I have been absolutely paranoid about my right arm since surgery, thinking I would get Lymphoedema. Today I saw my physio at the hopsital for my post radiation arm measurements and I was so happy that my arm has actually got smaller! So now I will try and relax about it and just get on with treating it "normally". Just thought I'd share ! Sarah x

Hi Sarah I am the same too. Had my operation on 21 December and am just finishing radiation (last session tomorrow - hurrah!). I keep feeling my arm and waking up after dreaming it has swollen to elephantine proportions! See the physio on Monday to get measured. Fingers crossed! Amy x

Hi Manda, I had my op back in late November & my arm's still not 100%, but it's getting there. I had lymphatic massage as well as physio on my arm from mid December through to mid January. The lymphatic massage helped to smooth out all the lumps & got the circulation going. The physio was quite painful, but helped stretch out the muscles & tendons that needed stretching to give me more movement. After that I felt great. I was just like you & getting cranky about the limited things that I could do with my left arm. So give it some more time & it will be back to normal. I'd say I had full movement by 6 weeks after surgery, but I was hanging out the washing long before that & playing with my friend's baby. You can't rush your recovery & it's great that you are off to physio, just what you need now. Take care, Wendy

Hi Manda, I had my op in late November last year. I started lymphatic drainage massage 2 weeks after to help get the circulation going again. Then 2 weeks later I went to a physio & she stretched out the muscles & tendons & this helped tremendously with my movement. It was very painful, but I felt so much better after each treatment. She was quite dissapointed in my last treatment that I wasn't cringing anymore, sadist! Then back to the lymphatic drainage massage for another 2 weeks. It took 6 weeks before I had full movement back in my left arm, but I was hanging out my washing & playing with my friends 1 year old long before that. I'm sorry you'll just have to be a bit more patient, but going to physio on Monday is a great start. Take care, Wendy

Hi Amy Good luck with the last radiation know how that feels - fantastic. Also good luck at the physio's on Monday. Hope all goes well. ??I? ?l?a?u?g?h?e?d? ?a?t? ?y?o?u??? ?d?r?e?a?m?i?n?g? ?o?f? ?y?o?u??r ?a?r?m? ?s?w?e?l?i?n?g? ?t?o? ?e?l?e?p?h?a?n?t?i?n?e? ?p?r?o?p?o?r?t?i?o?n?s?.? ??I?t?'?s? ?t?h?e? ?s?o?r?t? ?o?f? ?t?h?i?n?g? ????????I? ????d?o???! Fingers crossed? Sarah

Hi Manda Thanks for your positive comments. I know just how you feel. I had a pretty rough time from my surgery and no-one could touch my arm it was so sore and sensitive, even had to wear a sling for it for a while.But slowly doing the exercises from the physio at the times she specified I got it back to nearly normal. My favourite one is still spiders up the wall! just creeping those fingers up the wall and feeling the stretch, it used to feel like it would snap (it never did!). Am hoping to join our local dragon boat group to help with my arm movement too. It's a good way to exercise and meet some more amazing people! You'll be cuddling your 4 year old in no time! Good luck Sarah x

Arm paranoia | BCNA Online Network

21 Replies

Julie_A
Member
14 years ago
To all the wonderful women that have answered my post and continued this post going - thank you.

I have made an appointment with a physio that specialises in the lymph nodes. I'm sure she has a title, but as long as she helps me I will call her whatever she wants me to.

I was never told about keeping your skin moist, however my mother had a lymph node out earlier this year and her phsio told her, so I have been moisturising daily. I spoke to my gp about a compression bandage and she said the physio may have one made up for me. In the mean time I've got it on my chemist shopping list.

My goal is to be strong enough to join a dragon boat team like you Sarah. Oh and loose the 10kg I've put on. Everyone thinks because you are having chemo you are going to loose weight - I wish... I would like to think it's the steriods, but I know it's the comfort eating and lack of exercise. I use go to the gym 3-4 times a week and had a PT session once a week. Now the only exercise I get is trying to find my car in the car park (which of course I put down to chemo brain).

I'm going to bring up another topice and that is BRAS. I had a partial mastectomy and my surgeon did a fantastic job of massaging my fat around, so my left brest (under a bra and clothes) looks the same as the right. Or mayb no one is game enough to tell me I look lopsided. I have not been able to find a comfortable bra and although never being told by any professional, I have stopped wearing underwire bras. The range of non underwire bras is very limited. I went to buy a new one last weeked and it just ended up in tear. My darling husband (who we fondly call Danos) went on line and bought me a Genie bra (but waite there is more - you get 3 for the price of 1). What a waist of money. I have some "never been worn" size "L" Genie bras if anyone wants them. I feel like I have a rubber band around my chest (under the brests) I've included an expander on my bras but that doesn't help either. Buying a larger size has not been an option as I'm on the border and have to go up a cup size if I want a larger size. The flabby "blob" I have been left with after surgery doesn't help either. If anyone has any tips it would be appreciated. I think I wil try my old faithful underwire bras.

Without trying to take advantage of all of us. I think there is money to be made is designing a comfortable bra.

Final round of chemo tomorrow - Yeepee

Take care everyone

xxx Julie
pisces_tas
Member
14 years ago
yes, thankfully people do get onto massage early, and learning how to drain lymph, plus moisturizing does help to keep skin supple, protected and lymph moving. i had a " bad " experience. something i have to live with. i think was in denial and not coping with everything, plus did not know where to turn for help. my GP did not know a lot and the physio i had was not so helpful. i also did not know how to ask for help perhaps?

i too am in a good place, having met some great people where i volunteer; also a new male friend after 10 years single. i too want to travel. i have done a few trips the last couple of years. also this site has some amazing people.

i do have discomfort at times... but i am careful now.. and do my own massage and have had laser. i understand the anatomy and physiology of the lymph better, so i can work with my body and not against it. there is ageing coming into it too...

one day at a time.. all the best.. love kathy. OOXX