lump under arm

lump
Talk to your onc/gyn tomorrow. Your going to be there anyway, why not have it looked at?

Just to ease your mind a little
I agree, show it to your doctor at your next appointment. About a month after my lumpectomy, I developed a similar lump under my arm on the affected side. It was the size of a small marble, pretty firm and very sore and red. Since I've had these before (pimple or clogged sweat gland) I didn't panic. I started putting hot packs on it whenever I thought about it to ease the soreness. It did resolve slowly--first the soreness and redness and then the marble started getting smaller.

And no, you are not being paranoid. When we're going through all this, even an ingrown hair is scary. But, try not to worry--it's probably nothing but it never hurts to make sure.

Hugs, Renee

Everything should be checked
You are not crazy...
One thing that cancer should make clear to all of us is that we might have ignored some signs which include exhaustion. It is time we seek the advice of doctors when we know something isn't right and more often than not there is something wrong.
Survival truly is up to us and how hard we fight for and get the help needed to stay healthy with quality to our lives. New lumps often happen and more often than not are benign especially if still being treated. Chances for first lumps and cancer were still less than 10 percent chance for it happening.
I have learned and taken the advice of doctors and it is this; If something is bothering you physically wait and see if it continues to bother you or gets worse within a month period. If it still continues then seek the help available. The sooner the better but we all do have to listen to our bodies which are often telling us something is the matter.
It is sort of like there are no stupid questions well there isn't any need to feel like you are crazy for the crazy thing would be to ignore or deny.
Be your own best advocate for whatever it is you need...
Tara

Aortus said:

Almost certainly nothing, but...
Moopy had a similar thing - lump? sweat gland? lymph node? - in her right (non mastectomy side) armpit last summer, right before starting rads. None of the surgeons was available on such short notice, but the surgeon's PA was able to fit us in.

The PA did an extremely thorough examination, and quickly ruled out anything nasty. Whew. He also explained that Moopy's body had been through a tremendous amount of trauma with the mastectomy, the chemo, and the mental stress... and it was not unusual at all for lymph nodes to swell up. The offending (or offended) lymph node was promptly ignored, and forgotten, and never heard from again.

If possible (with your onc's permission), you might ask to see a surgeon or one of the PAs from the surgeon's office. This PA was awesome. He didn't fool around, he was very good about explaining things, and best of all, he was right.

Good luck!
Joe

Thank you for bring up
Thank you for bring up something I had forgotten - my Surgeon's PA is fantastic. AND I (stupidly) don't think about him as part of my team. I won't forget Joel again. The PA I've referred to all the time is my VA Primary Care PA - I've had her for 13+ years and she is fantastic - don't know what I'd do without her. I won't 'forget' Joel again.

Susan

Skeezie said:

I had a horrendous ingrown hair under my arm last Jan.
It had been sore on and off all fall and my onc checked it everytime I was in (during chemo a lot!) But in jan it started growing and got to be the size of a walnut, horribly sore and then real hard behind it all around it. I called my onc and was going in the next day but in the meantime it got little white dots and that nite it started draining. I could not beleive how much drained out. My onc gave me an Rx for (can't remember) and said if it was still swollen in 2 weeks to see my surgeon. But after 2 days of constant draining it started healing.

I was terrified when it first started so I know how you're feeling. the advice to put warm packs on it is good advice. I didn't even think about it cause it was so sore. Definitely check with your onc and hopefully it's a clogged pore or ingrown hair.

Please keep us posted.

Hugs, Judy :-)

not to scare you, but...
the lump under my arm ended up being a swollen lymph node that had cancer cells in it. The good news is it did not hurt one bit, in fact it felt like a rock under my skin.