Forum Discussion
after an axillary clearance
I had a bilateral mastectomy plus axillary clearance with DIEP reconstruction 13 weeks ago. I completed chemo on the last day of 2018 and radiotherapy finished in early March.
What does it normally feel like in your armpit after an axillary clearance? Numbness yes. Swelling yes. Otherwise it’s feels normal, except for a lump which I have noticed for a few weeks now (swelling has settled).
Would it be normal to feel a solid but moveable lump, size bigger than a pea in the armpit area? I’m seeing the GP Tuesday but just wanted to know what other’s armpits have felt like after an axillary clearance.
thanks
What does it normally feel like in your armpit after an axillary clearance? Numbness yes. Swelling yes. Otherwise it’s feels normal, except for a lump which I have noticed for a few weeks now (swelling has settled).
Would it be normal to feel a solid but moveable lump, size bigger than a pea in the armpit area? I’m seeing the GP Tuesday but just wanted to know what other’s armpits have felt like after an axillary clearance.
thanks
12 Replies
- Good news @Chev, what a relief! Now you can have a much better weekend. K xox
- So the lump is an enlarged lymph node (I still have lymph nodes even after a ‘full axillary clearance’). Surgeon is not going to do anything about it. She says it doesn’t look suspicious. I’d like to get rid of it for peace of mind.
I also have some fat neurosis in my other foob with a small collection of fluid underneath. I see Plastic Surgeon on the 6th before I have revision surgery on the 16th. I’m sure he will deal with it then if need to be. - Sonographers are interesting once you've had a cancer diagnosis. They tell you a lot more. Hopefully you'll have some (reassuring) news tomorrow.
Thinking of you - Saw GP this evening... she said it doesn’t feel like a fatty lipoma. Ultrasound tomorrow morning. She questioned why I didn’t see her earlier. The swelling only settled a few weeks ago (surgery was 13 weeks ago) so I wanted to see if the lump settled too.
- Yep. I have a GP appointment tomorrow evening. Best to get to the bottom of it.
- Not all nodes are removed so it could be a node but possiblly a lipoma...lump of fat. Best for the appointment to check as planned.
- I had an ultrasound of the whole arm as they thought it could be a clot but it turned out it was just left over fluid retention after the drain had been removed.
- Could it be fat necrosis?
- I had an axillary seroma, found on ultrasound. It suddenly became palpable about 4 weeks after I finished radiotherapy. What I could then feel was about the size of an egg. Scared the living daylights out of me. It felt much like you describe, nad it drained once, refilled almost straight away. It didn't cause any problems so I didn't bother again. It remained palpable for at least a couple of years, gradually reducing in size. It was still visible on my recent annual checkup, along wth the one at my lumpectomy site, that gives my breast shape :p.
Get it checked for peace of mind
Take care - Mine just feels soft and tender, no lumps there. One incision (lymphs removed via mastectomy incision)
