Painful shouderblade after mastectomy

Hi all

I had right mastectomy and full node clearance on 13th November. Did all the exercises afterwards (and still doing them) and consider myself to have very good arm movement now.

However, in the last few days I have started to get a pain from the very rear of my armpit, up my back, sort of to the right of my shoulderblade, near the back of my arm. It’s hard to describe, doesn’t hurt as such, just aches - closest I can describe it is that is feels like my bra strap is twisted and digging in (and no it isn’t I’ve checked lol!)

Rang BCN, who says it isn’t related to op, or at least that it isn’t usually a problem, and thinks maybe I’ve pulled something?!? Just wondered if anyone else had had anything like this.

Margaret

Hi Margaret

I had lymph node clearance 3 weeks ago and I do remember my back and shoulder feeling extremely tender and bruised but it sounds to me like you may have pulled something. Are any areas of your shoulder and back numb? Mine are and maybe you pulled something (like the BCN suggested) without realising esp if you are numb and can’t feel. Do painkillers help at all?

Rebz

Hi Margaret,

I have had pains in my shoulder area on and off since the mastectomy but I think mine are nearer my neck and upper shoulder. I had physio for the problem in 2006 and the physio said that it was very common for mastectomy patients to have shoulder problems because people tend to alter their posture after surgery. She gave me some exercises to do do to move the shoulder back into the proper position. I did these for about several months until the pain stopped. However I do find that the problem reoccurs when I carry anything heavy, use the computer mouse a lot or do a lot of writing (such as writing Christmas cards).

Don’t know if this is relevant to you to you but when I was on chemo, I started to get tingling and numb fingers in the hand on the same side as I had had surgery. I was referred to the orthopaedic people who wanted to do a carpel tunnel op but I had had enough of surgery so decided to live with the problem. Fortunately a few months after chemo finished the problem went away and the medics put it down to swollen tissue pressing on nerves whilst I was having chemo.

So what I think I’m trying to say is that chemo can cause pressure on nerves from whatever source but hopefully if this is the problem, the pain may go away when treatment finishes.

Wendyx

Hello ladies, Sorry to hear you’re suffering Margaret, does’n’t it just seem like one thing after another? sorry to interrupt & then digress slightly but i’m desperate for advice. 10 days since my mastectomy (don’tknow how many nodes - nobody seems to want to tell me anything) & the pain/pins& needles/burning/sensitivity etc from my armpit to elbow is really bad. My BCN said if it got too bad to see my GP for some Amitriptalene, but that’s got to be a last resort for me. I’m sure i’ve seen a thread here on the subject, but as usual can’t find what i’m looking for! Any suggestions would be so welcome.
Hugs Thelma xx

Hi Thelma,

Poor you. I didn’t have this particular problem myself (had everything else though!) but I think that the pain, sensitivity etc can result from the node surgery and may be due to the nerves leading from the armpit down the arm being disturbed during surgery.

Please check out this advice cos I’m not medically qualified but I have read that soft massage and stretching to the area may help. I saw a complementary therapist on a number of occasions after surgery for aromatherapy and found that this helped to get rid of numbness in the area. You have to be careful if you are Er+ that you don’t have oestrogen stimulating oils but there are plenty of others that are fine.

Like you, I think that I’ve seen a thread on this subject but can’t remember where - ah, the joys of chemo brain.

Wendyx

Hi all

Thanks for your replies.

For those of you who have seen my postings on other threads you will know that I went a bit daft with diy for a few days after my chemo (no - I don’t know why either !) - but I have a feeling the BCN and Rebz are right - I’ve probably just pulled something!

Wendy - I suffered with caprel tunnel symdrone prior to op - it is no worse or better following …so far !

Thelma - I was told that this is usual and that the exercising relieves the tingling. I massaged my arm from shoulder to elbow with E45 cream everyday for about 3 wks after op and this did seem to help - hope you get it sorted

Thanks all, take care
margaret x

Hi

I’m still suffering with numbness and tingling in my shoulder and arm 10 weeks post surgery, gp has just put me on amytripteline to see if that helps, but my arm is so sensitive that I can’t massage it. I’m on 11th of 15 rads and have a large red square which is itching like mad. Radiologist said this was good coz they knew they had the right area but not good for me and please not to scratch it. Great!! She also said if possible the best treatment was to keep it uncovered as much as possible i.e no clothes at all yeh with mast scar and the weather who the hell was she kidding, not me apparently she said she was serious. I have been given some aqua gel to put on it which I have to keep in the fridge it’s lovely but the effect wears of really quickly. I did warn them that my skin only has to think sunshine and it burns and of yes it has. Still only 4 more to go yipee. Sorry got a bit carried away, but feel better for haven written this all down.

Heather

Hi Heather,

That’s really awful for you and what a silly suggestion from the radiologist. Suggest you don’t call in the window cleaner at the moment or he might fall off his ladder.

I think that there are some posts on the Undergoing Treatment - radiotherapy related to soreness that may be helpful to you. Hope you manage to get something sorted.

Wendy x