I had a mastectomy (immediate reconstruction with implant) with 3 sentinel nodes removed 6 months ago. Weirdly I woke up this morning with these weird spasms of pain in my armpit almost like little electric shocks. Certain movements seem to make it worse. Has anyone experienced anything similar? S x
Hi
I had lumpectomy followed by chemo and rads. I experienced similar pains after rads, so assumed it was just things settling after all the treatment. It was only for about a week and then it was OK. Hopefully it will settle for you x
Sounds to me like nerve pains. I also had this after my lumpectomy/3 lymph node removal.
i understand its where the nerves had to be cut/disturbed during surgery n they are trying to re-connect with each other. Just a simple explanation ? 
As rxplained to me !!
Thank you Sue & Mini mad for your response. Do you think this could happen even 6 months after surgery? So glad this forum exists & really appreciate your responses. S xx
Hi Sonia,
am sure it could happen some months afterwards. Also can you recall some new activity you might have
undergone, maybe 48 hours ago? We tend to do things, like maybe sit with bags on our shoulder n a crowded train or heavy shopping bag to the car and forget…im sure you were told to do stretchng excercises for the arms to prevent cording and retraction, do you still do these? Godd to do them if you can as tissue can restract over time, especialky in an area of previous rads.
nerves are very odd Sonia…I have to inject myself with blood thinnners…in my tummy and I often get a pain much further up my torso as the fluid goes in…this s prob a nerve response.
however, you can always get your gp to reassure you…next time yo see him/her. Or even occ health nurse, if you have one.
Best wishes, Mx
Hi Sonia,
Funnily enough I brought this specific subject up at my recent checkup with my oncologist. I had a mastectomy and axillary clearance August 2013 and still get spasms/shooting pain in my armpit from time to time. My oncologist said it can happen many years after surgery, as someone else said here it’s the damaged nerve ends firing trying to find a connection. His words were ‘sharp shooting pains are nothing to worry about’ x
Thank you Nikki, whilst i only had 3 sentinel nodes removed it does make perfect sense. It is such a weird feeling isn’t it?
Today (so far) it doesn’t seem to be happening.
S xx
Thank you Moijan. I am beginning to think maybe I slept awkwardly & the more I reason with myself the more likely it seems like a nervy type pain. Thanks for the exercise tip, I will start to do those again.
Hope all is well with you?
S xx
Thank you for asking Sonia…
yes im fine…,.hope all is going well for you.
Moijanx