Fractured my shoulder

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Alicia70598
Alicia70598 Member Posts: 191
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

I fractured my shoulder today and it will have to be immobilized for 6 weeks. Any tips to avoid lymphrdema? Can I ice it? 

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

    Cookie, Binney, Kira and all the experts, Can you help Alicia? I am not a pro and I think you girls know more about lymphedema than me.

    Alicia, For now, go to stepup-speakout.org. Some of the girls here made the website and it is so helpful. Your other post on the wrap thread says you have a sleeve. Do you have lymphedema or do you just wear it proactively?  Don't get carried away with the ice. Take some deep adominal breaths and drink lots of water to flush the extra lymph fluid if you have swelling. With a broken shoulder you will have a hard time elevating your arm so then try to rest it on pillows so your arm doesn't dangle down as the fluid will just head down to your wrist and have a hard time pumping back up if you have lymphedema. 

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  • Alicia70598
    Alicia70598 Member Posts: 191
    edited April 2012

    thank you very much. i'll check out that website. i wear the sleeve, or used to, for prevention. Also no one at urgent care seemed concerned but i also scraped my hand pretty bad and maybe should take antibiotics. I hope the cancer center can help in the morning bc the orthopedists don't know anything about this stuff.

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  • KS1
    KS1 Member Posts: 632
    edited April 2012

    Alicia -- So sorry to hear this.  Why is it that when we hurt ourselves, it always seems to be the affected side?  Does your cancer center have a rehab dept or physiatrist (rehab MD) who you or your physicians & surgeons can consult?  Heal quickly!  KS1

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

    Alicia, the orthopedic doctors don't know about lymphedema, in my experience. When I fractured my LE hand, I had to work hard with the cast techs to make a cast that allowed for swelling.

    When I did my OT rehab, I made sure to get an OT who was also trained in LE:

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

    The ideal would be to get you evaluated by a good therapist now, to help during the immobilization. If you can still make a fist and clench you muscles lower in your arm, it will help keep fluid from pooling in the arm. 

    Elevation, hydration and deep breathing and meticulous skin care are all key.

    A good rehab doc would be very helpful also.

    You can use ice,but carefully. Also, feel free to use pain meds as pain brings swelling.

    I'll ask Binney to weigh in.

    Kira

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

    Thank you kira for helping Alicia. I read her thread late, late, last night and didn't know how to direct her. The boards were slow and I was hoping someone could help her asap as a shoulder injury is major problems. You girls rock. You are so expert!  By the way who did make the stepup-speak out site? I heard some girls did it from the LE boards. Binney, etc?

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  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 2,631
    edited April 2012

    Alicia - I am no expert but I can tell you from my own experience.  I broke my humerus bone up in my shoulder in 3 different places on my cancer side.

    I thought for sure I would get lymphedema but I didn't.  I didn't do anything special at all - did some PT after 2 months to get some mobility back.

    I guess what I am trying to say is that there is light at the end of the tunnel and although an accident like that would likely increase our risk of getting lymphedema - sometimes we just get lucky.

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  • Alicia70598
    Alicia70598 Member Posts: 191
    edited April 2012

    Kira, those sound like great suggestions. The fist chenching, which i couldn't do at first, feels good now. I just got a call from my oncologist's nurse at Sloan Kettering, and she's taking this very seriously. She's going to ask him about antibiotics for the scrape and get me set up with PT. I worked with a PT there in the past, so I know they are lymphedema experts.

    Jancie, I'm glad you posted about your experience in healing. I feel so disheartened by this. Knowing there are positive steps to take and that these things do heal makes me feel better already.

    Thank you, ladies!

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  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 2,631
    edited April 2012

    Alicia - bet it hurts like heck!!  How did you break your shoulder?

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

    Alicia, sounds like you're finally in good hands--whew!Smile Don't know if anybody answered your question about whether to wear your sleeve if there's swelling from the break. That wouldn't be a good idea, since it won't fit you correctly with shoulder/upper arm swelling. Take it with you, though, when you go see the PT so s/he knows what you have available. Glad your onc will be supervising the antibiotics. Heal quick, and I'm hoping there's nothing "swell" about it!

    Gentle hugs,
    Binney

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