Drinking cold things feels weird after mastectomy

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited February 2010

    Almost 2 years out from my mast and I still feel anything hot or cold when I drink.  I've pretty much gotten used to it, I guess, I barely notice it any more. 

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2010

    How many of you all had chemo along with the surgery? Anyone? I have had both and the chemo (I thinkg) has thinned the membranes in my 'innards." I get an 'ice cream headache and frozen throat' whenever I drink any thing cold. Ice cream is definately out for now because i go into spasms trying to warm my innards up so the ache goes away:))) I had surgery in Oct and four weeks out of first chemo. SV

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited February 2010

    Refused chemo, did have radiation which was a huge mistake.

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  • iHEARTu
    iHEARTu Member Posts: 213
    edited February 2010

    WOW! This is very interesting. I didn't have this, but was the sensation only in your esophagus or your chest wall from the inside?

    cathy, just an inquiring mind:)

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  • KatRNagain92
    KatRNagain92 Member Posts: 522
    edited February 2010

    I only notice this with the very first drink of cold water or hot coffee...after the initial sip, it doesn't happen anymore with that beverage.  (Hi Robin!)

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  • robinlbe
    robinlbe Member Posts: 585
    edited February 2010

    (hi kat!!) 

    No chemo or rads for me....the sensations started for me immediately following my BMX, and they would last throughout my entire drink.  I got to where I couldn't even drink water from the cold tap or use cold tap water to brush my teeth.  I was using warm tap water. 

    But just this weekend, I noticed drinking iced tea didn't cause the problem/sensation as it normally did!!  (and cathy, for me - it felt as if it was my whole chest wall....such a weird sensation...)

    blessings...robin

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  • Emaline
    Emaline Member Posts: 492
    edited June 2011

    Okay just posted about this on May 2011 and did a google search and here it was all along!   Yea! I'm not crazy and there is nothing wonky about this.  Glad to know it did not just happen to me :)  Why don't they warn us about things like this?

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  • mammalou
    mammalou Member Posts: 823
    edited June 2011

    So glad to read this.  I just had a mastectomy and have this feeling.  It is almost painful and makes me not want to drink cold things.  So glad I'm not the only one.

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  • Emaline
    Emaline Member Posts: 492
    edited June 2011

    I am very happy to hear that it goes away!  It isn't painful for me, which is good. With such hot weather, and having to be outside with the kids while they are in the pool, ice water is a must!

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  • iammommy
    iammommy Member Posts: 213
    edited June 2011

    6 weeks out and I still have that weird cold feeling, too. My lymph nodes weren't tested/removed so it can;t be that. Maybe never damage? Less insulation with boobs gone? LOL SO glad I found this thread. I thought it was only me!  Nan

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  • mrsnjband
    mrsnjband Member Posts: 1,409
    edited June 2011

    I still get that feeling from time to time when I drink something cold. NJ

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  • Janeybw
    Janeybw Member Posts: 199
    edited June 2011

    This site continues to be just what I need!  I am just about three weeks out from bmx with te placement.  Cold and hot fell like they're trickling down through my entire chest.  It isn't unpleasant, just another weird new thing with my new body!

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  • 2Hands4me
    2Hands4me Member Posts: 484
    edited June 2011

    Over 2 years out from first surgery (right mast.) and not yet 2 years for second (left mast.). If I remember right, I only had this sensation after the second surgery. And it was very strange! No longer have it. My impression is that maybe the nerves get inflamed from the surgery and need to re-learn the correct messages!

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  • mammalou
    mammalou Member Posts: 823
    edited June 2011

    I had a left mastectomy and it just feels like the fluid is right under the skin.  I was thinking it had to do with no breast tissue there to insulate it. ha, ha.  who knows!

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  • Emaline
    Emaline Member Posts: 492
    edited June 2011

    Yep my MX is on the left side as well :)

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  • sassy76
    sassy76 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2011

    HI I DONT KNOW WHERE TO START..I HAD A MASCOTOMY ON MY RIGHT BREAST..HAD A 19CM  TUMOR STAGE 3C GRADE 2,,MY LYMTH NODES WERE ALL INFECTED AND STUCK 2GETHER,HAD MY FIRST CHIMO..MY HAIR IS FALLING OUT..IM 35 YEARS OLD HAVE 2 KIDS...IM SCARED,,

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  • whatsnext
    whatsnext Member Posts: 15
    edited June 2011

    I felt the same way....its like they took all of the inside insulation out and when you drink something cold it feels like its running down the middle of the exterior of what use to be your chest!  Mine went away after a few months. 

