Oh yes, it is common -- more like unavoidable -- when lymph nodes are removed. It has been several months since my surgery, and by day's end, my neck is still a bit swollen. Shortly after the surgery when my neck was huge, I used lateral massage to reduce the swelling very quickly. The plastic surgeon showed me how to rub one area gently back and forth in a horizontal motion, then move to another area and do the same thing. I did this while driving, while reading, while doing lots of things and the results were almost dramatic. Like many things, this, too, shall pass.
Joanna