It’s difficult to forecast how long pain will continue as we are all individuals and the cause could be different for different people.
It might even be that, at present, you are overdoing the exercises and putting too much strain on your arm. This is something you need to discuss with your Surgeon and Breast Care Nurse on Friday.
Two weeks is only a short time since surgery. Yes, I know the waiting is dreadful - it’s worse than actually getting results and starting treatments. Your body has had major surgery, is still adjusting and will continue to adjust for some time. Getting arm movement back is only part of the journey.
My suggestion is that, as it’s only two days to go before you see the Surgeon, you go easy on the exercises and instead massage your arm gently with some Aveeno cream or something similar, and give it some rest, whilst keeping up with the painkillers advised by your GP.
I had a Grade 3 carcinoma, ER+ 8/8, lumpectomy with axillary node clearance on 24 April. It was three weeks before my path results were through, which was when I saw the Surgeon and BCN. The whole of my left upper arm and the armpit were quite numb with much reduced feeling, and I had periodic pain in my upper arm. The numbness still hasn’t quite gone; I presume this is down to nerve damage during surgery.
Radiotherapy (15 consecutive week days) was from end of June through the first half of July. I had a certain amount of ache in my left upper arm, partly because of the position you have to lie in for delivery of rads. Massaging twice a day with Aveeno cream helped, as did taking Paracetamol. By the end of the rads treatments, my left arm was quite stiff and painful, but that has all gone now.
Check with your BCN which are the most important exercises, and how you need to pace these. You could also check whether any massage might be available to you. Some cancer units offer complementary therapies which can include massage, shiatsu, reflexology, acupuncture and others.
Best of luck with Friday.
