Neuropathy symptoms/needles in surgery arm?

[Jane]

Hi folks,

Two questions for this wonderful board:

1.)Has anyone had these symptoms in their surgery-side arm and been diagnosed?

I've been waking up the past two months in the middle of the night with terrible pain in my right hand/lower right arm. It feels like pins and needles with numbness and slight shooting pain. I need to sit up or stand up for a few minutes to "shake" the feeling out - but it is definitely MORE than a hand that has fallen asleep. This is the same side that I had my cancer on (mastectomy, 15 lymph nodes removed) in 2005.

2.) Have you had a needle stuck in your surgery-side arm without problems?

To get the above diagnosed, I have to get an EMG test, which will measure the electrical activity of the muscles in that arm. They use a thin, butterfly needle during the test. A neurologist (?) will perform the test and he said he's dealt with similar situations in the past - without problems. I just want to ensure that I don't get lymphodema from the needle puncture, small as it is.

Any input is most appreciated.

Thanks,
Jane

51 years old; mother of two wonderful, young teens (13 and 14)
2005 dx IIIA BC, prophylactic mastectomy on left; mastectomy on right, 6/15 positive nodes
Her2+++, 6 cm tumor
Usual round of chemo, radiation, one-year Herceptin