Nerve pain

Options
sallyf
sallyf Member Posts: 33
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am now 3 weeks post re-excision of my (R)breast (and all lymph nodes removed) and have burning pain down the inside of my right arm. I know this is nerve pain from damage done when all the nodes were removed, but does anyone know about how long this lasts? I massage it and use a washcloth to rub the skin, like my surgeon told me. Geez, IT HURTS! I just wondered what other folks experience was with this.

Thank you. This is my first entry : )
Sally

Comments

  • Dot53
    Dot53 Member Posts: 239 Member
    #2
    Options
    Hi Sally
    I'm glad you asked this question.. I am also 3 weeks post op and have that burning pain in my breast incisions... I wondered what it was and planned to ask the doc when I see him tomorrow, but maybe some of the other girls here can tell us.

    Dot
  • TLynn0102
    TLynn0102 Member Posts: 86
    #3
    Options
    Dot53 said:

    Hi Sally
    I'm glad you asked this question.. I am also 3 weeks post op and have that burning pain in my breast incisions... I wondered what it was and planned to ask the doc when I see him tomorrow, but maybe some of the other girls here can tell us.

    Dot

    Nerve Pain
    Hi Gals! I had the DIEP flap reconstruction last January and still experience nerve pain from this. It was not so bad when I had the bi-latteral mastectomy but the reconstruction has been a pain literally. I began taking Vitamin B6 and using Vitamn E cream on my incisions once they healed. So far so good. The doc say B6 is good for me as long as I only take one tablet a day. B6 helps with nerve damage. Talk to your doctors and see if this is an option for you. It takes a few weeks to kick in but you will notice one day that all of a sudden the majority of the 'mystery' pains as I call them are gone. Hang in there, it will get better.
    Tracey
  • sallyf
    sallyf Member Posts: 33
    #4
    Options
    TLynn0102 said:

    Nerve Pain
    Hi Gals! I had the DIEP flap reconstruction last January and still experience nerve pain from this. It was not so bad when I had the bi-latteral mastectomy but the reconstruction has been a pain literally. I began taking Vitamin B6 and using Vitamn E cream on my incisions once they healed. So far so good. The doc say B6 is good for me as long as I only take one tablet a day. B6 helps with nerve damage. Talk to your doctors and see if this is an option for you. It takes a few weeks to kick in but you will notice one day that all of a sudden the majority of the 'mystery' pains as I call them are gone. Hang in there, it will get better.
    Tracey

    Nerve pain
    Thank you so much, Tracey. I'll ask my Dr. about that and give it a try. Hope it works for you too, Dot!
  • hamish1
    hamish1 Member Posts: 34
    #5
    Options
    sallyf said:

    Nerve pain
    Thank you so much, Tracey. I'll ask my Dr. about that and give it a try. Hope it works for you too, Dot!

    pain in arm
    Yes, I have that same pain.. But what concerns me is, I had that same pain for a year before I discovered the swollen lymph gland under my arm, which led the Dr. to discover the tiny malignant tumor in my breast. 12 of my lymph nodes were removed, with only one being positive for cancer.I forgot to add, I just had the lumpectomy, not a complete breast removal.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #6
    Options
    hamish1 said:

    pain in arm
    Yes, I have that same pain.. But what concerns me is, I had that same pain for a year before I discovered the swollen lymph gland under my arm, which led the Dr. to discover the tiny malignant tumor in my breast. 12 of my lymph nodes were removed, with only one being positive for cancer.I forgot to add, I just had the lumpectomy, not a complete breast removal.

    every person is deferent
    definitely call your doctor and describe your pain,
    It took several months after my radical modified mastectomy with 21 nodes removal to feel ok and not having constant pain in my arm.
    Unfortunately for some BC patients pain goes away very slowly and I am one of them.
    Hugs
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #7
    Options
    New Flower said:

    every person is deferent
    definitely call your doctor and describe your pain,
    It took several months after my radical modified mastectomy with 21 nodes removal to feel ok and not having constant pain in my arm.
    Unfortunately for some BC patients pain goes away very slowly and I am one of them.
    Hugs

