Painful underarm

Hi there,

Your symptoms sound very similar to mine at the moment. I had lymph nodes removed and a lumpectomy in March. Since then I have been swollen and tender in my armpit. It is gradually getting better, if you have been advised to do exercises please try and do them, it does help. I have also got cording down my arm which is nerve damage, don't know if you have experienced this . The numbness you mention will go away soon. Be kind to yourself its early days and you are still recovering.  I will be undergoing some radiotherapy soon, so expect to be sore again. Take it easy and rest , it will improve ♡

Thanks for your reply, yes trying to keep active with arm movements, im not sure what my next step is, still waiting for results. 

Again 

Thanks 

Hi

i had wider excision and 2 lymph nodes removed on 4th March and am feeling numb under my armpit and down the back of my arm and on my breast. Sometimes itchy.  Some days very swollen and sometimes hot to feel but some days not so bad.  This evening it has drove me potty.  I have also been wondering if this is lymphodema too?

I am also suffering a lot of joint pain in my hips and sore legs which is either from the chemo which I finished at the end of January or from the pertuzamab and trastuzumab which I am having every 3 weeks.  The oncologist wants me to start zoledronic acid next cycle but quite frankly I am sick of being in pain and can’t face anymore extra treatments and thinking of turning this down.

I start radiotherapy on Thursday too. Just fed up of it all now!  I am 54 but feeling at least 20 years older!

Thanks for replying, ive not started any other treatment yet I'm still waiting for results, how long is radiotherapy for, i no i will be having that at some point

Thanks 

Hi

so this morning the arm and breast is not quite so swollen and less sore than yesterday! It is very up and down! I will be starting radiotherapy on Thursday for 15 sessions. One every day apart from Saturday and Sunday s.  I have really been very lucky so far as I had a 60mm lump which reduced to no trace with 7 chemo cycles ahead of surgery. Surgery was successful with clear margins.  I have been so scared every step of the way but none of it has been that bad really. It is more the worry ahead of each stage ie fear of the unknown.  None of the treatments have been painful and luckily for me the side effects have not been too awful and I have managed to work from home throughout from September last year.  Good luck with your results and treatment plan! Stay strong and positive, have a good cry when you feel the need, and you will get there!

That’s so good to hear - I’ve had soreness in the inside of my arm and am trying to gentle massage it I hope it makes a difference like yours did xx

Hi, could you explain coding, ive no idea what this is

Thanks xx

Hi there 

Cording happens sometimes when lymph nodes are removed, its damage to the nerve that runs down the arm and feels like a pulling sensation when you try to straighten your arm out , usually in a raised position. Not everyone gets this, but I'm assured by my breast care nurse that it does go away. Hope this helps x

Something  else I forgot to mention when replying,  I have just had a seroma drained today ( collection of fluid ) from my armpit. So keep an eye for any swelling that is painful, and contact your breast clinic with any worries you have. My clinic is really good, hope yours is too x

Hi thanks, yes im having fluid removed at present post operation, so much info to take in,  i had lymph nodes removed. Still sore and armpit remains numb, very odd feeling

Thanks for replying