Painful sensivity

[Kreuzfidel]

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this. 

Immediately post-op, the top portion of my pecs - basically where the muscle begins - was pretty much completely numb. 

Now, I'm just about 3 weeks post-op, and that same portion of my pecs that was previously numb now seems to be "waking up" and is incredibly sensitive to anything touching or brushing over it.  It feels a bit like how a really bad sunburn feels when your clothes touch it.  Is this the nerves just coming back and how long does it generally last?  Thanks.

[Bimmer Guy]

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this. 

Immediately post-op, the top portion of my pecs - basically where the muscle begins - was pretty much completely numb. 

Now, I'm just about 3 weeks post-op, and that same portion of my pecs that was previously numb now seems to be "waking up" and is incredibly sensitive to anything touching or brushing over it.  It feels a bit like how a really bad sunburn feels when your clothes touch it.  Is this the nerves just coming back and how long does it generally last?  Thanks.

I didn't have this, but yes, I have heard of it as a function of the nerves coming back.  No idea how long it lasts.  Sounds annoying/painful!

[aleon515]

Had some of this two-three weeks, and it went down after that. It is a normal reaction, but not a very pleasant one. Actually more discomfort from this than right after surgery. You'll live thru it. But I don't have any brilliant suggestions.

--Jay

[Kreuzfidel]

Thanks, Jay.  It's pretty uncomfortable right now.  I've been wearing this binder since I left hospital and have been fine, now it's just killing me because the top edge is brushing over the skin...GRRR.  I get to take it off tomorrow, so hopefully that will be some relief.

[aleon515]

Thanks, Jay.  It's pretty uncomfortable right now.  I've been wearing this binder since I left hospital and have been fine, now it's just killing me because the top edge is brushing over the skin...GRRR.  I get to take it off tomorrow, so hopefully that will be some relief.

Yeah Dr G provided a tensor bandage. I'd have it on and after awhile it irritated me so much I'd take it off and then I'd miss the pressure. Couldn't win for losing. I don't know if you need to bandage the nips. But if you do, when the band aids (or plasters) came off those that's when the sensitivity started easing.

--Jay

[ford]

Yeah Dr G provided a tensor bandage. I'd have it on and after awhile it irritated me so much I'd take it off and then I'd miss the pressure. Couldn't win for losing. I don't know if you need to bandage the nips. But if you do, when the band aids (or plasters) came off those that's when the sensitivity started easing.

--Jay

I had the exact same experience.

There were a few days at work where it got so bad that I would go the restroom, strip down my top half, remove the dang bandage, and just enjoy having nothing touching my chest for a few minutes. That was around 2 - 3 weeks post op.

No compression bandage now and I'm weaning myself off band aids, so the over-sensitivity is nearly gone.

[Kreuzfidel]

I'm glad it's not just something weird going on with me in particular.

Today I get to remove the binder - I'm so relieved.  Now it's just a matter of things waking up and I suppose this feeling wearing off.  I have just a shirt on now - the first time since my surgery that I've not got a layer of something between my skin and my clothes. 

[Bimmer Guy]

I'm glad it's not just something weird going on with me in particular.

Today I get to remove the binder - I'm so relieved.  Now it's just a matter of things waking up and I suppose this feeling wearing off.  I have just a shirt on now - the first time since my surgery that I've not got a layer of something between my skin and my clothes.

Doesn't it feel awesome???  Congrats getting to the next step of healing!

[Sebryn]

Well I was coming on here to post about the same thing but I guess I wasn't the only one wondering about the sensitivity, except mine is under the incision line, mainly on my left side. Glad it's normal...can't wait for it to stop.

The only difference is my surgeon did not want me to bind at all. So I haven't bound since the day of my surgery. I'm still getting the sensitivity though. Does anyone know about how long it will last? Or should I just ask my surgeon when I see him Friday?

[aleon515]

Well I was coming on here to post about the same thing but I guess I wasn't the only one wondering about the sensitivity, except mine is under the incision line, mainly on my left side. Glad it's normal...can't wait for it to stop.

The only difference is my surgeon did not want me to bind at all. So I haven't bound since the day of my surgery. I'm still getting the sensitivity though. Does anyone know about how long it will last? Or should I just ask my surgeon when I see him Friday?

Well Dr G doesn't have you bind either. The tensor bandage isn't really tight, just to remind that you had surgery. I felt the tiny bit of compression to help ,but as you see it did not. After I had it on, I wanted it off. I think it's the nerves reconnecting, and some people are more affected by this than others.

Did you have a double incision with nipple grafts. I think that most people here are talkign about it being related to covering the nipples. Perhaps it isn't. But I think that the sensitivity goes on for a couple weeks. Feels like more.
I called Dr G re: irritation of the band aids on the nipples, but it did seem to be more than that.


--Jay

[Kreuzfidel]

Doesn't it feel awesome???  Congrats getting to the next step of healing!

It really feels great.  Thanks, Brett!

[Emerson]

I had a breast reduction many years ago and I had this numb/pain in several spots. It took time to heal. Maybe 6 months or so. Then they most improved by being touched. It's like once the nerves "reconnected" my brain still had to relearn how to interpret the feeling.

Now I sometimes have phantom itching that I can't scratch in those same spots.