Forum Discussion
Recovery after axillary clearance
I had axillary clearance 12 days ago with the removal of 13 lymph nodes. I’m a bit bowled over by the severity of the aftermath of the surgery, including nerve damage and cording. I’m most concerned ...
Thank you for this reply. Yes, I was sent home with a drain for a week and the swelling has got worse since its removal. I’ve also seen the surgeon and BCN who thought all was fine, but that was a few days ago and am doing recovery exercises. I’m going to see my GP today. I’m surprised and upset at the severity of the swelling which I guess is going to take a while to settle down and some patience. I wonder if a specialist physio could help? Or heat and massage?
Rob1 I'm not surprised that you're upset at the swelling - it sounds uncomfortable and unexpected. It's good that you've been getting it checked out.
I don't remember what was said about heat - best check that with your BCN just in case.
Recently I saw a lymphoedema therapist who provided instructions for massage to hopefully avoid having lymphoedema in the future. Do you know if your healthcare team has someone like that available? They may be able to help.
I hope that your GP takes a good look and can tell you the cause of the swelling. Hopefully they can provide solutions for you.
12 days is not a long time. Recovery will take time and every body is different but hopefully you're reaching the peak of the discomfort now and will start to see improvements little by little.
