How many still wear their rings on affected side?

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rvgirl2016
rvgirl2016 Member Posts: 67
edited June 2016 in Lymphedema

I just had my mastectomy on the 7th with a sentinel node and 2 or 3 others removed.  I haven't had any swelling as of yet (knock on wood!) but I really miss my wedding rings. Am I courting disaster by putting them back on??

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  • GG27
    GG27 Member Posts: 2,128
    edited June 2016

    i had many lymph nodes removed on both sides and wear rings on both sides. If I start to feel like I might have some swelling, I remove them. However, I only have mild lymph demo on one side.

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  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited June 2016

    I had 5 nodes removed (at 3 levels) and I still wear my ring on that side. I do check it for tightness regularly but so far, so good. I hope the same for you!

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  • rvgirl2016
    rvgirl2016 Member Posts: 67
    edited June 2016

    Thank you GG27 and Hopeful82014!   The lady that gave me pamphlets and such when I came out of surgery had me so scared!

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited June 2016

    My wedding set is on my non-surgical side but I have a small (1ct) size 7 solitaire CZ on my R hand which I use as sort of an LE barometer. If it slips off easily w/o twisting, I’m good to go. If I have to twist one revolution, I do my MLD whether or not I’ve done it earlier that day. And if it’s really tough to remove, drop everything & don compression. Never had to remove the ring altogether except at the nail salon. (And I don’t count morning ring tightness, as I have a touch of bilateral arthritis and it takes at least 1/2 hr. for the Celebrex to kick in). I used to think the indentations from my Pandora charms were telltale, but I get ‘em on my other hand too.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited June 2016

    Like ChiSandy, I use rings to check if I have swelling. I was already doing this but it was also suggested to me by a couple of people on my medical team (for example, during break in aerobics class). I don't have LE and this is my early warning system. I do take everything but my wedding ring off at night.

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  • rvgirl2016
    rvgirl2016 Member Posts: 67
    edited June 2016

    Thank you ladies for your input!  I think I'll try and remember to remove them before going to bed at night.  The fear in the back of my mind is waking up with my finger being strangledScared

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited June 2016

    11 nodes removed. I wear my wedding ring during the day. I take it off at night, when I am working out (including going for a brisk walk), gardening etc. and wear it on the other hand when I fly (not transferring it back until a couple hours after landing), & if I go out and eat a ton of salty food & just feel kind of bloated all over the next day Shocked, then I just don't wear it at all. I think you just need to be mindful.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited June 2016

    One more thing, if your rings are already tight, then I would get them resized. You should be able to slip them on & off easily. If you get up in the morning and you have to cram them on, that is a day not to wear them.

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited June 2016

    I have Lymphedema - my hand used to swell, but not so much now as it is limited to my arm.

    I occasionally wear rings, but like the others have stated, it is a measuring stick! Good luck!

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  • rvgirl2016
    rvgirl2016 Member Posts: 67
    edited June 2016

    Thanks again everyone for sharing your experiences

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  • SusanSnowFlake
    SusanSnowFlake Member Posts: 165
    edited June 2016

    I had a vintage family heirloom diamond, size 4 1/2 . I decided to give it to my niece, I was afraid that if it had to be cut off it would ruin the very delicate nature of the ring. My husband replaced it with 3 rings. All the same, wide, silver, with a tree of life craved into them they are sizes 5, 51/2, and 6 . I haven't had to wear anything but the 5 so far but I have the other 2 for just in case. I love my new ring, it means so much more to me.

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  • rvgirl2016
    rvgirl2016 Member Posts: 67
    edited June 2016

    SusanSnowFlake, what a lovely gift from your husband!

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  • Outfield
    Outfield Member Posts: 1,109
    edited June 2016

    You can never know for sure what is going to happen to you as an individual. For a lot of us, rings haven't been a problem, but if we choose to wear a ring (I do), it should be with the knowledge that we're taking a chance in doing so. It's always hard, these decisions where you can't put a number on the risk. If it were high, like say 50% risk of needing it cut off your finger, would you do it? How about if the risk were 5%? What would be the worst case scenario? Ischemic finger that requires amputation? I kind of think like that, rather than listening to anecdotes. I know nobody can tell me that exact number, but thinking about worst case scenarios and probabilities helps me with this kind of decision.

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited June 2016

    Must admit, it never occurred to me to not wear rings. So far I only have truncal LE, not arm or hand. Gained a ton of weight on tamoxifen and when it hit 30 lbs my rings were uncomfortably tight and not easily removed, so at that point they came off. The right one was half a size bigger so I was able to put that one on left side. It would feel too strange not wearing anything as I've been married for over 30 yrs. I am aware that it might have to be cut off some day if my hand swelled suddenly, but it's a risk I'm willing to take.



