Topic: Itching

I have itching--especially in the summer and when I have had prosthesis on for a long time.  I wondered if I was allergic to the silicone.  It seems like the factors of heat and time play into it.

Candyce

I'm almost 2 years out and I still have severe itching.  It's not constant - it tends to come and go - but right now I'm in one of those stretches where I'm getting the itching every day.  Thre's nothing I can do to stop it and it drives me crazy.

This seems to be one of those things that the docs never tell you about.  In fact, from earlier threads, it seems that most docs don't even know about it, or deny that the itching has anything to do with the mastectomy.  But it happens to too many of us for it to be a coincidence.  It's got to be phantom itch. Ahhhhhh!   

Hope, I get that too. It is sort of funny but very strange.   I had a single mastectomy so I have one natural breast & nipple and one implant reconstructed breast with no nipple.  (I replied to this post because the itching problem happens to some of us whether we've had reconstruction or not).  When I get cold or get a shiver, I get exactly the same "nipple" feeling on both breasts.  It's so weird.

I agree with sam this must be contagious, as I was reading the post I started itching also. I also find myself wanting to scratch at inappropriate times.

Sheila

I have to laugh, even though like I mentioned I itch too, almost feel like a monkey in a zoo!  I dont wear a bra, as none is needed, but make sure what ever top I wear is extremly soft, winters I wear cotton camesoles or the satiney ones or the stretchy like ones, do have 2 very pretty ones  that are dark skin tone, one has lace around the front and I use to wear when i had boobs,

This past year I wore one in the winter as its by a co. that makes like soft womens thermals etc and cami's a tiney bit of the black lace,  as my top had a zipper, I kind of wanted to feel "sexy" or something ,heck i dont know, it did make me feel prettier, as prior to BC being an -A cup, they say if you have it "flaunt it" well I never flaunted it...but I have a nice set of legs so I wore skirts, keeps the distraction from up above, but now, I could care less.. as after I have read of SOOO many having many more surgeries and diff things happing w/reconst.  Im really pleased I did not.

as of the itching still, I am using a new thing of babypowder, Johnson and Johnson "melon" scent..its great, especially with the heat we have been going thru in summer..

thats it for now.

Ter 

I have been gone for a while and have not checked the site. Your replies have made me laugh so hard! I can relate to them all. I had no idea that so many of us had the same problem!

I did bring this up to my oncologist at my last check up and he is having me get a skin scraping by a dermatologist as the itching is only in an area that is red(but not from scratching) and is just below the mastectomy from the cancer side. The other mastectomy is not red and does not itch. He is a very cautious doc and checks out all my concerns. I will let you all know what they find.

Laurie

LilyMae,

I have a spot on my right mast scar that itches quite frequently.  I use a very small amount of 1% hydrocortisone cream on it - usually morning and night, and while it doesn't take care of all the itching, it does relieve most of it.  The scar is numb, and yet I get relief. I didn't think it would work, and others have said it didn't help them, but it is a fairly inexpensive thing worth trying.  And good luck!  This itching is awful when you can't even touch it!

I just started this itching a couple of days ago and it's definitely not the skin that's itching. It's coming from inside like LilyMae - no way to get to it. I had a bilat diep. It's awful. Luckily, so far it's only on one side. It's driving me wild. It doesn't seem to be affected by the bra or no bra - yikes! I hope it goes away soon before I go out of my mind!