Posted by Micsmi on 26 Apr 2012, 05:04PM
Hi everyone
I am looking for someone with the experience of increasing pain after a mastectomy. I had my mastectomy on 10 April. I did remarkably well after the surgery, very little pain and my movement has been really good. Since coming home I have been experiencing increasing pain in the whole ex breast area. It feels like sandpaper in there and movement makes it worse. I had the drain out 6 days ago and I had fluid aspirated 4 days ago. More fluid has built up now... I will be seeing the surgeon again tomorrow....There does not appear to be an infection but he has had me on antibiotics just in case, these have made no difference to the pain. Thanks M
Comments
Hi M
After my mastectomy I kept getting a fluid build up under my scarline(seroma). I had it syringed off twice a week for 5 weeks- it's not uncommon. I had alot of discomfort and it felt like I had duck tape across my chest.My surgeon said it was adhesions.Two years on and it has only slightly improved.It could be the fluid causing pain but your surgeon will sort it out.From memory,it took about 3 or 4 weeks for the chest area to settle down.Good luck for tomorrow.
Tonya xx
Thanks tonya
My surgeon is a bit perplexed by the level of pain. We are working on a solution. Did you ever try Valium for the duct tape sensation... I also have this sensation. I was expecting to have this for a little while post surgery... Though not two years! He is suggesting Valium... I am not sure yet.
No,never tried valium.It's more of a muscle relaxant/calm-you-down pill.
Tonya xx
Increasing pain
I had a preventative bilateral mastectomy on the 24/04/12, with almost no pain. I had drains in place for 6 days and required aspiration 8 days after the drains were removed. I was still doing very well until 4 days ago when fluid began to collect again and I began to feel unwell. I had a burning feeling across my entire chest. Last night under the advice of my home nurse I presented at my local ER (not where I had surgery or first aspiration)
There a junior doctor with no assistance preformed his first aspiration. I had to tell him what to do! They prescribed antibiotics after I insisted, I still feel sick and have varying pains. I have called the breast clinic but no one seems to be able to give me any information.
Hi kat
My pain seemed to be associated with the seroma. It felt like sandpaper under my chest. I feel much better now that the fluid has stopped building up. The only discomfort I feel now is the tightening of my chest muscles.
First round of chemo is now over... And I am starting to find my smile again!
Good luck!
I saw a surgeon who believes that it was most likely an infection in the fluid beginning. My pain has decreased a lot today. I still feel groggy though and also have that really tight feeling at the top of my chest.
I wish you the best of luck with your chemo Micsmi, I was so relieved when my pathology report came back that all lesions were benign. I care for my autistic son and after watching my mums journey I know I would of not been able to continue to do so had I needed further treatment.
The thought of losing my son was a lot scarier than losing my breasts, not many people seem to understand this unless they have similar experiences.
Yes breasts are lovely but not everything! Your Dr may be right I also had antibiotics ... But it did take 4 or more weeks to settle down.
sand paper pain
Hi,
I had a mastectomy with a lymph node biopsy on April 30. My drains were out within 4 days and I have had no problems with fuid retention but I do have the same sandpaper sensation that you are talking about. It started about 10 days after surgery and whilst it has now decreased a little in intensity it is still quite uncomfortable. I told my surgeon about it today but he seemed a bit puzzled by it. So for now I'm tolerating it and hoping it will go soon.
My burning/sandpaper feeling has decreased a lot from when I originally posted this. I am still getting a little of it but nowhere near the same degree as I did before I took the corse of antibiotics. Now I only seem to get it if something rubs against the area (like a seat belt. I never really got a conclusive answer to what may of caused it, my surgeon suspects it was nerve pain agravated perhaps by the beginnings of an infection. ???
If any one else has it I hope it calms down soon.
Post mastectomy pain syndrome
I hope that your pain has gone, as nobody wants to even talk about this problem. There are women all over the world with varying degrees of this. I kept being told that I shouldn't have pain. Three years on I still have the constant pain. The Scottish breast cancer organisation has done some follow-up studies 9 years on showing no significant improvement for the 400 women in that study. Sorry for the "doom and gloom" but somebody needs to start acknowledging the problem, rather than surgeons continuing to ignore it. If you are unlucky enough to have continuing pain, see the "Post Breast Therapy Pain" group on Facebook, or search for the topic in Cancercompass website. Really really really hope your pain is something else, and temporary. Good luck!
Thankfully mine has settled over the past couple of weeks and would only be 25% of the intensity it was. I am so sorry you are still in pain ... must be so debilitating. I hope you can get relief soon.
Sheila xo