Pain post Axillary Lymph Node Dissection

Cuculi, you are very early out from your surgery, and are probably expecting WAY too much WAY too fast! You are 36, not 18, and it takes a lot longer to heal than it did then. Have you ever had any previous surgery? It takes at least 6 weeks to heal, including the pain, so only 12 days out, I would expect you to have some continuing discomfort. Can you manage it with OTC tylenol, ibuprofen, aleve (naproxen) or prescription pain meds for now? Are you trying to do too much too soon? That can aggravate the pain as well. Is there something else going on, such as infection (I had infected seromas that caused a lot of pain for several weeks) or early LE or cording (that can be evaluated by a good LE therapist or physical therapist familiar with these). That stinging burning pain will subside, but VERY GRADUALLY, over MONTHS, not days. Please be patient with yourself, and don't expect the worst. Most women DO get much better, and wasting lots of time right now worrying about it is not going to help you, just make you more anxious and fearful. When you start fearing this will never get better, try to tell yourself it is just your brain telling you scary stories, find something beautiful or loving to think about, give thanks for that, and JUST BREATHE to give yourself some space and time. Please let us know how you are doing, and remember we are here for you, but DO give yourself a little time to heal before you get too worried after you have made sure it is nothing acute or new causing the pain. Best wishes.

Thanks Linda and Wildrumara for your responses. It helps a lot to hear other experiences. It helps as well to know that the pain will go away. Today I visited my doctor and he gave me an anti inflammatory pill. Hope that helps as well.



Probably I am expecting too much too fast. However it is frustrating not too feel better. I am right handed and it is my right arm, so it is hard. I can't stretch my arm completely because it hurts a lot, like bruises along the arm plus the sensitivity of my skin. I can barely change my own shirts! the skin is soo sensitive! It is hard but helps to know it will pass... And yes I know I need more patience...I believe this situation will help me grow as a person.



Thanks again!!!

I am almost 6 weeks out from ALND surgery, 29 nodes, level I only. At 4 weeks I finally felt as though the pain was lessening some. Most of my pain is right behind my armpit in my back, but I also have some arm pain when I raise my arm due to cording. Physical therapist did not want to see until 5 weeks post surgery, so I have only had 2 sessions with her. She is LANA certified and works only with BS patients so I am very grateful to be seeing her. PT is never fun, but hopefully it will be worth it in the long run. I am hoping that some of the numbness goes away as it is very strange to have no feeling on the back of my arm and parts of my armpit!

Thanks linda! I had one session with my PT, basically to see me but will have another next week. I am sure it will work well and start getting better! But bEing that patient is very hard on me....

My goodness, Bren! You expect yourself to remember things from 12 years ago????? I can hardly remember what I had for breakfast, and not even sure I can remember IF I had breakfast!

Cuculi, I completely understand how you feel about not wanting to accept the idea that you will not be 100% healed, feeling back to how you felt before you started this journey. I know how much I hate hearing "you should be grateful that x or y or z didn't happen to you" - you, and you alone, know how you feel, and no one can tell you how to feel. No one can make you grateful or thankful for what you have. I know that I try to be strong all the time, I try to be thankful, but I can assure you that I am not all that thankful about many things, so I focus my gratitude on those things for which I truly AM grateful, such as those people who love me and whom I love, for a sunny day, for the birds at my feeders, for a new brood of bluebirds. I am NOT always thankful to be alive with all the changes in my body and my life, but as long as I am here, I can be thankful for those other things IN my life that are beautiful or give me joy.



The other thing I have learned is that suffering comes from WANTING what we don't have. I have suffered much over the past 3 years, waking each morning for the first year thinking it was all a bad dream, then when I realized it wasn't, and wanted it to be over, that was suffering. When I had SEs from all the chemo that turned out to be permanent rather than temporary, I suffered some more. Fatigue and pain that wouldn't let up or let me do the things I used to do for joy made me suffer more, and now I have LE and continued pain issues, along with fatigue and lots of other stuff, INCLUDING loss of sensation in my arm and back, and when I think about it and get angry about it and want it to NOT be that way, I get to suffer even more. So I have been working very hard over the past 3 years to get better at NOT wanting, NOT grasping for what I don't have, and am getting better at appreciating little things each day. Each day has moments of beauty and joy, despite BC and all that it brings, and when I am able to "be in the moment" and actually SEE the beauty of a flower, SMELL my herb garden, FEEL a hot shower, snuggle with DH .... those moments I am not suffering, and I am grateful for those moments and I actually DO forget about the numb armpit and all the other cr*p ...



