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viv48's avatar
viv48
Member
14 years ago

plodding on

I haven't put in an entry for a while. Since I finished Radiotherapy in mid Sept last year I thought I was doing well. However since mid December up til now I have had 2 bouts of breast cellulitis, and am now on a very long course of anti-biotics to stop it coming back again. The consensis was that the radiotherapy badly damaged the breast cells and made them highly susceptible to infection - and I thought I had gotten off pretty lightly!! Now my surgeon thinks I have breast lymphodema and I need to go to a specialist physiotherapist for physio and laser treatment. So I am wondering how I will go. Anyone been down the same path?

3 Replies

  • MarianG's avatar
    MarianG
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Viv

    I have had swelling in the breast since radiotherapy finished in October. I just thought it was one of those side effects I would have to learn to live with as I had only had 2 lymph nodes removed, but after developing severe cording and pain in the arm I took myself off to the physiotherapist who said that I was at high risk of developong lymphodema in the breast and upper arm (didn't know you could get lymphodema in the breast!).  She has given me some simple exercises and massage techniques to do daily - takes about 10 minutes every day and has made a huge difference in improving the swelling and the pain. I don't think I was suffering as badly as it sounds like you are, but can highly recommend you follow up. My mum has terrible lymphodema following mastectomy 20 years ago and it is still causing her problems now, so I think it's something that  you need to take really good care of. Good luck with your treatment

    Marian

  • Chris's avatar
    Chris
    Member
    14 years ago
    Hi Viv, sorry to hear about your breast cellutitis and lymphodema. I have started to develop some lymphodema, and as of yesterday am wearing a sleeve to reduce the swelling. There are programs through the physio department for lymphodema, and they are pretty good. You don't want to neglet lymphodema, as it is better to treat very early than to leave it till it is a big problem. My health fund BUPA has a very generous lymphodema program through the hospital physio department. Good luck with your treatment. Love Chris
  • Chris's avatar
    Chris
    Member
    14 years ago
    Hi Viv, sorry to hear about your breast cellutitis and lymphodema. I have started to develop some lymphodema, and as of yesterday am wearing a sleeve to reduce the swelling. There are programs through the physio department for lymphodema, and they are pretty good. You don't want to neglet lymphodema, as it is better to treat very early than to leave it till it is a big problem. My health fund BUPA has a very generous lymphodema program through the hospital physio department. Good luck with your treatment. Love Chris