Help with Lymphedema

phurst · 06-26-2013, 05:47 PM

My wife is 5 years out of triple positive.Had all her lymph nodes removed.She just got stung by a bee on her bad arm.She always swells badly from bee stings.We called Dr. and he said to keep it iced and elevated.Any other advice.She has not had lymphedema before.Any advice.

BonnieR · 06-26-2013, 05:59 PM

Keep a very close eye on it. Watch for it getting hot But the one time I had an episode/flare up, a lymph edema specialist MD put me on Cipro immediately to prevent infection or cellulitis (in fact she gave me a supply to have on hand just in case) I recommend talking to the doctor about preventative antibiotics sooner than later
Keep the faith

Jackie07 · 06-26-2013, 06:29 PM

I'd had a tiny bug bite in the yard while undergoing chemo. It became cellulitis and I had to go to the hospital to get IV antibiotic. The therapist then wrapped my arm and taught me how to do it myself. Watch it closely and see if redness develops. Mine had spread to my elbow area (within 2, 3 days) before we rushed to the oncologist's office. The antibiotic was effective and I was sent to a lymphedema specialist afterwards. She showed me how to do massage to my arm and measured my arms and fingers for a pair of compression sleeve and glove.

Six years later, I don't even wear my compression sleeve/glove regularly anymore. (Have had replaced it twice) A couple of months ago, I got a tiny cut on my finger and I just put Neosporin on it and wrapped with a band-aid. It healed by itself.

phurst · 06-26-2013, 06:40 PM

Thanks for the quick reply.called the Dr. and he is putting her on cipro.She always swells badly from any bite.We just hope it goes down soon.She is scheduled for back surgery Friday.As she says "I can't catch a break"

BonnieR · 06-27-2013, 05:57 PM

Hows it going today?
Keep the faith.

phurst · 06-27-2013, 06:19 PM

Hi BonnieR
Thanks for your imput. I called everywhere this morning trying to get someone familiar with Lymphedema to look at it.evryone keep telling me they could not see her unless she was referred by a Dr.We finally went to her GP and he said it was a normal swelling from a wasp sting and to keep an eye on it.Well the sting was on her hand and it is she is swollen past her elbow.She is scheduled for back surgery tomorrow and she is just praying this does not hold it up.
Like you said we must keep the faith.
Thanks
Cole

BonnieR · 06-27-2013, 06:57 PM

I'm not a doctor obviously, and did not see it, but that sounds like more than a normal sting reaction. I think your instincts are right. Is this the doctor who ordered the Cipro? Sounds like the people you called we're lymph therapists rather than specialist MD
Maybe her oncologist would take more interest. Or the doctor who is going to be doing the surgery
At any rate, watch swelling and redness. And that she doesn't get a fever
Keep the faith

BonnieR · 06-28-2013, 03:27 PM

Oh, you mentioned upcoming surgery. Be watchful of her affected arm. Despite signs all over my room and chart AND a medic alert bracelet, they STILL put an IV in my affected arm when I was unconscious!
Keep the faith

chicagoetc · 07-02-2013, 05:59 PM

Agree with Bonnie. Good to be careful! (I wear a compression sleeve most of the time now...6 years later...but it's worth it if you need it...)

Melanie

norkdo · 07-02-2013, 06:13 PM

I also had all my lymph nodes removed in one arm. never had lymphedema. I work in an unkept park setting....in the wild, so to speak..I got poison ivy totally covering my legs recently, and a touch on my arm but no, i never thought about lymphedema during it. I am not a doctor but I wouldn't see a connection between bee sting and lymphedema. I got a very severe dog bite this past winter, on the lymphless side of me, too but it eventually healed totally. My bet is she will be fine!!!

IrvineFriend · 07-02-2013, 06:49 PM

Hi there,

I would get a referral to a lymphedema specialist. Mine started with a spider bite (by the way, a good many cases start with just a bug bite!) and then progressed. I'm careful with my arm, especially cuts, etc. The specialist will give her exercises to do to prevent it and if there is any swelling beyond the bug bite, will fit her with a sleeve, etc.

Anyway, I am back to playing tennis but switch between arms.

-Julie

BonnieR · 07-02-2013, 08:35 PM

Nora, good for you! I'd say you have been very fortunate. Most people who have hade nodes removed are cautioned to avoid stings, scrapes, cuts, etc and are advised to wear gloves to garden. Hot tubs are discouraged along with sun exposure
d. I only had a sentinel node (and a few that were along for the ride )removed, yet some sun exposure brought on an episode for which I needed treatment. The potential is there which is why we are advised to use the non-affected arm for BP, blood draws etc
Keep the faith

KsGal · 07-04-2013, 11:08 PM

I have lymphedema. Im pretty sure you would know the difference between lymphedema and normal swelling once it starts up, but definitely better to have it checked out, which you did.
I slammed my finger in a cabinet at work, and kind of messed up my fingernail. A couple days later that finger was so swollen it looked like it belonged to Mickey Mouse. It has never totally gone away. Also, I counted money a lot at work, and even the repetitive motion of that caused my hand to swelling up. Thats gone now since I no longer work.
I sure hope your wife is doing okay! Lots of prayers and positive energy headed your way.

