Generalized itchiness after reconstruction, anyone?

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Harleymom
Harleymom Member Posts: 6
edited November 2017 in Breast Reconstruction

Folks, I had bilateral mastectomies with immediate reconstruction in December 2015. Second surgery to replace expanders with silicone implants in March 2016. Most recent recon surgery with fat grafting this past February (2017), making 3 surgeries in that year & a half time. This spring, 4 months out from most recent surgery, I've developed an all-over itchiness, skin on scalp, neck, & torso feeling hot & tight without swelling, redness, or fever. Sometime the "foobs" itch, too, right next to my chest under the implants. A bug bite that would normally itch wherever the bug bit now causes all-over skin & beneath it a crawly muscle agitation. Simply getting too warm makes my skin itch & burn, again, with no visible rash of any sort. Oral Benedryl helps a little. No new soaps or lotions. Am I getting a late-onset allergy to my silicone implants? Please help!

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited July 2017

    I use benedryl too. I have recently been very itchy around abdomen scar from DIEP. After 5 years I am getting more and more feeling back and itching seems to come with it. I don't have implants so my itching seems to be from nerve ending. Wish I had an answer for us, mine seems to be worse at bedtime.

    Also have scalp and all over itching and including my arms, my doctor though it was the AI drug but I have been off for a years.

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  • lizardspit
    lizardspit Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2017

    I, too, had a double mastectomy with reconstruction 14 years ago. My impants are silicone and placed under my peck muscles. I have a real problem with itching. I always take an antihistamine ALWAYS! If I forget, I know it.

    I have always had this itching; on the sides (rim of the implant and deep underneath like my ribs itch.


    I would really appreciate ANY suggestions for relief.

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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited November 2017

    going to sound crazy, but Vagisil cream helps tremendously with the itching. If you’re in Canada and can find maximum strength Lanacane cream that will work too. Both products have 20% Benzocaine in them and work pretty fast to relieve the itch (within seconds). Vagisil cream is the only cream I’ve been able to find with that level of Benzocaine in it since Lanacane is no longer distributed here in the US. Pretty much all the topical anti-itch creams available in the US are just antihistamine creams which take a while to work and being an antihistamine obviously means they work different than a benzocaine cream

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  • Harleymom
    Harleymom Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2017

    Lizardspit, it must be frustrating for you to continue to have this itching so long after recon! Totally bites! I think your oral antihistamine is a good strategy---I take a Singulair in the morning & loratidine at night, plus Benedryl or Chlor-Trimeton in between if necessary. I've taken to rubbing my damn silicone implants right against my chest wall when they really bug me. I mean, they're not gonna pop, or at least my reconc surg says so. Finally, stretching pecs with door stretches, etc., as well as massaging them HARD & briefly with coconut oil or some other really oily oil a couple times a month (also rec'd by recon surg) is slowly, slowly helping with providing some room under the pecs for the implants. My right breast was irradiated in 2005, & by the time I got to mastectomies in 2015, all the tissues on the right side were extra, extra tight from the radiation damage, so all these problems are magnified on the right side. Some women say acupuncture helps, but it's never done anything for me, so I can't recommend it. Some soft tissue massage in my chest, shoulder, & side area DID help a lot right before my third recon surgery, so I can recommend that. Multiple modalities, as they say. Throw everything at it, is my translation. Best wishes!

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  • Harleymom
    Harleymom Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2017

    Lula73, I appreciate you mentioning Vagisil, because it works the BEST on ANY itching. I had a wicked case of poison ivy this past summer, & after I cleaned the blistered area with Zanfel (an amazing OTC product for dealing with immediate reaction to P.I.), Vagisil worked the best. Now if I have any weird itchies anywhere, it's the stuff that works. Probably this news will never make it out to the gents with itchies---unfortunate for them! Thanks again.

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  • Bumpkins
    Bumpkins Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2017


    just found this site. I had a mastectomy 22 years ago this month( November). Had some slight pain over the years that I can deal with. About 3 days ago though I have started itching on the operated side. It is driving me crazy. Feels like something is crawling around deep inside. It also feels what I refer to as a smarting feeling. First time in all these years I have had itching like this. I am due for a yearly scan so will mention to to them. I get panicky every time I have to get checked. A few time I have to get an Ultra scan as they say I have deep tissues. It is most disappointing and upsetting having this suddenly happen when I thought was doing so well.

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  • Harleymom
    Harleymom Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2017

    Bumpkins, if you suddenly have a new symptom in your surgical site, no matter how old it is, I think you should run not walk to your providers. I don't think you need to get panicky, though it's certainly understandable. And what on earth do they mean about "deep tissues"? We all have "deep tissues"! Get them to clarify that mysterious observation; sounds a little like B.S. to me. And see if they might approve some physical therapy that could help stretch that area, which is likely to get tighter over the years. Yes---it's upsetting! Now, make your providers deal with that upset. Let us know how you make out.

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