Coping with Lymphodema in the hand/arm....

[lovebeingananny]

After a year of active treatment for Breast Cancer, I thought my life was going to get back to 'normal'. But then I woke up one night to find my hand swollen and I was unable to bend my fingers. It had gone down by the next morning, so I assumed I must of just slept awkwardly on it! (Wishful thinking)

I saw my Breast Care Nurse, and she immediately said its Lymphodema. So I'm booked in to see the Lymphodema nurse at the end of November.

I'm currently on holiday and have struggled with my hand swelling in the heat! BCN has told me I can try gentle massage to try a relieve the swelling.

But what's concerning me more is how this might affect me long term! I work as a nanny and am hoping to change jobs soon. But working with babies and small children will always involve some kind of lifting. Will this make my Lymphodema worse? Or once I am fitted with a sleeve, will I be okay to continue as normal?

Any wise words, much appreciated. It's really starting to worry me.

Not me personally but a boss I used to have had this. She used to get manual lymphatic drainage done one or twice weekly which helped a lot. This was over 10 years ago so cant remember too much about the day to day living with it, my recollection is she managed pretty well apart from hate hate hating the sleeve she had to wear all the time.

Try over on the Tamoxifen thread here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2212296--Tamoxigang-thread-51-no-more-sangria-but-maybe-some-mulled-wine

bound to be someone to help .

No advice but sorry to hear that hope you're having a lovely holiday otherwise

Thanks posh & ginger have to admit the thought of having to wear a sleeve, isn't my idea of fun! But that's life.

malt I am having an amazing holiday, thank you! Might be a year later than planned, but I got there in the end. Hope you are continuing to do well. Xx