Comments on Beating Breast Cancer | Symptoms And Breast Cancer Treatment: Cording after mastectomy

I have had a lumpectomy, followed by a mastectomy,...

2010-10-15T23:00:57.334Z

I have had a lumpectomy, followed by a mastectomy, and axillary lymph node dissections on my left and right sides. The cording I experienced was the most painful of anything I ever felt.
I went for massages twice per week with a trained nurse, for 6 weeks after each surgery. Excruciating...but such releif when the "cord" finally broke. Keep stretching and push yourself through the pain. It is worth it. I am a Golf Professional that works and plays golf everday. You can do it!
Good Luck

Thanks so much for posting this info. I'm a 3...

2009-10-27T01:42:01.833Z

Thanks so much for posting this info. I'm a 30 year old breast cancer survivor and have just recently been experiencing this kind of pain in my arm. I'll pass this info on to my family doctor who suggested tennis elbow as the culprit. I also wanted to share my blog address, a journal I kept while fighting breast cancer. Some may find it helpful and supportive. Thank you.
www.babywillyoulovemewhenimbald.blogspot.com

I am a physio who treats cording. There are specia...

2009-05-19T19:30:00.000Z

I am a physio who treats cording. There are specialised Physio's who treat this complication to mastectomy which can occur several years after mastectomy in some people but more usually immediately after surgery. If you need help, find a physio either through NHS or privately or contact ACPOPC a special interest group within the chartered Society of Physiotherapists.
Sharon Levett

I had cording (axillary web syndrome) within 2 wee...

2008-10-28T00:39:00.000Z

I had cording (axillary web syndrome) within 2 weeks of my lumpectomy and 3 sentinel node removal. I was panicked, because I could straighten OR lift my arm, but could not straighten AND lift my arm at the same time (above shoulder height). For example, i couldn't reach to the back of my mailbox or dryer, and couldn't get things out of cabinets. The surgeon sent me in for twice a week PT. I stretched multiple times a day as well. It took about 6 weeks to get back to near normal.
The books and websites downplay this syndrome, saying that it typically self-resolves, and many (most!) of my docs hadn't heard of it, but it was real and scary for me until it started to improve.

I was very relieved to hear my nurse use the word ...

2008-07-22T17:19:00.000Z

I was very relieved to hear my nurse use the word "cording" as it described so exactly what I was suffering from, and I had been panicking about what was going on. Mine has occurred following a sentinal lymph node biopsy during which 4 nodes were removed. It is very painful, but I am trying hard to stretch and excercise as much as possible. Checking the internet, it seems surprisingly common, but no one seems to be warned beforehand?

Lauren, since I've been fighting the pain for over...

2008-06-15T14:20:00.000Z

Lauren, since I've been fighting the pain for over a year, lemme tel ya some things. Nerve blocks don't help. Pain meds could but have their own side effects. I'm sitting here now with two pieces of foam tuck into the bra strap, under the armpit, and that seems to help. When I relax the arm onto the foam, it relieves some of the muscles that pull on the cording. and I'm in OT twice a week for myfascia release and cord stretch.

Cathy, It has been almost two years for me and cor...

2008-06-10T15:47:00.000Z

Cathy, It has been almost two years for me and cording has reappeared with swelling in my arm as well. It is quite painful. Lauren

It is now over a year and a half later - and my co...

2007-11-12T16:21:00.000Z

It is now over a year and a half later - and my cording is becoming much more apparent.