HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Neuropathy symptoms/needles in surgery arm?

Chelee · 09-14-2010, 01:35 AM

Jane,
I have been told by my onc and breast surgeon to never under any circumstances allow any needle sticks or blood pressure cluffs on my SNB arm. They were both adamant about it. But I heard of some women that have at one time or another let someone access their arm for labs, or BP and were fine. (Or as Bonnie mentioned...woke up after surgery to fine they used that arm.)

Your symptoms sound just like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as Didi mentioned. My husband had it in both hands/arms and said the exact same things you said. Bed time was the worse for him...woke him up every night...couldn't get any sleep. He felt like he had no blood flow in either side. He went to the doctors and and he did have Carpal tunnel...had surgery for it yrs ago and has been great since then. He said the surgery was the best thing he every did.

See what the Neuo doc says after your EMG? I had an EMG of my right leg/hip yrs ago and that needle goes really deep. I just don't want you ending up with lymphedema. Maybe get a 2nd opinion from another surgeon about the risk from a EMG? Also make sure you pick a highly qualified Neuro. (You should be fine...glad to see your asking all the right questions ahead of time.) It could just be caused from having the SNB...all the nerves that are involved. Hope you get to the bottom of the problem soon. Hang in there.

Chelee

09-14-2010, 01:35 AM	#8
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Re: Neuropathy symptoms/needles in surgery arm? Jane, I have been told by my onc and breast surgeon to never under any circumstances allow any needle sticks or blood pressure cluffs on my SNB arm. They were both adamant about it. But I heard of some women that have at one time or another let someone access their arm for labs, or BP and were fine. (Or as Bonnie mentioned...woke up after surgery to fine they used that arm.) Your symptoms sound just like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as Didi mentioned. My husband had it in both hands/arms and said the exact same things you said. Bed time was the worse for him...woke him up every night...couldn't get any sleep. He felt like he had no blood flow in either side. He went to the doctors and and he did have Carpal tunnel...had surgery for it yrs ago and has been great since then. He said the surgery was the best thing he every did. See what the Neuo doc says after your EMG? I had an EMG of my right leg/hip yrs ago and that needle goes really deep. I just don't want you ending up with lymphedema. Maybe get a 2nd opinion from another surgeon about the risk from a EMG? Also make sure you pick a highly qualified Neuro. (You should be fine...glad to see your asking all the right questions ahead of time.) It could just be caused from having the SNB...all the nerves that are involved. Hope you get to the bottom of the problem soon. Hang in there. Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.