what do you for very bad Truncal Lymphedema

Truncal Lymphedema
Had both breast removed, and on the left arm where the cancer was, they took out 16 lympnodes. 4 had cancer cells and the were finger tins going out to my blood stream, I did that out paient. on Jan-2010, Then Chemo Feb to June in 2010, radiation July to Sept, 2010.I did GREAT durring all that time, but sometime I sat on the couch doing nothing. During Radiation, I felt so good that I  panted and fixed up our the church!

But for about 6 months,Slowy I have been having pain under my arm. It feels like someone pushing a shovel in it. Then it feels like I was swelling from my breast, going around my back. It took about 4-6 months to get to my back. As it would get to a new area, as it moved torwards my back, it would hurt.  The skin feel kinda mushy, but not really noticable. I went to my breast Dr. to see what was going on. He just said it was nerves and scar tissue. I was still concerned, and went to my Chemo Dr. He didn't help.  

About a week and a half ago, I bent over to make up my bed. I had a sharp stabbing pain in my chest, at little above where my breast was. It was the worst I have ever felt. Since then I can't talk loud, take a deep breath, turn my head to the right, bend over, eat pee, etc. with out getting those sharp stabbing pains. My son came to get me a hug, and he barley touched me, and the sharp shooting pain happened, and I yelled! Now he's scared to touch me. I layed down in bed and when that pain hit, I couldn't move it was so intence, and yell "HELP ME!" Even though no one was in the house. Sometimes it feels like I'm bleeding under my arm even though I not. I feel like a bag of bees sting me, I feel heavyness.My breast area and under my arm can't stand nothing toung it.
Finally, my breast Dr. is giving me a CT scan, and other test next week. Then he set me up for Physical Therapy.
To can the scar tissue brocken up. I was in so much pain, and coun'd wait 4 days, so I when to PT. They did see me, and I didn't have a co-pay!! They said it was Truncal LE. That LE don't have to be in the arms, and can be ery painfull.

Has anyone else have these pains?? What do you do for it? TP laddy said don't message it till your CT scan comes back. Please tell me I don't have to be like this for 4 days!

[Tinabudde]

HI Jolynn, I have truncal lymphedema too.  What kind of physical therapy are they planning to do?  What you need for the lymphedema is combined decongestive therapy which is the gold standard treatment for lymphedema, any kind of lymphedema.  A specially trained certified therapist will work the fluid out of your body and also do techniques such as cross fibre friction, ect to break up scar tissue which can be blocking the nodes and causing the fluid to build up.  It does sound like the fluid could be causing neuropathy which is how those nasty pains feel.  They probably want to wait until the scan comes back to be sure there is no blood clot because if there was it would be dangerous to do any body work.  I would call to see if the results were back and get a copy to take over to the pt place and maybe they can work you in sooner.