Drinking cold things feels weird after mastectomy
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Yes. I had the same thing. Not when drinking anything, but out of the blue. It felt like warm liquid being poured on the inside. Also had occasional episodes of feelings like there were ants crawling inside (luckily that was not as often) These episodes lasted about 6 months or so.
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Hello. I am approximately three weeks post left unilateral mastectomy and this sensation has recently set in -- it is uncomfortable and I hope it goes away soon. That said, and being the type of person I am, I found that by (and this may sound a little strange) leaning to the right after drinking a cold/hot drink reduces the sensation quite a bit. I might look a bit awkward but if it reduces the sensation of feeling a fluid course through my upper system, I am going to do it. Best of luck!
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I thought I was crazy, too crazy to ask my surgeons and PT. This sensitivity is real. Thank you all. I'm 4 weeks post Prophylactic bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders and I noticed this right away. This surgery was my choice based on strong pre-menopausal cancer history and I was tired of biopsies with 3 false positive scares from MRI's and mammograms (in 18 months) My prayers are with all of you for full recovery and full lives. You are my heroes, just like my mom, both grandmothers and my sister!
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I had it too and named it the "Waterfall" I experienced it the first time, on my way home from the Hospital after my Umx. It was around 40c in the middle of Summer and I bought a frozen coke as a treat on my way home. I thought I was having a heart attack! I asked my surgeon about it, but he didn't know what caused it. Some have thought it was to do with lack of insulation after the Mx surgery.
There have been a lot of threads discussing this and the other weird sensations that happen after breast surgery, but no one has ever come up with much more than the referred pain, or regenerating nerve theory, for most of them..
Another one that I had for some time, I called "The Claw" it manifested mostly at night, after a day of overdoing it. It felt just like a sharp claw was holding my underarm and chest in a tight grip, then there is the Phantom Itching and the zapping and zinging that goes with the nerve regeneration.It certainly ia a surgery of weird sensations.
Fortunately, most of these sensations disappear with time. I am over 2 years out now and although I can still have a little bit of nerve discomfort, my only remaining, weird sensation, is the numbness across my chest and under my arm.
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Many years ago, after a bad motorcycle accident, I had a nerve graft. The major nerve that controlled my left bicep had been damaged and as a result, my bicep did not work at all. It was painful as other surrounding muscles tried to fill in and do the jobs normally done by my bicep. I had an operation in which the doctors took a large nerve from my right calf and transplanted it to my left arm. The nerve they took was large but only controlled sensation to parts of my ankle and foot. I lost sensation there, but over the years surrounding nerves have slowly filled in and the loss of sensation is very minor and barely noticeable anymore. The transplanted nerve had to grow before my bicep would work. Nerves are kind of like power or telephone cords, with a housing on the outside and the actual nerve running inside the housing. During the transplant, only the housing survives and then you have to wait and see whether the nerve regrows. The fibers grow at a rate of about 1mm per day (1 inch per month). I could tell how far the nerve had grown when I tapped along my arm. I got a tingle where there was nerve and no tingle where it hadn't yet regenerated. I thought it was very interesting and told the doctors that I knew it had worked and why. They seemed unimpressed. Anyway, almost 5 months to the day, my bicep fired for the first time! It sounds like the nerve regeneration at my ankle and foot is similar to what happens when the minor nerves that control sensation in our breasts are cut during mastectomy or lymph node removal. Over time, the nerves should regrow and fill in and sensations should go back to normal. Interesting stuff!
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I noticed this too just before I saw the thread!
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Thank God that I found this topic... I thought I was going crazy with this weird feeling every time I drank something cold. Gracias a Dios encontré este tema, creí que enloquecía con esta sensación extraña cada vez que tomo algo frío...
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Hi veroniej, welcome to Breastcancer.org! We are happy that you found us, and you found this particular thread. Hopefully soon you'll get lots of information and support from other wonderful members here.
We see that you speak Spanish. If you want, you can connect also with other members, maybe some from your local area, in our Spanish Community. Here is the link: https://comunidad.breastcancer.org. Just one little thing: to create an account there, you'll need to use a different password and username. Please join us if you haven't already, we can't wait to see you there also.
Best,
The Mods
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For me, this feeling with cold drinks went away after a couple of months- I forget how long exactly.
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Does anyone have a scientific explanation for this? It feels like the liquid goes straight to my surgical zone!
I cannot believe how uncomfortable this has been. The liquid does not even have to be cold....My first chemo is coming up and I know I have to drink lots of water...
One thing that is helping is to take a big breathe and hold it in while I drink.
Whateveryou do, ladies, do not stop drinking water!
Love,
Gardengypsy
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Does this feeling only happen to people who have had implants, or does it happen to those who did not have reconstruction too?
