Could this be LE?

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AmyIsStrong
AmyIsStrong Member Posts: 1,755
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

Ok so here's a question I never wanted to have to ask! (But thank you in advance for being there and giving feedback).

Had lumpectomy and SNB three years ago, 2 nodes removed.  Since then I have been VERY active, lots of weight lifting , exercise, fitness stuff etc. Never a problem. (I wear a sleeve/gauntlet when flying and no bp or blood draws on that side.)

SO out of the blue, last night, I felt my thumb start to hurt. The fat part below the thumb itself. I ignored it at first but it hurt more and more AND MORE.  Could not think of anything that hurt it during the day. I did lift a LOT of boxes (maybe 25 or so at 20lb/ea) for work and did run on the treadmill for an hour, but none of that is unusual for me.  
It is possible i banged my hand/thumb area when moving the boxes but nothing that I particularly remember.

So by the time i went to bed, it was DEF swollen in that lower area and really hurting, especially when I did the 'pinching' motion between thumb and forefinger. Nowhere else (hand/wrist/arm).  If I press on it, it feels sore on the joint, and when I flex the thumb knuckle, I can feel it hurt a little. Much better this morning though.

So I didn't even consider it could be LE, just figured I banged it somehow. But then it occurred to me that I'd better ask.

Your thoughts? And any suggestions?  

Thank you again!

Amy 

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  • J9W
    J9W Member Posts: 395
    edited March 2012

    Amy, it could be cellulitus.  One day at work I reached for a cardboard file folder and got a paper cut. I didn't pay too much attention to it and three days later, after swelling and pain in that finger I went to the ER and lo and behold it was cellulitus. Heavy antibiotics were prescribed.  My finger actually started to bother me within 12 hours of getting that paper/cardboard cut.

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited March 2012
    Amy - Is it warm or red at all?
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  • nurseronda10
    nurseronda10 Member Posts: 209
    edited March 2012

    Amy, I have LE primarily in my thumb.  It pretty much stays sore to touch....the more swollen the more sore it is.  I can always tell when I need to put my compression glove on by how my thumb feels.  I was going to physical therapy to regain motion in my arm when the thumb started swelling.  I showed it to her but she acted clueless so went to my breast surgeon and he took one look and said "that is LE."  FYI, I do wear a compression sleeve with the custom glove with any activity and at work.  For the most part if I am just lounging at home, I don't wear either but keep my arm elevated while watching TV, etc.  Hope this helps.

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  • AmyIsStrong
    AmyIsStrong Member Posts: 1,755
    edited March 2012

    not red or warm at all.  

    I am going to give it the weekend and see what happens. I had cellulitis once (poison ivy related in my leg, nothing to do with BC, but it SUCKED!!!) and it doesn't seem like that AT ALL.

    Thank you everyone. 

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited March 2012

    Amy, besides elevation and giving it a rest, stay REALLY well hydrated (helps dilute lymph fluid and keep it moving) and every so often stop and take some deep abdominal breaths (stimulates the largest lymph vessel in our bodies).

    Essentially, yes, it could be LE, and no, it isn't necessarily. Hope it's just a strain and you've already seen the worst of it!Smile Take care, and let us know what you discover.

    Be well,
    Binney

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  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 2,781
    edited March 2012

     Smart girl for asking about it Amy. Keep an eye on it. My sis. friend moved her mothers boxes and came down with LE. She is now in garments and is well managed.  On the other hand it sounds like you may have bumped  or caught it, maybe a little twist. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our tasks we forget to be careful.  This is always my mistake. Gotta slow down because in the end it works out for the best. Now that I said it, I have to put it into practice. Binney has given you fine advice.

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited March 2012
    Amy - How is your thumb doing today?
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  • AmyIsStrong
    AmyIsStrong Member Posts: 1,755
    edited March 2012

    Totally odd. It happened Thurs night. By Fri was about 50% better and then by Sat was 100% better. By Sun and today there is absolutely no sign that it ever happened.

    I am going to watch it. If it recurs after exertion, I will have a better sense that it could be LE. Otherwise I'm going to chalk it up to being a one-time thing - maybe I banged it or whatever.

    Thank you ladies SO MUCH for your invaluable feedback, advice & support.

    Amy 

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited March 2012
    That's great Amy!  It probably happened when you were playing toss with those 50 pound boxes - you know you're too old for that !  Laughing
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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited March 2012

    Hey, I just looked at your signature and you are 3 years out next month - is that right? Congratulations!!

