?????????? edema or lymphedema

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2Nan
2Nan Member Posts: 45
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

How do you know which is which.  I am going to be making an appt. with an LE Therapist recommended by my SO but I am not sure if I actually have lymphedema or edema.  The puffiness I get goes from my backside all the way across my incision and into the other side.  I have a knot on the left side caused from a hematoma, the SO says it will be there the rest of my life unless it gets to uncomfortable and then she said she would remove it.  It lays on my rib and I think part of my swelling issues are coming from that.  Don't really know but guess the LE Therapist should be able to tell me I hope.  She checked the knot to make sure there weren't cancer cells in it and there weren't so I am dealing with it as I really don't want any more surgery if I can help it.  Any wisdom ladies?????

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

    2Nan, lymphedema actually is edema (swelling) caused specifically by back up of lymphatic fluid. Edema can be caused by other fluids in the body. There is a woman who has posted here, who has had a swollen breast, and her LE therapist kept insisting it was edema NOT lymphedema. But, it responded to LE treatment.

    Joe Zuther wrote a whole blog page on when is it edema and when is it LE:

    http://www.lymphedemablog.com/2011/06/23/when-is-it-lymphedema/

    When the swelling goes to the back, it's suggestive of LE as the entire quadrant can be effected.

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

    Personally, I think what's important is that you get a therapist to check you out and to help reduce the swelling. Treating your swelling and making you comfortable are the main goals here.

    See what the therapist says about the swelling. 

    Please let us know how you make out.

    Kira

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  • 2Nan
    2Nan Member Posts: 45
    edited January 2012

    Update:  I still have not seen an LE therapist, mostly because the three times I have called the number I get a recording and I really would like if a person answered the phone as I don't like leaving messages on phones of places I am not familiar with.  They still have the holiday recording playing. Secondly I am still struggling with the whole do I have lymphedema or is my problem caused by this lump that is pressing on a lymph node.  I don't know but I am thinking I will call my doctors office and see if they will give me a number for a different LE therapist because I'm thinking if these people aren't answering the phone then what kind of care am I going to get.  JUST SAYING!  I think a lot of my problem is this bump, maybe I am only hoping but isn't that what keeps us all going. 

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited January 2012

    Back in the day I spent a lot of time hoping I had breast edema not lymphedema.... I was told there was a chance edema was reversable, edema not so much.

    I really don't worry about the distinction any more, even though my doctor said my breast might be edema not LE.

    At the end of the day for me the treatment was the same.

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  • 2Nan
    2Nan Member Posts: 45
    edited February 2012

    Well I finally had an appt. with the LE Therapist and she was really nice.  She says I have mild truncal LE and has made some recommendations.  She is also gonna try to work on my lump and if I can't get it to go away or down, I might have my surgeon try to remove it.  She is going to do some kenesio(sp) taping, massage and heat therapy.  She is also going to teach me the MLD massage which I was hoping she would do, so I can do it properly.  Will see how it all works out. The good part is I don't have it in my arms.

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