How soon lymphedema shows up

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Karmic108
Karmic108 Member Posts: 101
edited March 2019 in Lymphedema

I had lumpectomy and 4 nodes removal. If am susceptible, How soon lymphedema shows up after surgery

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited March 2019

    I was told it is a lifetime risk. I had 21 nodes removed over 7 years ago, and so far so good.

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  • Fritzmylove
    Fritzmylove Member Posts: 330
    edited March 2019

    I just left my BS office an hour ago to have my drains out, and I asked her this very question. She said it's a lifetime risk, but it will usually pop up within the first 2 years if it's going to. She also said being younger, being a healthy weight, not smoking, etc all improve your chances of not developing it.

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  • Mucki1991
    Mucki1991 Member Posts: 294
    edited March 2019

    A slight sunburn triggered my LE a year after surgery.

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  • InnaB2018
    InnaB2018 Member Posts: 1,276
    edited March 2019

    Radiation triggered my lymphedema. 7 months after the surgery.

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited March 2019

    Our church group had a lymphadema specialist give a talk about this very thing. She said it is a lifetime risk and the more lymph nodes removed the greater risk. Several ladies in our group have it and it is brutal. One lady said she knows she overdid it after her surgery and treatments as in lifting too heavy objects, etc. she developed it within 2 years of her treatments. I remember my MO warning me I didn’t want to get it so be careful. I had a micromet removed from my SN. Only one.

    Diane

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  • Spookiesmom
    Spookiesmom Member Posts: 9,568
    edited March 2019

    Lucky me woke up from bmx and my arm and hand was swollen. 7 nodes out.

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  • Traveltext
    Traveltext Member Posts: 2,089
    edited March 2019

    With just four nodes removed, you've got a very slight chance of Lymphedema IMO. Basically, you've still got three-quarters of your lymph nodes available to fight infection. That said, treat all scratches, insect bites, sunburn, etc, asap. I had all my lymph nodes removed five years ago and haven't had any problems.


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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited March 2019

    A deep shave skin biopsy near my breast caused my ever so slight truncal edema....it is managed and slight (as long as I generally stay braless), but because that happened so easily I take every precaution. This happened around the 1 year mark.

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited March 2019

    Lifting three grocery bags with my "bad" arm gave me full-blown lymphedema. You know the plastic kind of grocery bags - we are all guilty of grabbing a bunch of bags in one hand, right? That was 5 years ago, 2 years after treatment.

    My sister's lymphedema showed up mostly as truncal lymphedema after her Diep Flap Reconstruction.

    I've met women who got lymphedema 20 years out. Always a risk I'm sorry to say!

    And my best advice - wear a compression sleeve when you fly no matter what the doctors say!! I've met too many women who got full-blown

    lymphedema after a flight (and not even long flight!) The protection is important and a small price to pay while flying!




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  • Karmic108
    Karmic108 Member Posts: 101
    edited March 2019

    Yesterday I was kind of doing some kind of hand movements to move the lymph fluid from left to right. In that process when my right breast was moving up and down I felt the some water sound going up an down.. felt little weird. It is the same kind of feeling sometimes you feel in your tummy with the fluid moving..

    This is being my current constant distractor of how to deal with lymphedema.

    Just below the back of the shoulder where it reaches the armpit, total numb. I don't feel a thing.

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  • SummerAngel
    SummerAngel Member Posts: 1,006
    edited March 2019

    I saw an interview with Kathy Bates once where she said she woke up from her breast cancer surgery with it. Incidentally, she says that since she's lost weight it's helped a lot with her lymphedema.

    I've been doing pretty much everything people say are bad to do and I'm fine. I really think that the main triggers are what the few studies suggest they are:

    • Many nodes removed
    • Radiation and/or Chemo
    • Overweight
    • Smoking

    I'm sure there are other factors, like being born with fewer nodes than normal, but this list covers most.

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited March 2019

    I had 2 positive nodes and radiation. I was not overweight, have never smoked, and didn't have chemo. So far, so good, 7+ years out.

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