[Cath]

Hi Sarah,

I'm so sorry you are having trouble with lymphedema. My arm started to swell right after my surgery. I have been to a lymphedema specialist several times. Also wear the compression sleeve and gauntlet in the day, special night time garment at night, do manual compressions and exercises every day and use a compression pump every day for 2 hours. It is quite the pain! The swelling does not go down but over the past year it has not grown either but it is quite huge and ugly. My doctors (surgeon and onc) have always been very pro-active in trying to help me with this problem. In fact at my last onc visit he asked me if I wanted to see the lymphedema person again. I declined because I have been told everything that can be done has been done and with my insurance I have to pay a co-pay every time I see one. Yes, I have also tried the wraps also but that doesn't work either. So I hope you get your doctor to listen to you so you can at least keep your arm from getting anymore swollen. I'm sure yours will go down with treatment. Mine is just a very stubborn case. Please let me know if the acupuncture works as at this stage I would try anything.

Take care.
Cathy