Just had mastectomy last Tuesday with full node clearance. The site of the wound itself not too painful but under my arm well that’s a different story. The underarm feels painful yet when I touch it it feels numb. Tell me how long does this last. I am going to have six months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy with hormone therapy. Feeling really confused.
You will need to be patient with your underarm. The nerves are damaged and you will probably find the skin will always be numb. Ask for a pain killer which works with nerve pain such as Amitryptaline. Normal pain killers won’t work. I think it took 2 months before mine wasn’t too painful. It’s a big deal to have full node clearance which I don’t think hospitals make clear. Six months on I don’t really notice the strange feelings there anymore.
Hi Rebecca. I had a therapeutic mammoplasty on 29th Feb and node clearance was done at the same time. It was done thru the same incision but when I wash under that arm it hurts and feels numb all at the same time. It is the weirdest feeling ever. How ever it doesn’t hurt in between times. I have my results appointment on Wednesday so I will ask. Welcome to the forum xx
Thanks for replies. I also now have a pain in the top of my chest and it feels like water is tricking down anyone else had this?
The pain doesn’t last too long - you must ask for pain relief so that you can do your exercises which is really important. 18 months on and I still have some numbness in breast, and under arm but feeling is back in my arm.
Wishing you all the best, any worries you must ask for help x
Hi, I had my mastectomy the day before you and felt exactly as you did with the numb arm yet with pain. I have followed everything by the book such as resting, taking painkillers and doing arm exercises. It is now 3 weeks on and I actually have more pain in my arm than I did a fortnight ago. I showed the breast nurse how well (so I thought) I was doing with raising my arm. She said it wasn’t good enough and when it’s time for my radiotherapy I would struggle if I couldn’t get my arm up and straight. Since then I have pushed myself more with the exercises and don’t know if I have overdone it or I am not doing it well enough, as I am really struggling now. I have marked on the wall how far I can reach and now have 3 notches (higher each time) but still nowhere near where my good arm stretch is. Has anyone else had this experience? How long can I expect to be like this?