To sleeve or not to sleeve, that is the question

Claire, the issue of compression for flying is not resolved for people at risk. What is clear though, is if you chose to wear a sleeve, and you're "just" at risk--you should wear hand protection so as not to push fluid into the hand

Here's a link to Andrea Cheville discussion the need to compress the hand if you wear a sleeve:

http://lymphedivas.com/lymphedema/gauntletandsleeve/

The NLN just put out a new position paper on risk reduction and now say they can't recommend either for or against compression when you fly: I was just at a Vodder recertification course ( a lymphadema therapist training school) and we discussed it at length, and I talked to Renee Romano who runs BandagesPlus, who is great and a trained therapist, and she recommends--as do other LE therapists--to put light compression on the arm: 15-20mm (only made by Jobst) and class 1, which is 20-30mm on the hand, if you chose to wear prophylactic compresssion for flying. The length of the flight seems to matter, and there's an arbitrary cut off of over 2 hours. The arguement for the lighter compression is that it won't trap fluid, less likely to push it into the hand, and women who don't routinely wear compression often just hate the feeling of the higher compression.

Also, on the plane, there are other factors: using your arm to heft luggage, lack of movement in flight, dehydration--so the advice is to move around, drink like crazy, and periodically raise your arms over your head and pump your fists to engage your muscles and move the fluid out of the arm.

Re: backpacking. My LE therapist saw a case of LE caused by a backpacking accident and the straps go right over the supraclavicular area.

However, the current advice for exercise is to DO IT--just slow and steady. I'm not a back packer, but other women on this forum are, and perhaps you can work on a frame that puts almost all the weight on your hips.

The 10 lb rule is outdated. A gallon of milk is 8 lb. The newest advice is to exercise, but very slow at first, and advance slowly while paying careful attention to how your arm/chest/breast feel and if they swell.

Some of the women here use hiking poles to keep their arms up.

All too many LE therapists practice in isolation and their quality and knowledge of new advances vary.

Here's a link to checking out a qualified LE therapist

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

If you pm Binney4, she knows many good LE therapists in Arizona.

Hope you never, ever join the swell sorority, but it sure is hard to figure out how to prevent that, isn't it.

Kira

Love your quote: as a habitual worrier, my sister always admonishes me "Worry is not preparation"

Hi Claire,

In addition to the wonderful help the folks here have provided, you may be interested in checking out the main Breastcancer.org's new Lymphedema section, especially the Reducing Risk of Lymphedema and Lymphedema Flare-Ups, including things to avoid.

Hope this helps!

--The Mods

I'm an occasional backpacker but haven't been since my diagnosis. Lymph nodes removed on both sides plus RADs on both sides. At risk but no visible signs of LE. I went to a screening with a LE therapist because of a achey arm. She called me "stage 0" but also said she's not sure my symptom is due to my surgery & treatment. I haven't come to terms with not backpacking yet. I'm hoping that the further out I get, my arm will feel better & I might want to give it a try. I have been on several day hikes before my arm got achey. Between 8-14miles. I tote a pack with my camera & a couple of lens, water & lunch. I'm sure it weighs more than 10 lbs. I carry it on both shoulders for awhile, then switch from on shoulder to the other. Not ideal, but that's what I figured out because I just wasn't ready to give up my long hikes & my photography. Still not. As my arm becomes less achey, I'm hoping to resume hiking. Not sure if this helps, but you're not alone....

Do we know of any pack makers who might listen, and devise a pack that is ergo friendly to our needs? If I had an appropriate light backpack, I would use it instead of pulling a rolling briefcase when I travel.