Does anyone have answers for post mastectomy pain syndrome??
Does anyone have answers for post mastectomy pain syndrome??
I had partial mastectomy and lymph node dissection on the right side and bilateral breast reductions a year ago with radiation afterwards. I still have severe pain in the right breast every day. I'm having bilateral mastectomies in the next couple of weeks, I'm hoping some of the pain resolves. Has anyone tried accupuncture or other modalities that helped??
I am so sorry for your pain. I am six weeks out from my double mx surgery. I did not have recon. The process and recovery for that sounded too horrible. So, I decided not for me. I was small chested before the surgery. No great loss. And Im older too. 65. I started stretching exercises asap - what the physical therapy nurse showed me in the hospital, and exercises I saw on line. I had pain like a horrible iron bra that I could not remove, and sometimes a needlelike pain - but I kept stretching frequently.as often as I could during the day. At week 4 I started physical therapy 2 x a week. That has really helped. THe pain is significantly reduced. The PT also does scar massage. And I massge the scars too, in the same way she does. Its easy to do it in bed before I go to sleep. Best of luck to you.
My 2x mastectomy w/reconstruction was 3 yrs ago. I had emergency surgery that night for 800cc hematoma. Surgery total so far is 9. I've had every complication possible and then some. I'm in constant pain. From ice pick sharp, to throbbing, pulsating flashes, to dull aching pain. I've been told that this could last for up to a lifetime, by both Dr.'s , and survivors. Pain management is a must, although I worry with all the BS due to restrictions because of the addicts and OD's. Topping off my pain issues, is horrible, debilitating, medically induced hot fire flashes. My cancer was estrogen & progesterone driven, so Im not able to take any kind of hormone relief. And NOTHING, I MEAN NOTHING, natural helps. But it beats the alternative of being dead. Just no one understands.
@A MyBCTeam Member pain after surgeries and treatment can be with us for quite some time.Its been two years for me and I still suffer pain 80% of the time. When I get that 20% reprieve it is so relieving. Praying for all my warrior sisters on this site..
A MyBCTea...
I had a modified radical mastectomy 8 years ago. I had physical therapy for almost 2 years. I also had 14 lymph nodes removed. I am in constant pain, feel like I have a baseball under my arm. My Onc and radiation onc say it is scar tissue, take some tylenol....guess what, that doesn't help. I think I will try the lidocaine patches that I saw posted here....I just know that the pain really gets me down many days. I also fear that it is really a recurrence of the cancer in the chest wall since they had to go into the wall to remove some of the tumor. But, they say no, won't scan....I get frustrated.
I had bilateral @mastectomy surgery, expanders, implants. It is almost two years out since the last surgery and I am in pain 80% of the time. It is horrific to say the least. Unfortunately, doctors do not inform you on the whole truth of these surgeries, like telling you that there may be constant pain even after all is said and done. I use essential oil rubs like turmeric, frankincense and jojoba oil to rub and I take turmeric and frankincense orally and it does help, but it does not take it away 100%, yet I found doing this is better than not doing anything at all. Praying for you warrior sisters. When I had done massage therapy at cancer treatment at my hospital for a couple of months, that helped as well, but unfortunately, that came to an end. Massage therapies for cancer patients need to be looked at and considered as a part of care where they pay for the massages with a small co-pay if necessary. Two months I received was not even with insurance it was a generous offer from a generous donor to the hospital for patients needing it.
