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06-14-2007, 02:54 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London, England
Posts: 96
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Is lymphoedema starting? Please advise if you can
I'm feeling scared and panicky. Can anyone help me with this? I was about to go to bed just now, when I noticed that the fingers on my right hand are looking quite puffy. I've undone my bra and done a little gentle arm exercise, but I don't know what else to do - is there anything I can do? It's 11pm here, so I can't ask my doctor or chemo nurses. I had my modified radical mastectomy 13 months ago.
I would be so grateful if anyone can offer any advice now.
Thank you!
__________________
Caroline
Diag. March 10th 2006, aged 46.
Invasive ductal carcinoma, 2cm + multifocal. Stage 2, Grade 3
HER2+++, ER+/PR+
Right mast. May 2006. 6 of 20 nodes positive
FEC x 4, taxotere x 4; port implanted after 6 cycles
Rads x 25
1 year of Herceptin ended Nov 07.
Arimidex 5 years
Considering reconstruction, maybe soon...
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06-14-2007, 03:12 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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This happens to me in hot weather. Elevate your arm. Use pillows or watch some TV where you can lay your arm up on top the couch. While your arm is elevated, squeeze your hand about 5-10 times per minute to help pump some of the fluid out. When you do go to bed, make sure you elevate the arm and hand above your heart with pillows. While you are lying down, it won't be as high as you think.
This is a temporary thing for me especially in the summer and when using my affected side too long but it is the main reason I wear a cuff and glove when flying. And I don't have lymphedema and don't want it so I am careful since I do experience some retention like you did.
Hug to you
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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06-14-2007, 11:16 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,778
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Is your left hand puffy at all?
Herceptin can cause swelling of hands and feet and, considering the extensive axillary surgery you had with your mastectomy (looked at your profile) your right arm might not have as good of drainage of either venous blood or lymph
making it be more affected than the right side.
As Becky said, hot weather can cause swelling, even in those who haven't had the surgery you have.
If you are still concerned, take a coolish bath and immerse the arm. As water pressure is greater than atmospheric pressure, it will act like an elastic sleeve (or better). If it improves the situation, it will not differentiate between swelling from heat vs lymphedema, as you will have cooled yourself down (and hopefully destressed!)
Hope this helped!
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06-15-2007, 10:57 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,519
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A good discussion about lymphedema
__________________
Brenda
NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary
JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...)
Nov'03~ dX stage 2B
Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive
Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo.
Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only
Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin
Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg
Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin
May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now
June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic!
Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2
Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED
Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone)
Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers
Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion
Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable
June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads
Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors.
Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen.
Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen.
June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen.
Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice.
Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots.
Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011.
Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah.
"I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."
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06-17-2007, 07:27 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: I live in Christmas, MI - located on the shores of Lake Superior.
Posts: 606
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help for lymphoedema
I do not usually have problems except for in the summer. One other thing you can do is to stimulate the rest of your lymph nodes to work harder by massaging them. If you are unsure how to do this, talk to your doctor or a physical therapist that specializes in this problem.
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