I'm sorry you're having a bit of difficulty post op LJ.

I've had a quick look through the forum and found that [@Cydonia]‍ and [@DBird]‍ have recently had similar surgery so hopefully they'll stop by to chat and share their experiences with you when they can now that I've mentioned them in this post.

You may be able to get some tips and advice from the breast cancer ladies on the good and the bad thread so do drop in and say hi as I'm sure they'll do all they can to help as well.

Fingers crossed the swelling starts to go down soon.

All the best, 

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

Thanks Steph, that's great.

Surgeon did say this morning, in a bemused way, "I'm not sure it can get any bigger!"

:D

It's a humorous sight at least.

LJx

Thanks Dbird,

Since posting they've had me in and drained it.  They then set an appointment for the following week (Tuesday just passed) to assess again but didn't drain it.  They don't want to do it too often as it could introduce infection.  Seeing them again tomorrow and I think they probably will drain again tomorrow.

My radiotherapy referral has been sent now so I need it to go down as soon as possible so I can start radiotherapy.

It seems to be just one of those things to do with the lymph node removal (I had all 10 axillary nodes removed) and mine is just a more extreme case than usual.  Sod's law for me :-D

LJxx

Yeah.  Basically I have to have chemo as soon as I was diagnosed as it was already spreading.

Then after chemo I had to have the surgery asap as the chemo didn't seem to have been very effective and clearly some of my lymph nodes were still looking likely to be cancerous.  In the end they removed 10 lymph nodes, 4 of which had tumours and another 4 had been cancerous but the chemo had killed those cells off.  They weren't going to know until after surgery if i needed radiotherapy or not so it was all a case of doing the surgery I wanted long-term and hoping no radiotherapy was required.

Anyhoos, it is :D  Hopefully it won't upset the skin too much so won't affect the reconstruction too much.  It's mainly an aesthetic risk so that doesn't bother me much (albeit it will my awesome surgeon!) but there is a risk it will bring the life of the implant down to 2 years.  Hey ho.

With the fluid build-up I have no sensation in my armpit or down the back of my left arm.  After draining I get sensation back everywhere except for a large area of the armpit.  It's weird for putting deodorant on but isn't the end of the world.  Honestly though, when the fluid is huge I get an itch on the back of my upper arm that I can't scratch because there's no sensation there, it's the weirdest and most annoying thing!

Alien boob is doing well with its increase today.  Got two Christmas parties at the weekend so might be vain for once and actually ask that they drain it tomorrow so I can wear nice clothes.

Oh the things we go through :D

LJx

Not nosey at all, I'm finding it all rather amusing what I'm having to go through to be honest :D

Shaving is, indeed, a bit precarious, and as I currently have cording it's pretty much impossible!

Hi DBird & TwinTwo

sorry to hear everything your both going through, though you are obviously grinning through it.  Seeing the funny

more seriously, two questions:

Have you had tingling in the numb areas? The back of my arm and my armpit is numb, but I have tingling in my elbow and occasionally down my arm.  To be honest I’m hoping it means the numbness will go

I am getting a popping / movement in the pectoral muscle when I make certain movements, I can make the movement but almost feels like the muscle jerks...  Is that cording? 

I had my right breast removed last week, without reconstruction, though that is an option for the future.  The surgery is healing ok, though I have a drain in which seems to be taking forever to reach the required 30ml level (when it can be removed).  I am doing the physio exercises and have much more movement than I thought I would :) 

A

Hi there

I had a mastectomy on 9 Jan without reconstruction. My left arm is tingly near my elbow sometimes and a bit funny feeling up to my shoulder. I was told this is quite normal. I didn’t have a drain and have some fluid build up behind the wound which gives a rather disconcerting ‘hot water bottle schloosh’ sound if you turn abruptly! Apparently this should all settle down in a few weeks.

Sheila xx

Hi there again TwinTwo.  Have been away for a few days and just wanted to say I am still thinking of you and reading your posts.  Good on all you great ladies for the way you are getting through this.  Annie

Hello ladies, 

that is a great description of cording DBird and really helpfull - I will know if when I get it, don’t think I have yet but now know what to watch out for.

Will def’ check with the nurses tomorrow about the tingles and other weird feelings in my muscles, though it seems arm tingling is common and quite possibly the feeling returning! I hope! 

Had good old news today - that my drain is coming out tomorrow (yeah!!) not that I don’t love the cloth drain bag which some kind people made and supplied to the nurses but much better for bodily fluids to stay on the inside. I do know what you mean Shelia about the ‘hot water bottle slosh’ I had a build up before I left hospital (the drain wasn’t working - stitches too tight) and it is definitely tidal! 

Take care, A

Hi Alison,

I did have some tingling, albeit not much, in other parts of my arm (parts that weren't numb).  I wouldn't worry about any strange sensations at the moment as your body has been through a lot, just make sure your team are aware of them.

I was draining like a trouper so they had to leave mine in right to the last minute (i.e. the point at which the risk of infection gets too high to not remove the drain). Then I had to have a seroma drained 3 weeks later (over 600ml!!!!!)

Not sure about your pectoral muscle issue, doesn't sound like my experience of cording.  However, much as cording feels like it's in the underarm it does stretch all the way to the breast and I imagine no two cases will be identical so can't rule out that the sensation you're getting might be due to cording.

Good luck with your recover.

LJx