Help - Burning sensation around incision site

mgm42
mgm42 Member Posts: 491 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had a lumpectomy 3 weeks ago. I have numbness around the incision where the tumor was, where they removed the sentinel nodes, my armpit and on the back of my upper arm. My margins were clear, but they did remove a quite a bit of tissue. I am experiencing a lot of discomfort around the numbness. It's like there is a one to two inch margin around the numbness that feels like I've been rubbed raw with sandpaper. Any clothing that touches this area produces a lot of discomfort and actually gives me the chills. It's almost like the worst sunburn you could ever imagine. Has anyone else experienced this after a lumpectomy and how long did is last? I would appreciate any feedback. I don't start my radiation therapy for another 3 weeks. I would expect these sensations from radiation but not from just the surgery. Thanks.

Comments

  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #2
    I had double mastectomy Dec. 21 and had temporary "placeholders" (like implants, but surgeon says they're not) put in for future reconstruction. I had more tissue removed on the right side. Under that arm was at first painful to the touch, even for the hospital gown to brush against it. There is still one long strip that hurts if I actually rub it, but clothes don't bother me. The incision sites are still numb. I remember having a similar experience with both caesarean births...numbness around the incision for months. I still my biggest discomfort now is feeling like I have a partial corset on where the implants are, and pain in the right arm when I do the prescribed excersizes to stretch out the muscles and prevent the scar tissue from causing permanent restriction of motion. I would predict that the burning will subside, but the numbness may persist a long time, but talk to your Drs. and nurses. Also others on this site may have more practical advice.

    best wishes for a speedy recovery, seof
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #3
    MGM

    Talk to your doctor first to rule out anything other than the normal side effects. With that said: I had a bilateral mastectomy with the full axillary dissection of the nodes. I had the same pain and the nurse told me it was normal - it's kind of funky pain, but when I began to describe it she knew it exactly what I was talking about and described it more articulately than I could and said that it can last up to 6th months. It's been sixth months and the funning burning sensatition (that feels like its deep in the arm as well as the skin) is gone like she said it would be. Its kind of like a headache, at some moment you realize its been gone for awhile, but you don't really know when it went away!

    There is still a lot of area that is numb, and the occasionally "stabbing" pain in the incision area, but that she told that can take up to a year to resolve. Keep your arm moving (I swim) - again according to doctors advice and it should get better, just not very soon.

    She
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #4
    Hi:
    Check with your doctor first but I had a mastectomy 7 months ago and I am still numb. Every now and then I get an electrical impulse which my surgeon described as a phantom nipple sensation. He stated that this could take up to 1 year for sensation to come back if you get it at all. Lili
  • cruf
    cruf Member Posts: 908
    #5
    mmontero38 said:

    Hi:
    Check with your doctor first but I had a mastectomy 7 months ago and I am still numb. Every now and then I get an electrical impulse which my surgeon described as a phantom nipple sensation. He stated that this could take up to 1 year for sensation to come back if you get it at all. Lili

    Hi! I had a mastectomy and Tram Flap 7 years ago and I am still numb from my stomach to my breast. Initially, it's weird but thru time, I've gotten used to it. It's kinda neat at times cause I can lean on it and it doesn't hurt and I can lean something cold on my bare belly and don't feel it. Sometimes you just have to overlook some of the unpleasant things and just be glad the cancer is gone. Good luck! HUGS!! Cathy
  • toninasky
    toninasky Member Posts: 102
    #6
    I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy and radiation. Lumpectomy in July of 2006, radiation thru March 2007. I still have burning sensation and pain in area of sentinel node biopsy. The radiation oncologist advised that it was normal, and the surgeon suggests that it may never go away. It is not always there, but seems to act up with weather change. I hope this info helps ease your mind.
    Blessings
  • Kitty3571
    Kitty3571 Member Posts: 48
    #7
    Hello, I had a lumpectomy w/sentinel nodes removed in Feb, 06 followed by chemo, radiation & a year of Herceptin - finally finished everything in June, 07 - Hair is growing back nicely - I'm always in pain especially where they took the nodes, pain in that arm comes and goes, numbness and sharp stabbing pains where they took the tumor and tissue - still uncomfortable wearing a bra, always scared that pains mean more cancer - always concerned but can't let it rule my life - just have to keep an eye on my symptoms I guess - Nervous about my mammo in a couple of weeks - sweat it out that day, waiting for results are terrible - After radiation, had extreme fatigue and continue having pain in my rib area - was told that the surgery and the radiation greatly effect the nervous system, don't know if it will ever go away! Good luck to you and try and keep a positive attitude although sometimes it's really tough to do so...Trena

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