PAIN PAIN PAIN!

Hi Shana

I can relate & sympathize.  Saw my PS yesterday for 10-week follow-up after DIEP; she indicates that the pain I am experiencing is normal, especially the stabbing ones in the breast areas and stomach.  Plus, I have constant pain in my shoulder and underarm and arm, and intermittant numbness and tingling in my "bad" arm.  It makes me want to hunch over, which then causes me pain in my trapezoid and lower back.  I don't take any painkillers not even OTC, but it REALLY puts me in a bad mood.  Some of the pain I have is from my original mast (shoulder blade and armpit), some is from lymphedema I developed later (armpit and arm), and some is from healing from the bilat DIEP (breastbone, breasts, abdomen).  I also apparently have a small seroma between my breast & clavicle on my cancer side.  If it doesn't resolve, I'm going to ask to have it aspirated.

I am sick of all the pain too.  I am tired of feeling like crap all the time.  Thank goodness we can vent here.

Have you been evaluated for lymphedema?

Gayle

Shana....knee and ankle pain are probably from the Arimidex....not sure about the other pain as I had expander/implant recon and its not as invasive as your TRAM recon.  Gapabentin helps with joint pain (ibuprofen never worked for my joint pain).  I can't take any of the narcotic pain meds as they make me queasy, sick to my stomach and constipate beyond belief.....numbness in hands could also be from Arimidex (CTS is a side effect of Arimidex)...I have some numbness at times in my hands and also Reynauds since chemo and AI's.  My BC side also pulls when I reach too far....I just figure that its the way its going to be.  I second what you and jenn3 and gayle said....I just want to feel good most of the time.....Shana....congrats on your one year yesterday....you have been through a lot in the past year and your body is still healing....maybe call your onc, or PS and find out what they think of the pain....it may put your mind at ease....(((((((((HUGS))))))))

Gentle hugs Shana......May I suggest a physical therapist?......I too had all tose pains and my wonderful onc sent me to a place called Turning Point in my neighborhood.....It ia PT treatment center solely for breast cancer survivors and fighters.......They treat only women who are experiencing pain due to surgery and cording...Did you know you can have cording along your back and sides, too?....Well I didn't know, but I soon found out I had it there too!.......I can honestly say those wonderful ladies straightened me out very well and gently too.......Hopefully you can find a PT center that takes only BC patients and knows their special needs....Good luck to you...By the way ti has been almost a year since my last visit to them and it has been 3 years Feb 2 since my surgery of bilat mast with immediate TRAM flap recons.....I had cording all down my left arm and could not move it above my hip ......I also had numbness and tingling in both hands due to the trauma of cut nerves and pulled muscles from the surgery....I also had pain from the Arimidex but after a couple of months this subsided......I wish you Godspeed and a quick recovery from all this pain.....

Shana,

First, big...big congrats on your one year. Second, like the others, the ankle/feet,joint pains are likely from the Arimedex. Look up the se's.

You can try uping your VitaminD, or taking Glucosamine(sp) I saw some woman on the AI threads talking about this and it seems to work.

Im starting up with Femara in 4 weeks after my surgery, so Im hoping my se's are not severe. I already have joint pains and stifness but thats likely from all the Lupron shots Ive been doing for the last 18 months. No estrogen, no quality of life...or less quality of life...hopefully.

 If your are still having bad se's, you can always switch AI's and find one that is more tolerable.