Breast lymphedema, uncommon but of course I have it!

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Nicole112
Nicole112 Member Posts: 327
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

All,

Some of you ladies may be following my threads, I have been going crazy with post treatment issues, not life threatening! Thanks be to God, but none the less, uncomfortable and concerning!

I had found a lump again in the tumor area months after treatment an thought the worst, to find out it was infection... well, the infection is gone but I still have pockets of fluid and inflammation.... after many dr's visits and different opinions, we have finally concluded that I have breast lymphedema! Have any of you woman been diagnosed with this???

I go to the lymphedema clinic next friday... I never knew that you could get it in your breast! Let me conclude by saying, I am really grateful it is not cancer! But, I'm hopeful someone out there is ahead of me with this issue and can let me know what to expect with treatment/ massage therapy?

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  • Pat634
    Pat634 Member Posts: 271
    edited October 2010

    Yes I have. My drains came out too soon and then they weren't sure why I had 11cm of fluid in my armpit and breast (and now a bit in the left arm). Was told it was a hematoma, then a seroma, then was treated for a cellulitus, etc. It postponed my radiation treatment for months and then I was finally allowed to take it and of course radiation makes lymphedema worse. So now I too go for massage and therapy.  They told me that the lymph system doesn't have its own pump like the circulatory system does so using the muscles on the affected side helps to pump fluid from the breast towards the stomach where there are more lympth nodes. The massages and exercising is supposed to help reroute the fluid to other parts of the body and in theory you are supposed to "pee" it out.  Sadly I find all that helps for a few hours then its back to my new "normal" again. When I came right out and asked if this will ever go away all I got was a half reassuring "maybe".

    Everyone is different though so maybe that will be what it takes to finally help you.

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  • Nicole112
    Nicole112 Member Posts: 327
    edited October 2009

    Pat,

    I reposted this under the lymphedema thread as I thought I would get more women with this situation, please look for that thread, there are some good posts there with some good web pages, if you can't find it let me know here and I will try and redirect you. I think it good we all keep each other posted on our progress. I literally thought I was the only one with this issue, never before had I heard of lymphedema in the breast! UURRGGHH!

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