PAIN! Month after Lumpectomy with 6 nodes Removed! Anyone?

It took almost a year for the discomfort from ALND to go away for me - I had pain and numbness down the inside of my arm and on the back where the tricep muscle is.  This slowly dissipated and I have no issues now at all and have basically full feeling now, even in the underarm.  It sounds like you might have some cording that is keeping you from straightening out your arm - have you considered physical therapy?  It could be very helpful, but I would suggest that you consult a lymphedema certified physical therapist.  If your surgeon refers you it is usually covered by insurance for a specified number of visits.  The spider/ant thing sounds like regenerating nerves, and will most likely go away over time, you are only a month out from surgery.  Good luck!  Below is a link to some physical therapists in your area:

http://bcresourcedirectory.org/book/export/html/700

You are welcome!  Did you have a SNB that removed six nodes or a full axillary dissection?  I had a SNB done during bi-lat mastectomy that did not involve a separate incision, but because it was not found to be positive SNB until post-op pathology I had a separate surgery, with a large incision, to remove the axillary nodes.  Also, I got a ton of relief from PT, hope you do as well! 

What sort of an idiot doctor and nurse would be saying that you should be pain-free by now?  Sorry if that's impolite but seriously, they are just plain wrong.

I had 3 nodes removed and had numbness to my elbow for 3 months and numbness in my underarm area for 6 months.  And I had occasional sharp shooting pains down my arm that started about a month after surgery and continued for a couple of months (I think).

Although I had a MX, previously I'd had an excisional biopsy.  I had pain - sometimes sharp, sometimes throbbing - in that breast right up until I had the MX  2 1/2 months later.

The types of pain you describe sound perfectly normal.  But I agree that it might be a good idea to find a lymphedema certified physical therapist to help with your arm, someone who can tell you what you should - and shouldn't - be doing.

im 5 -6 weeks from lumpectomy and still sore swollen and ripping sensation inside breast-also now costochondritis.  but i dont dont think i am as bad as you and i feel so bad for you..  i hope the PT will help.

i also keep having docs and nurses saying...it shouldnt hurt and it must be your previous arthritis etc.  the pain is so different...it is nothing i have ever felt before.  it makes me mad them all saying they didnt cause pain.

Its been over 3 yrs for me too.

I still have pain.

I suggest you get on the thread I hate LE.....the pros are there and they will give u lots of good info.

Good luck..

I had ALND surgery 6 months ago and still have pain. I did do PT for the cording and I finally went to a specialist that prescribed a compounded pain cream that comes from Derma Tran. It is great stuff! It has several different pain and nerve drugs in it and is applied topically so you don't have to take pain pills.

Oh dear, sorry to tell you this, but I am 5 1/2 years from my lumpectomy, pain and numbness is still there, you just learn to live with it.

Sorry hun Jxx

this thread is timely for me. I am 5 months post LX and have been feeling moderate pain for about a month. I get the zinging and throbbing and just assume it is nerves reattaching themselves, but was concerned at how long since surgery I started feeling this. My breast was comfortably numb up till then. The thought of a breast exam in dec. has me cringing.

Thank you for this thread. I did not have nodes removed, but I had lumpectomy about two months ago and re-excision about ten days ago. I have been having pain since the re-excision in my arm and shoulder. I mentioned it to my surgeon who said that it sounded like a muscle strain from the way I laid on the table in OR. Since seeing him earlier in the week, I have had pain and pressure in my breast that kept me up the past two nights.

I guess this pain is normal and that I should get used to it.

This was exactly what I was going to suggest for someone with nerve pain. After a year, it should be about as good as it will get. For people where GABA doesn't work, there are other things to try, like SafiAnnie says. 

Anyone not satisfied with the oncologist's efforts might want to see a neurologist who might suggest a larger variety of medications. I have trigeminal neuralgia (permanent) and take Lamotrigine for that nerve pain. It probably wouldn't be the first choice for most but could be an option if needed.

Warning: medicine for nerve pain can mask the neuropathy you may get from chemo, so you may want to wait until after chemo to start it. Masking chemo neuropathy could make it permanent. 

Was it the PS or breast surgeon that perscribed muscle relaxers/anti-anxiety meds for pain? I have thought that a muscle relaxer would be better with the type of pain I have been feeling too. IDK, I'm only a week out so I know its too soon to expect less pain, but I'm just curious. Were ya'll given the muscle relaxer/anti-anxiety meds after you left the hospital or did that come later?

I was in horrible pain for two years before it started to subside. Felt like a terrible sunburn under my arm to elbow, back pain in shoulder and just itching, burning, stabbing crap. I was very upset thinking this was now my life's course; but I read about a guy who had lung surgery taking 3 years to heal and felt hope. Make sure you address the pain rather than keep chasing it. The second time, I had sentinel node....two sentinels and one regular and much less pain. Both arms get cranky if I over use them but otherwise MUCH better than I first anticipated. Do not baby it. Use it for reaching and do the exercises.....you do not want frozen shoulder!

OMG, I thought I was crazy  given the way my BS was answering my questions, it is now a month post op for me and this numbness/tingling/pain in my upper arm is driving me insane. I had a RX, with SLN followed by ALND (3/12 were affected) and immediate reconstruction with LD flap. Before the surgery I asked and researched the SE and was not informed about this at all. After the surgery the BS kept telling me that it will get better, but this numbness and pain running all the way down to my palm are driving me crazy and I was prescribed lyrica but all it does is make me very sleepy - it was useless, the doctor keeps saying that I need to use my arm but I am in so much pain I cannot use it...BS just do not get it really...ALND is certainly not a walk in the park, especially given that injury to the nerves happens...we are all living proof that it is very REAL...

Bren,

Your post gave me relief. I had my lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy in May of 2012. I then had brachytherapy in June of 2012. My left arm is still not normal. I knew about the zingers. Those didn't bother me. They are pretty much gone. What bothers me is numbness in the back part of my arm, tingling in my ring finger and pinky, and pain in my arm. Hurts to use it much. I have great range of motion, but I think I should be able to carry a grocery sack on my arm without pain.

While I am sorry you are still having pain, I was relieved to know it's not just me. I go to my rad onc on Wednesday. I'll ask her about it.

I just had a lumpectomy and 2 nodes removed two weeks ago.  It's the same here, the Doctor seems so surprised that I am still in so much pain.  He told me most women resume there normal acativities after a couple of days.  I am feeling like a whimp that I am still in such discomfort and pain.  I am experiencing the same type of symptoms as you.  The burning and skin crawling along with sharp pains.  It feels like I am being tazered!