Good Arm -Crap !$*&%$ and a Rant

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Dejaboo
Dejaboo Member Posts: 2,916
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

My good arm, wrist & hand is very achy today : (

I had ONE Stupid Node removed on my bad arm.  Thats it!  Grrrrrrrr To all the Professionals that say those like me cant get LE!

There is no swelling.

I went over what I have done in the last 4-5 days & I did nothing to this arm.  I am so angry & sad. 

Its my dominant hand...How does one even do anything?

( I already have truncal LE that causes me alot of daily pain & left arm LE)

So- I have started MLD, Elevating it also. What else should I be doing?

I have not tried chocolate yet- to sad to even eat that.

I suppose this means (if It doesnt get worse) That I will have to fly with a sleeve...And buy a 2nd gauntlet...

Comments

  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited September 2013

    Is it possible that, in being careful about your "bad" arm, you've - perhaps - overused and strained the good one?

  • Marple
    Marple Member Posts: 19,143
    edited September 2013

    Dejaboo~it's not fair, is it?  I'm sorry you have to deal with this.  I don't know what your surgery was, did you have a bilat. mast?  Don't blame yourself, you didn't necessarily do anything to trigger this flare.  Be sure to drink lots of water and do deep breathing.  If you have a massage therapist it might be a good idea to call and if you don't have one perhaps you should do a search to find one.  I hope this is fleeting. 

  • toomuch
    toomuch Member Posts: 901
    edited September 2013

    Hoping that you just strained something in your good arm! Why don't you try taking an anti inflammatory medication like Ibuprofen (unless it's medically contraimdicated for you.) and see if it helps the pain.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2013

    Dejaboo...so sorry you are having to deal with this. I wondered the same as Selena.



    I KNOW for sure this happens because I have to deal with this all the time but on and off (if that makes sense). My BC side is my dominant side. Because I am forced to look after it more than I did before BC then something else has to make up that shortfall, of course my non dominant side. Even as Ive increased my MLD, thats put more strain on my "other arm" which is also a suspected case of LE but not as bad as BC side. So I do MLD on that too, and a bit of extra massage around the elbow.



    I know it sucks and some people can get away with more than others with what they can do. Sometimes its a separate learning curve just to figure out what we can do and can't do.



    Lets hope your aching goes away with a bit or rest.

  • Dejaboo
    Dejaboo Member Posts: 2,916
    edited September 2013

    Thank you Ladies.   I dont think I strained my arm.   While I do use it more...Only so because it is my dominant arm....stronger of the 2 also.   I am very good to it still.  Dh even made the comment on Sunday that he wished I could help him put siding on the shed & paint like I did 6 years ago before bc (when we did our house together with Windows)  And I said nope- Cant help, I will just supervise.

    But the pain was not a normal sore arm pain. It was definately LE Achy pain from my armpit to the palm of my hand.

    I did put a sleeve on yesterday after I posted...Wore it all day, by evening my arm was doing much better....Feels pretty good this morning too.

    Musical-I feel like I cant get away with anything...My Truncal LE causes me alot more pain & issues then my arm LE...Basically anything that moves my chest muscle effects my LE (everything I do moves my chest-even typing this)

    I guess I will have to see what happens with it in the next few days...weeks...but I am traveling in Mid October & only have 1 gauntlet....

  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited September 2013

    Deejabo, can you get to the LE therapist for evaluation and garments?

    If you can't, sleeves and gauntlets are "relatively" inexpensive on-line, like brightlifedirect--and they allow returns if you don't like what you get.

    Totally sucks. Totally.

  • Dejaboo
    Dejaboo Member Posts: 2,916
    edited September 2013

    Thanks Kira.  I have ordered from brightlife several times & do like using them.

    So I have to get a gauntlet (and sleeve) for this stupid arm...if not for strenuous stuff- for flying...?

    Someone just has to confirm what I already know : (

    I know I should see a Therapist...But I know more then the certified one I saw in July of 2012.  Im not willing to try another right now (I know Im stubborn)  I also know someday I may have to find another (good therapist this time)  But hoping I wont.   I do know that my measurements matched my Therapists measurements.  So I feel confident in measuring for my own sleeve.

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