Hi
Just wondering if anyone felt a stinging sensation in their breast after lumpectomy. My surgery was just over 2 weeks ago. The sensation is ok, wouldn’t say painful, when I touch the breast concerned or have a shower it’s uncomfortable and I am having a mammogram this week.
I had some pulsing and zapping sensations after my lumpectomy and was told it was nerves that had been moved during surgery and it would settle. For me it did. Although it may not be the same for you. Hopefully you will get some answers after your mammogram.
I was recently advised to watch Jen McKenzie a Cancer physio on YouTube and was impressed with her information. This is a link for how to reduce pain for a mammogram. I had my annual mammogram last July and it was really painful especially on the side squeeze as that is were my scars are ( on both sides as I had two primary tumours, on in each boob). I’m hoping this information will help with my annual one this year.
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Hi
I had all sorts of burning, tingling, zips and zaps, pulling, itching and still do at 5 weeks post op.
You could call the clinic and speak to a nurse or one of the nurses on the BCN helpline to help put your mind at rest?
I’m sure it’s all normal, that’s what they told me, but it helped to hear it from a medical person.
I’m quite lumpy under my scar as well - again told it was normal which helped.
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Frequent stabbing pains and tingling that came and went lasting seconds at a time for months after radiotherapy, so its likely quite normal. I got a burning sensation in the lumpectomy area last week as it happens - nearly 7 months on from radiotherapy. So yea, its ongoing, can happen for years I believe.
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I’m with you ladies - seven weeks post-lumpectomy - lots of zapping pains and general tenderness. The indent that was left after surgery is gradually filling so I assume it is the tissues and nerves knitting together again.
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Just an update…
I had X ray, CT scan, ultrasound and they put another seed in followed by a mammogram.
Everything was good. No pain, just uncomfortable. I take a pain relief at night as I have trouble sleeping 
I live in Spain so it’s a bit different over here!
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I had lumpectomy 6 weeks ago and just had lymph nodes removed in so much pain with the lymph nodes removed anybody can help can I moisturiser under the armpits yet. What the best way to sleep finding it hard it’s so painful on either side and on my back. Brought new bras but they keep rubbing the scar and I have a big lump above my scar very painful, help xxx
If your team are happy you have healed after surgery you should be ok to moisturise. As far as pain, I would call your team and have a chat with the nurses. I had pain ongoing and say a physio who said I should have been told to massage my boobs post surgery but I was only given the stretchy and movement exercises. The massage has helped a lot.
As far as sleep I’m a large cup size and found wearing a soft tshirt bra for several months really helped. I had surgery on both side so found back sleeping was more comfortable.
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It could be wise to get the lumpy part seen by your BCN. It could be a seroma that you mY get some relief from being drained as opposed to anything sinister. Whatever the reason for your discomfort, they should be able to point you in the right direction for effective management. No need to suffer alone x
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I had mastectomy and lymph node removal just over 2 weeks ago and the worst pain is in my armpit and round under my arm to my back. Saw breast care nurse this morning and she recommended moisturising, just not along the scar line. The soreness and burning are almost continual and exercises are painful!
She says it’s early days but I hadn’t expected this ongoing pain. Damage to the nerves and muscle in my armpit is made worse because I had lymph nodes removed and radiotherapy to the area in 2009, following a lumpectomy.
Hope your pain starts to ease soon.
Yeah I know how your feeling mine has been 3 weeks now and still in so much pain can’t touch it don’t want to wear anything even my arm next to it hurts it burns, stings, shooting pain all under my armpit just can’t stand it any more. A month before that in the same breast had some more cancer removed from under my nipple that was horrible I had to go in early to have wires put in first and that was awful it was like a torture chamber, then I went for my operation. A few days later I had a really bad infecti
on had a drain put in there had to drain the poison out 3 times a day, then to be told they had found some more near my lymph nodes which I had out 3 weeks ago and am not getting any better. I have a follow up appointment on Thursday so will be asking for some stronger painkillers as paracetamol doesn’t touch the pain and will see what the next step is for results from my biopsy. Didn’t realise how painful it was going to be. Hope your gets better soon xxx
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Oh wow, you’ve really been through it, no wonder you’re in pain! I hope you get good results on Thursday. I had my follow up appointment with surgeon last Thursday. I mentioned the arm pain and she prescribed Codeine 30mg tablets. They helped a bit, especially with sleeping at first but the downside is the constipation so I am trying to manage with a combination of codeine and paracetamol. Unfortunately, nothing takes the pain away completely.
I hope you get some help with your pain xxx
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I hope they will give some on Thursday I found they made me constipated and I took some sencote normal ones was OK they made me go. I think I might have a bit of a leakage aswell as its been dripping out a bit today. I feel like it’s never going to end this pain. Hope you get some relief and the pain slows down soon it’s horrible being in pain. I said to my sister if I got to go for a 3rd opp I don’t think physically my body or mentally I can take any more. Xxxxx
Please arrange to have the leakage investigated, leaking doesn’t sound good and could be a sign of infection along with excess pain, and you mention you have had an infection before. Keep an eye on your body temperature as a further clue. I hope you get it sorted soon.
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Thanks have been back and got another infection so put another drip bag and antibiotics so hopefully that will get it sorted again xxx
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Had another infection so antibiotics and a drain fitted they found my nymph nodes cancer cells in my lymph nodes and was going to take some more lymph nodes out but I said I just don’t think I physically or mentally could cope with another opp. Am going for radiotherapy and then chemo so we will see if that works xxx
Oh no poor you, hope the antibiotics clear the infection this time. As for the cancer in the lymph nodes, can understand you not being able to cope with more surgery. First time time around, they found cancer cells in my lymph nodes and I opted for radiotherapy instead of more surgery. I have been clear for 16 years till it recurred this year. They managed to find 6 lymph nodes this time, no cancer in them but I see the oncologist at the end of April. Think they are going to recommend chemo, even though I had it last time because it has recurred in the same place. Take care xxx
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Im sorry it reoccurred. My mum had been recently diagnosed with BC with 6 lymph nodes affected in axillary area. I am hoping too that she gets radiotherapy. Ct scan showed all clear so the only axillary lymph nodes are affected. What options did your oncologist gave you when you first met
Thanks x
Sorry to hear about your mum but hopefully like me first time round, she will be treated successfully with radiotherapy. I was also advised to have chemotherapy first time round to prevent reoccurence. There were no options 16 years ago, it was a pretty tough regime of 3 different intravenous drugs but it was manageable. I have an appointment with my oncologist next week but I believe this time that because I had chemotherapy previously, I will be offered a different sort. It may be in the form of tablets or possibly intravenous. I will then have follow up with 5 years of hormone tablets. Hope all goes well for your mum x
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Hopefully u get the easiest treatment 
Having sleepless nights, but my mum is doing well, she has pain where the lump is which shoots to her armpit, once she takes paracetamol she is feeling good.
My mum has type 2 diabetes aswell. Before she was first referred to medical oncology clinic, but now she is referred to clinical oncology clinic this time after the CT scan came out all clear. Still waiting for treatment plan. I have done my research, it’s says on NHS radiotherapy is also given as neoadjuvent treatment, the surgeon said my mum will have surgery after neoadjuvent.
Her clinical oncology appointment is on 24th April x