After effects of Surgery

Kat09

I had my Mastectomy and aux clearance just over 2 weeks ago and after 6 months of chemo and 5 weeks of rads my pathology came back with the great news that they have nuked, poisoned and removed any trace of the aggressive tumour I had. To say that I am grateful to the amazing team of specialists and all who helped in my care is a massive understatement. I still have Herceptin treatment until March and am yet to start most likely Tamoxifen for several years, I also know that I will be monitored very closely for sometime but the feeling is pretty surreal.  10 months of treatment and cancer behind me and now on with life, Yay!!! I do have a question relating to my surgery for you though, how long does the swollen pressure feeling last around your armpit after the aux clearance?  I have been making sure I do the exercises I was given and the movement I have in my arm is only slightly restricted ( can't quiet get above my head just yet ) but the pressure is such a weird sensation , can't wait for it to go.

Afraser

Wonderful news!! Herceptin usually causes no problems and hormonal treatment is a bit variable but overall it's all doable. My armpit belonged to someone else for a while after the axillary clearance, not so much swollen (a little bit) but numb. My mobility was great - probably unusually good, it takes a while in most cases, so keep up the exercises, that's the best you can do. Worth having a chat (do you have a breastcare or oncology nurse?) if the feeling of pressure doesn't abate in a  couple of weeks. Best wishes.

primek

I saw a lymphatic physio and had laser to my armpit and suddenly that horrid full feeling under my arm vanished and I had full movement. I didn't  realise how restricted it was until then. So it might be worth checking out. And yeah to NED. Kath x

Cynth6

Congratulations @Kat09 on being cancer free. I also just got told the same thing today and im over the moon. 

Im now 10 days post surgery and I do wonder when the swelling goes down and the movement comes back 100%. But my surgeon today said that a lot of swelling at my stage now is normal. 

Unicornkisses

I found the lymphodema physio great to help with the lump under my arm and in the other Lymphnode removal site in my chest near my shoulder. I also had laser and that helped with tightness and the cording that had developed across my mastectomy scar to my underarm. I do the lymph massage at night which helps keep the swelling under control, but as I am going through radiation it is swelling up again.
I found that by about the week 6 after surgery, before I started radiation, the post surgery swelling was mostly gone.
I do still have a bit of a lump under my arm, a fellow mastectomy friend told me that her surgeon said they left extra skin there so she could raise her arm properly, if they had taken it tight, it would have restricted movement.
I guess that could be so, it makes sense.
I am now 8 weeks after surgery and the numbness is also starting to go, yay!

Kat09

Thanks girls, as always your advice has been the reassurance I needed. I have put in a phone call to a lymphodema physio ( @primek ) so hopefully she'll be able to help with things too. Yes @Afraser I do have a breastcare nurse and will check in with her tomorrow although she just thinks maybe I'm doing a little too much ( i think she may have me confused with someone else , not like me at all to do that  ) Congrats @Cynth6 on your news, I'm so happy for you! I didn't realise there were Lymph nodes near our chests also so that explains the weird sensation I have in that area, thanks @Unicornkisses