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TannieT's avatar
TannieT
Member
1 month ago

Post Mastectomy discomfort

HI, I had a left Mastectomy end Sept 2025. I have healed up okay. However, I have always had this really "tight" feeling under my arm and there appears to be a hard area, like a muscle that has been pulled really tight under my arm.

Initially I was told to do plenty stretches etc, which I do. However, since surgery I have also had pain down my left arm, like nerve type pain. I am an RN and to me it seems to be neuropathic pain. It frequently is more painful at night and almost every day still wakes me up. And I cannot sleep on my left side, I used to a bit, but now if I try. after about 30 minutes I am in pain and have to roll back onto my back.

I am also numb under my arm and across the left side going up to under my arm. My left side still feels really heavy and tight.

I did not have any lymph nodes removed. Only breast tissue. I am a bit overweight so surgeon (very experienced) said it was hard surgery to do. I used to have very large breasts and had a reduction 10 years ago. I was supposed to go back and have further liposuction as in the initial surgery they could not do anymore liposuction under my arms. I had to wait until all bruising went down. That was so painful I never went back and have put up with having too much "Breast" under my arms for 10 years! Ironically at the beginning of 2025 before the TNBC diagnosis. I was thinking "this year I really must go back to the plastic surgeon and get the breasts fixed up better" as it did look a bit weird.

Anyway. Does anyone else have this problem? Do you think it's just a "it takes time" thing as when I bought it up with Surgeon and Breast Cancer nurses Oct /Nov last year they just said recovery would take time. But it's now been almost 6 months and I am still having problems. 

Do you think I should go back to surgeon and follow up again? I'm just SO FED UP with seeing doctors!! I've had massive problems /complications from the Chemo & Immunotherapy and am just starting to get my life back. I want to avoid seeing doctors as much as I can to be honest.

Anyone have anything similar??

mastectomy

4 Replies

  • Moomincorn's avatar
    Moomincorn
    Member
    1 month ago

    TannieT​ With the discomfort you're feeling it would be useful to speak to a medical person to understand what's going on and how to make it better.

    If you're not keen on speaking to the surgeon, do you have a breast care nurse that you could contact to get their thoughts on what might be going on?  Mine connected me to a lymphoedema therapist who I saw recently and talked about the various sensations (and lack of!) I've got going on in my arm and armpit. She showed me specific massage techniques to use which seem to be helping.

    A possibility aside from the healing process could be cording. Although cording happens more with lymph node removal, it can happen after mastectomy as well.  Here's some information from BCNA about cording.

    I hope that you're able to get some help and relief from those pains.

    • TannieT's avatar
      TannieT
      Member
      1 month ago

      Yes. I realise this and I will. But I was just wondering if others had had similar and what it was and what was done about it. That's all

      • netney's avatar
        netney
        Member
        12 days ago

        You’re not the only one with that feeling! I had a single mastectomy Jan 2025 then DIEP Double August 2025 and after that 2nd surgery the breast surgeon & plastic surgeon explained where they’ve attached the tissue to the breast wall is where I feel the pulling sensation. As the nerve feelings come back, it’s actually getting more annoying/ uncomfortable - like you, I can’t lie on that side. When I do a revision later in year to clean up my incisions, the plastic surgeon says he will “snip” that a little to see if it improves the discomfort. 
        Not sure if we have the same root cause but definitely the same side effect (if you’ll pardon the pun)