I was diagnosed with Chronic myeloid leukaemia in June and began taking Imatinib about 10 days later. I immediately had side effects such as nausea and headache and then the fatigue set in. After about a week I started feeling a pain in my right breast, it feels kind of tender when I touch it on the outer part near my arm pit, the pain still hasn’t subsided almost 7 weeks later. I don’t know if this is a side effect or if anyone has a had anything similar? My sister had read on a Chronic myeloid leukaemia group that people sometimes get breast pain but it’s usually in both not just one of them.
Oh @CarlaWild I think it is so difficult to know what is connected to my blood cancer or not, I usually ask my GP or specialist nurse, I think that they also need to know what symptoms I am experiencing.
Please do let us know how you get on and really look after yourself.
Dear @CarlaWild
Thank you for posting and I am so sorry to hear that you are experiencing these symptoms. May I ask whether you have approached your treatment team about this? It is important that you relay any side effects to them as they can support you.
The pain you have in the right breast feels very specific, usually when Imatinib is commenced (and other medications) the effects are general nausea and fatigue: Imatinib | Macmillan Cancer Support. It feels like if the pain is still present that you should speak to your team and ask for an physical examination, then I hope you will get some reassurance.
If you would like to talk this through, please do give us a call: Blood cancer information and support by phone and email | Blood Cancer UK
Kind regards
Gemma