Severe pain three yrs after Dx -surgical clip?

Hi ladies-

I've been going through issues with pain since my breast cancer surgery three years ago it intensified after radiation ended. And then got worse when I was shoveling snow in March 2014.

After the shoveling, I Begin having severe chest twinging and tingling upon certain movements of my arm or leaning to the right side of my body after I shoveled that snow in March 2014. I've been to numerous doctors. Many of whom just shook their head had no idea of my issue. My breast surgeon didn't really know what to do but I have lymphedema so she sent me to physical therapy. I did go to physical therapy for lymphedema and to work on my shoulder which didn't help that much. My shoulder froze in September 2014 I did go back to physical therapy for lymphedema and I was given a lymphedema pump none of which have helped the symptoms of my chest. During the time I had frozen shoulder my symptoms came on about once or twice a week. And I managed them but the fear of them coming on was always there. The symptoms are very upsetting twinging and tingling through my chest but it leads to severe cough and tickling throat where I choke. It's a very deep feeling doing from my right side. It's not lung related it's very clear it's a nerve thing. But since they were only coming on once or twice a week and I could manage it I don't with this type of pain for a couple years until my shoulder began to unfreeze and the symptoms get worse.

My shoulder began to thaw in the fall of 2015. I did notice that my symptoms become on more more over the winter.In May 2016 my symptoms began to get much much worse and I began to have very clear signs of postmastectomy pain syndrome as well as the twinging and tingling in my chest. this pain was severe burning and aching in my ribs breast axilla and even my shoulder blade. I will say that my breast surgeon never sent me to pain management or to anyone that could possibly help diagnose this issue but I complained about for 2 1/2 years. Upon calling her regarding theexacerbating symptoms she sent me to see her PA who had no idea what was going on so I began to try to find someone on my own To help me. I found the pain management Doctor Who did not know anything about postmastectomy pain but was willing to work out a plan that included injections and oral medications. I will admit to being very resistant to taking oral medications but I am taking gabapentin now and occasionally a Percocet. On my journey I also found a physiatrist that Saw my issues with postmastectomy pain but felt that the twinging and tingling in my chest that make me choking cough was an outlying issue. So he did an MRI of my brachial plexus that came back clear. But he called me to tell me that there was mention of surgical clips in my exact area of pain. He said he had read a number of studies were women had at these clips removed and had relief in their pain symptoms. He wanted me to discuss this with my breast surgeon.

I begin to wonder about these clips and have since realized that the clips most likely are the culprit. It makes so much sense in the way I feel and perhaps when I shoveled those years ago I clip moved very close to a nerve been pressing on it on and off maybe now the scar tissue has built up so much around these clips because they're in a big bundle under my arm and I have four in my chest that perhaps they're involving nerves as well.

I have had injections in my intercostal brachial nerve and in my intercostal nerves which help some of the burning in my rib cage and arm but did not help the twinging chest pain that I have. The one thing that the injections did help was to allow me to identify the focal point of my pain to my Axilla and chest wall. The twinging pains I get a very deep in my chest are not on the skin. My axilla swells as well as my chest and arm pit all the way back almost to my back. I've now been told I don't have any lymphedema buy a new breast surgeon that I saw. I have some swelling but apparently not lymphedema.

My original breast surgeon and I have parted ways as she disagreed with me about the clips being an issue didn't want to deal with my problem and basically referred me to see another breast surgeon. The breast surgeon she referred me to happens to be very highly respected breast surgeon in the Baltimore-Washington area and I did see him last week. No surgeon likes to admit the clips or a metal allergy to the clips could be a problem but he did acknowledge that my pain could be caused from scar tissue and nerves and clips Being trapped together. The problem is finding a surgeon that might want to go in and take out the clips because they can lead to more problems if not done properly. The issue is now that I am bedridden with this pain. When the pain acts up where I get the twinging and tingling across My chest I have trouble controlling my coughing and it's hard for me to breathe and I choke. It's just a feeling that's not really easily describable but just believe me it's intense and awful.

I don't know if I have a metal allergy I am trying to get in to be tested this week. It's very hard for me to get out in the car now and I have to really drug myself up to get anywhere and I have to lay flat in the car to go to a doctors appointment. Nobody should have to live like this. The pain in my axilla gets worse every day feels like a hot poker is being jammed into my armpit. I've been told not to take opiates if I don't have to. And I try not to. Valium actually helps and I have a compounding cream that can be helpful. But this is really no way to be living and I'm praying that I can find a surgeon that will go in to that area and trying to fix whatever's wrong. Oddly enough I took an antihistamine the other day just to see what would happen to my area pain if we thought it was a metal allergy and when I took that Anna histamine the pain in my actually decreased quite a bit. So I don't know what that means maybe I do have a metal allergy. But the likelihood of doctors really caring about that issue is low. What they will care about is the fact that I can't move my arm because it involves increasing the pain -I have pain in my arm I have tingling am going up and down my arm I have tingling and burning and all that chest issue which shows there's some sort of nerve damage. I think I'm still going to get metal tested just for my own peace of mind.

At this point the breast surgeon from the Baltimore area but I saw is trying to help me find a surgeon to consult with that could help me they are suggesting a peripheral nerve surgeon. One surgeon that's been contacted wasn't sure he wanted to see me but we had contacted him and now the breast surgeon is contacting him to plead my case so he'll see me. The rough thing about all that as he doesn't take our insurance. But we'll work it out if he would work for me .In the meantime I'm suffering in tons of pain. The breast surgeon that I saw also wants me to go to their pain management clinic and I do that this coming week. They do injections that other pain management places don't do. So I'm willing to get injections to maybe help with the pain but I know there something wrong in my armpit and chest area and I know there are nerves being compressed and I really Want that fixed if possible. I know they can go in and if there's a neuroma in there they can try to resection the nerves and put those in areas where they might not be as bothered and while they're in there why not take out as many clips as they can. I think I have 17 to 20 in my body which I never asked for. I do think that the medical community should take time to inform the patient that they might have metal put in their body. I know the safety record for clips is pretty good but if you look on the Internet there's all kinds of people having issues with clips migrating to other places cip allergies and clip pain.

I was 49 years old when I got diagnosed with cancer and then I was in the best shape of my life riding my horse working out didn't feel sick at all. Since the cancer surgery my life is changed I'm 52 years old now and I'm in bed most of the time I have three teenagers a wonderful husband and i'm not living a life that I want to live. And I feel like nobody's hearing me sometimes I feel like the doors have been closed on me so many times and I really at a loss. So I think what I'm doing here today is telling my story and wondering if anyone out there has had similar experiences and if anyone out there has successfully had surgery to resection nerves In their Axilla and chest area and if they've had clips taken out just anything I could give me some hope and information. I am willing to travel to get help. I've mentally and physically reach the end of my rope. Thanks so much for listening and if anybody has any words of wisdom, experiences with surgical clips issues, or Neuroma,scar tissue , whatever please comment thanks

Ps- sorry for any typos I'm talking into my iPad microphone. It's very hard for me to use my right arm to type anymore. If I use it too much I get too much pain and symptoms. 🌻