Lymphedema in the breast

Hi angiepie, I don't know if this will help you, but I thought I'd share my experience because I got very conflicting advice from healthcare people on how to manage my breast LE.

I developed breast LE after my lumpectomy and SLNB surgery. My LE therapist had me in sports bras, no underwires, etc.. But I am larger breasted so those weren't supportive, and the lymph was pooling on the underside of my breast. My breast surgeon then suggested that I keep my breast elevated to help drain the lymph. I tried a bra with a more perky shape and an underwire (although I should say that I do not have LE where the underwire sits), and it worked great! Most the lymph drained out in a day or two. I still have a little LE in the underside of my breast, but it is significantly improved now. For me, having breast support and elevation was the single most helpful way to solve the problem.

My friend who also has breast LE told me that solaris swell spots have helped her a lot. Maybe you could give those a try too.

Wow...I have similar symptoms and it never occurred to be it breast lymphedema. I was seeing a LE specialist until my exchange surgery in September. How were you diagnosed with this. Can you elaborate on what breast lymphedema feels like?

Thanks, Lovey

Try no band around you rib cage. A really tight stretchy to small cami with a swell spot. That should work because you won't be trapping fluid around the rib cage with a braband. Under wires are usually not recommended but hey we're all different here and what works for one may not work for another. A band kills me unless super loose.

I have found I have to apparently wear an undergarment that is not necessarily tight (like compression), but is absolutely smooth on the side. If the fabric wrinkles at all, fluid will fill the wrinkle in one area. Truly the most bizarre thing. I don't get bra strap indentations, just this fluid ridge. For right now I am making an effort to smooth the side of my bra during the day, and take it off when I get home. Seems to help. Planning to shop soon to try some different items. Maybe a loose cami. Gut feeling is that loose is best. I'm pretty small so could get away with it.

If you can find a BC supply store in your area, you could try some bras on. They also make compression vests. It's a lot of trial and error really, since you don't really know how the bra will affect you until you wear it all day.

I found that supportive high quality regular bras worked best for me. Fantasie and anita are good brands. Bras with no seams in the cup also work better for me. My friend had good results with solaris swell spots.

Hope you find something that works for you! I know how tough that can be.

For those who have LE in a specific area, my PT made me a “chip bag” similar to the Swell Spot, to wear inside my bra. She told me kno underwire until the LE goes away, and no tight band under the bra. I found an Under Armour bra that has cups (another thing she wanted, not just a sports bra), but the band was a little too tight. I went to JoAnn fabrics and bought a bra extender. They make them with two, three or four eyelets so they work with most all bras.

She used two tools on my scar tissues, and a machine called a Physio-Touch on my LE, along with massage, and kinesio tape. I really think the suction from the physio touch machine has made a big difference. It made the fluid move from my breast, down into my ribs, where it eventually moves to the groin lymph nodes and gets sent to the kidneys. I had to fly while my rib skin was swollen, so she had me wear a compression camisole, during the flights. I found a Spanx camisole and wore it. I had increased rib pain after flying, and can’t imagine what it would have been like without it. I showed her my camisole afterward and she wanted it tighter, and suggested putting a washcloth under it. I tried that, but I think adding the cloth to the unaffected side would have helped compress the after side more.

Hope this helps someone else

LoveMyVizla...Thank you for the information. What is the model # of the UnderArmour bra. Not sure if I have breast lymphedema. I have an half circle near the bottom of the left breast that sporadically gets a ltttle red and wrinkles. It is really weird because it can come and go within minutes and be completely smooth. My surgeon said it was lymph drainage. I've been experimenting with sports bras, that's I am curious about the Under Armour one.

What do you do with a chip bag?

Here is my Swell Spot. I ordered mine from Bandages Plus.

Here are my chip bags. Same shredded foam as the Swell Spot. I don’t like the orange chips. They are Harder and very uncomfortable.

You're welcome, Angiepie. I hope you'll be able to piece together an approach that works for you; it's often a matter of several factors that have to be teased out and addressed over time. The trental/vitamin E regimen (you need both together) helped me a lot and I hope it might you (and LoveMyViszla) as well. FYI - I had NO side effects and the medications were not expensive - a rare situation in the world of cancer treatment Good luck!