lymphedema top of chest?

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maria26
maria26 Member Posts: 44
edited April 2016 in Lymphedema

is it possible to get lE at the top of your chest below collarbone above actual breast tissue. I have been getting mild jabs of pain on and off for a week. I feel sure I have LE under arm and round back a bit and my breast is a bit puffy over scar. I have got fibrosis round the scar as well and had a seroma after the op which was drained twice. If I do too much with my arm it swells under the arm and the side of breast that touches the arm and gets warm. It goes in a few days. This new symptom of the pain jabs is concerning me as I worried it was a rib met but the pain does not feel bonelike. I have had a lot of mris cts in the last year over my worrying and the drs say this is not the answer and I agree. Last month had abdo pelvis ct and chest x ray all clear but did not have the jabs then. dont get followed up so well here in uk and only see breast surgeon annually. Told breast nurse she said just to do exercises they gave me 3 years ago after op. I guess it is just my worry over rib met as I could easily ignore the jabs.

So does LE cause this type of pain and can you get it in top of chest

Maria


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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited April 2016

    Yes it is certainly possible, that is exactly where I have it. The swelling is right in front of the armpit and just above the upper end of my scar. When it is worse, it goes down around the scar and gets puffy right under it, and goes into the armpit and sometimes around under it and up onto my back and shoulder blade area. When it is stable, it's just the one spot.

    It is painful, but I would call it more of a dull ache, it hurts more if something puts pressure on it, like a bruise would, but I don't really get any sharp jabs of pain there. But everyone is different.



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  • CynthiaB
    CynthiaB Member Posts: 13
    edited April 2016

    HI Maria,

    I am experiencing swelling in my chest, arm, hand and back...along with pain and tingling. I had a bi lateral mastectomy with sentinel node biopsy last November. The SNB was negative. I am on Femara (post menopause estrogen inhibitor). The pain, swelling started right after surgery because although only one node was removed on the side having trouble, I had a large hematoma from a mistake in surgery. I have been to Physical Therapy, my oncologist and surgeon and they have not been much help unfortunately. They say I have Lymphodema and then they say I don't. I think that's pretty typical with chest lymphedema. Although my arm and hand are affected when I sleep (I wake up swollen each morning), it's the chest that's the most painful. What HAS helped me is lymphatic massage. Also, working with the Physical Therapist on exercise to reduce the scarring and the pain and pulling from that is somewhat helpful. If anyone else has experienced symptoms that the doctors seem to ignore or not understand and they have found the 'answer', I'd appreciate knowing as well. I'm only four months out, I'm hoping continued exercise, massage and hope will get this under control??????

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