Surgery pains, has anyone else felt this?
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Surgery pains, has anyone else felt this?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Surgery pains, has anyone else felt this?

  • Post
    • June 25, 2011 at 5:06 am
    DeniseK
    Participant

      Hi everyone,

      Hi everyone,

      I had my surgery and sentinal lymph node disection 16 days ago.  I go back to docs on June 30th.  Since the surgery I've had a chronic headache going through about 6-8 ibu's a day.  It could be from the stress!  My question is more about the pain in my chest.  My tumor/mole was on my upper/inner right breast.  The surgeon took alot of tissue which basically took most of my right breast.  I'm having pains that emminate down into my chest.  Kinda like the pain after the lymph node mapping.  I was just wondering if it was normal to have those pains. 

      Thanks for your help on this.  I'm sure I'm normal but just want to hear it from another person who's gone through it. 

      Denise

    Viewing 7 reply threads
    • Replies
        • June 25, 2011 at 1:08 pm
        FormerCaregiver
        Participant

          Although I can't answer your specific question, I would like to say that appropriate
          strength pain medication is usually needed for some time after surgery. Chest pain could
          be due to a number of things, and therefore I encourage you to see a doctor about it soon.
          From this distance, it is difficult to say if the pain is due to a minor problem or a more
          serious issue. You might find this site useful:
          http://www.freemd.com/chest-pain/overview.htm

          Hope this helps.

          Frank from Australia

          • June 25, 2011 at 1:08 pm
          FormerCaregiver
          Participant

            Although I can't answer your specific question, I would like to say that appropriate
            strength pain medication is usually needed for some time after surgery. Chest pain could
            be due to a number of things, and therefore I encourage you to see a doctor about it soon.
            From this distance, it is difficult to say if the pain is due to a minor problem or a more
            serious issue. You might find this site useful:
            http://www.freemd.com/chest-pain/overview.htm

            Hope this helps.

            Frank from Australia

            • June 25, 2011 at 1:26 pm
            Carol Taylor
            Participant

              Denise,

              In a word…yes. I learned it takes a long time to heal, pain does eminate outward, and even after you've "healed" you may still have troubles with scar tissue.

              I also learned that they move you alot into most unnatural positions during surgery to do what they have to do, and your head aches may be coming from that and will take time as you heal. With me it was horrendous shoulder and on up into my neck pains. It took physical therapy to deal with it and get all those cricks & pains out…which I had to have PT anyway to get the post-surgical movement back in my arm and deal with the lymphedema which set in…but part of the PT was dealing with those surgical moves that caused my shoulder & neck pains.

              My surgeon, his nurse, and my PT all confirmed that those pains were from surgery.

              Time, friend, time, and maybe PT. But it's normal.

              Grace and peace,

              Carol

              • June 25, 2011 at 1:26 pm
              Carol Taylor
              Participant

                Denise,

                In a word…yes. I learned it takes a long time to heal, pain does eminate outward, and even after you've "healed" you may still have troubles with scar tissue.

                I also learned that they move you alot into most unnatural positions during surgery to do what they have to do, and your head aches may be coming from that and will take time as you heal. With me it was horrendous shoulder and on up into my neck pains. It took physical therapy to deal with it and get all those cricks & pains out…which I had to have PT anyway to get the post-surgical movement back in my arm and deal with the lymphedema which set in…but part of the PT was dealing with those surgical moves that caused my shoulder & neck pains.

                My surgeon, his nurse, and my PT all confirmed that those pains were from surgery.

                Time, friend, time, and maybe PT. But it's normal.

                Grace and peace,

                Carol

                • June 26, 2011 at 3:19 pm
                nicoli
                Participant

                  I had a neck dissection March 2010 and had 23 lymph nodes taken out. I STILL have minor shooting pains in my neck. All scans are clear and no reason to think this is anything other than nerves still healing or just doing whatever nerves do.

                  After my scalp surgery in March of this year, I still have twinges of pain. Not at all worried about this cuz its ONLY been 4 months.  🙂

                  Talk to the doc but it's probably just healing. And that will take a looong time.

                  Nicki, stage 3b  bald ( and pale) is beautiful

                  • June 26, 2011 at 3:19 pm
                  nicoli
                  Participant

                    I had a neck dissection March 2010 and had 23 lymph nodes taken out. I STILL have minor shooting pains in my neck. All scans are clear and no reason to think this is anything other than nerves still healing or just doing whatever nerves do.

                    After my scalp surgery in March of this year, I still have twinges of pain. Not at all worried about this cuz its ONLY been 4 months.  🙂

                    Talk to the doc but it's probably just healing. And that will take a looong time.

                    Nicki, stage 3b  bald ( and pale) is beautiful

                    • June 27, 2011 at 12:16 pm
                    Ranisa
                    Participant

                      I had odd pains for awhile.  Still now (almost a year later) I have twinges, and sometimes feel as if I have jolt of electricity that comes in on my scar and goes down my leg and comes out of my ankle.  Nerve issues I think.  Before my surgery (I had never had any type of surgery before) I was expressing to my dad that I was bit nervous as to how things would feel afterwards, he told me that I would get used to a new normal.  True, very true.  This is normal now. 

                        • June 28, 2011 at 4:49 am
                        DeniseK
                        Participant

                          SO true!!  A new normal!  Pains are gone now.  Maybe I just overdid things.  Headaches have been the issue since surgery.  Today is brutal!  Hopefully it's just stress and anxiety.  I'm gonna ask Doc for some xanax or something!  🙂  Hopefully PET scan, Brain MRI, and LDH levels get tested soon cuz I'm nervous!!

                          • June 28, 2011 at 4:49 am
                          DeniseK
                          Participant

                            SO true!!  A new normal!  Pains are gone now.  Maybe I just overdid things.  Headaches have been the issue since surgery.  Today is brutal!  Hopefully it's just stress and anxiety.  I'm gonna ask Doc for some xanax or something!  🙂  Hopefully PET scan, Brain MRI, and LDH levels get tested soon cuz I'm nervous!!

                          • June 27, 2011 at 12:16 pm
                          Ranisa
                          Participant

                            I had odd pains for awhile.  Still now (almost a year later) I have twinges, and sometimes feel as if I have jolt of electricity that comes in on my scar and goes down my leg and comes out of my ankle.  Nerve issues I think.  Before my surgery (I had never had any type of surgery before) I was expressing to my dad that I was bit nervous as to how things would feel afterwards, he told me that I would get used to a new normal.  True, very true.  This is normal now. 

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