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Galsal
Galsal Member Posts: 1,886
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

Do I really have to look forward to doing MLD and exercise daily to keep truncal under control?  This drive me nuts. Causes me to worry about the recon surgery making things even worse, etc.  When the SNB side gets enough going on, then the other side wants to try and chime in.   Does any one just ever get better and over it?

This past week's LT treatment was doing MLD on my back.  Until then, I'd not known the area just past where I can reach was tender too.  Yet the frontal swelling seems worse since then which of course may well be a true coincidence.

The arm is one thing but the truncal is far more aggravating to me.

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  • Galsal
    Galsal Member Posts: 1,886
    edited April 2012

    Is it just me or does any one else have their "good" arm acting up with shoulder probelms from compensating at not using the "bad" side as much?  Did the cross-body exercise movements and had the thumb up as it should be to avoid causing rotator cuff problem.  Believe it has caused a cuff problem.  good grief, just let me get past all this shinolah and begin to return to some sense of normalcy!

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

    Yes, exercise is frustrating but at the LE butt kick thread we can help you. We are great at encouraging eachother to move no matter what level you are at. We also discuss garment compliance and self care.

    Galsal. Yes, My tennis and golfer elbow is worse on non LE side. I stopped using my tennis and golfers elbows much and ended up with frozen sholder. Do see your physio on the issues. 

    I did finally get recovery but have to watch my elbows and shoulders on both sides actually. I  also injured them before BC. 

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  • Galsal
    Galsal Member Posts: 1,886
    edited April 2012

    Thanks, hugz4u.  Sadly, LT who has been my OT several times in the past is doing nothing about my non LE side problem.  Hell, last evening I pulled apart two pieces of pizza and the non-LE side hurt like a byiatch.  Friend who usually wraps me was here and shocked that something so trivial would have such a reaction.  She alo confirmed that there is swelling above the breast, in the front of the armpit, more than before in the skin saved, etc.  

    I guess I was naive in thinking it would get better after more recovery from surgery and not bother me often.  What was I thinking (done in a Chenille Sisters type of voice).

    The time it takes to do MLD, wrapping and exercise for trunk is ridiculously time consuming.  Do we ever get our lives back or am I just being whiney.

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

    Galsal, we do get our lives back, we do.

    It is so frustrating when things are not going in the right direction, but with time and trial and error, you'll get there.

    I hadn't posted as I'm no expert in truncal stuff, but I know it's painful, hard to treat, and COMMON.

    Binney, has written about thinking she was seriously nuts when her truncal showed up and bothered her so much, and she met her LE therapist who told her it was real and she could help her--and she has.

    When our body mechanics are off, we get pain and dysfunction.

    Vent away, because it's really frustrating. I just wish I had concrete suggestions for how to improve things for you.

    Yeah, I resent the time to take care of my LE, but part of that is the devaluing of the disease--if we had diabetes, would we resent the time to check our sugars? Probably we would, but that's the nature of chronic--it wears you down.

    You'll get there, and it will get better.

    Kira

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  • Galsal
    Galsal Member Posts: 1,886
    edited April 2012

    Thank Kira.  I just figured it was a busy weekend for some.  Chronic health problems...have enough of those already without this and for a LONG time too.  Guess more chronic added in tipped the bucket over.  Have had Arthritis for 30+ years, Fibromyalgia for at least 15 years, borderline Diabetes (pre diabetic),various physical ailments from military years, etc.

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  • Galsal
    Galsal Member Posts: 1,886
    edited April 2012

    Surprises me that while I didn't have the "why me" syndrome about BC, I do about this.  Maybe because for me, BC isn't a chronic condition and went away.  Whereas this one is entirely different. 

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  • Leslie1962
    Leslie1962 Member Posts: 233
    edited April 2012

    Yes, yes, yes! My cancer side, LE side etc is left, but with all the excercising and crossing my good arm over to work on my left arm has left me with a very sore shoulder. I am at a loss as what to do about it.  It keeps me up at night if I roll over on that side. Just one more thing to irritate me.

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  • Suzybelle
    Suzybelle Member Posts: 920
    edited May 2012

    I definitely overuse my 'good' arm - right now, I'm hoping (how sick is that???) that the problems I'm having with my good arm are just overuse and not (gulp) something else.  Like stupid, freaking LE.

     GAH.  I hate this stuff.  It's such a pain in the a$$.

     Sorry.  I'm just having one of those days.

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  • Galsal
    Galsal Member Posts: 1,886
    edited May 2012

    I'm really dreading the LT appt this morning.  She's not going to like it, as there' more breast/trunk swelling than ever before.  Some thing tells me I'm going to have a VERY uncomfortable appt! 

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited May 2012

    I do get an odd sort of shoulder ache, which I think is related to backed up lymph fluid. As far as the truncal swelling, it waxes and wanes, but has generally gotten MUCH better after I quit trying to wear bras.

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  • Galsal
    Galsal Member Posts: 1,886
    edited May 2012

    thankfully, I didn't walk out of there hurting which I thought would happen.  sadly though, it's back to the binder for me or to wear the wrap I use when exerciing.  that, and we might have to increase frequency of appts.  today i have Kineseo tape all over.

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