5 days post BMX w/o reconstruction-- numbness

gracegotmehere

BRCA-2 with tumor on one side, had BMX with SLNB on one side just five days ago. Two nodes removed.  No reconstruction.

 

I have been doing well with recovery-- stripping my own drains, doing small tasks around my house, and taking it easy too.  Tapered off the pain meds pretty quickly. However, I was unprepared for how frightening and disorienting the numbness is. I'm sorry to complain-- it's all new to me.  With sutures going more than half-way around my torso, the numbness includes that whole area, my sternum sometimes up to my chin and lips, my right arm a lot and my left arm at times.  I called my dr. on Friday and she said it was normal and that it would settle down, but what I read online (reputable places only) indicates that this is a rather rosy picture.  

 

Is there anything I can do to increase my odds of a better outcome here?  massage? resting vs. movement?  nutrition?  Am I sounding desperate yet?

 

Don't feel like I got much guidance on this topic from my surgeon / her office either.

 

FWIW, I always take melatonin at night, and when my son had a concussion last year it was prescribed to him to promote deeper sleep because "that is where brain healing happens".  I will continue taking melatonin hoping deep sleep is where nerve healing happens too!  

 

I am feeling really discouraged by this.  There seem to be so many **** aspects about the "new normal" after / with cancer.

 

disneyfan2008

I have no experiince or

I have no experiince or advice..I am sure others will though..

 

just sending good thoughts...

 

Denise

Clementine_P

I had numbness too

It did settle down after a while, but it took a few months.  I still have numbness where my scars are and on the back of my arm (and armpit) where they took out the nodes.  There is some numbness also stretching from my armpit to a small portion of my back.  Initially I was unsettled by it too, but in time it subsided and you do get used to it pretty quickly.

Hang in there. 

Clementine

RozHopkins

I had bilateral with

I had bilateral with reconstruction.  I remember quite a lot of numbness and was told to expect it some of which would stay.  Please have a good talk to your Oncologist or a cancer nurse.  You are in very early stages of healing yet. You will go through stages, but they should be listening to you and advising.

Gm2873

Numbness

I had a mastectomy with tram flap reconstruction on the right side 20 years ago. My abdomen from incision below navel to my Breast is still numb after 20 years. I just got used to it, and can't really remember what it was like before. Had a mastectomy without reconstruction 4 weeks ago. There is numbness on my back, in my armpit and under my arm to my elbow. I'm just taking a wait and see attitude this time around. When they do the surgery, they cut some of the nerves and they don't all "reconnect" as they heal. One thing I've learned is test the water in the shower with your hand first to make sure it's not too hot, since parts of your chest and back are numb, you won't feel it and could possibly burn yourself.

morgamed

Gm2873 said:

Numbness

I had a mastectomy with tram flap reconstruction on the right side 20 years ago. My abdomen from incision below navel to my Breast is still numb after 20 years. I just got used to it, and can't really remember what it was like before. Had a mastectomy without reconstruction 4 weeks ago. There is numbness on my back, in my armpit and under my arm to my elbow. I'm just taking a wait and see attitude this time around. When they do the surgery, they cut some of the nerves and they don't all "reconnect" as they heal. One thing I've learned is test the water in the shower with your hand first to make sure it's not too hot, since parts of your chest and back are numb, you won't feel it and could possibly burn yourself.

Part of the healing

Oh I know what you are going through.  I still have some numbness in my left arm pit and arm but now no pain.  It is part of the healing process they moved and took out alot of tissue so the body needs to readjust.  What I can't figure out is when I scratch where my left breast was...I get a tingling feeling in my right ankle.. So I guess I'm redescovering my new body parts (or the lack of). 

gracegotmehere

morgamed said:

Part of the healing

Oh I know what you are going through.  I still have some numbness in my left arm pit and arm but now no pain.  It is part of the healing process they moved and took out alot of tissue so the body needs to readjust.  What I can't figure out is when I scratch where my left breast was...I get a tingling feeling in my right ankle.. So I guess I'm redescovering my new body parts (or the lack of). 

Thank you

You made me smile.  I have been having phantom pains, and I swear they are located where my nipples would be (if I still had them.)  It feels like I'm getting stabbed with a straight pin.  Strikes me as rather cruel that this can happen, on top of hurting sutures and I also now have an infected drain.  I felt so good after surgery, but now, one week out I'm back on Norco and headed to dr. tomorrow a.m.

Thanks for your encouragment!

desertgirl947

This I put on your other

This I put on your other topic on the boards here:

I am three years (Feb) past my surgery.  I have a scar that goes armpit to armpit.  I am still numb either side of that area, although from time to time, as I move about, I get prickley sensations.  I don't recall numbness elsewhere, but I do know that I was tight for quite some time.  I had the drains.  I did sleep in a recliner for about three months, as that was what worked best for me to get a decent sleep.

It does take time to get things figured out.  I will admit that I sometimes am just tired of this because the reminders are constant -- both the obvious as well as no-so-obvious; however, I am thankful to be where I am and doing as well as I am.

Hang in there.