomy, nipple inverting.

IMO Request an MRI.

Totally agree.

@beckyf I know you are speaking of a Lumpectomy but maybe some food for thought. I ran across this article about in Cure Today magazine about Mastectomy pain and found it interesting as I have a Rib/Back pain since my mastectomy. I’m 4 yrs out from surgery. I’ve had this & thought it would heal but always thought it was from surgery. It would come and go & was when o would lie on my right side.
It has continually gotten worse to the point of debilitating spasms. I finally hooked up w/ a wonderful Acupuncturist Doctor. She stated it was scar tissue. The spasms are gone and now it is like a Deep sore overworked muscle. Like I exercised too much. Between my Acupuncturist, exercising my Serratus Anterior , & occasionally physical therapy & chiropractic, as needed I am seeing great improvement. This all takes time. I have to remember that. It’s been 10 months that’s I’ve been going to acupuncturist and it’s been so great to see improvement. We are a team. We both have to work at this. Anyway here is the article link
https://www.curetoday.com/view/post-mastectomy-pain-syndrome-what-patients-need-to-know

Beckyf,
I had a lumpectomy and same thing my nipple inverted. I didn't take the Tamoxifen many side affects. I did
take radiation.
marcia115

Same thing happened to me the only difference I did take Tamoxifen for 5 years. What was your outcome finally? Any suggestions for me?
@norkapat02

@norkapat02 How disheartening it is to have this happen. I would have been hitting my panic buttons if this happened. We all know that there are no guarantees but that doesn’t make this less awful. How long has it been happening? Have you made an appointment to see your doctor?

With pain and the nipple sinking in the doctors cannot stop the investigation after a mammogram and US. A MRI is needed.

However, a seroma that they are not documenting in the patient’s notes is a possibility. Seromas evidently happen fairly often, it a pocket of fluid formed when breast tissue is manipulated and an area of space is left. Over time if the fluid is not absorbed it can form a hardened “shell” around the thickening fluid. The hardened area can then start to contract over time - I believe it is the body trying to heal and absorb it but leaving behind the tougher hardened cells. Its possible a seroma behind your nipple has caused the nipple to fall inward as the seroma contracts. The hardened cells of the seroma can also cause pain.

I have 3 seromas. They are never mentioned on the scan reports but I can see them in the scans. My cancer center links the actual scans to my report in MyChart where I can view them. I am starting to have issues with 2 of the seromas, although none of mine are very close to the nipple. My next survivorship appt I will ask until I get an answer about the prognosis of the seromas.