Lymphedema - Elbow??

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ThinkingPositive
ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
edited May 2015 in Lymphedema

I just had my reconstruction surgery 2 weeks ago. TE on MX side and Implant/Lift/Reduction on other side.

My MX side elbow feels like it is fluid when I bend my elbow. I don't feel the bone when bent...feel like a fluid ball. No other place is swollen... Has this happened to anyone before...seems a little weird and worried that it might be LE. Is that possible just the elbow??

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited May 2015

    My worst area is elbow.

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    kicks...but is it possible that its just my elbow?? Nothing else swollen at all.

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  • kareenie
    kareenie Member Posts: 339
    edited May 2015

    yes anything is possible with LE. Only a certified LE therapist can tell you for sure. Any of your doctors can refer you for evaluation.

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    I was going to a LE Therapist for 3 months.. I had cording and had a fear of lymphedema, so they measured me and kept doing the LE massage when I went. Cording has since gone away and went back to my Lymphedema Physician who measured me again and same measurements. I more had a fear of truncal LE or chest LE because after the mastectomy I have a tightness swelling feeling in my chest and was not sure if it was the TE after fills making me feel that way. I have always had what I call a bump on the tip of my elbow for many years prior to breast cancer diagnosis..but just yesterday I noticed that it seemed a little bit bigger and when I felt it, it was squishy and fluid filled. Just the tip of the elbow. I did LE massage on my arm...but nothing happened..it stayed and still here this am. I even put my sleeve on for all last night...nothing, still the same fluid filled bump.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited May 2015

    "Squishy and fluid filled. Just the tip of the elbow.". "fluid filled bump" Does not sound like LE to me but something else going on. LE is fluid that is 'trapped' in the tissue thus causing swelling but not as "squishy and fluid filled" or a "fluid filled bump". Call your Dr or LET to find out what it is.

    Day garments (sleeves/gloves) are not for night wear. There are night garments for nighttime wear. They work on different principles - active or passive. Day garments are designed for active time - meaning one is 'up'/moving around, hence active. Night garments are designed for passive time - meaning laying down/sleeping so very little to no movement for hours at a time - hence passive.


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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    I did take it off before I went to sleep. I put it on when I came home from work and kept it on until I went to bed.. probably 7 hours it was on. The LE PT said it doesn't sound like it if its just the elbow. She suggested wearing the sleeve for a few days and see what happens. She also told me to call the LE Physician that I see for the cording and see if she can see me sooner than my late June followup just to rule it out. PS said he didn't think that it was LE. He said it looked more like something that may have happened if I may have bumped it as there is a little yellowish bruising up past my elbow. But I don't remember doing anything to it. I hope its not LE....

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited May 2015

    Some times the written word does not convey completely what we mean. "I even put my sleeve on for all last night" reads (to me anyway) that you had it on for all night - not for a few hours while still up.

    Bruises/scrapes can happen even when we don't remember doing them. I succeed in finding small bruises but no idea when/where they came from - and I don't bruise easy. Just happens sometimes.

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    After I read your post I realized I should have been a little bit more clear on "all night" ! Was just so upset that I really wasn't reading what I had written.

    I agree, I find small bruises on me and wonder how the heck did I do that.. You would think if you bruised you must have hit hard enough and should have felt it. But this thing on my elbow just came out of nowhere. maybe it was from leaning my elbow on the desk while I was on the computer at work.. I just went back to work after my reconstruction from 2 weeks ago.

    We go through so much and you just want it to end...but it seems like we have to continue to deal with stuff... I guess its better than having to deal with other things.

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    Just curious..I have never worn a sleeve before..how is it supposed to feel. Tight?

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  • SusanSnowFlake
    SusanSnowFlake Member Posts: 165
    edited May 2015

    @ thinking positive

    I have truncal LE and cording, I have a bit of swelling in my upper arm so it's starting in my arm but.............I went to the LEPT about what felt like a marshmellow on my wrist. It seemed different to me, but my measurements were almost the same.  I asked her if she felt it, she didn't but I still think it's there.  For me, not saying this is you, it may always have been like this and I never noticed it before. I am a little freaked out right now, between reactions to AI's, LE, my shoulder pulled out of it's socket, a weight gain of almost 40 pounds since I heard the word cancer a year ago and now cording it's all just a little to much for something that was presented as no big deal by the nurse navigator.

    If I am overreacting it's because I'm way overdue.  I know that my wrist on my left side feels and looks different to me, I'm going to keep an eye on it and I think you should do the same with your elbow.   My LEPT measured and will measure again so I know that if it is LE I'm prepared and it sounds like your prepared too.

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  • SusanSnowFlake
    SusanSnowFlake Member Posts: 165
    edited May 2015

    This is the best description I can come up with don't know if it will help,

    Yes the sleeve is bit tight, but it shouldn't be tighter at the top than at your wrist.  It is actually close to uncomfortable but not completely uncomfortable.  When I finally got one that fits, a custom because I have really long arms, I don't feel it if I'm busy and don't have time to think about it, if I'm having fun it kinda disappears for me.  If I'm not doing anything and think about it, I want it off and once I start thinking about getting it off, that's all I can think about.   

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited May 2015

    It really sounds like bursitis to me. There's a fluid sac (bursa) right where you describe your swelling. Massaging it probably won't help, but ice, anti-inflammatories and rest might relieve the pain. Just thought I'd mention it because I've had it before, and it kind of scared me....just a big old water balloon on my elbow :) 

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    leggo...thats exactly what it feels like and looks like. No pain..just that its there.

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited May 2015

    No twinge when you bend it? Like arthritis-y? Sorry, I know it's not a word, but that's how it felt...a stiffness when I bent it.

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    No nothing..I would have never known I had it if I hadn't leaned on my desk yesterday. Thats when I felt something was there...I looked at it and noticed that the tip of my elbow was fluid filled when bent. When I straightened out my arm it looks like a very small sac protruding from my elbow. Weird.

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited May 2015

    Hmmm, all out of ideas. Maybe it's not bursitis after all. Sorry. Hope whatever it is goes away soon! 

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    Me too!!! Thanks for your help!. Just hoping its not LE.

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  • Jenwith4kids
    Jenwith4kids Member Posts: 635
    edited May 2015

    FWIW, it doesn't sound like LE to me.


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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2015

    Thanks Jenwith4kids...!

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