cording after having blood pressure taken

I stumbled unto this site and have never done anything like this so am trying to catch up with everyone.  I wrote my story on Elanye's page if you would care to read it.  I was a nurse for 45 years before I retired and if does distress me that the nurse didn't listen. I had the physio in hospital Mater Brisbane when I had the lefty off then had a visit to the  Mater Lymph clinic in Bundy between losing lefty and the chemo as I had 26 lymph nodes removed and had an irrational rear of lymphoedema and she trained me to do the lymph drainage myself which i added to the exercises the physio gave me.  I don't have to do drainage on the right as there were no lymph nodes removed.  I visited the lymph clinic every 3 months during all the chemo and radium then 6 months and now 12 months.  5 years out - with the bone mestestas but still breathing - I do the curves gym a few times a week - laps in the heated pool a few times a week (well I did before the pool closed for reconstruction but it will soon open again) the weights (2kg) and lymph drainage every day.  I have never had a problem.  You might consider when your lymphoedema settles if a lymph clinic/nurse/OT/physio would be willing to teach you how to do your own lymph drainage between visits.  It is quite simple and does not take very long.  I wear a sleeve when I fly.  I have been lucky not to have had a problem  so I am not sure if my remarks are helpful to somone who has been a sufferer.    All the best.  XX V  

I stumbled unto this site and have never done anything like this so am trying to catch up with everyone.  I wrote my story on Elanye's page if you would care to read it.  I was a nurse for 45 years before I retired and if does distress me that the nurse didn't listen. I had the physio in hospital Mater Brisbane when I had the lefty off then had a visit to the  Mater Lymph clinic in Bundy between losing lefty and the chemo as I had 26 lymph nodes removed and had an irrational rear of lymphoedema and she trained me to do the lymph drainage myself which i added to the exercises the physio gave me.  I don't have to do drainage on the right as there were no lymph nodes removed.  I visited the lymph clinic every 3 months during all the chemo and radium then 6 months and now 12 months.  5 years out - with the bone mestestas but still breathing - I do the curves gym a few times a week - laps in the heated pool a few times a week (well I did before the pool closed for reconstruction but it will soon open again) the weights (2kg) and lymph drainage every day.  I have never had a problem.  You might consider when your lymphoedema settles if a lymph clinic/nurse/OT/physio would be willing to teach you how to do your own lymph drainage between visits.  It is quite simple and does not take very long.  I wear a sleeve when I fly.  I have been lucky not to have had a problem  so I am not sure if my remarks are helpful to somone who has been a sufferer.    All the best.  XX V  

Thanks Merilla, my lymphedema well under control once the Occupational therapist got me sorted.  I can't emphasise enough about seeing a correct person.  My Occupational therapist told me that not all "oncology massage therapists" are properly qualified.  Not sure if you are public or private?  I saw a private OT to start with, but that got expensive.  As I had had my radiation through the public system I was lucky enough to be seen by a brilliant Onclolgy occupational therapist.  I would actually try calling and Occupational therapist first and asking if they are lymhedema trained.  Sorry to sound like a lymphedema know-it-all, but have been down a hard road and have learnt a lot about the correct treatment.  Hopefully your's is not lymphedema, but if it is, it is manageable.

Good luck ;)

Thanks so much mum2jj, I will do just that, I was thinking an oncology massage therapist would be the right person to see. All the best to you also with your Lymphedema, hope all is well with you!

Hi,

I am a lymphedema sufferer.  I would be getting an immediate referal to an occupational therapist.  Just in case it is the early stages of lymphedema.  Unfortunately I did not do this and as a result my lymphedema was quite bad.  I am not saying it is lymphedema, but always wise to check.  If someone is not lymhedema trained they may not be aware of the correct way to massage your arm.  Occupational therapists are usually brilliant with this.  That nurse needs to be educated immediately.  Hopefully everything will turn out OK, but just the same she could do real damage to someone in the future.  You should not have needed to be assertive, she should have been better educated.  Wishing you all the best.

:)

Thanks for replying lutte, it makes me mad that when I questioned  it they just said "no it will be ok" and unfortunately I was very unwell & just not in a state to really question them, which I now regret of course, but I would like to think they would all know this!