Topic: "Lumpy" SNB Incision Site

Hi,

My snb scar was ridged and tender for quite awhile.  When I asked the surgeon, she said it was normal - more friction on that area than on the breast kept it a bit irritated, I suppose.  It's fine now, a couple months later.

Susan

I'm not sure about all the lymphedema stuff -- I guess because of the procedure, we are "at risk" -- but for how long?  I cannot imagine never getting blood drawn in my left arm again.  It's silly, really, in the grand scheme of things, I suppose.

Everything I know so far about the tumor is in my signature line and derived from my biopsy (vacuum core sampling, not excisional) as well as the mammos, ultrasound, and MRI which preceded the lumpectomy.

I don't have an appointment with my suregeon (and, same day, with my oncologist) until a week from yesterday (Monday 9/8).  By that time, the BRCA tests may be in, and decisions on treatment going forward will be made.  Although, tomorrow pathology comes back, and it could mean there's a no-brainer decision to move forward...  So tomorrow I guess I'll know more about the hormone receptors as well as if the fact that the 5 nodes "appeared clear" is true... The "what ifs" just SUCK right now.

So off to work I go tomorrow, glad for the distraction, not looking forward to when the pathology results call may come from the surgeon, how I'll be able to handle the whole thing on my first day, when I'll break the news that I have a few doc appointments I could not reschedule that are coming soon, blah blah blah.  The job is office work, and I'll politely decline to lift cartons of copier paper if asked...

So do you wait for the Oncotype score before deciding on treatment?  You're still in pre-decision hell, too?

Hope your weekend was enjoyable.  It's nice to be in touch.  Thanks.

Good morning, all!

Shari, want to add my best wishes for a great day on the new job. Distraction is right! There's nothing quite as distracting as that whirl of first-day-at-work. Enjoy!

I wanted to answer your lymphedema question, and give you some resources for finding out more. The risk of lymphedema is for life, so do protect your left arm from blood pressures, injections, IVs and blood draw always. There are medic-alert bracelets available to alert the medical folks and remind yourself about it as well! They're available on-line from both the American Cancer Society at www.tlcdirect.org, or from the National Lymphedema Network at www.lymphnet.org.

Also available on the National Lymphedema Network site are their Position Papers on Risk Reduction, Air Travel, and Exercise. All of those are well worth reading and following as a way to protect yourself from this distressing and disabling condition. Those of us with lymphedema in the bc.org community meet on the "Lymphedema After Surgery" board just a couple of boards down from this one. The women there would be happy to answer any questions you have, as we're all anxious to help our BC Sisters avoid this nasty sidetrip of the BC journey.

Be well!
Binney
 

It's just so WRONG - first I have breast cancer, and THEN people STEAL my discussion thread, abandoning me with my lumpy SNB incision site! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Just kidding. We've gotten some good information here, and I'm happy to hear that you got through your first day of work! It's both a blessing to have the distraction, I'm thinking, as well as a challenge to "blend." I can pull off a few hours of looking normal and energetic and well-groomed, but it wears me out. So I am hopeful you're enjoying the excuse to get out and be distracted, while at the same time making sure you're getting rest to recover! I hope you get your pathology results soon, Shari!

I should allegedly get my Oncotype DX results this week, and then my next "cancer activity" is to see a medical oncologist and a radiation oncologist on Sept. 16th. So I'm in limbo for a couple of weeks here. I'm normally the queen of Girl Scout activities and volunteering at my girls' schools, so this limbo is rough. I just don't feel like I should commit to anything, because I just don't have a clue what shape I'll be in this academic year. This is the weirdest medical experience I've ever had - the periods of waiting, followed by a need to research and make choices between hideous options, followed by more waiting.

I have noticed that what I have going on discomfort-wise is not pain so much as it is nerve craziness. My underarm nerves have gone nuts - I have what you described as "burning," near the incision site under my arm, and then the middle of my underarm is numb but the backside is also experiencing some burning/sensitivity. My breast incision twinges from time to time, and the area the surgeon took tissue out of (my "divot," up above the breast) is very sensitive, but the there's also an area on the upper outer section of my breast extending almost to the underarm where nothing was actually done that is EXTREMELY sensitive.  It all LOOKS fine, but I'm having a hard time finding something to wear that doesn't eventually make me nuts with the stimulation of the nerves. The soft, sleeveless cotton shirt I wore yesterday, which isn't tight, felt as though it was made of medium-grade sandpaper on the left side. Driving is not fun - the seat belt drapes all across the problem areas.

So, I still have my initial question - is it normal to have a lumpy feeling under the SNB incision, and will this go away, or should I be worried and have my surgeon look at it?

And I have a new question: What's the best way to deal with the nerve wackiness I'm experiencing? Is this something where I should only wear loose things for awhile, to avoid stimulating the area, because it will go away better if I do that? Or should I just try to get used to this by wearing normal things, because I'm probably stuck with it? Tylenol doesn't do a thing for this sort of discomfort, and my big gun pain killer doesn't, either, and I need to be able to drive and function. Is there something that would help calm these nerves as they regenerate?

Hugs - but gentle ones, using the right side of my body only, 

Coleen (alias Kleenex) 

My SNB is also still a bit lumpy, but I was told to do "scar massage" which I am doing, and it does seem to help. This is just basically rubbing on the lumps (pushing, but gently, but not too gently if you get my meaning?) to try and "break up" the scar tissue. My SNB was on 7/22. It took full month (or more) for me to stop pulling at my shirt sleve to give it more room there! A very annoying incision!

Tissue/Colleen, sorry your thread got hijacked! About the hypersensitive nerves. I found the best way to deal with it was to actually overstimulate the area with a soft dry terrycloth washcloth with a gentle rub. The over stimulation will actually help calm the hyperactive nerve endings. this will calm down but I can't remember how long my nerves were acting crazy after my surgery. The lumpiness around the snb should smooth out after a while.

Sheila

I had my surgery on August 14 and I still have a giant lump under the incision and tendons which appear shortened and pop out--  and hurt if I stretch my arm.  The lump is uncomfortable, not severely painful, but enough to be annoying.  A few days after the surgery I had numb areas under my arm and in the armpit and I called the surgeon to check on that.  He said that the lymph nodes were deep, and moving around the nerves during the surgery caused that (rummaging, as you say--  a very good word for it).  The numbness went away after a few days but then it hurt more.  Now it hurts less.  I have been to the surgeon and he tells me that all is healing well and that the major lump is fluid under the incision that will eventually go away.  He does want me to stretch as it will actually help the process.  I had been avoiding it because I thought I was exacerbating the situation.  He even says to go ahead and lift weights again. Of course I'll take it easy at first.    I hope you are feeling better by now and less lumpy!