I had mx and axillary clearance on Tuesday afternoon (20th December). Pain has been intense to the point where I couldn’t walk to the bathroom in hospital. Sent home yesterday with two drains in place and paracetamol and dihydrocodine to try and control the pain. It took me 10 minutes to get down the stairs this morning and was sat crying from the pain when the district nurse came. Calls made to GP and BCN and told that drains may be touching a nerve end. District nurse said that if the pain continues I might have to go back into hospital to have drain removed but then I would probably end up with seromas.
Has anyone else had experience of something similar? Also, what should I be wearing? I did wear a bra with softie in place to come home but literature says not to wear a bra until wound has healed. I just feel and look lopsided.
Sorry for such a miserable post but I had hoped to be more mobile and certainly in less pain, and it’s so close to Christmas too!!
Hiya , poor u i soo sympathise.xx Can i just say it gets better daily. I had bad nerve pain after MX and full node clearance. I wore a bra they gave me from hosp which was front fastening which was fine. I had a small cushion which i kept under my armpit which helped me too. I slept with a pillow under my arm , the support eased the pain. I got my drains out early as they were bugging me , i did get a seroma but it cleared within weeks.
I hope u cope ok , take care
So sorry that you are suffering Supertrouper. The hospital sent me home with Tramadol, Paracetamol and Ibuprofen and that has sorted out any pain or discomfort for me. Maybe different pain relief could help.
Hi Supertrouper, sorry your not feeling too great, its still early days so don’t expect too much of yourself, Please be warned about the Dihyrocodine it causes severe constipation, the district nurse told me not to take it until it was too late and I suffered badly.
I also used a small cushion under the armpit , even when sitting it really helped. I still have to sleep with a pillow to cuddle as the arm nolonger has the cushion of my breast.
I found the drains very uncomfortable , found it hard to get comfortable, but once they were removed I felt so much better, I did get a seroma but it eventually went of its own accord about 5 weeks after MX.
Thinking of you and sending gentle hugs
Afternoon Supertrouper it sound’s as if that drain needs to come out. Try keeping the arm up as much as possible on a pillow and your shoulder back as much as possible. A little cushion under the arm might help.You need stronger pain control if they are going to keep it in and perhaps something that targets nerve pain specifically . A seroma is not necessarily going to occur. It might be possible to shift the drain slightly but that means having the stich cut and they would have to tape it in place. If you have the squeeze drains that could perhaps be done. You can’t do it so well with a redivac. What a disappointment, nerve pain is unbearable. )))))Big big big hug.((((()
I had a seroma and it cleared in about two to three weeks which is the norm. I removed my drain too early by accident- I trod on it and pulled it out stitch included.
You can wear a softie straight after surgery but make sure your bra is very very loose and very very soft . You will be swollen and you don’t want to restrict your circulation. extend the strap on the softie side because it will ride up higher than the other side. I just wore a vest / t- shirt that fitted “neatly” and shoved the softie down that. Baggie layered clothes are a must if you don’t want to look lopsided. You will never get a softie to match the other side they are too light.
So so sorry to have you in pain . Horrible horrible. It needs sorting ASP.
Bless you
Cackles xx
ST! long time! - i had my auxiliary clearance on the 19th! i’ve been lucky and have had no problems / pain. so sorry you are suffering and I hope it all gets sorted v soon.
I am finding the drain pretty disgusting - but i am ignoring it!!
wishing you a big improvement very very soon and hope you get to enjoy your christmas as much as possible
Spoke to breast care nurse who rang my surgeon. Was told to go straight back to hospital to have the drain removed. Hurt like hell but instant relief. All dressings removed and wound looks clean and neat. One drain left in place and draining less gunk than yesterday so good chance that it will be out before Sunday. Phew!
Fantastic to hear it is out and pain is better. . Don’t worry if it leaks a bit, it won’t harm. Put an old towel under you at night to save the bedding getting ruined.
Try and get some sleep and if you can do it on your back with the bad arm supported on pillows. It is so horrible you had to go through the pain but it sounds as if you have a good team.
Sleep well
Big Hug
Cackles