Pain Under Reconstrucion and Lymph Node Areas

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pupfoster1
pupfoster1 Member Posts: 1,484
edited October 2019 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hey all,

Not sure what to think of all this, but I'm stressing out something might be seriously wrong. I had the DIEP flap recon on one side and an implant put on the other "non" cancer side (pathology found DCIS) there. Had 13/15 positive nodes on DIEP side with extra capular extension. Mamo and ultrasounds did NOT light up for the nodes. I kept telling them I was feeling a tugging and pulling pain, but they kept saying "well nothing's lighting up there" and so forth.

Anywho, over the past couple months I've been getting that same pain on my implant (non C) side and occasionally on the DIEP side, as well as pain under the reconstruction. I know my implant has shifted and dropped. They've done breast ultrasounds that came back benign. MRI next week, but I think the order is just for the breasts. Will the MRI pick up node involvement if anything is there? It didn't as far as I recall on my diagnosis MRI during my initial DX. I'm wondering if I should have the Dr re write the order to include lymph area? Also, is there a way to biopsy just the node area? Besides pain, I feel like crap a lot. Dull headaches and extreme fatigue. I wake up tired.

Any advice ladies I would appreciate or even some talking me off the ledge would be great.

Hugs,

Sharon

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited October 2019

    If your doc will re-write the order, go for it. Many will not. I'm not a doc, but the next step might be either a CT w/contrast or a PET/CT.

    Was your surgery in 2009? Did you have radiation? That would cause a pretty constant pulling.

    Yes, you can biopsy a swollen node. Mine was done when they found it combined with an Ultrasound procedure.

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  • pupfoster1
    pupfoster1 Member Posts: 1,484
    edited October 2019

    Hi and thanks for your response. I was dx in fall of 2009, surgery in Nov, dose dense chemo and rads in 2010, recon in 2011. The rads were only done on the cancer side, but this pain is on the opposite side with no radiation. That's the side I'm having the issues on. I'll prob call my GYN who wrote the order on Monday and see what she thinks and if they need to re write the order. The MRI is with and without contrast. Doesn't MRI "see" better than CT? Sheesh. I'm getting confused all over again. I hate this crap.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited October 2019

    pup - MRI & CT see different things. One is better with soft tissue, but I can never remember which.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited October 2019

    Do keep your doctor updated and ask specifically for what might be causing this, and what is the best way to assess it. Get a second opinion if necessary.

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