Concerned about developing Lymphedema

Options
2»

Comments

  • petite1
    petite1 Member Posts: 1,791
    edited April 2020

    I had my appointment with the MO and I do have lymphedema in my breast.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Prairietwin2
    Prairietwin2 Member Posts: 35
    edited April 2020

    I have a friend who has had L for years! She manages well.my sister had all her l nodes removed twenty two years ago and never got lymphedema

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cyathea
    cyathea Member Posts: 338
    edited April 2020

    I echo my sisters, Plum. Get a second opinion or at least ask your doctor why removing all the nodes is the best course of action based on the type of cancer you have, size of tumor, genetics, etc. Specifically ask: what would change in the treatment plan based on this action?

    I was told about the risk of LE by the surgeon and I educated myself pre-surgery, but nothing prepared me for the quality of life change that came from the swelling. I’m not sure that it is LE yet, but I’m proactively treating it like it is to avoid worse problems.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited April 2020

    I pushed back against my surgeon, regarding taking all my nodes. I had TNBC, and the whole enchilada with that disease is whether you have pCR from neo-adjuvant chemo or not. I had what APPEARED to be a pCR per my post chemo MRI (not yet verified by surgery) and thought, Gee, if my cancer is gone, why take all those nodes? I asked my BS: can you take a sample, check out my tissues, and go back for more if I have any cancer in there? My surgeon agreed and took 4 nodes. No cancer anywhere. I am so glad I did not lose all of them.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories