Full Aux Clearance

Hang in there Patsy, one day at a time, Dec 10th could well have you clear of cancer, there will be light, just hang on a bit longer, will be thinking of you, Love Ann

Thank you for your kind words - I am just praying it is not in too many nodes x

Sorry to hear this Patsy. Easy to say I know, but try not to worry about the “what ifs”.  It helped me to focus on day to day things that I could control and to keep busy. At least you only have a few days to wait until surgery now, wishing you the best with that x

Hi Patsy don’t worry too much about the aux clearance, it’s not as bad as your mind tells you, you just have to make sure you do your exercises. I’m now 9 weeks post aux clearance and although my armpit feels numb I have full range of movement now. It was very tender after surgery and I had a large seroma which I had drained, I had some cording but massaged it every night and that resolved by about 6 weeks post op. My BCN also told me to moisturise my arm every day as it was very sensitive and that eventually resolved too. Good luck for Friday.

Take care

Diane x

Thank you Diane did you have positive nodes too?  Do you know if yours was level 1 to 3 clearance? 

Hi 

I was like you, had to have another op following the mx for full clearance (just when you think you’re free of ops!) in March 2020. The op was fine and as Di says above the area will be numb and really uncomfortable to start with.  I did my exercises religiously which I think really helped regain mobility (I have and have had for some time full mobility), I do believe that eating healthily and regular exercise also help with mobility and to improve feeling in the underarm/upper arm area (mine was also affected as surgeon cut nerves during mx so not altogether sure what area is attributable to mx or lymph clearance).  I do need to have a good arm stretch now and then but not a real challenge.

So 20 months later am in really good health, have had a reconstruction and 3 days before your clearance will be having phase 2 of my reconstruction, am quite used to those operations now!  Best of luck and will be thinking of you on Friday.

Sam

Thanks Sam - did they give you how many nodes had been affected?  Were they not aware before surgery or was it only picked up when you had surgery?

Hi 

The fact that the cancer had spread to the nodes was not picked up on any scans or elsewise until 3 (sentinel) nodes were biopsied as part of mx,  all found to be cancerous.  The radiotherapy (that I had after ANC) provided a belt & braces way of getting rid of any remaining cancer in the area impacted (I had it to neck, armpit & chest wall) and I have 6 monthly bisphosphonate (zometa) infusions which reduce the risk of any bone cancer, as well as  building up the bones (as letrozole, which I have as am also ER+, can bring on early osteoporosis), are you on any aromatise inhibitors?(letrozole/tamoxifen) as they will also help prevent any spread in getting rid of oestrogen.

In the event I had 8 nodes removed at ANC op and 4 were cancerous.

Hope that makes sense, ask all the questions you want as I have extensive notes from meetings with BCN, surgeon and oncologist- as I know what an absolutely cr4p memory I have!

Sam X

Thank you Sam good to hear you are doing well

Hi  I had full clearance 24 nodes removed same time as lumpectomy. There was a suspicious node but the hospital I was treated at is standard practice to do full clearance.  I am glad they did I would want rid of all anyway. I hade chemo and rads including boosts and underarm and neck. I told them to boost away !!! 

Xxx