Has any experienced a strange sensation under the arm near the lympho nodes scar that feels like something is cutting into your arm? It isn’t cording. If you have how did you deal with it?
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Hi Eve and welcome
I don’t know how old or new your scar is, or if I have understood your question correctly (apologises). I can only share my experience.
My tumor was near the armpit side, so I have one continuous scar running from the arm pit to the side of breast, about 10cm long, right across the bra line, and about 7 weeks from last surgery. As soon as the dressing came off, bra was rubbing like crazy and felt like it was cutting into the incision. It was looking red and inflamed on surface but nurse checked not infected. Got past that by putting a dressing pad (no adhesive as skin was already sore) between the skin and bra. Moving forward the scar still a bit bumpy and strange sensation to touch. I would say tingles. A few shooting pains, more like short zaps, into breast area now and again. Breast nurse assures me, all is good and part of healing.
Im not a qualified medic by any means, and I know they say hot, inflammed, oozing etc could be a sign of infection. But I don’t recall hearing anything about cutting sensation. It’s probably best to speak to your BC team. They are there to support you and offer professional advice. They may want to look at it, to check it over.
X
I do - I have bad 2 lumpectomies and a mastectomy and node clearance throughout June - August and since then my arm / chest is still numb and feels like I have cardboard wedged in my armpit / horrible feeling . I’m doing my excercises everyday but it isn’t getting any better
I had a lump back to me for stage.Two breast cancer with metastasis into accelerating nodes. I had three sentinel node removed in six axillary. After aggressive chemo I had thirty rounds of radiation. My breast is still very painful as is my underarm. I experience shooting pains cutting pains jabbing pains zapping pains. Then I had a bit of lymphadema which seems to be under control now… There should be no using out of a surgical spot or a nipple that would not be right but my cancer team tells me the pain is not unusual.
Thank you for your comments. I did contact my breast cancer nurse. When they take lymph nodes out they move or damage a nerve and it appears that that is growing back or coming back to life. It appears that you need to massage the area to relieve the ache. Tried that and it definitely works.
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Hi eve17
Glad you have spoken to your BCN.
I had surgery 3 weeks ago and under my arm is totally numb. I have what feels like electric shocks, tingling and horrible sensation in the breast. My consultant said it was the nerves healing. The back of my arm is also numb. I do find moving around helps a lot. I also got a breast cushion from my BCN and that’s a big help.
My breast wound has been fine, the lymph node one very sore. Wishing you well on your recovery x
I had this too. I had one weekend a couple of weeks after surgery where I was beside myself with electric shock pains. The nurse said it was the nerves coming back to life and if it continued they could prescribe some painkillers to deal with nerve pain. Thankfully it disappeared again. I’m now three months post surgery and it is still stiff and sore at times - particularly in the evening - feels like I have a piece of wood stuck into my armpit on occasions. I think it is slowly getting better. I am still doing my exercises which help - as does the heart shaped pillow. x
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@flojo good to know things improved. I purposely didn’t think anything through and electric shocks or pins and needs had never been mentioned. It’s such a strange sensation. Keeping the meds topped up helped me so much. Becoming fond of my charity pillow x
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Me too. My pillow was the best part of it, I think! x
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