New year, new lymph nodes - swimming?

My daily exercise regime is (5 of everything):

Deep breaths
Look hard to the left, then hard to the right - twisting your head as far round as possible
Head rolls to the left, then to the right
Shrugs, as far  up as possible
Bending elbows, push down from the shoulders as far as possible
Bending the elbows, rotate the arms, 5 forward, 5 back, 5 forward, 5 back, 5 forward.
Bending the elbows push back as far as possible  
Stretching the arms out both sides, twist the whole arm and hand forward, then back  
Imagine you have a broomhandle in your hands, lift it over your head, drop it down the far side of your neck, return 
Swing your arms across and over each other in front of torso  
Bend affected arm from the elbow so the hand touches the shoulder and straiten  
Using a stress ball, open and close the fingers  

Do twice a day. Once you have the pattern it takes about 3 to 4 minutes each time.

My physio suggested exercises that I do in the mornings. 
Roll shoulders back alternating, like you are doing backstroke - 10 on each side and then roll forward alternating, 10 of each.  She also recommended deep breathing.  Shrug both shoulders up, arms straight by your side, take a deep breath hold for count of 5 and then release slowly bringing shoulders down to normal position - repeat 5 times.  
Good to do in front of the mirror before dressing.

Hope that helps someone!

Take care

@Zoffiel I'm at my daughter's place in the Blue Mts at the moment, and the Blue Mts Council has free entry to swimming pools for over 75s. I know not many people here are as old as I, but I think it would be worth doing some advocacy with local governments (especially in Qld as our municipal elections are coming up in March) about free swimming passes - not just for we oldies, but for people with special needs. I'm going to hit our Brisbane City Council about it when I get home. Since the surgeon gave me permission in December to swim again, I've been using my son's pool; but come winter, it's not heated, so I'll be going back to the Council pool. The problem is, of course, with some of them that they've been privatised. Bloody privatisation! Well, shall see, anyway.

No, @"Summer Prevails". Those two poses don't require much balance or any arm waving :) I find them a useful way to stretch my armpits and really push my hands into the floor which seems to activate my lymphatic system.

I've done yoga for many years and have developed a set of ' saluations' that feel good for me. The emphasis is on stretching and flowing iinto the next pose. My knees are shot, my bloody feet are foreign bodies and I can never be sure which bit of me will ache today, but I invariably feel better for the effort and, for me,  the whole routine seems to help that disgusting heavy feeling in my arm.
I've been picking up a few more shifts at work so have taken the plunge and  joined the gym. I had a ''pity pass' for a few months and when that ran out I really missed the classes and the pool. Financially it's a pinch, but that's too bad. Some things just need to be done.

I haven't suffered from lymphoedema but do get cording badly.  Swimming is fantastic and if you do some exercises in the water pushing and pulling the water with your hands as paddles, you will get some resistance happening which is what you want for bone density.  I was really worried about some things such as kayaking but got the clearance from the specialist physio with the proviso to listen to my body and not overdo it.  I'm no athlete but I find that a bit of gentle kayaking and paddleboarding does my arm good.  I went boogie boarding for the first time since surgery today and while I got tired from the stretching, it felt really good afterwards.

Child's pose and down dog don't involve raising the arm. Child's pose is fantastic for your back. I don't have any heaviness in my arm and while I know elevation is good, it's hard to maintain. I do some good elevation and stretching with weights. I suspect like most bc related things, lymphoedema is a bit different for everyone. So whatever works for you, stick with it. 

@kmakm and @"Summer Prevails" I've been swimming again since the second week in December and It's wonderful. I've always been a fish - happier in the water than anywhere, and it's the only time I know I'll be without pain. I've convinced myself that it must be good for my lymphedema - the movement of the water against my arm should be similar to massaging it. I'm up to 500 metres a day and am consolidating there. Shall start building on that soon.

I've not heard anything about wearing sleeve while swimming. I don't. I wear a fairly close-fitting long-sleeved rashie anyway. I have noticed that I feel a bit swollen sometimes after swimming, but then it settles by the end of the day. I don't know whether the swelling is in my arm or in the flesh around my expander. I'm conscious that since I've been swimming again, I think that underneath my dog-ear flap under my arm is a bit more "muscular". I might be imagining it. 

I'll discuss it with my physio when I see here again towards the end of the month.

@"Summer Prevails". By not pushing hard enough I mean that many of the other ladies just get in the pool and think that it is a social occasion, rather than an opportunity to do the exercises as well as they can. Or, they are afraid that their bodies might break. My idea with exercise is go hard or stop. 

Zoffiel said:

Go for it @"Summer Prevails" I also find some yoga poses--down dog and child's pose in particular--help ease that heavy feeling. My lymphoedema is intermittent and really only presented after I had a bout of cellulitis and I rarely wear my sleeve (which is a shitty fit anyway) mxx

Are those poses with arms in the air? My yoga speak is terrible :/ I have been meaning to start yoga for YEARS and one of my best friends is an instructor...still haven’t! 

Do you have swelling though? How do you get away with not wearing your sleeve? If I don’t my arm gets very angry and has a tantrum. 

@"Patti J" How do you mean, not pushing hard enough?