Can you help please.Following lumpectomy 2 years ago and removal of 2 lymph nodes the armpit is always damp and smells strongly of body odour which is very embarrassing as l have never had body odour even when a teenager.
Is this normal please.
Thank you.
I have had total lymph node clearance on my one side and to be honest never noticed sweaty arm pits or smell. So sorry cannot comment if it is normal. I know I have trouble with my arm swelling or lymphedema, so I have to do exercises and massage my arm daily to distribute the flow of the lymph and I also rub in a lot of moisturizer as well. Take care
Thank you for that .It's the putrid smell that concerns me the most ,is it infection or whatever?
I mentioned to my GP but he didn't take it seriously .
My arm isn't noticeably swollen however, my torso is very bloated.
I wish you well in your recovery and thank you for taking the time to reply to me it is very much appreciated.
You
Thank you
You can get Lymphedema in your back. It generally affects your arms, but it can affect you your back. Treatment is massage and exercises. I believe it can be managed but never goes away. Losing weight can help. I have it on my right back side were I had lymph nodes removed. I had a special massage therapist that did light touch massage that drains the nodes and keeps the fluids moving. I do it myself now and I have a few exercises that I do for the areas I can not reach.
Take care
Thank you for explaining that for me.The fat/swelling is the complete torso as you say around the back it looks like have breasts under my armpits.I feel ashamed to complain about it as l am grateful to be still alive 2 years later.
I wake up during the night with my back and chest soaked in perspiration too.
Keep well and thank you.
Hello Tilly,
I have had the same problems with sweating after treatment ( Surgery, chemo, radiation, etc Like you I never used to perspire at all ever, but now it happens regularly particularly during the night. I wouldn’t call the smell from my armpits as ‘putrid ‘ though just the normal fresh sweat smell. I just have more showers as I understand that sweat itself has no smell, it’s after it lies on the surface of the skin that it can smell and I use an antiperspirant now too. It is definitely annoying though and I sympathise.
Thank you for that.
I am bathing or showering at least three times a day and just wear cotton clothing.
I am wondering if the smell could be the smell of Cancer..Sorry to put it so crudely..
I have appointment for mammogram shortly so will mention it.
Thank you again for replying to me.
I had several lymph nodes removed in and a lumpectomy and in 2017 do have lymphedema now on that side. I did have a recurrence in 2021 of breast cancer that was on the skin and incision line from earlier surgery. It was the "awful " smell and some discharge that alerted me something was wrong. I went back to my breast surgeon and my advice to you would be to contact them if your PCP isn't doing anything...just for your own "peace of mind", I have never had problems with sweating after it personally. I wish you well.
Thank you for that.
I do hope you are fully recovered now and breast cancer for you is a thing of the past.
I have an appointment in July .
Take care and keep well.
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