Just wondering if anyone else has developed shoulder pain 2-3 years following the lymph nodes clearance surgery? Did your shoulder feel locked? What did you do to overcome the pain problem ? What works? Physio, steroid injection?
I had an axilla dissection in July 2014 to have the lymph nodes clearance on my left axilla, after being diagnose with a recurrence. I also had chemo and Herceptin. All lymph nodes were removed. I exercised per instruction post surgery and recovered with no problem, no lymphodema thank goodness.
Life went on until last year, 3 years after my surgery, I developed slight pain on my left shoulder and went on for a while so I decided to try a chiropractor to have a treatment. I was told it was a frozen shoulder despite telling him that I had the surgery before. The treatment (quick massage and tapping the shoulder with a device) did nothing and my pain got worse and I could not raise my left arm fully, the muscle on my left shoulder and the connective joints are all became so tensed and knotted! It feels like cording. I then went back to Royal Marsden physiotherapist to have the shoulder/axilla looked at. Several exercises prescribed, the pain come and go, the arm movement is better one day but got worse on the next, on and off.
I have been going to to a lady who does oncology massage twice a week for the last two months, which was painful, she works to soften all the knotted tissue and muscles, it helps with the tensed joints, one step forward but the pains are still there on and off, and some time is petty bad during the night that I have to take pain killer.
i had the MRI of the shoulder and the physiotherapist told me that if there is no improvement, then I need to see an orthopaedic doctor to have a steroid injection on the shoulder.
How is your shoulder a few years after the surgery?