Sore, burning, ultra sensitive skin

Hello all,

I had a mastectomy on 2nd July - no pain and home the next morning.

In the last four days I have had sore underarm skin and a painful burning in my shoulder. My skin is so sensitive that even wearing
loose clothes or underarm skin touching chest skin is very painful.

I know it’s early days, but has anyone else experienced this and
how long was it before it went away.

Any tips on which pain relief or massage etc. would help would
be gratefully received.

Thanks

Annabel

Hi Tinkerbell

I’ve just been diagnosed with BC and have to have a mastectomy the first week in August, to say i am worried and scared is an understatement, but reading what you just said that has put my mind at rest a little better.

Hope everything stays ok with you

Sarah x

Hi Sarah,

Sorry to hear you need a mx. I’m sure you are worried and scared;
I was too, but it all went much better than I expected. As I said,
I had the op at 4.30pm on the Wednesday and was home by 11.00am on Thursday.

I still had a drain in, but this was really easy to deal with and
I had it taken out on the Saturday.

The sensitive skin thing, I think, is something to do with nerves
being disturbed during the op.

Please don’t let my post worry you; I might just have sensitive
skin.

If you are worried, there are lots of posts from ladies who have
had mx which may reassure you. One in particular springs to mind in the ‘surgery’ section. It is entitled ‘terrified’- turns out it was okay.

Good luck with the op.

Annabelx

Hi Annabel

I didnt have a mastectomy but a lumpectomy and all lymph nodes removed on 30th June.

I also have sore underarm and tenderness, I know part is due to swelling which my BCNurse initally though was fluid and tried to drain it but it turned out to be a haematoma (old blood) so I reckon I’ll have this for a few weeks as it gets absorbed by my body, also lots of brusing coming out very colourful!

Check with your BCN to see if it is fluid build up because they can drain it and make it feel easier, when mine tried I didnt feel her do anything.

Have the same skin sensativity as you which I find seams to increase as the day goes on, by evening going nude is my preferd option.

I still have a few dihydrocodine tablets from discharge and take one at night along with some ibrufin (nurofen) which I find helps, paracetamol I found just gave me a stomach ache and didnt help as much, and take some more during the day of the nurofen, but finding that the tenderness is improving gradually.

I think the shoulder pain could be either refered pain which is quite common after majour surgery, or as an after effect of having your arm in a strange position for a prolonged period whilest being under anesthetic, But I’d check with your doctor as a precaution (I’m all for being 200% safe).

I’ve not found any massage thats helped as yet although doing my physio excercises seams to help a little, although last night I did find a warmish hot water bottled helped a little.

Hope this is of some help.
g x