I am 1 1/2 years out and I too have the numbness and/or painful burning on the nipple and under the arm where lymph nodes were removed. As stated above, every body is different so they cannot say an exact time period for it to go away.

I'm 17 months from Mx with node dissection. Still my arm and chest wall burn and tingle, especially when I get stressed. AND I've had breast recon with tummy fat transplant (DIEP flap Recon). I hoped the recon would help but it has not. It's the Intercostal Brachail nerve that gets either damaged or cut in the node dissection. That nerve supplies feeling to the back of the arm and across the upper chest. Our tough luck I guess.

I just finished chemo on June 9th. I had my lumpectomy with node removal before treatment, around December. Clear margins and no node involvement. But I have pain in my breast where the nodes were removed. Any pain terrifies me at this point. It's hard to stay positive when you get these pains

I don't know if it's "normal" for everyone to have pain and burning lumpectomy and lymph node removal, but I am 4 years out and I still have pain and burning. I was also hoping that it would go away...but so far it has not. My nipple, at times, has no feeling and at other times burns and stings (almost unbearably), and I also have burning and stinging under my arm where the lymph nodes were removed. My oncologist says that for some people it goes away, but for others they never lose the pain. I hope that yours gets better! Best Wishes!

Shannon, I am 4 years post surgery, chemo, Herceptin and Radiation. I had lumpectomy and still have pain and burning in my breast. I have been told it is nerve pain as the nerves are being trapped in the ever developing scar tissue. I find that my exercise bras, while feeling good during the day, seem to promote this once removed at night. In the ER, they put a pain patch on me and told me to use one whenever this happens. Hope this helps.