Topic: armpit problems after surgery

Hi Mizz

This is part of the healing process...are you doing the exercises the doctor gave you ?? this is very important..that "sowllen vein" will go away as you do the stretches you need to do...I still have a slight "vein" but it has gotten better...you really need to stretch that arm out as much as you can..I had to "walk the wall" with my fingers until my arm was all the way up..do the best you can, but do it..you will get results and the pain will ease up...

Keep in touch and let me know howyou are doing

Pat 

I think I haven't been doing my exercises enough then, will pay more attention to that.  I've been so keen to get back to normal and work before the next stage (chemo) that I haven't kept them going much.......  Glad to know that these things are normal..  thank you for the comments

Hello, that "swollen vein" is known as a Mondor's cord. It happens after breast surgery.  Anti-inflammatories and warm compresses help. It will eventually break up and go away. Gentle stretching will help as well.

This is a site to look at them to see if you have the same thing, they can occur under your arm,under your breast and even down your rib cage. They are painful, but they DO go away.

http://www.justbreastimplants.com/gallery/mondors_cord.htm 

thnaks for the picture link nosurrender.  I thought I might have cording from my SNB/lump in my underarm.  But really wasnt sure. Because I pictured it really pronounced.   The Pictures really helped...And Id say I do have it.

The "cording" in the armpit and under the arm is also called "axillary web syndrome."  I think Mondor's refers to the same thing when it occurs in the breast, chest wall, or abdomen.  The theory is that the cords are thrombosed veins or lymphatic vessels. They become cut off or occluded due to trauma during surgery.

Usually, the cords will disappear if you are diligent about stretching exercises, but they can come back much later if you stop.  Ibuprofen can help relieve the pain, which can be considerable.  Be careful about using too much heat on them--it can increase fluid in the tissues and lead to lymphedema (LE).

I had two cords form in my armpit about a month after my mast/SNB.  They went from the armpit up into my arm and almost to my elbow.  They were much more prominent than the one in the armpit in that photo (see the link posted earlier).  Mine looked like tight guitar strings and were easily visible when I raised my arm out to the side.  My surgeon referred me to a PT/LE therapist, but by the time of that appt (about 3 wks later), the cords were GONE.

otter