NEDenise · 07-05-2013, 07:13 AM

Cole,
Thinking of you and your lovely wife this morning. Did the back surgery go on as planned? From my experience... the wasp sting probably hurt more that the surgery!! (I can't seem to catch a break either... check the signature if you're interested!

Please post when you can and let us know about her arm, and her back.
Sending warm, healing energy south to you both...
Denise

sarah · 07-05-2013, 07:45 AM

Hello,
Hope a doc who knows about this stuff took a look but someone should also teach you how to do the pumping exercise and if you have a tendency to swell up, I would think a compression sleeve would be a good idea. Your GP sounds a little casual.
pumping exercise: raise arm straight up and make a fist and pump fist at a regular speed, not necessary to pump hard just same speed. you can also very gently massage arm from hand up but best to have someone show you. did you ever go for physical therapy for this? generally after surgery they send you to someone even in the US - if so, maybe you can go back to them.
good luck and if you ever prick that hand, put a disinfectant on it immediately and try not to carry anything heavy.
health and happiness
sarah

norkdo · 07-09-2013, 07:02 AM

lovely kind sisters!! thank you, bonnie and all here. Gee I need to get a compression sleeve! I also forgot to say I slammed the van door on the thumb of that lymphless arm last fall after my failed recon (and two months of daily visits to the clinic for burn victim-foil bandage changes) and the blackened thumbnail eventually fell off and a new one came in, so bonnie, thanks for that as now I can consider myself lucky!! With such a physical job (dog walking, throwing dogs in my van, exhausting em at the park and returning them to houses with difficult key turning, etc) I now consider myself very very lucky to be able to still work! I just got tennis elbow on that side too, so with all the cuts on that arm all the time from my work, I promise to be much more circumspect. didn't know about all these dangers, or just forgot?
wow, spider bites are the worst thing you can get! my dog got one and it swelled to melon size, and had to be lanced. awful!!!

caya · 07-09-2013, 07:16 AM

I had 16 lymph nodes removed, and 2 years after my MRM I cut myself while slicing veggies. I did clean it, applied polysporin - but the next morning my entire right hand was slightly swollen. I knew immediately it was lymphedema and called my breast surgeon's office. His secretary said it could not be lymphedema because I was 2 years out from the surgery - uh, I told her- it can happen 20 years after the surgery, get me in to see him. She got me in the next day, and he was glad I had insisted, as it was lymphedema, albeit a very mild case. He sent my to the lymphedema clinic at the hospital, I got a compression sleeve and glove, which I only wear when I fly, and even then I sometimes forget.

I did get massage instruction, and have a yearly follow up at the clinic where they do the arm measurements etc. I am very very careful not to lift anything heavy, and try not to cut myself, of course - but if I do, I immediately clean and bandage it. You can't be too careful - I try my best, and my lymphedema is almost nil.

all the best
caya

NEDenise · 07-09-2013, 07:59 AM

Caya,
Don't you just love having to teach health care professionals things!

Nora,
If you decide to get a sleeve, may I recommend the Lymphadiva brand. They're pricey, but I have 2 different brands, and the Lymphadiva ones are markedly more comfortable and stylish. Oh, and they also work better!

Denise

sarah · 07-09-2013, 08:42 AM

Norkdo, look at this tennis ball launcher on Amazon, I bought one here in France and it's fantastic. Before that I wondered why my shoulder was killing me!!! too funny, throwing balls for my friends two obsessive border collies!!!
http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classi.../dp/B00006IX59
order one immediately! no more tennis elbow!
lol
sarah

norkdo · 12-26-2013, 01:42 AM

sarah: thank you so much, you are a doll! Yes I go through about six of these chuckit launchers a year (cos i lose them in the park, being an airheaded idiot...some of my dogs chew them if i put em down and then run off with them. when they chew the head of these they are no longer any good). but you are a doll to send me that. Now i know how overpriced they are at our local stores here. (three times the price amazon sells em for). the dollar store imitations are garbage. Thanks to you i am going to start buying groups of ten of these on amazon instead of buying them locally!!!
Poor you with the lucky border collies! What a hyper pair they must be! Do they bark at you, urging you to throw the ball? My pack (about thirteen on bad days, as few as eight on good days, and my husband takes a separate pack out too) bark at me en masse from the second we hit the park, urging me to throw the ball. Am so happy two feet of snow are on the ground right now, in winter, as I can't take balls into the park or i will lose them in the snow. So am getting a break from tennis elbow right now!