Hi... I had mastectomy on my left side, lymph removal and radio, all treatment finished in June of 2019 now just on Letrazole tablets for 10 years.... I still do not have full movement in my arm..example, I can't reach above my head I just do a sort of half lift and hope for the best ... I'm still doing post op exercises daily along with other forms of exercises and walking. I think it depends on the person to be honest, as in how quickly you recover etc. I still get aches and pains and even after a year still get a tight chest and bouts of breathlessness every now and again, I do struggle with the tablets they make me feel very tired and on edge but the doc seems to think that is anxiety more than anything...so take heart, you are not alone, it takes a good while to get a "new" normal life back, my motto..onwards and upwards xx 

Thank you for your post, it has made me feel that little bit better knowing that it is normal to be going through these pains, is there anything other than pain killers I can do to ease the pains. I am taking tramadol and ibuprofen, but sometimes I can still suffer. 

To be honest I don't take any pain killers, I may have the odd paracetamol now and again but that's it...the pain is uncomfortable but it's not really bad or constant.. more like nerve endings knitting together pain and also when I exercise I'm stretching the muscles so they can get a bit sore after....have a word with your breast  nurses see if they can advise you xx do you have pain under your arm in the lymph node area ? 

Hiya my pains are the aches and pains, also my arms are sore when I go to lift my arm up I get a severe shooting pain in my arm x it does calm down after bout 5 minutes but it is very painful

so I tend to try no using it as much ie lifting stuff, or carrying even making the bed is quite difficult especially when changing the duvet. So I was just wondering weather there was anything else I could do to try and make it a little better, feel guilty cause my husband and my daughter have to do quite a bit for me and it’s not me, when got diagnosed last year had to give my job up which I was a carer x had to sell my car coz I even struggle to drive, I’m ok driving straight lol x but when it comes to having to reverse or turn corners I really struggle them I’m in pain. But I do try do wot I can be to be honest when I do I pay for it the next day. I would love to get my life back on track soon as . 

Ohh poor you... I know it's quite common to have pain months or years after surgery... wondering if it's worth checking if you have Lymphedema, I have it in my affected side.. that is quite painful sometimes, are you still doing your post op exercises? They do help even after all this time also get the doctor to refer you to physio, they helped big time... I know how you feel, I felt the same end of last year but I persevered with the exercises and driving and now I just get the odd twinges, nothing major... please to set your own mind at rest, see the breast nurses, they can arrange physio.. it is mundane and it is sore but give it a couple of months and you will see the benefits XX 

You will get there...it just takes time, I know what you mean about not wanting to use your arm for fear of it hurting... last year I did the same, it's human nature, if it hurts don't do it lol but In the end my hubby just told me to get on with it... thought it harsh at the time but to be honest it was the best thing he could of done.. I had to do things, had to use my arm even though it was hurting, it took about 6 weeks to get to the stage where I found I could do things without struggling too much...my arm shoulders and chest muscles are not as they were before but I'm working on it, if I get 90% usage back then that's ok with me. Try not to panic, it's a long road but with help you can do it... you've been through chemo, if you can do that you can do anything xx