I am sorry for the long post - I do get a bit verbose at times, but that is the only way I can let you know how I can understand you, empathize with you, and send you all my hopes for freedom from suffering, and lots of cyber hugs and a shoulder for you to cry on. You have a loss, and not many people can understand why you would be so upset about what, to them, seems so insignificant, but I really get it. And I hope your meds help relieve the pain for now, and that you will find moments of peace and rest. Blessings, and hugs.

Thanks Linda and FLwarrior for your comments. I do not mind a long mail... It does help to know other women are feeling the same way about pain and life in general. Pain is terrible because it reminds me that I have BC and that because of the axilliary lymph node dissection I have several side effects.



I have started this journey May 4, a month ago, so I know it is all very recent. I also know from a rational point of view, that , according to the doctors, the surgery was a success and with treatment it can be cured although is an aggressive cancer. I will need chemo and radio and then tamoxifen for at least 5 years. I still want to think this will end before, I want to think pain or side effects in general will not affect my life and my work, or at least I don't want to let it happen. However I know it can and will affect my life and it depends on me on how I deal with this situation.



I am 36 and was planning to have a second child, and this situation turns upside down my plans. I know I cannot fight against what it is happening but it is hard to just let go. And pain is a constant reminder. I am feeling better today, I have to admit it, but I still I have pain under my armpit and my 2 year and 8 months old son knows that it hurts and that I am not able to do certain things... So it is hard...



I also hate listening about the good things I have, but I have to work in that. Work on not wanting... That is soooo true. As well, as FLwarrior says, move forward and leave BC in the rear view mirror. However I still look at myself into the mirror every night and just can't believe this is all happening. Thanks again for your support.

Linda-NS

Scroll to read my post regarding Scar Therapy.  After only one sessioin I feel a difference.

the last two evenings have been the first that pain in my armpit did not bring me to tears

Cuculi, I have only done 5 PT sessions so far and it has made a huge difference! In addition to working the scar area she does something called myofascial release which doesn't feel like she is doing anything, but wow what a difference it has made.

My PT also did myofascial release, and it really helped a LOT!!! Cord went down over a couple months. Just a reminder: I was told cording or axillary web syndrome were NOT a risk factor for LE, now I find in the literature that it IS a risk factor!!!!! If I had been told, I would have been much more religious about using sleeve to prevent it, but thought I was doing fine and at low risk because my weight is so low, my mom has never had it in 19 years, etc. Was I wrong, and now paying for it dearly. So take precautions, WEAR YOUR SLEEVE!!!



Best to all of you.

Cuculi, LE is Lymphedema and a sleeve is a compression sleeve that goes from your wrist to your shoulder, sometimes it is worn with a glove too. They are used to keep the swelling down.

That is interesting Linda, my PT does not recommend using a sleeve unless you have LE. According to her research the 2 biggest risk factors are obesity and rads to the axilla. So much is unknown about what really causes it though.There are so many differing opinions out there it is hard to know what the right to do is

Thanks for your explanation Bren and Linda! I am learning a lot...My arm was getting a little better so pain was actually reducing (defintely PT works) and yesterday that I got the port in order to get my chemo, and pain again! I can't believe it hurts that much... Anyway, now I will read the other forums to be prepared for chemo!

What we needs is patience!! It is hard but we will get through it. Have a great weekend to you all!! Cyber hugs!

Cuculi, I am so glad you you are feeling better. PT really does help and I am so thankful for my skilled PT lady.

Had BMX with right ALND and immediate reconstruction with tissue expanders in February 2013 and experiened right arm pain/numbness/range of motion issues from the start. Had what seemed like a rubberband from the inside of my right elbow all the way up through my armpit (cording?). Did several PT sessions twice per week which were extremely helpful (still do some of the exercises nightly) and also continued to practice yoga. During my last PT session before my exchange surgery in July 2013, the PT did some arm massage and it was EXTREMELY helpful by shortening the "rubberband" an inch or so. I mentioned this to a chiropractor who shares space with my chiropractor and he told me that he was certified in Graston Technique massage which could be helpful for me. About 4 weeks post exchange, I started seeing this chiro for Graston and arm massage and it has shortened the "rubberband" which I now feel pretty much just in the armpit! After each weekly Graston/arm massage treatment, the "rubberband" gets shorter. My chiro tells me that in NY, only chiros, PT's, OT's, and Sports Medicine Therapists can be certified in Graston so there are not many professionals out there who can practice this technique. There is a risk that if the massage is not done properly, it can actually cause lymphedema so make sure you go to a certified professional should you desire this treatment.