Weird sensations after sentinel node biopsy...normal?

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DaniLind
DaniLind Member Posts: 12
edited March 2019 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Hi,

So sorry if this is a silly question but I’m 4 days post lumpectomy & they took 4 sentinel nodes. I have numbness by the scar & strange pin & needles sensations in my scar areas. Also my underarm feels swollen & heavy but it’s not visiblely swollen. It’s also very sore & I have tinglin down to my fingertips. Has anyone experienced this? Will it settle & go back to normal? I’m freaking out. :

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited March 2019

    Yes, completely normal. They either had to cut through nerves in the area, or possibly disturbed them by moving them around. I had a lot of pain around my sentinel node scar, and that took a few weeks to really feel better. The numbness is still not completely gone, 2.5 years later.

    Hope you feel better soon!!

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited March 2019

    Dani, you might want to check in with your surgeon, not that anything is wrong. For me it would be reassuring just to hear it is normal. Since we go through so much worry and stress, perhaps it might help to have a little more reassurance. Please don't think I am negating gb's post.

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  • alto
    alto Member Posts: 233
    edited March 2019

    That's about when my soreness kicked in as well, toward the end of the first week. It was sore for another week or so. Someone else described it as having a golf ball under your arm. Yes, it felt like I had a big, hard lump that would poke me in the ribs - except it wasn't there. It all resolved for me, and now I'd probably only notice a difference (like mild numbness) if I poked around on the area.

    As Cowgirl says, don't hesitate to check with your surgeon. I noticed a lump where my scar was about a week after surgery, and checked to make sure that was normal - it was for me, just stitches and swollen tissue, and it went away.

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  • Beaverntx
    Beaverntx Member Posts: 3,183
    edited March 2019

    DanlLind, the sensations you described are most likely normal signs of healing. The surgery you had, by its nature, involves some comprise of nerves which will need to heal. That healing often includes the pins and needles, sometimes lightening like feelings that resemble an electric shock. Also, the rug burn or scraped feeling in the arm is nerve healing.The healing takes different lengths of time for various areas and different people. For example, I had nerve damage from shingles that took about two years to heal. Thus, now that I am 14 months past lumpectomy I am not surprised that I still have some tingling in my arm. It is less and less as time passes and should eventually disappear.

    For now take it easy, do some exercising (walking really helped me so it does not have to be any specific exercise) and don't be lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk!

    Here's to good healing and a healthy future for you.

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  • DaniLind
    DaniLind Member Posts: 12
    edited March 2019

    thank you!!! Everyone! Its scary thinking this could be the new normal but from what I'm understanding it fades each week and then you don't really notice it. Hoping! Having cancer was bad enough. Xo

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  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited March 2019

    I only had one sentinal node removed, and although I wasn't in actual pain after the lumpectomy, that feeling of having a Brillo pad chafing on my skin was not comfortable! It's very normal, though. I used a folded, soft cotton sock (not a real thick one, and just a low rise type) shoved under the edge of the bra really helped. And I used its mate, rolled up, to keep pressure on the lumpectomy incision and didn't have any swelling. It's also a good bra filler!

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  • DaniLind
    DaniLind Member Posts: 12
    edited March 2019

    woke up last night with a lot of discomfort. Wondering if just sleeping on that arm can stir things up. Actually, I just want to know that I’ll be somewhat normal soon. It’s only been five dats but the thought of having to stay on Celebrex & Tylenol is upsetting. Anyone have an eta of when they started to stop noticing the discomfort & tingling and soreness under the arm. Some shooting pains too.

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  • AliceBastable
    AliceBastable Member Posts: 3,461
    edited March 2019

    Oh, I didn't sleep on my lumpectomy side for ages. That sends all the blood (and fluids) there and can exacerbate pain and swelling. Even now, months later, I can tell if I've slept on that side too long. I slept in a sports bra, and put a rolled-up sock (my solution to everything!) between my breasts to keep the lumpie side from sagging over.

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited March 2019

    It took awhile for all that to go away....still have numbness on the surface and it's uncomfortable if I press around in the axillary area. If I do too much with that arm sometimes the pain radiates down. I expect it's permanent at this time. It's manageable though.

    A recommendation.... I would not not not sleep on that side at all. That would definitely stir things up and I would think cause extra stress on the lymph area that is trying to heal. I still don't sleep on my surgery side... I worry about lymphedema.

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