Mastectomy Pain

lbgendel
lbgendel Member Posts: 3
edited June 2014 in Pain

I had a double mastectomy and reconstruction on March 12, 2014.  The recovery was long, I had my drains in for 3 weeks, but when the drains came out most of the pain and discomfort went away.  About a month after my surgery I was feeling great and went to visit my sister in London, UK.  The first 5 days of the trip were amazing, but now all of the sudden I have sharp pain on my right breast, very little range of motion in my right arm.  

I did pick up my daughter on Friday and Friday night is when all the pain started. Could it be from picking her up or has the whole week just caught up with me?  I am supposed to go back the USA tomorrow night, but kind of nervous, but just want to get back to America.  Should I go strait to the ER after I get off the plane?  

The site doesn't look infected, but I am worried I did something inside.  

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Comments

  • Renee51
    Renee51 Member Posts: 96
    edited April 2014

    If you can't move your arm, I would say you need to have it evaluated. It may not be anything serious, but still you need to see your doctor. Do you have a sleeve to wear when you are flying home? If you do, you need to wear it, to keep swelling down. Let me know what you find out. I am praying for you and for a safe flight home. 

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  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited April 2014

    Hello lbgendel!

    Although I would definitely have this checked out, I think you may have just overdone it. It is very easy to do, when you are feeling well after this surgery. 

    The truth is, it is still very early days for you, and the healing has a long way to go. The way the body alerts us to slow down is by stiffening up and causing pain or strange sensations. I had a Umx and no recon, but I even named, the one sensation that always came to me after a day of overdoing it, "The Claw!" It was sharp and it felt like something was holding my chest and under arm in a sharp grip.

    There are other possibilities too, do you have any feeling of a cord under your arm, have you been Dx with LE?

    Try not to worry too much, take it easy if you can, before your flight and evaluate how you feel when you get home.

    Take care, I hope it turns out to be nothing more than soreness, from overdoing it. 

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2014

    Sweetie, I agree with the other posts - you over did it!! And, you might be developing LE! My truncal LE started as a "pain" I couldn't explain. Kept telling my DH to take the knife out of my back!! Also, there are internal stitches that might have been torn when you lifted your daughter. I did that years ago after an ovary removal and literally felt the "rip" as I lifted my niece!!

    You didn't mention what kind of reconstruction, so it might be the recon that hurts and not the mast. Maybe you shifted a tissue expander? Or a pocket for an implant got opened?? It doesn't seem like an emergency if it's not red or hot, but definitely needs to be followed up once you're home and under your own insurance.

    Please let us know how you do. You are not alone.

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  • lbgendel
    lbgendel Member Posts: 3
    edited April 2014

    Thank  you all very much for your responses.  I made it home and am still feeling pain.  I have a tissue expander,  so maybe it got moved.  Will follow up with the PS hopefully today, just happy to be home.  

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  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited April 2014

    So glad to hear you made it home!

    I wish you all the best!

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2014

    Hope to hear back from you today that it is something "normal" and not something that requires treatment!

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  • lbgendel
    lbgendel Member Posts: 3
    edited April 2014

    My PS is off till Wednesday I just called his office and no one is there till tomorrow. The wound did open up ever so slightly and there is some puss draining so I am HOPING that it is just an infection and that is why my arm is stiff because my body is telling me not to use it.  The office will get a message to my PS, just not sure it is going to be good news.  

    Thank you all for your support.  

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2014

    Make SURE you watch for infection!!! Hot or warm skin, red or pink flushing or worse pain or fever. If so, get to an ER FAST. Seriously. Things can go downhill very quickly after surgery with emergencies. I'm glad for you that it didn't open up overseas!! Kind of points more towards over-use at least, though. Keep moving your arm gently to keep lymph and blood flowing. Keeping it still will only create a build-up fluids.

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  • Ariom
    Ariom Member Posts: 6,197
    edited April 2014

    Barbe is right, be very careful of that infection, you will need antibiotics. My incision opened a bit and my Surgeon opened his office for me during the Christmas vacation. I also had a hematoma and a seroma that I was unaware of. I had to take double dose antibiotics which knocked it out fast. It came on so fast, just as Barbe said!

    I hope all is well and you can get it seen to very soon, go to the ER if it feels worse, or if you get a fever.

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  • DarkKiss
    DarkKiss Member Posts: 12
    edited April 2014

    Hi everyone, I had my last surgery (nipple recon) back on Sept last year and I am feeling a lot of sharp pain on the side where I had cancer. Sometimes I cant even breath. I had BM, RECon.

    Thanks for your response!

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