Nerve pain after lumpectomy

I was prescribed paracetamol with codeine for pain after my lumpectomy. I was told to take them immediately after the operation and at regular intervals thereafter. I was told not to wait until I felt pain as by then it would be too late for the medication to work effectively (subjective). As a result I have had no pain whatsoever after the op.  I have large breasts and wear both a sports bra and a M&S shapeware slip that helps compress my breasts. Worn together they give great support during the day. I wear the sports bra at night but take off the shapewear.

Hi, thanks for your reply.  It’s good you had no pain. Unfortunately I don’t respond well to codeine and can’t take anti inflammatory meds due to asthma, which doesn’t leave much else.   My pain has been pretty intense sensitivity to anything touching or brushing against me. I’m just over 3 weeks post op and the pain is starting to get more manageable now and I’ve been able to sleep for the last two nights thankfully. Heat on my back and anti inflammatory gel has helped. I also found M & S sports bra good. I haven’t tried the shape wear.

I was sorry to hear of your situation. I too have found it helpful to reach out to others on this group. I’m to shy to hug people in real life but here I can send you a big hug and hold your hand just for a moment.

That’s really nice. Here’s a hug back!xx

Yes I had really bad nerve pain up in my armpit, I couldn’t touch the skin at all and had to sit with my arm out at right angle supported by a pillow. It was so painful but did disappear after about 8 weeks, and is now numb. Painkillers did not touch it either at the time. But I am relieved it is now fine. 

radiotherapy I found unpleasant and I only had 5 sessions. Just make sure you prep your skin with flamigel and carry on using it well after treatment stops. They did tell me to expect peeling if the skin but I think that because I kept using the gel, 4 times a day, that did help me. 

good luck with it all, hang in there it does get better. Sending you hugs. X

please ask to be referred to physiotherapy...everyone should do some physio after surgery, it is so helpful.

Hi there, I'm interested to know why you had a lumpectomy but not SNB? Can you remember the reason why they decided you didn't need that? I had a lumpectomy last week with a tumor at 9mm that was stage 1 and grade 1. They have still removed the nodes. I'm in a great deal of pain from nerves in my armpit and underarm (no wound pain at all). I'm considering getting a second opinion on my nerve pain as I was not warned to expect this either. Is my experience for such a "new" and small cancer normal?

I am in the same boat. My surgery was 9 days ago and the nerve pain in my inner arm is getting worse. I think it may be that my surgeon only used blue dye to find the sentinel node (no radioactive indicator was available on the day…) which resulted in rummaging around more than usual. My breast nurse (not Macmillan) was hopeless and didn’t warn me about the pain at all (she’s very good at handing out leaflets tho). I am contacting my GP on Monday re: pain meds; I’m back at work in ten days. 

In the first few days after my mastectomy I had occasional shooting pains from where they took the lymph nodes and down the inside of my arm.  They stopped after 2 weeks or so.

I am still having herceptin injections every 3 weeks which will go on until September.  I have just discovered that neuropathy is also a side effect of Herceptin!  Also hair loss, which is probably why I have no hair regrowth yet! 

Morning

I had a single right masectomy in october 2024, also had a sentinel node biopsy at the same time.

This is my advice and my personal experience. 

Electric type shooting pains were normal for me randomly for about 4 weeks. This i believe is the nerves starting to repair. 

The surgery involves moving things around like breast tissue, muscles that move the shoulder, and obviously damage is done to nerves and possibly tendons.

I had surgical webbing/cording, quite painful and annoying despite me doing the exercises religiously several times a day. Went privately with permission from my surgeon to a sports injury massage therapist, treatment is not exactly pleasant but wow what a difference. I also had lack of movement in the arm, which now i don't have.

I do still have numbness along the back of my arm and my armpit. My surgeon said this may always be like this or it may come back later like 12 mths time.

I'm happy now that my arm functions properly and how it used to. The numbness I find a little strange but I feel even if this does not resolve itself over time, that surgery has hopefully helped save my life and it's a small price to pay.

I try to look for the little positive things in this journey and try to except that some of it just sucks, but finding some kind of peace with it helps me massively.