Numbness after wle and snb?
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Numbness after wle and snb?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Numbness after wle and snb?

  • Post
    • August 7, 2011 at 8:08 am
    AZ_Gal
    Participant
    I know my doc said that some numbness around the excision and snb are normal but is it normal to have numbness in my entire shoulder? My wle was in the middle of my back between my shoulder blades and my snb was in my left auxilla (armpit). Help?!

    Reply

    I know my doc said that some numbness around the excision and snb are normal but is it normal to have numbness in my entire shoulder? My wle was in the middle of my back between my shoulder blades and my snb was in my left auxilla (armpit). Help?!

    Reply

Viewing 9 reply threads
  • Replies
      • August 7, 2011 at 2:55 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      It just depends on which nerves were stretched or cut.  Nerves take a long time to heal.  I suspect you'll end up with more feeling than you have now, but will possibly have some permanent numbness in areas.  It's still very early in the healing game for you – give it some time.

      Best wishes,

      Janner

      • August 7, 2011 at 2:55 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      It just depends on which nerves were stretched or cut.  Nerves take a long time to heal.  I suspect you'll end up with more feeling than you have now, but will possibly have some permanent numbness in areas.  It's still very early in the healing game for you – give it some time.

      Best wishes,

      Janner

      • August 7, 2011 at 6:13 pm
      washoegal
      Participant

      I suspect your shoulder may also be sore due to the positioning.  During surgery they had to move you since they needed to get to your back and then to your arm pit.  I had 4 nodes removed too and that is quite a lot for a SNB.  If a nerve was damaged, it can take months to heal. I had nerve damage after my complete lymph node dissection and there is still minor discomfort 15 months later,  Since it is your entire shoulder, I tend to think it is just soreness from being positioned at very odd angles.  As Janner said give it time, take the pain meds you were given, you were given them for a reason. 

       

      Good Luck,

      Mary

      Stage 3

      • August 7, 2011 at 6:13 pm
      washoegal
      Participant

      I suspect your shoulder may also be sore due to the positioning.  During surgery they had to move you since they needed to get to your back and then to your arm pit.  I had 4 nodes removed too and that is quite a lot for a SNB.  If a nerve was damaged, it can take months to heal. I had nerve damage after my complete lymph node dissection and there is still minor discomfort 15 months later,  Since it is your entire shoulder, I tend to think it is just soreness from being positioned at very odd angles.  As Janner said give it time, take the pain meds you were given, you were given them for a reason. 

       

      Good Luck,

      Mary

      Stage 3

      • August 8, 2011 at 12:20 pm
      MariaH
      Participant

      Two years after Dave had his WLE and LND, right axillary, he still has numbness in the area of the LND.  He feels pressure, but nothing else.  I know that it really bothered him at first, but  he got used to it.  They said there was a chance for this and that he may not regain feeling.  It is not uncommon, and it may get better after time.

      • August 8, 2011 at 12:20 pm
      MariaH
      Participant

      Two years after Dave had his WLE and LND, right axillary, he still has numbness in the area of the LND.  He feels pressure, but nothing else.  I know that it really bothered him at first, but  he got used to it.  They said there was a chance for this and that he may not regain feeling.  It is not uncommon, and it may get better after time.

      • August 9, 2011 at 12:54 pm
      nicoli
      Participant

      After my wle on my scalp, much of my scalp was numb. I had a full neck dissection taking out 23 lymph nodes a month later which left my neck, ear and shoulder area totally numb and my arm drooping and almost useless. This is all due to nerves being cut.

      Physical therapy and time got my arm back to normal. The doctors said that whatever numbness I had at the end of a year would be permanent. Maybe 50 percent of the numbness is gone but it doesn't effect my quality of life at all.

      EXCEPT for the itching. Sometimes my shoulder itches so bad and no amount of scratching can help………….cuz when I scratch all I feel is nothing, too numb. Crazy.

      Nicki, Stage 3b, ,

      • August 9, 2011 at 12:54 pm
      nicoli
      Participant

      After my wle on my scalp, much of my scalp was numb. I had a full neck dissection taking out 23 lymph nodes a month later which left my neck, ear and shoulder area totally numb and my arm drooping and almost useless. This is all due to nerves being cut.

      Physical therapy and time got my arm back to normal. The doctors said that whatever numbness I had at the end of a year would be permanent. Maybe 50 percent of the numbness is gone but it doesn't effect my quality of life at all.

      EXCEPT for the itching. Sometimes my shoulder itches so bad and no amount of scratching can help………….cuz when I scratch all I feel is nothing, too numb. Crazy.

      Nicki, Stage 3b, ,

      • August 9, 2011 at 5:00 pm
      Tad
      Participant

      There are a lot of nerves that run through the armpit that can get cut or damaged during the SNB.  My surgeon said that it could take up to 18 months for the nerves to grow and for sensation to return.

      My SNB was in my left armpit as well.  I'm just shy of two years out from the surgery, and I still have a numb patch on my back about the size of a grapefruit.  The nerves didn't really begin to grow back until about a year ago, when i started getting lots of tingling and occasionally even burning sensations.  In the grand scheme of things, it's really just an annoyance.

      Good luck!
      Tad

      • August 9, 2011 at 5:00 pm
      Tad
      Participant

      There are a lot of nerves that run through the armpit that can get cut or damaged during the SNB.  My surgeon said that it could take up to 18 months for the nerves to grow and for sensation to return.

      My SNB was in my left armpit as well.  I'm just shy of two years out from the surgery, and I still have a numb patch on my back about the size of a grapefruit.  The nerves didn't really begin to grow back until about a year ago, when i started getting lots of tingling and occasionally even burning sensations.  In the grand scheme of things, it's really just an annoyance.

      Good luck!
      Tad

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