I’m new to this website and this is my first post. I posted this earlier but am now re-posting it as I think I posted it in the wrong place the first time. I had a lumpectomy on 7 Apr 09 and a SNB (two nodes were removed). I have been doing my exercises three times a day every day but, for the last week or so, I have also experienced a painful pulling in my armpit when I exercise, which is visible and looks like a taut piece of elastic under the skin that is about to snap! This prevents me straightening my arm above my head and is quite painful. I assume this is cording. My bcn told me it was normal and would lessen in time but might never go away completely. She also said the seroma which has appeared in my armpit over the past week would make the pulling worse (she told me not to worry about the seroma as the body would disperse the fluid eventually). She couldn’t advise how long it would be before I saw any improvement in the pulling. Has anyone else experienced cording so soon after surgery? Does it normally get better over time?
Hi Dimsie,
Must start by saying that everyone is different, but I know how lonely it can feel when you develop a symptom and want to know what is “normal”.
I’ve had cording twice, and yes it developed within a week of surgery. The first time was after my SNB op, and I just generally stretched and pulled and gradually it dispersed. I had a mastectomy in January this year and have cording again, a much thicker band of it this time. I can’t move my arm as freely this time (due to the surgery) to “break” the cords, but am persevering with my arm exercises and hoping that it will gradually resolve.
Good luck,
Julie
Hi Dimsie, As Julie said, it is quite normal to get it that quickly. I had it within weeks of my surgery and have just developed 2 cords now - 5 mths down the line. I also have swelling in my habd so am seeing lymphoedema nurses later - hoping swelling is related to cording. As Julie says exercises can normally relieve it but mine were sooooo tight that I saw onc physio and she managed to ‘break’ the cords with massage - can be a bit painful but it’s nothing serious. Will have to see her again as my hand and arm are quite painful now. Try and persevere with the exercises as they really do help. Hope you get on okay. love Pat x
Hi Julie & Pat,
Thank you both for your advice. I now feel a bit reassured. I have my first appointment with the oncologist tomorrow to discuss radiotherapy (I’m due to have 15 sessions) and I will mention this cording to him, although I’m not sure it’s his area. If it isn’t, I will call the physio and ask how bad the cording has to be before they intervene to “break” the cords. This sounds a bit scary. There is nothing about this in the leaflets the hospital gave me. Also, I would like to find out, if it does eventually get better this time, is there a possibility of it coming back? I was a bit concerned when I saw that you, Julie, developed cords 5 mths after surgery. Also, that you have pain in your arm and hand. At least mine is only in the armpit and the inside of my upper arm.
Angela x
Hi dimsie
I have put for you below the link to the area of the website that discusses cording:
breastcancercare.org.uk/server/show/nav.387
and also to BCC’s publication regarding exercises after surgery:
breastcancercare.org.uk/server/show/nav.718/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/101
Hope these help.
Kind regards,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Dimsie
I also suffered cordinga bit like yours under the arm and in upper arm only. I went to the physio and she massaged it which made it better very quickly.
I also had slight occurence a little later and then I massaged under my arm myself as she had shown me and this cleared the cording up in a few days. I have not suffered it since - over a year now. Best I think to get it sorted out earlier in case the cording gets worse.
Flora x
Hi All,
I managed to get an appointment with the physio yesterday. She told me I had quite good range in my arm considering it was only two weeks since my surgery and I should just carry on doing the exercises. She also suggested massaging the cord for 10 mins twice a day once I was fully healed. I told her I wasn’t sure whether I was or not and she had a look and said she wasn’t sure either, but thought I wasn’t quite yet. Unfortunately, my bcn, who had told me to pop in yesterday if I wanted to ask her anything, wasn’t in, so I couldn’t ask her.
The physio did not offer to massage the cord herself. I asked her if she ever massaged the cord to “break” it and she said she had never heard of this. So I am persevering with the exercises, even though the ones where I stretch my arm above my head are still quite painful, and I’ll start massaging in a few days.
love Angela x
I hope you find this helpful, but I had dreadful cording after my surgery (2004). I actually didn’t know it was cording, I thought I’d just overdone my post operative exercises! I visited the hospital physio who ‘pinged off’ the cording (hardened lymphatic vessel) and the relief was instant and brilliant. She then showed my sister (and my ten-year old daughter)how to do it. Because I had quite a lot of cording, I began pinging it off myself. There was no mention of massage, but I don’t know how that would have helped.
I really don’t see why anyone should have to put up with the discomfort, you should ask about the movement that breaks the cording. It worked for me.
If you want to have a laugh I can email you a chapter from my book ‘Even the eyebrows?’ which talks all about cording and how to handle it.