Getting tired of the pain!

ccd
ccd Member Posts: 8
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had a mastectomy (for DCIS)just over 2 weeks ago and 2 nodes removed...all went well and the pathology report is good. But I am still so incredibly sore! Last week when I saw my surgeon for what I hoped would be arm exercises and a dismissal,instead he took out about 20cc of fluid and told me to come back in a week. I just keep thinking that the discomfort will be better the next day but it's really not. Anyone have any advice about how long I'll feel this way?

Comments

  • Dot53
    Dot53 Member Posts: 239 Member
    #2
    Hi
    I think you will find that the soreness will be there for a while... I am 4 weeks post op and am still sore. Not as bad as the first couple weeks but enough that I still take the pain relievers (Advil or Tylenol) a couple times a day. I noticed that I am really sore under my right arm.. it also seems swollen. I have been trying to do my stretching exercises hoping that it will help. I also still have my stitches in due to a healing problem.

    I hope you feel better soon.
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #3
    Pain after surgery--more info than you asked for
    I am a nurse practitioner and have many, many surgeries so I will try and help. Pain does take awhile to subside after surgery--I would say about 1-2 mos to fully go away. It is a gradual process and everyone heals differently. Narcotics usually work best for surgical pain, but toradol is also excellent for those who can't tolerate narcotics. As the pain lessens, tylenol or NSAIDS (such as advil) may do the trick. Get your MD's ok for NSAIDS (advil, alleve, etc) as they can cause bleeding. If one pain med is making you sick, talk with your physician as there are many out there and you may do better with a weaker drug or you may need an additional med added for nausea. Please understand that pain meds are prescribed not just to take away pain, but because patients that take them heal faster. Pain meds work best on mild to moderate pain, so you must take them before your pain is severe. Anotherwords, anticipate your pain or you will end up taking more meds with less relief. If you can tolerate your pain meds, take them about 1/2 hr before getting up and moving. Moving, walking will help you heal much, much faster and is vital to your recovery. Also, take the smallest amount of pain meds that will work. I buy a pill splitter from the drugstore and split my pain meds after surgery. The pain will lessen but also know that pain is the worst in the evening and anticipate that. This is a lot of info but hope it helps someone. Unfortunately, I am an expert at recovering from surgery.
  • Cher2063
    Cher2063 Member Posts: 12
    #4
    I am 7 weeks post mascectomy
    I am 7 weeks post mascectomy - still have pain. I had my final "fill" to my expander on Dec 23. Seems like each week has its own unique pain.
    I am going to have a medical massage @ my plastic surgeon's office on Jan 6. Cannot wait to see if it helps.
    Nothing they said could have prepared me for this. I am so impatient.
    Hang in there,
    Cher
  • e_hope
    e_hope Member Posts: 370
    #5
    The soreness lasted quite
    The soreness lasted quite sometime for me... expect to be sore the whole time they are filling you and for a few weeks after... promise does get better!
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #6
    e_hope said:

    The soreness lasted quite
    The soreness lasted quite sometime for me... expect to be sore the whole time they are filling you and for a few weeks after... promise does get better!

    Thank you ladies for your honesty .. I'm going in for my
    bi-lateral mact'tmy on 1/12/10 .. I don't know what to expect, other than waking up with no breast, pain and the hopes of a 'cancer free' future.


    Love, strength, and courage:

    VickiSam
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    #7
    VickiSam said:

    Thank you ladies for your honesty .. I'm going in for my
    bi-lateral mact'tmy on 1/12/10 .. I don't know what to expect, other than waking up with no breast, pain and the hopes of a 'cancer free' future.


    Love, strength, and courage:

    VickiSam

    VickiSam, everyone has a

    VickiSam, everyone has a different experience with pain. I had a bilateral mastectomy with immediate DIEP reconstruction. My pain was primarily in my abdomen (from the tummy tuck) and not my breast, and I was able to control it with Motrin within two days of the surgery. You may have the same experience as I had and the pain may not be that bad.

    Joyce
  • kimberlyrose
    kimberlyrose Member Posts: 15
    #8
    VickiSam said:

    Thank you ladies for your honesty .. I'm going in for my
    bi-lateral mact'tmy on 1/12/10 .. I don't know what to expect, other than waking up with no breast, pain and the hopes of a 'cancer free' future.


    Love, strength, and courage:

    VickiSam

    Good luck and God speed
    I had a bi-lateral on Nov 2nd. I didn't know what to expect either. The best advice I can offer is 2 things.... 1) to develop a strong relationship with the breast care nurse at the hospital or the surgeons' nurses. They are great sources of information. 2) trust yourself and your body. I made the mistake of keeping my mouth shut about a couple of things because I didn't want to be seen as "whiney." Turns out that it would have been much better if I spoke up and didn't dismiss concerns so quickly. Ask lots of questions and share with them what's happening.

    I'll keep you in my prayers,
    Kimberly
  • kimberlyrose
    kimberlyrose Member Posts: 15
    #9
    Hi. I'm about 9 weeks out
    Hi. I'm about 9 weeks out from surgery bilateral mastectomy. I had considerable pain (but also complications) afterward. It wasn't until about week 5 that I could go for more than 5 hours without advil) and it was week 7 when I started feeling "normal" again... meaning that I didn't think about pain or protecting my chest constantly. For the past 2 weeks I've been feeling pretty good (med free) and doing daily chores that I used to do. At times, I over do it and I feel it in my chest when I do (like shoveling/pushing snow for 30 minutes today), but I think that's more muscle fatigue pain and not surgery pain. I haven't started my expander fills yet, that's next week. I understand that can be painful, so I'm just glad for a couple of weeks break from it all.

    Hang in there, but vocalize your concerns with your doc. I think they try to reassure us and end up dismissing us instead (I know my does that). Be persistant and talk to his nurses too. I find then to be more helpful and willing to talk sometimes.

    Gentle Hug,
    Kimberly
  • rene9
    rene9 Member Posts: 214
    #10
    Hi
    Hi I'm 3 wks and 2 days post op with my mastectomy. I've asked about the pain, tingling, and numbness and seems it will there for a while with 16 lymph nodes removed. Then, because I had an expander put in during surgery, I was not flat when I woke up. I still have some percocet that I take sparingly then I plan to take some motrin since that worked when I had a hysterectomy last summer. I drive a little - like to Walmart to get science fair materials but I am really sore when I get home even with my little pillow. But each day I do feel better. I hope you will too-


    rene9

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