Hello,

the only way to solve this one is to do the exercises the hospital should have sent you home with.

I had horrible cording after my op, I'd do the exercises 3 times a day for quite a long period of time, then one day during my manoeuvres I felt it ping! The relief was real..lol.....

good luck.....xx

Hi, I have had a lumpectomy and chemo for stage 2 breast cancer with some cancer in one of sentinel lymph nodes. Oncologist wanted node clearance - surgical. Surgeon wanted to go with radiotherapy. Research from 2018 suggests results of surgery and radio comparable . Have opted for surgery - 10th Jan but still not sure if tight decision . Any advice? 
 

I do hope your cording resolves quickly .

thanks 

Hi Lincoln,

A very warm welcome to our forum.  Sadly, there is no easy answer to your question. Every cancer is individual to the person who has it and, there is no guarantee that what works for one will also work for another.

You obviously have a difference of opinion between your surgeon and your oncologist, this makes your choice so difficult. It seems as if you have been looking at research and that both are comparable. I had a similar problem when I faced surgery for my second bout of cancer 9 years ago. I have a very rare form of cancer and found it very difficult to find the information that I needed to decide whether I would have a single or a double mastectomy.

In the end I opted for the double and have never regretted this, as I feel that I have removed as much as could possibly be removed. I think that for this reason, I would tend to make the same decision as you in this case. Unfortunately, this is a decision that only you can make, because you have got to be happy with whatever you decide. I take it that you have discussed this thoroughly with both your surgeon and your oncologist?

I hope that your surgery goes well and that, whatever decision you reach is the right one for you. Do please stay in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Rachel

I also had cording following sentinel node biopsies done. I had faithfully been doing the exercises from the leaflet given to me. Maybe I had overdone things though and the cording became quite uncomfortable. Spoke to my Macmillan nurse who advised massage. It took about 2-3 weeks to gradually clear up and I was concerned it might make radiotherapy difficult. 
Anyway all was well with the radiotherapy and I hope you will soon be feeling better. It's a real pain and something that you can do without after everything else.

Best wishes for the New Year, I will be glad to see the back of this one!

Love Mary xx

Hello

sorry to bother you but I have a same situation like you and confuse between  under arm lymph nodes removal and under arm radiotherapy.What did you decide at the end?

Thanks

Hi There.

Sorry for the delayed response. I wasn't checking email.

I opted for the node clearance in the end. I'm glad I did. 

I did manage to speak to a couple of nurses and doctors other than my surgeon - who wasn't keen on surgery - and my oncologist who was. They all  agreed with oncologist and pointed out that surgeons are like carpenters and its the oncologist who understands cancer best in the round.if cancer has been in nodes best to have a clearance. There was some surprise that I had been offered radiotherapy, but that is the NICE recommendation. . Some speculated it's a cost isuue as radio costs less than surgery and has known side effects . The guidance says radio is only 'comparable' with surgery. In fact. although simialr in terms of outcome it does appear that a clearance is marginally better in terms of ourtcome (but it does have the risk of LYMphodema.) 

I found the surgery fine although I did get swelling at the wound site for a week or so and had to have a drain left in for a bit. I also got cording post surgery - it's like a rope going doen your arm but with exceise I have full movement 6 months post surgery and thankfully no lympodema and the cording has gone. I am 50 years old and excercise ( sometimes) !

There are NICE recommendations on it. www.nice.org.uk/.../Recommendations

some of them are -

'Do not offer further axillary treatment after primary surgery to people with invasive breast cancer who have only micrometastases in their sentinel lymph nodes. [2018]

1.4.10Do not offer further axillary treatment after primary surgery to people with invasive breast cancer who have only isolated tumour cells in their sentinel lymph nodes. Regard these people as having lymph node‑negative breast cancer. [2018]'

I was thought to have no lymph node involvement from ultrasound and only micrometastases from biposy but after surgery on histology one node had burst from the cancer - they could see that even after chemotherpy. The cancer had hopefully gone but the scar of it was one of my lymph nodes and I would not have known that - and that the biospy had not picked up the extent of cancer in my nodes other than through histology at surgery. It gave me peace of mind to an extent.

Bear in mind radiotherapy can only be given once to one part of your body. So i've had radio to the breast only and I would not be able to have radio again in that area. ( I didn't know that before surgery) 

PLease feel free to message me back and I wish you all the best.

Kindest regards

Caroline

Hi

Thank you so much for replying back.I am the same age as you and after  one sentinel node biopsy which it was involved,the surgeon offered me for under arm radiotherapy but when my radiologist got in touch with me ,she said surgery is a good option a part of the side affect of lymphadenopathy which these days less people having a problem.I was confused to decide until I talked to my oncologist ,as you said they are the best to help in these situations.She said because I am already on Herceptin which has harm on my heart function,adding radiotherapy under arm on the left makes more harm for your heart and we want to keep your heart more safe because you are a young lady.And it was the end and I decided to go for under arm surgery.Also I spoke to two Macmillan nurses and they were agreed for surgery.I want to be get rid of all the lymph nodes under arm to have peace in my mind.Hope surgery goes well with minimum side affects.I am glad you are doing ok.When was that when you got breast cancer,I mean how long she? Thank again for being kind to answer 

I had my mastectomy 4 weeks ago. Should it still hurt this much and I now have cording not in my arm but down towards my stomach is this normal? I am 70 and really want to feel normal again.