Pain

Sleepless56
Sleepless56 Member Posts: 4
edited May 2018 in Pain

I had a BM with ALND on March 30. That is five weeks and I feel that I am still in too much pain. My expanders are full, and I start chemo may 11. Radiation after that and then the expanders will finally come out after that.The pain is mostly from the ALND. My skin is very sensitive and I can’t stand to have it touched. I do have some cording that I am starting PT for on Monday. Also my chest hurts. Just a disclaimer, I have had11 other surgeries including back surgery. So I feel that I handle pain pretty well. Also, I don’t sleep. I guess I would like to know how long does the pain in my arm last after having 17 lymph nodes removed? And the pain under my breast? I have bought about 20 bras looking for something my body dill let me wear without adding pain. It is the worst and all the nurses say is, take Tylenol.



· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited May 2018

    I can't answer the question about the arm pain since I didn't have that many nodes removed, but I did have the extreme skin sensitivity. My PT recommended using different texture cloths with varying degrees of pressure to rub against the skin and kind of "re-set" the nerves. I know it sounds absolutely horrible, but it made a huge difference relatively quickly.

    As far as bras - I ordered a three pack from Amazon called "Vermilion Bird" and they were wonderful. They're called a sports bra for low impact, but they really have minimal support. They're very light and stretchy as well as a little longer so they don't rub on incision lines under the breasts. All of the sports bras I had tried before were too tight, too much compression.

    Hoping your doing much better soon!


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Simbobby
    Simbobby Member Posts: 140
    edited May 2018

    Hey Sleepless,

    I had the same procedure on March 29 and I too feel like Ihave too much pain for being five weeks out. Wondered if I'm just a slow healer. I had my drains in for five full weeks as both the BS and PS referred to me as "juicy".

    I am managing the pain with Motrin (ibuprofen). I take three tablets (600mg) once a day. It's an anti inflammatory and does the trick for me. Right arm is the most painful from cording. I am totally numb from the ALND but it may be because the nodes had attached themselves to a major nerve that had to be removed

    Met with a physical therapist this week and will be meeting with her twice a week for an undetermined amount of time. Meeting with a lymphedema specialist on Friday. Between these two they will be correcting my cording, improve range of motion, and working on lymphedema prevention.

    It is getting better every day. Hope you're feeling better.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sleepless56
    Sleepless56 Member Posts: 4
    edited May 2018

    thanks for the support.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sleepless56
    Sleepless56 Member Posts: 4
    edited May 2018

    Oh my. At least my drains came out after 3 weeks. Hang in there! My PT app was canceled after waiting three weeks to get it. ( I actually starting crying on the phone when they canceled it. How embarrassing!) After they rescheduled it, I decided to look it up myself on the internet. So I do have some relief from some stretching I’ve been doing. I saw my breast surgeon yesterday. She told me the painful stuff under my arm is tissue that won’t go away until I have my reconstruction and he will pull it into my breast and smooth it out. Numbness under my arm and burning pain is just something that goes away slowly she said. I think I feel better just having answers. I hope you get your drains out soon and start to feel better. Good luck!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sleepless56
    Sleepless56 Member Posts: 4
    edited May 2018

    Thanks

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited May 2018

    sleepless-definitely google notverybrave’s advice on the cloths. It will help. If there’s somewhere you have to go and it’s really bad and/or you need temporary relief ASAP A cream with 20% benzocaine in it will help almost instantly. Vagisil is the easiest one to find (it is save to use on other parts of the body as it is pain relievers that numb and moisturizers - nothing that actually treats what’s causing the symptoms where it’s marketed to be used.) Just be sure to avoid any open or not fully healed incisions with it.

    Have you tried a genie bra? That was a godsend for me. I’ve since been able to graduate to a Bali soft wireless bra that fits almost like a cutoff tank top and a minicami style bra by Hanes. I got them both at Belk department store. All are soft and comfortable. Now the absolute softest bra I hadn’t that I used just after surgery was the full coverage pocketed bra from anaono. Their bras are made specifically for us BC girls. So very very soft for so very sensitive skin. They ship fast by the way. And don’t have hesitate to chat/call them direct if you’re not sure of size. The exterior tank bra is pretty neat too.

    https://www.anaono.com/collections/pocketed-bras




    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories