Cording

Thanks Kira!  That is a big help.

Anita

I've been struggling with cording & arm trouble since 3 weeks after my surgery. 

At first it was the armpit/upper arm area - you could see the cord under my arm when I tried to lift it.  I couldn't lift it above my shoulders and the pain was located in my under arm area mostly but with a "twinge" in the inner elbow.

I saw my BS who referred me to a PT.  I did the stretching exercises and worked through it.  I had a few months of relief.

Then came time to prepare for Christmas and although I didn't lift anything I did "push" a few things around.  I probably did too much because the next thing I knew I had that same cording feeling but now it was in my forearm.  I couldn't straighten it out and my inside elbow area was very tight and sore.

I did more stretching exercises and worked through that and now have full mobilityand no pain in my arm.

BUT about a week ago I noticed some pain on the back of my hand that felt like I had banged it - you know that sore bruise-y feeling.

I swear it's the cording again but this time it's in my hand with pain in my wrist when I try to stretch it out.

Has anyone else experienced this? 

Marie, I've had cords come back--and there's no mistaking that pulling feeling, and it helps when you can see one.

But, also, when I'm holding fluid, it hurts--so my hand, wrist area have been sore when there's extra fluid there, until it goes away.

So hard to sort all this stuff out.

Bettye, I almost have the stretches ready to go up on stepupspeakout.org--just running them by the other directors and a couple of PT's

Kira 

Melissa, my first cording was full blown axillary web with the classic onset about two weeks post op, and I had many cords, and an axillary seroma--it was during this time that I developed LE of the hand.

Then, last fall, I saw a LANA certified PT who was horrible--when my arm measurements were equal (yes, the swelling is mostly in my HAND) she had me do theraband exercises without wearing compression, and I could feel my arm pit area becoming sore, and a big cord popped back out.

I stopped the theraband exercises, switched to another PT, and she worked the area and the cord went away.

I stretch twice a day, or I tighten up, so it wasn't from lack of stretching, it was from the exercises, don't without compression.

Lots of women have them come back, and sometimes you feel piano wires of old cords that haven't fully resolved.

Kira 

I have had cords come and go twice. The first really big one which was down my arm into my hand, was about 3 weeks post op, it followed two airplane trips, I can't recall how long it was there.

The next one was on my trunk, after a long car ride from NY to Delaware in traffic wearing an under wire, it seemed to be right where my cell phone case pressed against my body. That one was only a week or so, and because of the location i was able to break it up as the PT had shown me.

Both seemed to be related to a slow in the lymph system caused by altitude and being sedentary as well as decreased hydration. I am flying to new Orleans in a few weeks, I'll see what happens.

I haven't been warned away from my weight-training routine or advised to wear a compression sleeve.  I still have some cording, but it doesn't seem to affect my range of motion.  Next  PT appointment is tomorrow, so I will ask about the sleeve.

I have heard second-hand reports (friends of friends) that lymphedema was suppressed by Vitamin C and Q-10 supplements.  Might just be coincidence, of course.

Well good news.  My cording has all but dissappeared.  I have an appt on Thursday with a PT that specializes in lymphedema and cording.  I want to still go to gain more info and exercises to stop cording or lymphedema.  I will also ask if they can order a compression sleeve as I would like to start weight lifting.

Thanks Kira for all the information.  It has helped me tremendously!  I am so happy to be pain free.  I wish I knew what I did to bring the cording on.  I was doing a lot of lifting when I was putting away christmas items. 

Anita

HI everyone

I had an mx and nodes removed Dec 11th and had cording almost immediately after surgery. I started physio about 3 weeks ago and the cording is just about gone and my ROM is almost normal. It has helped so much, along with the massaging she does and the at-home exercises that I do.

thanks, Kira.  This current bout is easing up, hopefully it won't come back!

Good morning, Blessed!

Cording and lymphedema are not the same thing. There are several women here whose lymphedema started in their hand, or even in a finger or thumb. I'm not sure what kind of therapist you saw last summer, but what you need now is an evaluation by a fully-trained lymphedema therapist. Here's how to find one near you:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

Blessed, this may not be a serious problem for you at the moment, but lymphedema is staged, just like breast cancer is. Without proper treatment it will progress, if not with more swelling, then with fibrosis and further lymph damage in the tissues inside. It also remains a serious infection risk, and prompt treatment can reduce that risk as well. 

You can get a referral to a lymphedema therapist from any doctor on your team. In the meantime, elevate your arm as much as possible, stay very well hydrated, and pause to take a few deep abdominal breaths throughout the day. If you can't be seen shortly an Isotoner therapeutic glove (which you can find on-line) may help  contain the swelling until you can start treatment.

Do keep us posted! Gentle hugs,
Binney

Hi all -

I've developed a cord in my left arm last week after having some lymph nodes removed on 3/2.  I saw a PT yesterday who gave me some gentle stretches to do for about ten minutes, twice a day - the stretches feel great but the effect doesn't last long.  I've been out of work since the end of January, when I had a bilateral mastectomy (I work at a childcare center and I need to be able to lift about 30 lbs before I can return).  I know it's got to be a slow, gradual process, but I wish there was *something* I could do to move things along.  I'm feeling REALLY frustrated by this and just needed to vent.  Thanks for listening!

Lisa

I developed cording w/i 2 weeks of Bmx's....i likened it to havinging a vine running down and around my bicep into my fore arm....I felt tethered and could not fully extend my forearm. They felt like hardened veins.... just running parallel to them.I thought I might have had phlebitis from IV' or Blood Draws in the Hospital...... The Big Cord was much thicker in my Axilla aka armpit and that decided to have cords branching down into my chest... heading towards my incision and drain scar.

I had 6 weeks of LE/ PT

Now LE/pt wants to see me as I have 3-4 new cords since discharge.... next week.

My BS tells me this will all resolve on its own. Its very FREAKY. Esp to have such confilicting schools of thot.

Binney, Thank You again!

I see LE/PT this week....they want me to use my arms and see how my axillary/ arm swelling is comming along with increased use. And see what is up with these new cords.  My Glove/Sleeve does not fit, have to work on that as well.

Happy Saturday to All 

I had cording after the level 1 ALND. More than a dozen cords, some of them running down into my forearm and ending at the thumb.

PT did not do much for me. My boyfriend learned how to break the cords in the axilla, and doing that every evening and sometimes twice a day, made me get rid of them in a week. It's very painful when the cords are broken. They reappeared briefly 6 weeks later, after my reconstruction revision, and two sessions of breaking them made them disappear again.

Kira, Binney...

I just wrote a letter to the Nurse Oncologist Educator at the Hospital where I had my surgery.

 And as an RN, I just felt there was a total LACK OF PATIENT/ MD AWARENESS and TEACHING/ Prevention/ Management/ Follow-up/ Available Resouces

and the whole Fact that the Existance of LE/ AWS/ Cording is a MOOT point for all of us having any procedure at any time in. AND This is a PARAMOUNT ISSUE.

I am trying to get the link into my email. What one would be best?

Am on the band wagon.