After Surgery-Arm Pain and numbness

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Lillady0430
Lillady0430 Member Posts: 18
edited February 2017 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Evening ladies,


I'm three weeks post surgery... Since the surgery I've been experiencing tingling or numbness in the back of my arm(tricep) I had 17 lymph nodes removed and wondering if anyone has experienced this numbness, tingling, pain. I massage it when it gets uncomfortable and I've noticed it aches more when I'm cold. It's hard to describe, but I'm hoping that someone has experienced this and can offer some suggestions. Thanks in advance..


Lil lady

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2017

    The numbness and tingling pain, in the areas you indicate, is normal after axillary clearance surgery. I found some relief by eliminating skin to skin contact - made sure I wore cloting with a sleeve so my inner arm was not touching anything else. Hopefully you will find that this feeling diminishes over time, but I will warn you, it can be a slow process. For me, it took about a year before it was completely gone.

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  • mellee
    mellee Member Posts: 434
    edited February 2017

    I had 32 nodes removed and for the first week or two after surgery it felt like I had a cadaver arm attached to my body, it was so numb. When my "Frankenarm" came back online, I definitely had the tingling you describe, along with some aching and a feeling like my upper arm was tired no matter how I rested it. I'm now 3 months out from surgery and it's much better. No more tingling and much less aching. There's still numbness, but it's less.

    SpecialK, has all you numbness gone away?

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2017

    mellee - yes, totally normal now. The only sensation of numbness is in a small area of the underarm itself but I only notice it when I shave.

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  • mellee
    mellee Member Posts: 434
    edited February 2017

    That's great to hear! Hopefully it will be the same for me.

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  • mellee
    mellee Member Posts: 434
    edited February 2017

    One more question, SpecialK: do you use a regular razor to shave? I've heard some warn people with LE to only use electric razors, but I'm hoping to keep using my trusty Venus.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2017

    I use only an electric/battery razor since ALND. There are just too many numb areas & dips & crevasses for me to take a chance with a razor blade. I don't want to aggravate my lymphadema any more than necessary.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited February 2017

    I used an electric razor at first but had a hard time because I have a small underarm and couldn't fit the razor in there to shave effectively and actually the razor pulled the little hairs and it hurt. So now I do use a regular razor, but I am very careful and initially had to shave in front of the mirror. I have found that I also don't seem to have much underarm hair since surgery, chemo and anti-hormonals.

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  • Lillady0430
    Lillady0430 Member Posts: 18
    edited February 2017

    thanks ladies... These were great responses and suggestions. I'm going to try these out. Thanks for letting me know it will take time, but things might be back to normal soon, I've got to learn how to be patient and celebrate my small victories. I'm doing physical therapy now and that helps. Wishing you all well...


    Lil lady

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  • Lillady0430
    Lillady0430 Member Posts: 18
    edited February 2017

    one more thing, minus two- I saw your post about not aggravating your lymphedema... Is it bad? I started to develop a little sweeping I just got a sleeve last week. Do you wear one? I'm only one month post surgery...

    Thanks...

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  • CecyRev
    CecyRev Member Posts: 4
    edited February 2017

    I am in that moment that you described, just 18 days after my surgery and i have pain in my arm is good to know that will stop with time it is really desperate

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2017

    Lill - I have truncal & breast LE. I wear a sleeve & gauntlet for protection when I fly & when I do repetitive motions. Unfortunately I screwed up and used my hedge trimmer (vibrating) for a couple of hours w/o a sleeve, so now I'm back in therapy with my LE trained therapist. Most docs don't know much about LE. Below is a link that was written in collaboration with several of our BCO ladies. Good info

    http://www.stepup-speakout.org/

    Special - I agree. I have very little hair in my underarms after chemo, ALND surgery & radiation. Even after 3 years of Biotin. Well, that's a hooray.


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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited February 2017

    I had bilat mx in Aug 2015. The numbness only got a little better, not only on the breast/chest but under and upper arms. PS and BS both said it is what it is since it's been so long.

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