After effects of Lymphadenectomy

The tingling, numbness and feeling around the elbow is all from the nerve damage.  I had just 5 nodes removed from my arm (not armpit) in Oct. When I overuse that arm I still get the feelings that your talking about and I didn't have any nerves cut.  At first my surgeon thought that the nerve might be involved with my tumor. He warned me that he would not cut any nerves if possible and if he saw that they were involved he would close up the area and not remove the tumor because of the side effects (I'm stage IV and was told that I would have to go systemic if this was the case). 

Your surgeon should be discussing the side effects with you. There are drugs like Lyrica that will help with damaged nerves.  I had major surgery a few years ago and many nerve ends were damaged, the drug was a life saver!  That was 4.5 years ago and everyonce and awhile I still get the tingling. The numbness never went away.

It does get better but it will take time!

Linda

The tingling, numbness and feeling around the elbow is all from the nerve damage.  I had just 5 nodes removed from my arm (not armpit) in Oct. When I overuse that arm I still get the feelings that your talking about and I didn't have any nerves cut.  At first my surgeon thought that the nerve might be involved with my tumor. He warned me that he would not cut any nerves if possible and if he saw that they were involved he would close up the area and not remove the tumor because of the side effects (I'm stage IV and was told that I would have to go systemic if this was the case). 

Your surgeon should be discussing the side effects with you. There are drugs like Lyrica that will help with damaged nerves.  I had major surgery a few years ago and many nerve ends were damaged, the drug was a life saver!  That was 4.5 years ago and everyonce and awhile I still get the tingling. The numbness never went away.

It does get better but it will take time!

Linda

And night time is the worst for feeling things, being tired, and it all seems like just too much!!

You are only a little over a week post surgery, your body is still healing, and your body will heal different from others.   Are you still taking any pain meds, at least at night?    Something at night when the twinges and pangs and pains are more noticeable?     I'm sure I did that to help get some good rest.    I can't account for what pains I did feel, but I know they were not predictable and they were random.   That fullness under the arm—I'm pretty sure I remember that.   The tingliness for me did disappear after a while, but again it was a long time ago.   I still notice flashes of that numb feeling (well, of course it is there when I shower and wash or apply any pressure to the underarm area).  

One thing I do remember is that I did not sleep in bed, much less on my side, for weeks.   I had a barcolounge chair that I made comfy with an extra pillow to elevate my arm in the beginning.    I'm sure not every LND patient has the use of a barcolounger chair, but this one sure did need it.    Then, when I did return to the bed, it was a wrestling match with the covers to try to push myself up and out of bed and to try to feel comfortble sleeping just on the one unaffected side.  But I did, and now I can even lie on the side that had the surgery.   That ability to lie on the surgical side took a long time, months I am certain.

Patience is hard in recovery.   Time to heal doesn't go fast enough.   There is no magic wand, and, like I said, the night is the worst—your mind wanders, you feel terrible because you are tired.    I wish I had some magic to send you into blissful sleep.  I can say that it will come, it will.   The pings and pangs will subside,   One day you will actually forget about it!!   You'll realize that you haven't thought of any wrong feelings in your arm!!   It does take a while, like your doctor said.   So, I will say goodnight, and try to sleep and just take this time to heal and take care of yourself.   You are not that far long in recovery.   Best wishes.

CarolA  –  Stage III     

And night time is the worst for feeling things, being tired, and it all seems like just too much!!

You are only a little over a week post surgery, your body is still healing, and your body will heal different from others.   Are you still taking any pain meds, at least at night?    Something at night when the twinges and pangs and pains are more noticeable?     I'm sure I did that to help get some good rest.    I can't account for what pains I did feel, but I know they were not predictable and they were random.   That fullness under the arm—I'm pretty sure I remember that.   The tingliness for me did disappear after a while, but again it was a long time ago.   I still notice flashes of that numb feeling (well, of course it is there when I shower and wash or apply any pressure to the underarm area).  

One thing I do remember is that I did not sleep in bed, much less on my side, for weeks.   I had a barcolounge chair that I made comfy with an extra pillow to elevate my arm in the beginning.    I'm sure not every LND patient has the use of a barcolounger chair, but this one sure did need it.    Then, when I did return to the bed, it was a wrestling match with the covers to try to push myself up and out of bed and to try to feel comfortble sleeping just on the one unaffected side.  But I did, and now I can even lie on the side that had the surgery.   That ability to lie on the surgical side took a long time, months I am certain.

Patience is hard in recovery.   Time to heal doesn't go fast enough.   There is no magic wand, and, like I said, the night is the worst—your mind wanders, you feel terrible because you are tired.    I wish I had some magic to send you into blissful sleep.  I can say that it will come, it will.   The pings and pangs will subside,   One day you will actually forget about it!!   You'll realize that you haven't thought of any wrong feelings in your arm!!   It does take a while, like your doctor said.   So, I will say goodnight, and try to sleep and just take this time to heal and take care of yourself.   You are not that far long in recovery.   Best wishes.

CarolA  –  Stage III     

I think that most everyone who has this surgery has some kind of nerve damage.  I about 15 months out of surgery and I still have minor annoyances.  I was told that it takes up to 18 months for nerves to completely heal.  So either I am still healing or this is just the way I am going to be.  Either way, I don't care, they got the d**n Mel out, so I can live with the minor discomfort. 

The first 3-4 weeks, yes the nerve pain was fairly high.  But it progressively changed, as the nerves heal the sensation will change, maybe worsen, then it will suddenly lessen.  My armpit and part of the upper arm is numb now so I don't dare shave under it, tried an electric razor and made a mess of it so I gave up.  All of this is minor. 

Don't sleep on that side for a while, you want to avoid lymphedema so as much as you can keep that area elevated it will be better. 

Good Luck.

Mary

Stage 3

I think that most everyone who has this surgery has some kind of nerve damage.  I about 15 months out of surgery and I still have minor annoyances.  I was told that it takes up to 18 months for nerves to completely heal.  So either I am still healing or this is just the way I am going to be.  Either way, I don't care, they got the d**n Mel out, so I can live with the minor discomfort. 

The first 3-4 weeks, yes the nerve pain was fairly high.  But it progressively changed, as the nerves heal the sensation will change, maybe worsen, then it will suddenly lessen.  My armpit and part of the upper arm is numb now so I don't dare shave under it, tried an electric razor and made a mess of it so I gave up.  All of this is minor. 

Don't sleep on that side for a while, you want to avoid lymphedema so as much as you can keep that area elevated it will be better. 

Good Luck.

Mary

Stage 3