Dbl mastectomy 3 years ago

Deamo1

It's been 3 years since my surgery. I now have mets to the spine but I'm experiencing something that happened to me right after surgery years ago. I'm having upper (neck) pain. At the time I was told women with mastectomy have pain from humping over. I haven't been sitting correctly and this pain started again. Does anyone still have this? It's hurting and causing headache.

LivinLife

When I went back to have two of my four drains removed after surgery I complained about an odd pain in my back. The nurse said what you were told. Folks tend to turn their shoulders in after mastectomy/double mastectomy. that is why one of the exercises they gave me was pulling my shoulder blades towards each other - pulls the shoulders back and straightens posture. I don't think I was hunching and yet I did each of the exercises they gave me. I didn't have that pain at some point later. I'm not sure this is what you're referring to? I'm NED at this point.....

Deamo1

Yes, that is most certainly it. So weird that I still have this. Wish I can go to a chiropractor but I guess that's a no-no with mets to the spine.

buttonsmachine

Deamo, I also have spine mets. I found that since developing mets a lot of my old aches and pains from my early stage surgeries have come back. I think our bodies remember being hurt before, and those hurts come back when our bodies get worn out and tired from the new cancers we are dealing with. The pain and discomfort from spine mets definitely affects posture too.

I don't think a chiropractor would help you now - but if you do see one make sure you tell him/her about your spine mets! I think you should tell your MO about the pain and see if any new mets need to be ruled out, and go from there. Physical therapy can sometimes help with this stuff, but sometimes it also just requires pain medicine and hopefully controlling the cancer. Best wishes.

Deamo1

Will be seeing my Onc in a few days and will talk to him. Thank you