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  • TNNurse
    TNNurse Member Posts: 58
    edited June 2016

    I do not wear rings on my affected side. Since being on Arimidex my joints are bigger and I wear my wedding ring on a chain around my neck. My 20th anniversary ring was a larger size and still fits my left hand.

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  • amygil81
    amygil81 Member Posts: 165
    edited June 2016

    I had to take off all my rings when I was dx with LE. That's how I first noticed my LE: my class ring was tight on my left (mastectomy side) hand. Now I wear a sleeve and glove on that side all day. every day, which pretty much rules out any kind of jewelry. My LE PT is pretty sure that it wasn't the ring the triggered my LE. That was probably my crutches, which I've needed to walk since age 13. But mentally I associate my ring with finding my LE, so I don't even wear it on my other hand today. Just one more gift from LE :-(

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  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 2,781
    edited June 2016

    nope, I have lovely rings but have always hated the wet feeling when pulling my hand out of water with rings on even before LE,

    I probably should get a chain to put rings on and wear around my neck but then with all my LE gear on it just feels like one more thing on my body. It goes like this, fix Cami as it rides up, fix elbow crease on sleeve as it some times grinds my elbow if it rides down during exercise, adjust necklace as its choking me. Adjust swell spot when wearing one and it slips around.ugh hate it

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  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 1,632
    edited June 2016

    Had to move my birthstone and anniversary rings to left side when LE came on the scene. Along with the wedding set, it was a clunky solution that I wore for a couple years until we replaced the entire conglomeration with a single sapphire & diamond unit reminiscent of the engagement present Prince Charles gave Diana decades ago, now owned by Kate. I was afraid it might appear that I wasn't married but no one seems to care! Much easier to keep track of when taken off for warm water pool exercise.

    I like Susan's tree of life/triple sizing solution. By the way, we drove past Indy and stopped at Revery in Greenwood for dinner earlier this month. The pre-meal popcorn and spun sugar dessert were unique.

    For fun, I got a few cheap stretch band things I can put on for a couple hours to dress up my "little sausages" (apparently that's what Ingrid Bergmann called her swollen fingers)

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited June 2016

    This is a new one! I had 21 nodes removed, and my surgeon never mentioned that I needed to stop wearing my rings (just no BP/IV or needle pricks on my right side). I have no lymphedema almost 5 years after surgery. I suppose it might be an issue if one's rings were very tight.

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  • SusanSnowFlake
    SusanSnowFlake Member Posts: 165
    edited June 2016

    @yorkie This is a thread (post) in the Lymphedema (LE) section. LE causes swelling in the effected arm, hand and fingers which is why the rings are an issue. I hope you remain LE free :)

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited June 2016

    Sigh on this. I got married in April of 08, only got my ring in July of 09, got diagnosed in Sept of 09 and got LE DX in early 10 I think. So after shopping more than a year for the perfect antique ring, I only got to wear it for a few months.

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  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited June 2016

    I had many nodes removed and do have some Lympadema so my solution to the problem was yo have my rings resized. They are now larger and looser when my hands are not swollen but still not tight when my fingers swell. I must mention that they are not so loose that they will slip off unless I flick my hands and then they just might go flying. I am aware of this so don't flick my hands too often......lol.

    Hope you can work out what will work for you.

    Love n hugs. Chrissy

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited June 2016

    Susan, I know that, and am sorry if I intruded into a restricted forum. We, who have had nodes removed, are all at lifetime risk for lymphedema, so I thought the forum was open. I also participated in a 3 year lymphedema study, post surgery, so I am well aware of the condition. Best wishes

    Edit: Perhaps I never heard of the ring issue because I never had lymphedema. As some have mentioned, the easy solution might be having rings resized. Changed the study time period. It might have even been close to 4 years. Time flies!

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited June 2016

    yorkiemom we are not restricted here, I kinda like it when people stop by. Plus we are really all at risk for LE.

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited June 2016

    I take my diamond off at night not my wedding ring. The rings are tight probably from overall weight gain and puffiness from AIs. Since I stopped hormone therapy slowly I am getting back closer to normal.

    It is probably a good idea to take off all rings at night.

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  • paintThesky
    paintThesky Member Posts: 56
    edited June 2016

    I sized up on my rings. Since the LE now affects my other side too I got a real gold CZ set for a wedding set. I figured that was the best way to go and not spend a lot on rings.


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