    Nerve Damage
    Yes, I sure do and my surgery was last June. I was told it is nerve damage and some of it will go away and some won't. The terrible burn you feel did get somewhat better as time went on. I do still have burning pain down the back side of the arm still. Its not as bad, like it was weeks after surgery. I have not found anything you can do about it. Just hope it goes away sometime in the future.
  • sallyf
    sallyf Member Posts: 33
    #8
    Options
    New Flower said:

    every person is deferent
    definitely call your doctor and describe your pain,
    It took several months after my radical modified mastectomy with 21 nodes removal to feel ok and not having constant pain in my arm.
    Unfortunately for some BC patients pain goes away very slowly and I am one of them.
    Hugs

    nerve pain
    Wow, new flower, that's a lot of nodes!! Good to know it might take a few months. Hugs to all of you have entered a comment!
    Sally
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    #9
    Options
    Kat11 said:

    Nerve Damage
    Yes, I sure do and my surgery was last June. I was told it is nerve damage and some of it will go away and some won't. The terrible burn you feel did get somewhat better as time went on. I do still have burning pain down the back side of the arm still. Its not as bad, like it was weeks after surgery. I have not found anything you can do about it. Just hope it goes away sometime in the future.

    B6 and Physical Therapy
    Hi Sally and everyone, I have nerve damage also from my mastectomy. The pain is less after a year now. I also found some relief with 50mg of B6 per my onc. Physical Therapy also is helping. Kat, have you tried PT?
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    #10
    Options
    Welcome, Sally
    All of us here who've had BC surgery can probably relate to your questions and concerns.

    Although everyone is different... Yes, it's most likely nerve damage. My own surgeon explained that it can take up to about a full year for nerves to heal. And some nerves may not repair themselves, at all.

    Three weeks is not that long ago. I'll be hoping that with more time, you'll feel far less discomfort.

    Kind regards,
    Susan
  • Jacque101
    Jacque101 Member Posts: 75
    #11
    Options
    As Elvis said "we've got that burnin' feeling"
    This is also my first post. : ) I am also about 3 weeks after a lumpectomy and lymph node removal. My underarm has been very painful...worse than the actual surgery. Every little movement hurt, especially riding in the car. I used a pillow or my purse to hold my arm steady when I can. Just in the past few days the pain has gotten much better. My surgeon says it's nerve damage and could last from 2 weeks to 2 months. If you should have fluid gathering in your arm, you'll have to check w/ your surgeon.

    Hope you're feeling better soon.
    Jacque
  • sallyf
    sallyf Member Posts: 33
    #12
    Options
    Jacque101 said:

    As Elvis said "we've got that burnin' feeling"
    This is also my first post. : ) I am also about 3 weeks after a lumpectomy and lymph node removal. My underarm has been very painful...worse than the actual surgery. Every little movement hurt, especially riding in the car. I used a pillow or my purse to hold my arm steady when I can. Just in the past few days the pain has gotten much better. My surgeon says it's nerve damage and could last from 2 weeks to 2 months. If you should have fluid gathering in your arm, you'll have to check w/ your surgeon.

    Hope you're feeling better soon.
    Jacque

    Oh, that Elvis!
    Thanks, Jacque,
    Sounds like you and I are at about the same point in this journey! For others out there, Jacque's recommendation of a pillow to ease the inner arm pain is a good one. You just tuck it in between your inner arm and the side of your chest. I took mine everywhere and slept with it for about 2 weeks. Our local Breast Cancer Resource Center makes them.

    Enjoy the beauty of today!
    Sally
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #13
    Options
    sallyf said:

    Oh, that Elvis!
    Thanks, Jacque,
    Sounds like you and I are at about the same point in this journey! For others out there, Jacque's recommendation of a pillow to ease the inner arm pain is a good one. You just tuck it in between your inner arm and the side of your chest. I took mine everywhere and slept with it for about 2 weeks. Our local Breast Cancer Resource Center makes them.

    Enjoy the beauty of today!
    Sally

    Glad you are feeling better
    Glad you are feeling better Sally!

    Sue :)

Discussion Boards