Post Lumpectomy

Hello All,

I am new to this forum I had my lumpectomy on the 15th November apparently a difficult procedure which lasted four hours.  I only had two sentinel nodes removed, and thankfully, after testing it came back negative.  The sensitivity under my armpit, down the back of my arm and halfway down my back is REALLY uncomfortable.  As lots of you have said wearing a bra is painful but I need to as I am quite big busted.  Apart from taking pain killers which don't really help has anybody found anything that relieves the discomfort.  I am seeing my consultant on the 30th November so I shall be asking her.

  • Hi polly

    same thing happened to me with both arms, the pain left after a couple of weeks, I took naproxen and kept exercising even though it was painful. I still have intermittent pain but it’s in my lower arms, nurse suggests I go to my nearest ‘haven’ unit to have them massaged but keep putting it offf. 

    I’m a ‘D’ cup and I found the ‘comfort’ bras in Asda brilliant, they are so soft but hold everything in. Can’t recommend them enough. I also bought ‘support’ vest tops from primary £2.50. The are great to wear with the bra for extra support or on their own in bed.

    hope you get things sorted soon x

  • Thank you for your reply.  I Have tried some soft bras but as they all finish under the bust they haven’t helped.  I think the support vest is the way to go.  Can you get Naproxen over the counter or is it on prescription? x

  • I believe there are specific pain killers for nerve pain so it may be worth asking about that. Perhaps you could call them as your appointment is still a few days off?

    I would add that I had the same after my mastectomy but it fairly quickly resolved itself as the nerves regenerated. I’m now 2 months out from surgery and all the nerve pains have completely gone, which is a relief as I thought I’d be like that forever!

     

    good luck with it x

  • Thank you I shall certainly mention it.  I shall call my community care nurse at my GP’s surgery tomorrow. 

  • I had same surgery on 8th November and experienced the same type of sensation in the back of my arm, I had 5 nodes removed. Did you get given arm excercises after surgery? I mentioned my arm pain at follow up appointment this week and got told I should have been given excercises to do after surgery to help movement etc in my arm.  I have developed cording under the arm which reduces movement and will be referred to physio if it doesn't improve. 

    Agree with magpie about Asda bras I'm a DD and would recommend them too.

     

    Hope you get things sorted soon x

  • Yes I did get excersises to do and I can move my arm with no trouble.  Woke up this morning with hardly any sensation and felt better than I have done since the op but unfortunately the sensation has now come back.  I only had two nodes removed.  The other worry is I also have CLL (chronic lymphatic leukaemia) I have been stable for the last six years but as CLL can attack the lymph nodes I am hoping that this hasn't kick started it off.  Don't you just hate this CANCER.

  • Hi Amanda,

    I have a mastectomy recently with all my axillary lymph nodes removed, I've also developed cording, all the way down into my hand.  Saw the physio today as a post-surgery follow-up to see how I'm doing with my exercises.  I'm not actually allowed to do them at the moment due to the size of my seroma but she did start to massage the cording and showed me what to do myself, that should help it break down over time.  Much as the cording is sore I did, prior to seeing the physio, continue to stretch mine.  It didn't help the pain but I got close to full motion back in my arm (prior to being told I need to stop for a while).  I'm surprised you weren't given a booklet with exercises to do, they might be available on the cancer research website somewhere?  You can't do any damage by stretching the cording, but obviously don't stretch more than any breast exercises you have now been given.

    Hope the cording goes soon.

    LJx

  • Hi there,

     

    Cording is definitely improving slowly with excercise, been told I need full movement in my arm for radiotherapy so hoping it sorts itself my then xxx

  • That's good to hear Amanda.  We do definitely need to put our arm over our head for radiotherapy so obviously helpful if we can actually do that :-D