Arm Pit Pain

blackbandana
blackbandana Member Posts: 64
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had a lymph node dissection done in 2000 with 2 nodes positive. Anyway my question is has anyone experienced pain, not constant, but when its there annoying... not enough to use pain medication ... the word I'm looking for is that it kind of radiates. Love and best wishes to everyone on this board, I don't post often but I read the posts a lot, each and every one of you are an inspiration.

Comments

  • happyplace
    happyplace Member Posts: 5
    #2
    I have node disection with 7 of 12 positive. I also have arm pit pain and pain at the site of my surgical scar. Like you said it is very trouble some, not enough to take pain med for but its there. I am currently on my second round of chemo and I have alot of transient pain. I can't decide when it's bad enough to medicate myself. Has your doctor checked your arm pit?
  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #3
    Did you have radiation? That is exactly the kind of pain I had after radiation. The oncologist said it was normal and I should just take Motrin unless I had swelling (I don't). I am now on tamoxifen and get a lot of joint pain. I take Motrin about twice a week. I never used to take any drugs at all. Now, I read that taking Motrin may actually be good for you. Go figure.

    Hugs.

    Lesley

    PS I also had 25 nodes removed.
  • katcam
    katcam Member Posts: 83
    #4
    i had 5 nodes removed (none positive - yeah) but i get pain in that area at times. i also had 6 weeks of radiation. i haven't had any swelling, but at times i am sore at the scar site. :-)
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #5
    Me too! Me too!
    7 nodes, 2 positive.
    Rad # 22 today....
    yup, I get pain, too...
    I agree, tho, with telling you doc...just to keep him/her up to date..
    Hugs, kathi
    P.S> I now have sooooo much hair that I can go out without worrying about sunburn...YEAAAAAAAA!
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #6
    I had a lymph node dissection with 3 positive nodes. I too feel pain some of the time. It seems to come and go. I think it is just scar tissue. I have had surgery on my knee as well and it seems like a similar type pain. I think the nerves just get a little upset with us for letting someone cuts us. But the good news is that with rechecks it is just that a little pain.... not the beast.

    Take Care.

    Susan
  • blackbandana
    blackbandana Member Posts: 64
    #7
    Susan956 said:

    I had a lymph node dissection with 3 positive nodes. I too feel pain some of the time. It seems to come and go. I think it is just scar tissue. I have had surgery on my knee as well and it seems like a similar type pain. I think the nerves just get a little upset with us for letting someone cuts us. But the good news is that with rechecks it is just that a little pain.... not the beast.

    Take Care.

    Susan

    Thank you all for your responses. I had 16 removed and 2 positive, had mastectomy, chemo A&C and Taxol with radiation. My doctor felt scar tissue there recently and I think after the prodding, its a little aggrivated.

    Again thanks for your response. Best wishes.
  • KimInBeirut
    KimInBeirut Member Posts: 39
    #8
    blackbandana said:

    Thank you all for your responses. I had 16 removed and 2 positive, had mastectomy, chemo A&C and Taxol with radiation. My doctor felt scar tissue there recently and I think after the prodding, its a little aggrivated.

    Again thanks for your response. Best wishes.

    I get the armpit pain, too. I always thought it was because I was stretching skin that had already been stretched to close the surgery site - especially since I did my darndest to continue exercising throughout the rads. I'm about 3 yrs out now, and still feel it sometimes - not pain, not real burn, but "something" that's telling me that it's not the same as the other arm! At 3 years out, I try to view it as something that reminds me of how far I've come!
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #9
    Just want to remind you all that in the armpit there are nothing but nerves and nerve endings. I too still have pain come and go after 9 years of survival and know now that most of my problems stem from the nerves. Surgery and treatments are hard on some of us and I had pain right of my first mastectomy yet my surgeon told me that it wouldn't be painful and he wouldn't perscribe anything but tylinol 3's.
    Side effects include trauma and this has many affects on our bodies.
    Be good to yourselves,
    Tara
  • kshepp
    kshepp Member Posts: 1 Member
    #10

    I'm new to this site and just had a partial mastectomy 2 weeks ago, they removed 4 lymph nodes, all margins clear. My issue now is the nerve pain. I've tried Ibrophen and Tylenol but it doesn't seem to help. I had a follow-up apt yesterday and the doctor said the nerve pain is typical of removing the lymph nodes and may last a while.

    Has anyone tried Gabbepentin for their nerve issues?

  • RocDocVic
    RocDocVic Member Posts: 135 Member
    #11
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1716997#Comment_1716997

    I had Gabbepentin prescribed for my neuropathy but don't use it all of the time. It may help.

    I had 3 lymph nodes removed during my lumpectomy surgery. Thank goodness I was seeing a great physical therapist who worked with me on the pain and limited movement and flexibility of my arm. I no longer have pain in my armpit area. It took about 2.5 months of work to regain some of my strength and use of my arm without pain. I suggest you get a medical referral for a good PT who is familiar with this and how to treat it. Best of luck.

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