Event 4: Support Group

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Pam, a woman with curly hair.
Pam

Pam connected with a Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome support group. She decided to attend one of their meetings at a local coffee shop.

In the video, Pam sits down with three other women from a support group for women with chronic pain following surgery for breast cancer at a table at a coffee shop. As they sip their coffee, they chat about their experiences post-surgery.

Support Group Meeting

Pam meets with a PMPS support group

Test Your Knowledge: PMPS Statements

Identify the true statements about PMPS from the options below.

Correct. The incidence and even the intensity of breast pain following mastectomy or lumpectomy may continue to diminish, even after years of being present.
Incorrect. In fact, anywhere from 24-69% of women may still report pain in the breasts, axilla, or shoulder 2 years following their surgery.
Correct. Axillary lymph node dissection is a positive risk factor for developing PMPS, as well as upper extremity lymphedema.
Incorrect. In fact, the risk of developing PMPS does not appear to be correlated with neither type of breast cancer nor staging at diagnosis.
Incorrect. Actually, the younger a patient is at time of mastectomy, the more likely she is to develop PMPS.
Correct. The risk of developing PMPS is lower following a lumpectomy versus a mastectomy.
Correct. Venlafaxine, duloxetine, amitriptyline, and gabapentin all represent reasonable treatment options for PMPS pain.
Incorrect. Compression therapy (usually involving garments) and manual lymphatic drainage both represent first line treatment options for lymphedema.

 

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