Looking for some advice from you all. iI had my SNB op on Friday. Woke up in a lot of pain and only oral morphine worked in the end so they kept me in overnight. My pain isnt in the wound site however, mine is the back of my right arm - my bingo wings to be exact lol, there is also a numb area there too. The pain is worse when I am standing up unless I hold my arm across my chest. Is this right? I thought the pain would be in the wound site - but that just feels uncomfortable. I did speak to a Dr before they discharged me but he didnt seem to have a clue to be honest - he just suggested there had been nerve damage during the op.
Just looking for some reassurance that all is as it should be.
I had a SNB and WLE back in August and was surprised where I was getting pain. I have rather large breasts and got more pain on the right hand side and the lump was on the left, I also got pain in my upper arm. The area where I had the actual surgery was numb and the breast care nurse suggested that this was why I was feeling the pain where I was - she also mentioned it would be nerve damage.
The pain has got much better than it was and is still improving. I hope this helps
There often is some nerve injury or damage, Debbie. How something can be numb and hurt at the same time is beyond me! Those lymph nodes are right in a cluster of nerves. I had quite a lot of pain first following SNB and then following axillary clearance.
The good news is that it improved over time, though it took longer than I would have hoped.
First of all, take any painkillers you have been prescribed on schedule and don’t wait until it hurts for the next few days at the very least. Then you can try tapering off. Lots of people find it helps to keep a cushion under their arm, so it is held a little away from the body. You can buy specially shaped ones or try an ordinary small sofa cushion. I think there are a few places where women make them as a charity effort.
You could also try cold compresses, being careful not to damage your skin. If you have any of those little blue and silver gel-filled freezer packs which are often used for first aid, try them. Not against bare skin, of course, wrap them in something like a hand towel, but they’re relatively easy to hold in place or tie on with a scarf. A damp flanned wrapped in a sandwich bag and kept in the fridge or the freezer also works fairly well.
Also in a few days, start doing the gentlest of the exercises. If you weren’t given a leaflet, you can download one from this site. I really did find that exercise, especially when I could begin to stretch a bit, helped to over-ride the sensations of pain coming from the nerves themselves and to restore some natural feeling in place of the numbness. Don’t overdo it, obviously, but a bit of movement really does help.
Thank you both, its a relief to know this pain isnt abnormal - what you are saying makes total sense to me - DH said to me earlier that it could be referred pain but, naturally , I thought he was talking tosh lol. I will try the cold compress cure, have been resting my arm on cushions etc and that definitely helps. I have been given paracetamol and codeine so will keep them up for another day or so. I start my exercises today - which I must admit I thought looked as easy as 1,2,3 prior to my op (how naive can a person be eh?).
A friend just called and when DH mentioned I was on codeine she told him they can cause constipation (lol why am I not surprised at this…), so he has just bought me a huge bowl of fresh fruit all cut up “to keep things regular” - bless him.
Thanks again ladies, I appreciate the time taken in replying to me.
Thank you Lucy, the first booklet you linked me to is great. It mentions the burning and tingling sensations I am getting in my arm so that has stopped me worrying that something awful was going on inside such as an infection.
I got my exercise sheet from my BCN the other day, she was concerned that the speed things were happening would mean I wouldnt get to see a physio before I was discharged - she was right! I will start my exercises today.
Again, thank you - this site has been invaluable to me.
I was in severe pain after WLE and SNB , even 8 days post op i was in agony, and it was 3 weeks till i felt human again.
The pain wasnt in the wounds as such, but right in my armpit, it came in spasms and felt like someone was jabbing a hot poker in there, it was relieved a bit by a cool flannel, but each attack would last up to 40 mins with no relief, i would lean my forehead on the back of a chair and let my arm dangle down and gently swing it in big circles to cope with the pain.
On top of this, i got a lot hypersensitive skin all around the top of the arm and back of the shoulder, ive since learnt that all of this is due to nerve damage, but it all gradually got better over the weeks.
Because of this, i was dreading the next surgery of axillary clearance, but this was a walk in the park!! Very minimal pain and it all healed well, but i did get cording on both occasions which clears with willpower and lots of stretching exercises!!
When i compared notes with the other ladies who’d had their SNB the same day, i felt like a right wimp or cry-baby, because theyd all been fine with no pain.
So when the A/C op went so well for me, I realised im not a wimp at all, but something had been damaged in that first op.
Keep taking painkillers, Debbie, but dont go over the 24 -hour dose limit, taking brufen with the cocodamol helps, if you’re able to take it.
i had wle and snb 30th nov. pain from snb was worse. still sore under armpit and under arm itself (bingo wing area). was quite numb near scare itself but this has got a bit better since. felt weird as well as if it was sticky/wet but it wasnt. read are few people have felt this as well. thinks its all to do with nerves in that area.
Hi Debs
Hope this helps. I had SNB on both sides 11 months ago, no great post-op pain but I definitely had that numb/almost pain feeling in the back of one of my arm. After the first couple of months it started to come and go. Doc said probably nerve damage and it may last forever but reading this has made me realise I’ve not had it for a couple of months.
S
Thank you so much for your replies, sorry its taken me so long to reply but its been a bit of a busy week so far. I am still in pain, still numb and still having problems moving the arm but my BCN rang yesterday and reassured me, like you all have, that its quite normal. On her advice I am now taking paracetamol and diclofenic to help with the pain and the inflammation.
Today I have had yet more blood tests (my left arm is looking a pin cushion now lol - poor nurse didnt know whether to stab me or thread me!) and an Echocardiogram - this is because my chemo starts tomorrow so they need to make sure my heart is working properly! Eeek! well it was until three weeks ago, since then its been going thumpety thump thump 24 hours a day.
Thanks again ladies and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas