Incessant itching after mastectomy

Hi Mate, i had once an itch in my reconstruction boob and it drove me made as it was behind the implant, but i only had it once. you must be due another mammogram this month, ask them when you go.

Take care Love Kaz x

Hey you,

Haven't been on here for a while, how're you doing?  Glad it's not just me who had the itching!  I'm guessing it's probably just to do with healing and all the nerves coming slowly back to life?  I actually had a mammogram in October and it was ok...it kind of worries me that they have no way of checking the reconstructed boob, but I was assured that as there is no breast tissue left there, it won't come back again there.  After I wrote that post last night I noticed a red mark in the shape of a half circle about 2 inches under my armpit , so went to my GP today who didn't seem to think it was anything to worry about.  He didn't want to prescribe me any cream in case it caused more problems, but has asked me to go back in 2 weeks to see how it's doing.  And the itching hasn't been so bad today even though it kept me awake most of last night!

Did you have an expander implant too?  If so, how long ago and when are you expecting to have your exchange op?  Mine has been delayed because there are so many new cases of BC coming into my hospital (which is totally fair enough, it's much more important to deal with them).  My surgeon did have one day in December when he was doing exchanges, but it was the day before my little brother arrived from Australia, so I decided that I couldn't really risk being out of action when he was here...seems I shouldn't have worries though, as all he seems to want to do is lounge around the house watching telly!

Hope all is good with you.  Love Kate x

Hi, i had expander in on 1st feb 2010 and due for reconstruction on 24th Jan. They did try to change the date the other day but as i am going to Egypt on 6th April you need 6 weeks recovery and they also like a few weeks ontop of that for flying!!!! I am having mammogram tomorrow and i wish that i had other breast taken off aswell so i wouldnt have to worry.

Take care love kaz x

Hi, everybody. I had a bilateral mastectomy 6 years ago in 2015. I also had a reconstruction in the same operation with implants and stratis. I believe this is how they are called. My cancer was very early detected in 1st stage. DCIS with 3 mm invasive cancer cells in it. I still have the attacks of strange stingy, ithy, burning  pains going from my armpit towards the centre of the breast where the nipples were. Pain stays with me for 2,3 days and nights.Comes in waves. It's like enormous itch  which turns into pain at the end of the wave. There is no way to scratch it as my breasts are numb. If they are numb and I would not be able to tell if anybody touches them  when my eyes are closed why they itch somewhere inside ?????? There is only silicon inside !! Please, if anybody knows what it is, why  I have it and how to ease the pain give me some tips. I currently have it over 48 hours and I don't know if I can take one more night with this itchy, electric shocks every few minutes.Is this something normal? The skin looks pale as normal with no sign of any abnormalities. Why I have it so long after operation? Does anybody suffer from similar pain so long after mastectomy? It's worth to say that doctors don't pay any attention to this as they only consider this type of pain as a part of healing process after operation not a fantom pain affecting breast 6 years after procedure and don't include the treatment of it in post mastectomy care so long after operation.GP at the other hand  can offer some medication but nobody accually explains what it is,why women have it and how to stop it once for good. It's like uncomfortable side effect of mastectomy what nobody wants to take responsibility for.

Ilonka

Hi Ilonka, sorry you are suffering with this too! I had my mastectomy back in 2010 and thankfully, since I posted about the same baffling itching within an implant, I no longer suffer with it (or very rarely). I do now get a really odd thing, where if I scratch just below my right breastbone, I get a sensation at the back of my right upper arm that corresponds exactly to what my finger is doing!!! Again, no explanation for this and my BCN looked at me like I was absolutely bonkers when I mentioned it a few years back. I think it must all be down to nerve damage during the original surgery. It's still fairly alien-feeling in that whole area, but not as numb as it used to be...I could tell if someone was touching my right hand side now, but it would feel really weird! I suppose the problem you are having with someone taking responsibility for it is a bit of a difficult one as it obviously is part of the healing process and I suppose it's inevitable that we get this damage due to the surgery and there's not really much to be done about it...except possibly more surgery or medication, but who wants any more of that?! Sadly, traumatic events leave their marks on our bodies, but at least we are still here