Sore area in armpit

Morning

Warm welcome to the club no one wants to join, but pleased you found us - Hope apart from the above you are recovering well post surgery.

Does it seem the armpit area that is sore coincides with the area your sentinel lymph nodes (SLNB) were removed from ?  If so it could be internal scar tissue forming just under the skin or possible fluid build up causing it to swell slightly and rub on clothing where it didn't beforehand. It is common for damaged armpit nerves to cause weird sensations while they repair themselves but these aren't usually visible, it is more 'feeling/touch' related

As you are at the hospital today anyway could you get someone to have a look at it, either a BCN or somebody in the breast unit ?

Fingers crossed for no surprises from your scans today, take care, G n' J

Hi there were many nodes removed? Sometimes nerves are moved around in that area,  or even cut,  and it can cause numbness for a while at least afterwards  so you could rub without realising.

I'm guessing as you're having these tests that they found something in the sentinel nodes which didn't appear in the ultrasound? That's not unusual (about 20% of women have this, including me!) but my subsequent level 3 clearance found nothing more,  and that's really common as  well. It could just be swelling still or a little fluid.  Most women find surgery to the nodes more of an issue than the breast surgery, but I'm about 11 months post level 3 clearance,  and most of the nerves in my arm  have recovered

Good luck with the scans today! Xxx

Thank you this is really helpful xx

Hi this was really helpful as I do have numbness in the armpit your right one of the nodes came back positive so just playing the waiting game now for the next set of results thanks for replying i really do appreciate it xx

Dear , 

I totally agree with  and Londonmumof2,

At first, I didn't realise I had two wound areas - I had one dressing covering both areas, once this came off I could see I had two separate dressings, one covering lumpectomy area and the other covering sentinel node area.

I could feel a strange 'stinging' sensation towards my armpit (I hate that word, hahaha pit... armpit hahah), this was where the sentinel node was take from.

I can honestly say, the area where I had my lumpectomy gave me no problem or pain at all, yet the area where the sentinel node was taken from has such a strange sensation, it didn't hurt as such but was 'sore' a soreness I can't explain (without sounding amateur dramatic).   Every time I would get to the point that I couldn't stand it, it then seemed to ease off - (this is a polite thought of it, a little like you have got 'salt' in a wound and it stings).

I hope today went xx

Thanks for your reply it’s reassuring to hear it’s not just me, today went well thanks everyone was so lovely behind the face masks another waiting game for results again thanks again xx

Hi Helen

After advice on similar problem. I have had 2 surgeries 3 weeks apart, last one was 10 days ago. Recovering well from wide local incision but still very swollen at site of sentinel node removal. It makes it uncomfortable for me to position my arm in a normal place as is under the armpit. How long does swelling take to go down?

I must admit I didn’t have much swelling my armpit and it eased within a couple of days the discomfort within a week hopefully you’ll find the same xx