A lot of time has passed since February 2022, when I underwent a double mastectomy. Even now, I still experience so much post-surgical pain that I sit here typing with an ice pack pressed to my chest.
I’ve recovered from many serious health setbacks before and have a history of making the best of difficult situations. That resilience makes it even harder to accept that this persistent pain has become a daily reality.
Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome
When I was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma, I felt I had options and reason to hope. Today, I continue to live with post mastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS), which has become a major part of my life.
Chronic Chest Wall Pain
The most difficult part is acknowledging that chronic chest wall pain is now part of my day-to-day existence. It affects simple tasks, my posture, how I dress, and even my ability to fully relax.
Diagnosed with Breast Cancer
At diagnosis I had treatment options and hopes for a good recovery. Unfortunately, the ongoing pain from PMPS has undercut much of that optimism and continues to demand attention and care.
Flat Chest Mastectomy Without Implants
I chose bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction because a flat closure was presented as a simpler surgery with a shorter recovery than traditional implant-based reconstruction. I expected a smoother contour and a balanced chest wall after healing.
Many women prefer aesthetic flat closure for its permanence and lack of foreign materials. I had hoped for those clear outcomes but instead faced complications that altered both appearance and comfort.
Flat Chest Mastectomy
According to surgical descriptions of aesthetic flat closure, goals typically include rebuilding a smooth chest wall, achieving a neat contour, and creating bilateral symmetry with equal flap thickness. My surgeon and I discussed these aims before the operation.
Poor Surgical Outcome
After surgery, when the dressings were removed, I was shocked to see results that did not match our conversation or the expected goals. The physical outcome has been disappointing, but what I’m focusing on now is the chronic pain that followed the procedure.
Mastectomy Concavity
The most striking problem is a concavity on the right side of my chest. That area feels and looks deeply indented, as if tissue was taken away rather than shaped. The sensation is one of sensitivity and hollowness, and it is persistently painful.
MRI and Second Opinion
Imaging and a second surgical opinion confirmed that the right mastectomy was more aggressive. The examiner noted that part of the chest wall was removed, which explains the concavity and helps account for some of the ongoing discomfort.
Armpit Pain
I suspect a connection between the concave chest and the burning pain that extends into my armpit. If anyone with similar experience can share insights, I welcome comments—especially from those who have linked structural changes to neuropathic pain.
What is Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome?
Post mastectomy pain syndrome is often associated with nerve injury sustained during surgery, particularly in the chest and axillary regions. Typically, people who have had extensive lymph node procedures or radiation are considered at higher risk. In my case, I did not have lymph node dissection on the painful side, nor did I have radiation, and there was no cancer on the side that causes such intense pain.
Flat Chest Pain
The concave area and the armpit on my right side have a constant burning quality. This neuropathic-type pain makes everyday movements and clothing uncomfortable.
Mastectomy Scars
My scars are also a source of pain. Some areas have been diagnosed as hypertrophic scars and others as keloids. The feeling is like hot wires buried beneath the skin, a sharp, persistent tenderness that reacts to touch and pressure.
Chronic Pain
Enduring chronic pain is exhausting both physically and emotionally. It changes your sense of normal life and can leave you longing for simple comforts that were once taken for granted.
Scar Tissue Pain Years After Mastectomy?
If you had a mastectomy, I’d like to hear whether you still experience scar tissue pain years later and whether you found anything that provided lasting relief.
Intractable Pain
My immediate goals are modest: to wear clothes without pain, to rest my arm against my body without sharp discomfort, and to be able to hug and be hugged without constant aching. Before finding a partial solution, the right side felt like raw meat rubbed with sandpaper—an image that conveys how tender and abrasive the area felt.
Mastectomy Recovery and Pain Treatments
I have explored almost every therapy I could find. Treatments I have tried include:
- Multiple courses of physical therapy
- Dry needling
- Therapeutic massage
- Lymphatic drainage
- Traeger therapy
- Feldenkrais method
- Self cupping and self-massage
- Body-centered movement techniques
- Cannabinoid oils
- Topical capsaicin
- Topical diclofenac
- Ice packs
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
- Consistent compression garment use
- Trigger point injections
Despite exhaustive efforts, the syndrome remains challenging to treat and fully control.
Trigger Point Therapy
Recently, trigger point injections into the rib area provided noticeable relief. Two injections eased some of the sharp sensations and have continued to help, though they haven’t eliminated the pain entirely. This therapy offers a degree of hope in an otherwise difficult recovery.
Share Your Ideas
If you have suggestions or personal experience with effective treatments for post-mastectomy chest wall pain, concavity-related discomfort, or scar pain, please leave a comment. Practical recommendations from others who’ve lived through this can be invaluable.
I Miss My Pain-Free Life
I chose a prophylactic mastectomy on the side that had no cancer, hoping to reduce future risk. Now I deeply regret that choice, not because I miss the breast, but because I miss the pain-free life I had before surgery.
Mastectomy Concavity with Pain
If you’ve had a flat chest mastectomy and experienced a painful concavity, please share what helped you manage or reduce the pain. Your experience could help someone else navigate similar challenges.
Radical Mastectomy Pain
I’m also hoping to connect with women who endured radical mastectomies. Those procedures can remove part of the chest wall and even muscle, which may resemble my situation. If special treatments exist for pain after radical mastectomy, I’d like to know whether they might apply to my case.
Mastectomy Pain Years Later
Please leave a comment and share any solutions or insights you have. Hearing what worked for others is a crucial part of finding better care and relief.