Does Stress Cause Flare-ups?

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wulfgirl4
wulfgirl4 Member Posts: 38
edited September 2020 in Lymphedema

I've been back to teaching and it's been super stressful. I've noticed the flare ups are worse and last longer. So, maybe this is a dumb question, and maybe I already know the answer, but does stress make lymphedema worse?

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited September 2020

    Yup - absolutely. Are you wearing sleeves & gauntlets or gloves? Or if it's truncal &/or breast, are you wearing a compression bra or tee?

    If you haven't seen this site, it has a wealth of good information.

    https://www.stepup-speakout.org/


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  • wulfgirl4
    wulfgirl4 Member Posts: 38
    edited September 2020

    Yes, I wear all of that, and if I don't it's awful. Thank you for replying!! There's so much to learn.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited September 2020

    wulfgirl - thank you for teaching the nations children. Hope the situation gets better.

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited September 2020

    Wulfgirl, I'll second MinusTwo's post about stress causing lymphedema to flare. Sure does it for me. Also, I have several kids who are teachers and I hate seeing what they're up against this year, but have to say I'm so proud of them for their care for children. Brava to all of you!

    A couple of thoughts to add to the mix here. First of all, going back to teaching may also be resulting in flares for strictly physical reasons--doing more repetitive work (writing, keyboarding, cutting with scissors, whatever) and unaccustomed lifting (chairs, boxes of supplies, books, stacks of papers), all of which can exacerbate swelling. You might want to look at your daily activities and see if there are ways to ease those kinds of tasks--spread them out over time, or ask someone to help.

    And secondly, it's easy for givers like you to forget to make the time and effort to care for yourself in ways that help you relax. Whether that's watching funny movies, dancing around the house to a favorite kind of music, riding a bike around the neighborhood, cooking something special, or just unplugging from other demands, it's helpful to consider self-care a serious responsibility for the good of everything and everyone you love. (Then too, of course, chocolate helps!)

    Be well! Gentle hugs,
    Binney

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited September 2020

    Oh yes Binney - CHOCOLATE.

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  • wulfgirl4
    wulfgirl4 Member Posts: 38
    edited September 2020

    Aww thank you Binney AND MinusTwo! I believe ALL of that was contributing to my flare up. I've switched to a different tank to compress my armpit and chest, that helped. I also have been walking a little more again, that helps. I've done some deep breathing and yes, just taking care of ME. The beginning of the school year is incredibly stressful on a normal year.... and this year, it's 10x worse. Thank you both for your kind & encouraging words. It helps so much!!

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