Worried About Lymph Area

My immediate thought was scar tissue as well. If your doctor has felt it, and she isn't worried, then it probably is nothing to worry about. They are pretty good at feeling what is "bad"!

But, it wouldn't hurt to have it checked further, just for your own peace of mind. Do you still see your BS? Another pair of eyes on it wouldn't be a bad thing, and she could order a follow-up test if she thinks it is warranted. 

Try not to worry too much about it. I know I still get myself freaked out when I "find" a rib, when I am feeling myself for lumps - it is very easy to overreact.

Keep us updated. 

hi sharon

i also have a little ledge around my incision scar. it is lumpy and at times tender. any scans i have had always show that is is beign scar tissue.  i think it is good to keep an idea on it; every time i see my oncolglist or surgeon i bring it to their attention. i have a 6 month check up in march and my oncologist in sept. ordered an ultrasound on my treated breast and underarm area to just check it out. i know it is a little scarey when we have lumps or tissue that doesn't feel like itdid before all of this. just follow up with your docs. take care

diana

Hey Sharon,

I remember when I ws going through A/C tx that my underarm would have zings of pain. It worried me too. I don't know what caused it, but after awhile it didn't happen anymore. I still occasionally have some discomfort under my arms that of course leads me to think the worst. Then it goes away and I don't think about it.

It's certainly worth bringing up to your onc. They will check it out and keep an eye on it.

Hugs,

Lexi

Hi Sharon - Like most of the ladies who have replied, I have that zingey feeling in my armpit from time to time which causes me to feel and push and panic! I also have a walnut size lump next to my scar. My onc felt it and for my piece of mind had me go see my surgeon and have an ultrasound. Happily all is well. You need to do what you need to do to get that piece of mind. Good luck with everything and keep us posted.

I have all the scar tissue, too, and I also have a clip in the axillary area that I suppose was to hold things together after they removed my 35 lymph nodes, so it always feels like a big lump to me.  So it could be all those things.  That area is sore most of the time for me and still swollen and I am more than a year past radiation and almost two years past surgery.

Marilyn

Hi, pupfoster1 - I just wanted to weigh in briefly and let you know that I also had a bad experience with my Johns Hopkins breast tsurgeon. don't know if it was the the same one as yours, but I would never go back to him and I would warn anyone I care about to stay away from him. Hopkins gets by on its name - but they certainly don't put any effort into personal niceties. If you don't roll with the way they do things, they don't accommodate. There were some notable exceptions in my time there, but by and large no great shakes. I had better, more caring treatment at my local hospital.

So glad I didn't have my treatments at Hopkins. I'm lucky in that I had ordinary run-of-the-mill breast cancer, so no need for any of the special skills large teaching hospitals offer.

Also, more to your point - poking and prodding the area of concern WILL make it swell. I have a node that comes and goes (my "worry node," I call it). And, when I'm TOO worried, and check it constantly, it swells. It's really hard to leave it alone, and I'm sometimes better at it than other times. My onc and I always discuss it at my check ups. As long as it stays within a certain size we don't worry about it - well - HE doesn't - it still nags at me sometimes. Good luck.

I had the same issue and freaked out.  I talked to my onc who I was seeing every three weeks at the time.  She was sure that it was scar tissue.  When I was having my next herceptin she came to the chemo room and checked it and asked if I would feel better getting it checked.  WOULD I! She said she would schedule an ultrasound, but I continued to panic  when I got there to find out I was booked for an ultrasound/needle biopsy.  The techie was great.  I was so anxious from my previous exp with needle biopsys that she called the DR. in right away and he looked and told me that there was nothing there to biopsy.