Is this normal & will it go away? Lumpectomy pain

All perfectly normal.

With 3 nodes removed, I had numbness down to my elbow for 4 months and numbness in my underarm area for 6 months. The shooting pains, pins & needles, and tingling didn't last as long but were present for probably a month or so. Some people experience these side effects for a shorter period of time, but some people experience them for longer. For some women, a degree of numbness in the underarm and arm remains long-term.

You just had a significant surgery. Your nerves were cut. Your lymphatic system was messed up. It takes time for things to settle out and get back to normal. Be patient.

And as a suggestion, I notice that you already have another discussion thread going with the same questions/concerns, and you've already received a number of helpful responses. You will get better responses if you stick to one discussion thread, so that those of us replying can see what's already been said and add our experiences to those comments.

Glad to help.

Threads stay alive forever. Sticking with one thread for each topic is helpful so that those who've offered advice can follow your process and pop in with new information. And those who are new to respond have the benefit of seeing and adding to the previous responses. If there has been no activity on your thread for a while, the way to pop it back to the top of the 'Active' list is to post something new yourself, even just the simple question "Anyone else have input?" People often reactivate older threads by adding a new post at the bottom with only the word "Bump", which means that they are bumping the thread back to the top of the "Active" list.

Of course if you have questions about something completely different - hormone therapy, for example - then starting a new thread in the appropriate forum is a good idea.

A thought: Have you been prescribed Gabapentin? It is often given to address the types of post-surgical pains that you are having. You could ask your surgeon or nurse coordinator about it, or even ask your PCP.

Hi there DaniLind & the PurpleCat & Beesie,

I know, it's surgery. It was my first. March 1st. I'm guessing women with C-sections are maybe better used to these post surgery things. I think I'd convinced myself that my boob was unnecessary and not vital so then somehow extrapolated that erroneously to it's just a big lump of fat that gives milk but has no nerves or structure or who knows what I was thinking. . Anyway...if it had been ANY other body part I would not have been so silly in my thinking.

So, I had some magical boob thinking for sure. The shooting pains went away at about 2 weeks I think. I was prescribed but did not take gabapentin. I had the shooting pains from Biopsy on. Generally soar and hurts when I reach carry heavy things. That's gone away but JUST at the 6 week point. But still fatigues if I overuse and pain return in a lasser way, and iron boob still lingers, so I think it's a process. I think I'll need some PT in the end. And I'll have to give it a different name, like the boob under construction, and in need of respect, not scornful epitaphs. I could imagine it with a cute hard hat or something. Iron boob yikes, that makes me a robot or an android or bionic. No it's 100% organic and it's under-construction.

Anyway, I just did a LUMP reconstruct surgery today. I was eager to do it as the old pain was not gone yet so hey maybe this balancing will help it a bit. Or maybe it will make it worse. But it is what it is and having my nipple point straight again after the fluid reabsorbed and the real dent finally showed up a few days before today's scheduled surgery, is a small victory, but it was one worth trying to achieve! And I think I'll achieve it, and if I don't then hey, I feel cared for that my health care provider placed and places such importance on repairing a deformity of such a personal body part. I'd say they put more importance than I did for sure, because they know. They've been down this road. I'll am grateful for that! I'm doing a planned two pronged fat graft.

Fracking out! Your "bump" for today DaniLind. Is it getting any better now? if not, I hope it does and soon,

Tell us more about the lump reconstruction! I'm 5 moths post chemo and 2 months post radiation but am define ly lopsided. Would love to find someway to even out!