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  • kris1
    kris1 Member Posts: 12
    edited June 2011

    Am new to this site..so happy to find this thread!  Had BMX w/TE 1 1/2 weeks ago and just said to my bf last night that every time i drink something cold it feels like it's running down the front of me, I thought I was crazy!  havent noticed it with anything hot.....

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  • pkdogwood
    pkdogwood Member Posts: 2
    edited June 2011

    Since 2008, never saw this thred.  I thought it was just me.  But I can feel the beverage going all the way down.  Since recon, some feeling has returned but still have this sensation with any beverage, ice cold, hot, or not.  Another one of "just one of those things".

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  • SharonMH
    SharonMH Member Posts: 353
    edited June 2011

    Hi,  Glad I am not the only one to feel cold stuff, I had mx rads and chemo. I finished a year ago.  I feel it under my arm.  No one told me about that se  SharonH.

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  • robinlbe
    robinlbe Member Posts: 585
    edited June 2011

    Hi Ladies...

    I was one that wrote on here *way back when*....had my BMX 1/6/10 and the feeling was totally unreal....I am here to tell you, that for me at least, those crazy sensations from the drinking hot/cold are totally gone.  Of course, there are still other things I'm dealing with, but at least THAT part is back to normal....

     blessings...robin

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  • SharonMH
    SharonMH Member Posts: 353
    edited June 2011

    Hi robinibe,   SharonH here   I still feel that cold, feeling , Hope it will go away some day  If not that is OK  But  if I can ask what else are you dealing with?  SharonH.

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  • robinlbe
    robinlbe Member Posts: 585
    edited June 2011

    Hi Sharon....swollen armpits (mild lymphedema), tight chest (STILL!!!!), that kind of thing....I'm still just really uncomfortable in my own skin. Shouldn't complain though...so many have it so much worse...

    .

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  • SharonMH
    SharonMH Member Posts: 353
    edited July 2011

    Hi robinlbe, SharonH here.  I know I also shouldn't complain either. I also have a tight and sore chest and upper arm. I keep working on it. Hope it goes away. SharonH

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  • robinlbe
    robinlbe Member Posts: 585
    edited July 2011

    Sharon, you STILL have the tight and sore chest???  After almost two years???  Do you have trouble with the swollen/puffy armpits?  Have you been diagnosed with lymphedema?  What kind of surgery did you have?  I had a BMX without reconstruction, and some days my chest is almost as tight as it was the first week.  I feel like ripping off the bra that is three sizes too small, but the only problem is, there IS no bra...it's my skin :(

    blessings...robin

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  • VAL1966
    VAL1966 Member Posts: 37
    edited May 2013

    Can't believe I found this thread , I'm into my third week post mastectomy and I thought I was the weird one or imagining things! So glad I'm not alone ! And it truly is an odd kind of painful sensation!

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  • 2Hands4me
    2Hands4me Member Posts: 484
    edited May 2013

    Hi Val - I'm glad you found this also. It is a strange sensation - still happens occasionally to me, but maybe I just don't notice other times! Time does alter the perceptions we have! Every once in awhile, I get an odd itching on my right shoulder blade near my armpit. Scratching it gently doesn't make it go away, so I guess it's not really an itch. It's odd, but doable!!!

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  • stride
    stride Member Posts: 470
    edited May 2013

    Wish I had found this thread before! My surgeon said the first time a patient told her about this, she thought the patient was nuts. But then so many people had the same sensation, she knew it must be real. She said it is "some kind of referred pain. Mine went away after 2 or 3 months.

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  • bluepearl
    bluepearl Member Posts: 961
    edited May 2013

    I had this too...went away....also touching my ear could cause a sensation to my chest.....referred "pain" as nerves are connected. First few months after mastectomy, even my scalp could tranfer sensations! Almost all gone now except ear one if I do too much work and bug that arm.

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  • robinlbe
    robinlbe Member Posts: 585
    edited July 2013

    Hi Ladies....I'm glad you found this, too....I am now 3.5 years past my BMX, and this sensation is totally gone (can't even remember when it left) but it was most acute the weeks following the surgery.

    I occasionally get the internal itching (still) that won't go away, but I keep hoping that's from nerves regenerating....I suppose that could still be going on....I do know that I am no longer numb in some places as I used to be.

    Take care and good luck.

    blessings...robin

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