How long does the numbness last?

Kimmer33

hey hoping some of you can shed some light.

I had UMX 1 week ago, and healing well. I find the most uncomfortable part of this whole surgery is the numbness across my chest to my armpit. Does this come back after time?

Kim

sunshinegal

It depends on whether nerves regenerate, which my surgeon said would happen (if it was going to at all) in the months or year+ after surgery. When 2 years passed without much feeling returning, surgeon said I would be very unlikely to ever regain feeling. The good news, I suppose, is that I have mostly gotten used to how it feels.

Hopefully others will weigh in with other experiences - and good luck to you.

Obxflygirl1

I was told by my BC that I would have no feeling across my chest. He was right and there has been no regeneration of nerves. I think this is true for most of us.

Juliecc

I'm 18 months out and still have numbness across my chest. I can't feel touch at all. It did improve somewhat on my sides past my armpits, and along the tops and bottoms of my foobs. You do get used to it.

GG27

6 years out & the numbness is still there. Like others have said you get used to it. GG

BarredOwl

Hi Kimmer:

At around a week post-surgery you will likely still have what a Nurse Practitioner described to me so well as "that bee-stung feeling". Some nerve regeneration can occur, but it takes more time.

Prior to surgery, I watched a you-tube video about one woman's post-surgical experience. She was only very recently out of surgery, and was exploring the area for sensation. She did not like a large area of numbness on one side of her chest at all. I vividly remember her declaring: "Unacceptable!!"

I am almost two-years out from a double (BMX). Full feeling has returned across my entire chest (quite early), and weird sensations have finally stopped. This is quite variable as you can see from other posts above.

The backs of my upper arms still have some weirdness, but they are not numb. (I still run my fingers gently along the skin on the back of my arms, hoping to stimulate the local nerves and my brain neurons to get with it. Possibly not scientific, but it can't hurt.)

The only areas where numbness has persisted is some of the skin of the underarm area. Numbness in the armpit area is a reason to take care with hair removal, to avoid nicks from a razor, as a lymphedema precaution. See e.g.,

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/91/topic/...

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

BarredOwl

Kimmer33

thanks all ladies for your responses, i guess time will tell!! All such good info from these forums, they have been a lifesaver for me! I head to my post op appointment this morning and to find out the path report, wish me luck

AJ71

I had a BMX on 8/21. Much of my chest has no sensation at all. I had tenderness under my arm from the SNB, but that is slowly getting better. I had skin/nipple sparing surgery with TEs, and my biggest complaint is the sensation of the nerves regenerating... at least I suppose that's what's happening. Hypersensitivity, such that any fabric touching my skin drives me up a wall. Also, I'm having intense itchiness. Driving me nuts. Anyone else?