Hi, I was diagnosed with aggressive sage 3 breast cancer in May 18. Triple positive & high risk of occurrence. Had mastectomy, 10 rds of chemo & 20 of radio. I am plagued with excessive itch in armpit where lymph nodes were removed, despite it being numb there!! Should I be worried?
Hello TessieB
Thanks for getting in touch with us and welcome to the online community. My name is Linda and I’m one of the nurses on the support line.
It’s understandable that you are finding it hard to cope with excessive itching. It can be very irritating at times, and it can be difficult to stop thinking about it.
Numbness and itching can be common after surgery. As it is troubling you, I would encourage you to talk to your breast care nurse or consultant about it. Itchy skin can be caused by different things like dry skin, scarring, and medication. They can support you to identify the cause and offer appropriate treatment for it.
I am not sure if there any visible changes to your armpit or breast if there is I would again encourage you to speak with your breast care nurse or consultant as soon as possible.
I am not sure if you have tried to relieve the itching yourself but I hope this information on coping with itchy skin may be useful.
You may find it helpful to share your experience with other people who have had similar experiences to you. They can offer advice on what has worked for them. If you think this may help you, have a look at our breast cancer forum.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Linda J. 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: LJ/KDf
