debunking Lymphedema risk reduction behaviors

Brava for your therapist, Glennie! She's on the ball and not afraid to reach out to protect her patients and others at risk.

Be well!
Binney

Even if it's true...wouldn't you want to delay it?

I mean, on some level I agree, I probably would have gotten LE from something at some point, but why would you not try to avoid it.

That being said, non LE women are often given garments that do more harm than good for prevention.

I see women wearing the sleeve with no glove about to get on a plane for prevention.

Here is the issue, it's hard to get fitted properly, it takes trial and error, and sometimes months, that is a lot for someone who doesn't have le to go through.

If you are going on a long flight, and willing to make sure you have properly fitted garments, and wear them for a while first, then I say go ahead, but that is a lot of ifs. I think the worst thing to do if you don't have LE is get on a plane for hours with the wrong stuff.

Thank you so much for sharing. I was thinking that snce I only had 2 sentinel nodes removed I didn't have to worry abot LE. I see now there is the radiation factor as well.

SuC, did you go on all those flights without wearing any compression? That is encouraging. I had 6 nodes removed but am considered high risk because A) already have truncal LE, they radiated the heck out of the remaining nodes, and C) have gained lots of weight (thanks a lot, tamoxifen).

Jennie93, if your garments hurt you should go back to the fitter, and get refit.

I would NOT wear garments that hurt on a plane if you have no LE.

for that matter, I would not wear garments that hurt on a plane if you have LE.

I would wear the garments when you exercise to break them in and make sure they fit.

It is a very complicated issue, as my therapist indicated some studies show wearing garments when there is no evidence of active lymphedema could precipitate it. I do wear a sleeve for flights. I have also read the length of flight is not the issue, it is the initial takeoff. That can range flight to flight.

I discussed the study with my PT (an LE specialist and educator as well at PT) and her take was that it would take many more studies for her to feel comfortable advising women to abandon pro-active strategies. Basically, her question was "Why would you risk it?" which is pretty much how I feel.

The scary thing is that the nurses at the infusion center are already saying they've heard it's o.k. to do BPs and IVs on the 'at-risk- side.

I had 16 nodes removed and take precautions as in sleeves on all flights.  Surgery was 4 years ago and now I am in radiation.  I got a small mosquito bite three weeks ago and while innocent in the beginning it turned into a major infections with me on steroids, antibiotics and cream.  Was it related to my situation?  I will never know but I still keep a very close watch and take precautions.

I am going to start travelling on a plane for work now. China, Germany, etc. I only had two lymph nodes removed, and no lymphedema that I know of. How do you know if u need compression, and where do you go to get fitted?

Tresjoli - You could ask your breast surgeon, RO or even your MO for a referral to a LE-trained PT who could then advise you regarding risk and risk-reduction steps you can take while traveling. Just make sure your PT really does know LE!