Chest Muscles Still Sore.

My mastectomy (one breast) was April 2002.  Followed by 8 chemos and 33 radiations.  I am also on Tamoxifen.

I thought I got along real well with all the treatments.  But this spring I decided to do some heavy lifting "stuff" and my chest muscles have been sore ever since. It pulls across my chest surgical area and under my arm where the nodes were taken out.  I feels like muscle pain.When I lie on this side to sleep it feels sore.      When I take it easy for a while it gets better, but then when I do a little extra work that envolves that arm,  it gets worse.

What do you make off this?  Is it going to stay this way, or will the strained muscles finally heal enough that I can lift,  hoe flower beds, etc.?  Or is this going to last forever?  
Thank you for your reply!

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear seven7:  Most people find that they are able to resume normal activities, although great care must be taken with people who have had both lymph node dissection and radiation as trauma could increase the possibility of lymphedema.  You could have sore muscles and you may also have some scar tissue.  You might consider asking your doctor for a physical or occupational therapy appointment to help define ways of doing your activities that may limit any unnecessary strain.

[chess2c]

A related discussion, muscle pain after lumpectomy was started.