Axillary Dissection Worse than SLN?

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AnotherMichelle
AnotherMichelle Member Posts: 39
edited September 2016 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Three weeks ago, I had a lumpectomy and SLN. I have to have a second axillary surgery because the SLN frozen slide was negative but the final pathology was positive. The surgeon will use the same incision as she did for SLN three weeks ago. Questions:

1) Is recovery more painful for full axillary dissection than the SLN?

2) Is the drain hard to manage? Is it painful? Is it gross? I know the nurses will give me instructions, but I want to know from those who have dealt with a drain (from either axillary or mastectomy).

3) Is range of motion more limited after full axillary dissection than it is for SNL? I had barely any immediate pain and no motion difficulty after SNL. I now have some nerve pain a few inches away from the incision, which I'm hoping will wane over time.

Any advice or wisdom from those with axillary (especially if you you can compare it to SNL) would be much appreciated.

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited September 2016

    Hi!

    I had ALND and a drain. The drain was OK; it had a really long tube cord so I could put it in the pocket of my pants. It took awhile for me to get my drain removed because I was so active after surgery (went back to work the next day). If I were less active, I probably could have had it removed in a week or so.

    After a lumpectomy + ALND, it was difficult to raise my arm very high. I use chalkboards/white boards while I teach, and I remember writing very low on my boards at first. As time went on, I was able to reach higher and use more of the boards. (It doesn't help that I'm 5'2".)

    Never had SLN removed! Best wishes to you!

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