Lumpectomy and lymph node removal

Hi hun

firstly sorry you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer. I had my lumpectomy an lymph node removal sept and the wound was one small incision between breast and armpit.

all ican emphasie is keep doing your arm stretches especially after day three. 
Best of luck with your recover and treatment afterwards 

xxx

Thank you for your reply, that has made me feel better, I was worrying that they had forgotten to take the lymph nodes, stupid I know as they do it routinely I'm sure. Thanks for the advise about the exercises, and I hope your treatment is going well too xx

Hi. I had the same surgical procedure as you many year's ago. The wound for the axillary nodes is not exactly in the armpit, but slightly lower down on the side of the chest. They found my cancer (stage 2) had spread into my lymph nodes, but thankfully only into the first node. Because of this I had an axillary clearance. 

Webb21 has given you good advice regarding your arm exercises. Because I was having radiotherapy after the lumpectomy and axillary clearance I had to be able to raise my arm for the radiotherapy beam to reach the area under my arm. Unfortunately, according to the surgeon, they had damaged muscles and tendons in my armpit getting access to all the axillary lymph nodes, hence I could not lift my arm more than an inch without severed pain in the damaged muscles. I was put on a three week course of physiotherapy to try and help me lift my arm. It was quite arduous, but I got there in the end and went on to have 30 cycles of radiotherapy.  Long term, I have neuropathic pain radiating from my armpit down my arm, it's a bit like getting an electric shock.

Please keep up the arm exercises that are given to you, they are really important.

Good luck and best wishes.

Hi Mrs Pap, sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I had a lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node removal to start with. I had a dressing over the whole of my breast leading up to under my arm. On removing it I had an incision around my aerola and one in the crease of my armpit (not right in the armpit) where the sentinel nodes were removed. I was given arm exercises to do which I started 24 hours after surgery. I took them gently and did what I could do and gradually built up the stretch. I had to have a second op axillary clearance as unfortunately the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes in my armpit. My surgeon went back in through the same scar. Again I did the exercises to help keep the mobility and to try to prevent cording I think it helps with lymphoedema too. 
Wishing you all the best.

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x

Thank you for your reply, the one thing I wasnt prepared for was the amount the cancer is messing with my head as well as my boob, Its very reassuring to hear of other people's experience when things aren't what you expect and actually find out its perfectly normal. 

Thank you for your reply, it's so reassuring to hear of other people's experiences and thank you for the advice re exercises. Big hugs back to you xx