When to seek medical attention

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BlueCowgirl
BlueCowgirl Member Posts: 667
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

So I am about a month post lumpectomy/node dissection, 2 weeks past mastectomy, and had neoadjuvant chemo (AC/T). I have had mild to moderate pain in my "bad" arm since mastectomy, but suddenly tonight elbow area is very swollen and hot. I did some driving today for the first time since surgery, and may have aggravated it? After reading up on this forum, guessing it is LE :(

What I'm wondering is, is this something I need to address tomorrow (Sunday) or can it wait? The "Lymphedema Emergency" info is very nonspecific... 

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited August 2011

    BlueCowgirl, I see it's about 6 hours since you posted but you didn't get an answer. If it's still swollen and hot then don't wait, get it seen to. If it's red then circle the area of red with a pen so you can see if it progresses. Also, if it's red then get medical help immediately since it could be cellulitis which is a very bad infection.

    Best of luck. Let us know how you're doing.

    Leah

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited August 2011

    BlueCowGirl, I know it's a hassle on a weekend, but please don't wait. Hot and swollen is an infection, until proven otherwise, and they can progress very, very quickly.

    Best news would be a bursitis, but please get checked out, and when it settles down, it's worth an evaluation by a good LE therapist for the future.

    http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

    Please let us know how you're doing.

    Kira

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