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I don't seem to feel the coldness when drinking like I did in the beginning. Or is it that I've gotten used to it? Now I'll have to observe.
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I have the same experience. I stopped drinking anything cold, only warm water or hot tea for me.
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It happens without recon, too.
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I am 22 days post BMx. I feel it too. When I'm overheated it can be a relief. But it is winter here in Michigan and most of the time drinking something cold gives me a chill which triggers small muscle spasms across my chest....not fun. But since I feel the warmth of a hot beverage too, when I'm chilled I have a hot cup of coffee or some hot spiced cider. Warms me up from the inside out literally.
I see this strange side effect as just another abnormality that has become a norm for me Right now. As long as I manage it I can deal with it. After all the way I'm seeing things anything that isn't the horrific pain I experienced for the first 3-4 days post op is something I can deal with.
Weird isn't it some of these side effects we come together and identify? Thankfully this one can be handled. Good luck to all and thank God we have each other to figure out these small but strange things happening to our bodies. Right now it seems like most of the time my body is not my own. But thats okay.....we are alive and relatively well to come here to talk about these things.
One day at a time on this rollercoaster ride we are on!
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Thank you so much for posting this question. I am 1 month out from a bilateral mastectomy and I couldn't for the life of me work out why I was getting this weird sensation every time I drank any type of liquid whether it be cold or tap. You have quashed my fears that there was something serious going on. Can't thank you enough.
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I had a similar sensation after my mastectomy with reconstruction. But it had nothing to do with drinking anything. Out of the blue, I would get a sensation of warm water washing all over my chest on the inside. It happened only a few times. Most of the time I had the sensation of ants crawling on the inside. That was much more uncomfortable. These sensations lasted a few months, but the tightness over the implant lasted for years probably because the implant encapsulated. I still have it, after 34 years, it has moved higher and to the side, almost under my arm. But since there is no pain I've decided against having it removed.
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Just adding a 'me too' to the it's normal bucket.
It's starting to fade 4 weeks after my BMX, but it's still pretty noticeable with very cold (like drinks with ice in them) or very hot liquids (coffee, tea, hot soup, etc...) for me. Admittedly, the cold waterfall feeling has been nice on the super hot days we've had lately. The hot waterfall feeling, not so much.
My PS explained that it happens because of the nerve damage that happens during the surgery itself and, for most people, resolves itself completely or significantly lessens in intensity within a few weeks to a few months as the connections heal and rewire themselves. For some people it can be permanent, but even then, it usually lessens in intensity somewhat.
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I had that sensation for awhile and then it went away. I've heard others say they've had it too
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I asked my surgeon he said it was from being intubated at time of surgery, I didn't believe him. I thought I was aspirating when I drank, but now I'm glad it's not just me!
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Wow I had this too! My idea is that it's just overactive nerves trying to heal after surgery. It slowly went away and I don't notice it anymore. Now if only my arm pain could do the same!
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It is so nice to be able to type in the odd things we have going on and find out we are normal. No one understands the sensations I am feeling because no one around me has been through this. Love this group
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So glad to know that there are some many others that have had the same issues with not being able to drink ice water. I had my UMX back in June of this year, and I couldn't drink ice water for about 2 months. The feeling of it going down my chest felt wired and way to cold!
Thank you all for being here to talk to about all the different sensations we feel after our Mastectomy Surgery. I feel better and not so crazy!LOL
Hugs and Love to all of my amazing Mastectomy Sisters!
Sara
DX 5/30/2017 17cm Borderline Phyllodes Tumor
Surgery 6/27/2017 Mastectomy(right)
Hormonal Therapy 9/25/2017 Tamoxifen0 -
My double mastectomy was in October of this year (2017) and I can feel cold liquid, in my boobs, going down. I had this same sensation when I was breastfeeding my kids 20+ years ago, not since then until now. I have stopped drinking cold beverages. Nothing with ice. I'm still in tissue expanders. Wondering how long this odd sensation will last..
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Was pleased /relieved to find this thread ..I had my second mastectomy 2.5 weeks ago and experiencing the sensation of cold drink spreading over my chest .I didn't have it last time ..
I know this is an old thread , but am bumping it up as it may help others as well .
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It eventually goes away. It did once I put had my expanders/inplant exchange. It was very odd at first, like pouring cold water right onto your chest.
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Add me to the list of folks who experienced this. I rather enjoyed the cold feeling going down my chest with these hot flashes and night sweats.
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I had it big time! The first time it happened I thought I had spilt water down my side! BUT it did ease off after about 3 weeks as the nerve tissue started to heal.
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Jacee,
Same here. I can feel the cold drink go down in my chest. Which made me them think about the possible side-effects of radiation when there is no breast tissue to in the way
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I'm at 4 weeks post mastectomy now ...it's still happening all the time ..I really hope it does stop eventually !!!
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