Tearful, scared and full of dread

Just read your posts. You had the same as me. I’m hoping for good news as you had.

Hi  

hope you’re ok, I developed a seroma too after my surgery. I had all the lymph nodes under my arm removed when I had a lumpectomy. It was quite scary, it was like a soft tennis ball.
I did ring the breast clinic and I went in to be checked as they can drain it if it gets too uncomfortable. Mine didn’t and I was told it was quite normal, just to watch out for pain, redness and toi call back with any concerns.

They told me to persevere with the exercises - although I felt it was difficult to do them with the swelling. Dose up on painkillers half hour before doing them, but do them. It has helped and slowly it has gone down. There’s still swelling and it’s lumpy but maybe that’s how mine will be now? I had my surgery 6th November.

hooe you’re ok but any worries just give the breast clinic a call xxxxx

Thanks NewJourney. I’m wondering if it’s maybe because I haven’t been so good doing the exercises then. I can move my arm in all directions without much discomfort, so thought oh I may not need to do them. Mines like a small tennis ball too. I can cup it in my hand. I’ve started taking my bra off at night as this seems to help make it more comfortable. I’ll start the exercises again in the hopes that it helps reduce it. It’s not causing too much pain. It’s just annoying. The only thing I notice more is the discomfort on the underside of my arm. It was numb to begin with but now it’s starting to feel as more like a bruised feeling. Wondering if it’s something to do with the nerves from the op. Did yo also get this? X

Hi

The exercise’s definitely helped. I found the ones where you walk your fingers up the wall, both facing the wall and sideways  using the side I had the op difficult.
It hurt and was awkward because of the scar under there and the swelling.

Where I wasn’t doing them as much as I should,? I too had that bruised feeling. It went from my armpit diagonal to the inside of my elbow, then started to travel towards my wrist. I felt I couldn’t straighten that arm properly.

When the MacMillan nurse had a look she said I had the start of cording. I think it is inflammation of the nerves and tendons from the surgery. She said that would only get worse without the exercises and won’t get better on its own. Eventually it may restrict the movement, and being able to straighten that arm and the worse it gets, the harder it is to get on top of it.

I can only describe it as feeling like I’ve been kicked, so sore to touch!. If I straightened that arm, I could almost see the cord running under the skin.

There’s a section on it in the book the hospital should have given you at the start of journey.

I can’t say i do the exercises 3 times a day, but I really notice it if I miss a day altogether. I aim for at least once and maybe more of its particularly sore.

The better I feel, the harder it is to remember to do them ,but if I miss a day It seems to come back quickly,

I’m assuming this might be something I need to do all the time now - a new normal?

I notice my shoulder joint really aches too, something that’s only just started?

Maybe that’s because I can’t have HRT now, and my joint pain is returning? I don’t like to keep ringing and asking…

im still completely numb in my armpit, and down the back of my arm, not sure if that’ll return complete . I’m 7weeks post surgery now.

Did you have all the lymph nodes removed under your arm? Is it called SNLD or full node clearance? I’m still trying to get my head around the terminology lol

1. xxxx

Morning. 

I’ll have to keep an eye on the arm then and hope I don’t get cording. It’s a funny feeling. Feels like it’s sore or burnt when you lean it onto anything like a cushion or touch it. I’m doing the exercises now so hopefully it won’t get any worse. Hopefully the seroma will gradually go down too. It’s not really painful. I just know it’s there. 

I don’t know how many lymph nodes were removed. I go back Thursday afternoon so I’ll ask then. I’m praying they were clear, but like everyone, I’ll have to accept and go along with whatever. I didn’t see a doctor or surgeon after the op, so I wasn’t told.

I have 3 young grandchildren that I normally look after and I’m missing them so much. I just want to be ok again. 

My perfect appointment would be to be told that the margins and nodes were clear and I’ll only need the radiation and hormone blockers, but I’m not holding my breath. I hope you get on ok. Have you had your treatment plan yet? X

Hi Mary I found the exercises helped. I had my lumpectomy on the 4th December and get my results tomorrow, like you hoping magins and nodes clear. 

Morning Elorac. 

Good luck for tomorrow. I hope you get good news. Keep me updated. It’s nice to hear how everyone is getting along. You will be so nervous. I hope it’s a big relief. X

Hi Mary4004 , lovely messages already from the fine folk here. Just wanted to echo a few of the comments. Definitely keep up with the exercises… I found some painful and almost cringy at times but always felt better for them. Slow progress but good to feel improvement however small (eg reaching a little bit further with the crawling up the wall one). And if you end up having radiotherapy (I had 3 weeks) then the easier it is for you to hold your arms up the better. The pain from the sentinel node removal felt like carpet burn to me, very strange and hard to describe! And aching arm and shoulder for quite a while. I used to sit with a pillow or cushion under that arm, and often had to raise it up in the air, supported by my right arm, to relieve a weird ache/ discomfort. But it slowly resolved. Everything took longer than I’d anticipated. I couldn’t undo my bra behind my back for months! I’m 6 years now post diagnosis, taking Anastrozole for one more year. Can’t believe it’s 6 years! The time does pass. 
Good luck with your results appointment, horrible being in limbo till you know more about the nature of your particular beast. Sending love and a big virtual hug, HFxx

Hi happyFeet1. Aren’t they all lovely. I’m so glad I joined the site. It’s helped me get through the last couple of weeks. 
im guessing that I haven’t had many lymph nodes taken as I have almost normal movement of the arm. It’s just sore and like you said….the feeling of a carpet burn on the underside of my arm. We’ve come away to our holiday home and stupidly I forgot to bring the exercise sheet with me. I’ve been doing the first ones, but didn’t look at the crawling up the wall one. I’m back home Thursday morning before my appointment and will pick it up then. 

congratulations on the 6 years. That’s brilliant. Let’s hope that you never have to worry (I guess that is always at the back of your mind) and that the beast has left you for good x

I have read everyone's experiences with interest.  I had a left side mastectomy and axillary clearance on 29th November.   Most of my discomfort is in my arm and I have semi numb patches on my shoulder and around my armpit.  I  still can't sleep on my left side as the swelling under my arm feels uncomfortable.   On occasions my arm gets swollen as my watch feels tight but this seems to vary from day to day and also seems to be better after I have done the exercises.   Anyone else had this?