30 April 2012

Cording


I have mentioned from time to time some discomfort I have been experiencing in my left arm, where the nodal study was done.  During my mastectomy, the surgeon removed four lymph nodes, which turned out to be nine lumped into four clusters.  From the get-go, the trauma to that side was significantly more than the other side that had no cancer.

Since my second surgery, to swap out the tissue expanders for silicone implants, I've been having more pain on that side.  Last week when I stepped out of the shower I discovered why.  There is a line with lumps stretching from my elbow into my arm pit.  When I straighten my arm with it over my head, it pulls tightly.  At first I thought it was a tendon, although I questioned that because it is over the muscle, not at the end of it.  When I was at my regular doc last week, (Dr. T,) she thought it looked weird and since I was already scheduled to see my breast surgeon today for my six month follow up, she left it alone.

When I saw the surgeon, she was pretty sure I have 'cording', which from what I've been able to gather is quite common.  Axillary Web Syndrome (AWS or lymph cording,) is commonly misdiagnosed and treated by physical therapists.  This is why my internist wouldn't touch it.  She felt I needed to be seen, not just by a physical therapist, but one who specifically worked with mastectomy patients.  It seems like the second surgery exacerbated the mild case I've been battling for the last six months.  The good news is all along I had thought I just had limited range of motion from normal healing but now that we know what it is, it can be treated.