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  • AmyIsStrong
    AmyIsStrong Member Posts: 1,755
    edited March 2012

    Yup  - three years. DX was 3/2, surgery was 3/16. So I just passed both those dates.  It was on my mind more in those few weeks but now I've (mostly) forgotten it is 'anniversary season.'

    It definitely is feeling like a long time ago now.  But in some ways, it makes the thought of recurrance worse because I am so far out of the medical world, it would be SO devestating to re-enter it.

    Saw the surgeon for mammo and exam last month. (Both were fine). She was very positive that I have 'beaten it' and will go on with life and leave this in the past.  I tried to draw from her certainty and put the occasional bad thoughts to bed.

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited March 2012
    Hey! Hey! Congrats on both the resolution of the hand issue and the three year anniversary. Chocolate all around!Cool
    Binney
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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited March 2012
    Binney - I just read a news article yesterday saying that people who ate chocolate 'often' were slimmer than people who ate it 'occasionally'.  Didn't matter how much.  I'm heading to the store!!
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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited March 2012

    Omaz, bless the kindly reporter who wrote that article!Kiss Fortunately I don't even need to go to the store, just hit my secret chocolate stash!Cool

    Thank you, thank you!Wink
    Binney

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited March 2012

    the findings suggest that the health benefits of chocolate may be linked to how many times in a given week chocolate is eaten rather than the total amount consumed in that week, says the study's lead researcher, Beatrice Golomb, an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Eating a small amount of chocolate each of five days during a week was linked to a lower BMI, even if the person ate more calories overall and didn't exercise more than other participants.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303404704577305611908900258.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited March 2012

    Omaz, you made my day!Laughing Well, you and Beatrice Golomb. Further study is obviously needed to determine whether Cadbury's or Trader Joe's Belgian Chocolate is the more effective treatment.

    Maybe I need to move to San Diego....
    Binney

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited March 2012

    Laughing munch munch....

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  • KS1
    KS1 Member Posts: 632
    edited March 2012

    Alas, according to the NYTimes report, consuming too much chocolate at once was not so great

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/26/the-chocolate-diet/?ref=health

    "Still, the findings should not be taken as a license to overindulge in chocolate eggs and bunnies this Easter. Dr. Golomb cautioned that it was the frequency of chocolate consumption - not the amount per serving - that had a beneficial effect on B.M.I. Indeed, there was a small trend toward higher B.M.I.'s among those consuming larger amounts of chocolate per sitting."

    So the takehome lesson is: for optimal BMI (and friendship), make brownies frequently, but share generously.

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited March 2012

    "It's my favorite vegetable," Dr. Golomb says. She explains that chocolate contains antioxidants like epicatechin, which other research has shown appears to boost the energy-producing elements of the body's cells.

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited March 2012

    Kira, with that last explanation I hereby officially change my pre-workout routine. After downing a bottle's worth of water 30 minutes ahead, I'll eat a square of luscious dark chocolate.  Hydration + 'energy-producing elements' sounds like a winning combination for me! 

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  • Marple
    Marple Member Posts: 19,143
    edited March 2012
    I do not have one ounce of chocolate in this house.  Well, other than baking chocolate.  THAT, my dear friends is going to change.Laughing
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  • olearca
    olearca Member Posts: 215
    edited March 2012

    LOVE this!!  Adding Dark Chocolate to my "self care" routine. 

    Binney, have you tried the Trader Joe's dark chocolate covered pomegranate seeds?  I always tell myself they are good for me.  I havent' seen the covered blueberries, but going to look for them.  Gotta get those anti-oxidants somehow! 

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited March 2012

    How did I miss the dark chocolate pomegranate seeds?!Surprised Think of the fiber that could add to our diets! I love their dark chocolate covered ginger too. All health foods, obviously.

    Kira, thanks for that delicious nformation -- gotta love that epicatechin!

    Amy, we have stolen your thread and I apologize, but I hope you're at least finding lots of suggestions here for your dual celebration.Smile Stay well!
    Binney

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  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited March 2012

    I love baking chocolate, when it is very high quality.  I eat Ghirardelli unsweetened baking chocolate, just plain.  Not even out of desperation, I just like it!  (But I like sweeter versions of chocolate, too...equal opportunity chocolate eater here!)

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  • BeckySharp
    BeckySharp Member Posts: 935
    edited March 2012

    I eat a small piece of dark chocolate every day.  It keeps me sane as I lose weight.  I decided on my own that it was good for you.  Glad the researchers decided to confirm my hypothesis!

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