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Got treatment plan----arm feels like an open wound

Maize
Maize CSN Member Posts: 76
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Surgeon removed stitches and drain yesterday. My arm feels raw after node removal and dissection 1/21/10. Oncologist recommends 6 doses of chemo every 21 days. I was hoping that I could by pass chemo since 10 out of 12 nodes were cancer free. Oh well...I know that it has only been a week since surgery, but the 1st surgery was not this bad and i had lumpectomy and 3 nodes removed. Anyone else wen through this? Will it get better? Is this lymph edema? There is no swelling.
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Comments

  • pattimc
    pattimc CSN Member Posts: 431
    #2
    Arm
    I had a lumpectomy and 4 nodes removed. 1 had cancer so I had chemo and radiation. I felt the disection surgery was much worse than the lumpectomy. They dig around in your nodes and it takes a while to recover. Give it time! I really started feeling better when the drain was removed. I had three surgeries in about 6 weeks, so every one takes it's toll and becomes harder to recover.
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  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 CSN Member Posts: 950
    #3
    pattimc said:

    Arm
    I had a lumpectomy and 4 nodes removed. 1 had cancer so I had chemo and radiation. I felt the disection surgery was much worse than the lumpectomy. They dig around in your nodes and it takes a while to recover. Give it time! I really started feeling better when the drain was removed. I had three surgeries in about 6 weeks, so every one takes it's toll and becomes harder to recover.

    Hey Maize
    The lymphodema
    Hey Maize
    The lymphodema causes swelling and numbness but you are probably not experiencing that yet. I've never had much swelling in my arm, but I do have numbness.I only had one positive node and I had chemo and radiation. So that is the standard treatment. If the arm
    hurts , get some more pain meds. You shouldn't have to be in pain.
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  • Maize
    Maize CSN Member Posts: 76
    #4
    pattimc said:

    Arm
    I had a lumpectomy and 4 nodes removed. 1 had cancer so I had chemo and radiation. I felt the disection surgery was much worse than the lumpectomy. They dig around in your nodes and it takes a while to recover. Give it time! I really started feeling better when the drain was removed. I had three surgeries in about 6 weeks, so every one takes it's toll and becomes harder to recover.


    Arm,

    Thank you for responding. It helps to know that what's happening with me is on course with recovery. I will have to have port installed:D 2/9. What a trip this is.
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  • Maize
    Maize CSN Member Posts: 76
    #5
    dyaneb123 said:

    Hey Maize
    The lymphodema
    Hey Maize
    The lymphodema causes swelling and numbness but you are probably not experiencing that yet. I've never had much swelling in my arm, but I do have numbness.I only had one positive node and I had chemo and radiation. So that is the standard treatment. If the arm
    hurts , get some more pain meds. You shouldn't have to be in pain.

    Thanks!
    Thanks, Dyaneb,

    I took a pain pill last night. I will take one tonight and call doctor's office tomorrow and ask fr more. It took me a while to realize that it did not have to be excruciating pain to take something for relief.
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