Need suggestions for instant relief from cording
Please help. Got some small cuts on my hand. Got lymphedema - wore my compression sleeve and glove and that improved. But now got cording which is the worst it has ever been - very painful, runs down to wrist. I've been trying to raise my arm above my head to stretch it. Don't have strength to keep up massaging it myself. My Lymphedema specialist is on holidays. What else can I try? I really have had enough. Need something that will work quickly. Thanks
cording and lymphedema
Hi all This wretched disease...I finished rads in Feb and a couple of months later, noticed my breast was hard, and the movement in my arm was a little restricted - I can't straighten it fully above my head. The rad onc said the hardness is not unusual, and my breast would soften. I've been going to a physio for the past few months with not much improvement, so yesterday went to a lymphedema physio. She's found cording in my arm, and lymphedema at the bottom of my breast. We've started treatment and my breast is softer and I feel somewhat better. I had Stage 1 BC and only 5 lymph nodes removed. Straight after treatment I was advised to go to the lymphedema education session, but told that my chances of getting it were extremely small - so going to the education session was optional. I know this is bad luck, but I can't help but feel depressed. Surgery was in Nov, and I'm still battling the after effects. On the upside, I'm taking Tamoxifen, and while it initially made my hair thin, this has stopped and I don't have any side effects. What a huge pain in the bum all of this is... Rose
Cording
Hi i have cording in my armpit. I had a bilateral mastectomy with DIEP and complete axillary clearance 2.5 weeks ago. Can you go to any physio for cording? I went to my usual physio yesterday and he worked on my shoulder (he could feel it was very tight) but he stayed away from working on the corded bit. What should a physio do? What expertise/background experience should I look for in a physio? I know there are physios for lymphoedema but the one I have been referred to is not available until the 21st May. thanks
Is this cording?
Hi everyone - I have 5 taxols to go but I don’t think this is chemo related. When I straighten my lymph-nodeless arm, it’s sore around the inside of my elbow and just below there. It feels very tight. Like there’s an elastic band in there that’s being pulled too tight. I’ve felt this before but only intermittently. Now it’s there every time I straighten my arm. Does this sound like cording? And if it is, what can i do about it? Thanks! Xx
Who diagnoses cording?
Hello all. I had bilateral mastectomy on 5th April. Received favorable pathology report 17 April. I've been very lucky. I'm recovering from mastectomies with my next review mid June. I'm doing exercises and massage but am somewhat confused about the difference between my symptoms on left side compared with right side. This may seem a simple question but who diagnoses cording? Surgeon and/or physiotherapist? And if I have cording, should I wait until mid June for some form of treatment for it or will it simply resolve by itself 8 weeks post op? Should treatment commence after 8 weeks? I'm certainly displaying my confusion here!
Changes after lumpectomy & radiation - unexpected.
It’s now been 6 months since I finished radiation after lumpectomy for IDC With one node showing cancer. I coped easily with the 6 weeks of radiation and MANAGED with the burns etc after, BUT was totally unaware of the changes that kept happening so long after finishing treatment. As I’ve said before I did my cancer journey so far through the private medical sector with top Medibank Private cover incl extras. The o p e are another topic I’ve already talked about so will leave that for now. Because I was in private system I had NO breast care nurse and had no follow ups scheduled with surgeon, oncologist, radiation oncologist for any check ups other than the cancer count consult with oncologist. So as my affected breast began changing I PRESUMED all was supposedly changes due to radiation :- nipple inverted, change of colour of nipple yo yellows-green, some v minor discharge, thickening around nipple area, a weird look like black heads in hair follicles, but when this finest thing appeared when I lifted my breast I sent photos up breast surgeon who replied come in if you feel SICK. (Cancer counts were gr8 by oncologist and scan etc). So later I saw him who referred me back to his physio whom I saw ONCE in hospital day after surgery I followed the exercises set for the time suggested so I was very annoyed when the physio asked me if I’d been elevating my arm and massaging my breast each twice a day. No never been told. She asked if I’d been doing exercises to stop the lymphodema or the cording I’d developed (Axillary Web Syndrome). No never been told to! So another $100 later o p e for consult & new sleeve I head home feeling angry and very disillusioned with this private health system who no not follow up or provide support or info to patients. I’m now elevating my arm twice s day for 30 mins and massaging my breast, under arm, ribs, side and whole area where I have noticed tightening in this cording (due to lymph nodes being removed the drain tubes dry up and shrink causing pain & burning when moving at times. I just wish I’d been told to do this as the lymphodrma & cording is preventable by elevating arm and massage. But damage not able to be undone if you didn’t know it could happen So please massage your breast and elevate your arm every day in order to prevent having to wear these hot sleeves every day for the rest of your life AND prevent the cording happening. I know I should perhaps be grateful for surviving. And only having a lumpectomy & being able to have treatment and the money to pay for OPE’s etc but I’m not happy about not being told by expensive PROFESSIONALS what to watch out for and what to do.
Radium, cording,
huge thanks to everyone for your comments on my last post about feeling down about my cording and upcoming chemo. Feeling bit better now - always remind myself how lucky i am, what I'm going thru isn't so bad- just have to watch the news to feel better. cording still there but saw physio last night and she's intensifying treatment with laser and massage. Have question for anyone - I saw a radium oncologist before I saw my chemo onco who recommended 25 sessions of radium after my chemo (we didn't even know what chemo was being done - don't get me started!). Surgeon and gp (who's had bc) don't really think it's necessary, I'm going to ask my other onco next visit. I'm having doubts about it and would like to see what others have done. I've had bilateral mastectomy, 6 lymph nodes takes out, 2 affected. Chest wall clear. 4 tumors removed, biggest one 28mm which was grade 2. Onco said I'm low risk and talked about the damage radium could do to my lungs. My chemo starts on Monday, 4 X ac then 12 X paclitaxol (spelling?). Is anyone similar and what did you do? Thanks in advance for replying. Hope everyone is having a great day. ????
Cording elsewhere
I knew about cording occuring in your armpit and experieneced it where it was visible and felt tight to my wrist some days. I started stretching a lot more and was doing pool workouts and it was gone by the time I saw the physio. ..she said still slightly there but okay. I've noted under my reconstructed breast a bit of a pull sometimes when I stretch right up. This is always worse following chemo week...as was the under arm cording. Today lying in bed when feeling ny scar line I felt a lump...right up inside the reconstructed breast (well tissue expanders ). Mini panic set in...thinking...OMG is this a new cancer?, is this a node? as it felt elasticity...like a node. I put my big girls undies on and said calm the f.... down Kath...had a shower and look again. Just make a GP appointment. So as I am putting on my Vitamin E cream I'm thinking can I feel is standing...so I lifted my arms up...and there it was...visible cording from my drain scar to my breast. So lots more stretching and back to physio to see if anymore I need to do. Anyone else had this? ...so weird.
