I had a mastectomy in February and have struggled with pain in my arm since. Also under my arm is extremely swollen and sore and rock hard. I have had it drained once a few weeks ago as the hospital said ithe cavityhad filled up with blood . When I told the care nurse that it had happened again she said to put ice on it as it is normal. ( She hasn't actually seen it as I haven't seen her since I had the operation) However that hasn't helped at all. Any other suggestions please?
Hi Cat,
Thanks for contacting us. My name is Donna, I’m one of the Macmillan Cancer Information Nurses on the support line.
I’m sorry to hear that you have struggled with pain in your arm since your mastectomy in February. Ongoing pain should be reported to your breast care nurse (BCN) or treatment team so they can assess the pain and help you best manage it. This may include trying different pain medication for nerve damage, exercise or recommend complementary therapies appropriate for you.
I see you have had a recurrence of a breast hematoma. This can be uncomfortable and make people nervous, but they do usually heal in their own in time. That being said, if you have had this for over a week, if it has increased in size or become red, hot and swollen I would encourage you to contact your BCN immediately.
Our On-Line community has a Breast cancer forum which is a safe space to speak to others who may have had a similar experience to you. You may find this useful.
I hope this is helpful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in touch at any time.
Sending best wishes,
Donna
Macmillan Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
Ref DW/LB
