Hi gadgetgal, it’s a suggestion and definitely not a diagnosis but could it be nerve pain?

I had very similar issues after my mastectomy, the back of my upper arm felt red raw like the skin was grazed...any clothing rubbing against it hurt. Even the skin of the arm rubbing against my body hurt.  The skin looked completely normal though...no redness though it felt red raw.

My surgeon said it’s the nerves he had to cut during the op regenerating. It has improved quite a bit after 3 weeks but I still have some sensitivity.

I think there are special creams or painkillers if it is nerve pain, so maybe check with your doctor. 

Hey gadgetgirl. Nerves being cut thru will give pain and any surgery will take a good long while to heal. Creaming is essential before, during and after radiation. I also used e45 lotion but it may be a good idea to just check with your breast care nurse.

Everyone reacts differently so you need to listen to your body and if you have concerns it's best to ask and be reassured by your medical team.

I was in agony about 4 days after op as I thought after it not hurting and am able to move freely after day 1 it'll be ok to resume normal stuff. That's certainly not the case! A generalisation is that an op takes 18 months to recover from. It took me months to be able to wear a bra for an hour or longer and to find a comfy suitable one. Could open a shop with the amount of different types I've bought! If you have a breast cancer haven near you they are amazing at things like that too but give yourself a chance to recover. Take it easy and keep us posted.

Thanks Mrsfingers and Jbains,

The breast nurse did suggest it was nerves reestablishing themselves - in some ways it helps knowing that there isn't anything wrong with the skin, exactly, but it doesn't stop it being as sore as hell.

Thanks for the advice about not overdoing it. I don't think I realised quite how big an impact surgery would have - and I didn't even consider how things like nerves would knit back together. However, on a positive note, I can now sleep without wearing a bra and things really seem to calm down. I think it is getting a little bette each day so hopefully it will eventually recover. 

I'm back to work tomorrow, but just for a couple of weeks and then 3 weeks of radiotherapy starts. Well, unless the oncotype DX test comes back to say that it is worth having chemo in which case I guess that will be first. 

I could go off sick again from day one of the radiotherapy. I'm tempted to do that as even if I feel OK, as I've no idea when any side effects might manifest and I wonder if working will actually make it more difficult to cope with the radiotherapy or worsen the impact of the side effects. 

It will certainly be interesting to see how easy a day at work with a stinging boob will be tomorrow. I should be in a better position to judge once I've been back at work for a while. 

Please please do listen to your body. Even though having normality is important and being active please do take it one day at a time. Everyone reacts differently but I do remember feeling sick on day 1 and last day of radiation and suffered all 6 weeks. The side effects from radiation and being on tamoxifen are still having an impact on my life. I went back to work a year after treatment and still found it really difficult which i never envisaged.

Every single person is different and we all react differently to every stage of this. I did not have a very nice run of it but I know others who bounced back  quite quickly. You just need to see how it goes and take it one day at a time but don't be a martyr. Stressing your body will not aid recovery and you have to put yourself first to get thru this. You will get thru this and remember - you got This!

I understand the burning, raw feeling and I am glad I read this. I had mastectomy two weeks ago and the soreness on the skin is worse then the scar !  I am trying moisturising it as the nurse suggested but I really am pulling my hair out as I can’t get comfortable unless I keep completely still. There is a comfort in knowing it can take some time to subside. X 

Hi, I have seen the comment about nerve pain,  and the bee-sting sensation I got off my bra drove me crazy in early days, along with numb fingers from how they laid me out in operating theatre for several hours and nerve got squashed. it has now recovered, but back of my shoulder and underarm doesnt feel right yet. Ive had sore skin and blistering on nipple in early post op days after masectomy and reconstruction. Thought it would never settle, as skin was very weepy and scabby.  Gradually, by leaving dressings off and just lolling about leaving the air to get to skin, it started to recover, I have used the special soft dressings the breast nurses gave me for days when its been too sore, and gp surgery issued some on prescription. Still use them over nipple and side scar if Im wearing the prosthesis they gave me, have also sometimes used  very soft old cotton hanky folded inside my bra if skin has been weepy.  Im using bio oil now on a friends recommendation (she had a lumpectomy) and already the scars are less raw and itchy.  I hope you find something to help, it really is wearing isnt it.  If it persists, dont be worried about ringing your breast nurses or GP and get it checked if you are still having issues.  My surgery was mastectomy plus reconstruction after removal of an old implant for a chest deformity. 3/12/19 so like you, still relatively early days, and my breast nurse suggested things like this and nerve damage can take months to properly settle, although I dont know about timescale for lumpectomy. The other tip I got was from the health care assistant who spotted that skin under breast around scar was looking like nappy rash, it itched like mad. A tube of nappy rash cream and all was better, she also gave me a dropper with  some seaweed based gel to put on the scars to aid healing and soothe skin, a bit alternative but it was brilliant stuff.  I treated myself to a bra fitting with my prosthesis yesterday in M&S and the assistant was brilliant, best fitting pretty bra Ive ever had! All best wishes x

Hi Jacx68.  The hospital gave me a homemade heart shaped cushion to put under my arm after surgery, and surgeon called it my new best friend. I was also given one with ribbon ties to put under my arm and over my op site when wearing a seatbelt, which a friend recommended and gifted me with preop- it came from a tiny charity called Jens Friends, look them up on facebook, the UK lot are based in Lancshire, and can send them out by post.  I have loved having mine, It was purple with polka dots and bright pink ribbons and people thought at first it was a shoulder bag, It took the terror out a visit to town on the bus, or in busy shops, when I was scared of being bumped, I wore it proudly into work to take my sicknote in, and gave myself the opportunity to tell colleagues Ive had cancer surgery, to avoid embarassing questions. I really would recommend them to anyone facing breast surgery, and found it so useful I have spent some of my time off making cushion shapes for them to fill and post out, even found some material with unicorns and rainbows, and cupcakes, life sometimes needs to be a bit more cheery when you feel unwell. good luck as you progress, and hope that you get some comfort soon. Im still using my cushion nearly three months post op. it helps.

 all best x

thanks, Ive found that now Im making myself go for a walk each day and take some exercise, Im getting a lot more nerve pain in my shoulder area and over my scars under my arm etc, perhaps me poddling along the pavement with my walking stick is shaking it all back into life, but I could sure do without the beesting sensation where my brastrap sits!

Hi, I had a lumpectomy 2 days ago, and 2 lymph glands removed. All the front of my chest is bright red, and looks sunburnt! Is this normal!!! The actual wounds under the dressing are fine