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Kira,

Your observation about small patients being harder to treat is interesting. Like you, I had some trouble being lean without much padding.

As mentioned above, we also adjusted my laser treatments due to my size, which worked out well for me and I think helped the laser be such a success for me.

Glad that you enjoyed hearing my success story. We LE patients can use encouragement and I hope that my drastic improvements are encouraging for you

Best wishes for good health!

You requested posts about personal experiences with the Rian low level laser. I began using it about 15 months ago.

The low level laser (LTU-904 cold therapeutic laser) has made a huge positive difference in my life.

Since beginning the laser treatments, I have significantly less discomfort from my post-mastectomy lymphedema, my swelling is reduced, I get many fewer infections in my finger tips (which had been a frequent and repeated problem), and a relatively hard part in my forearm became soft and much much smaller. The low level laser has definitely improved my quality of life. I am incredibly more comfortable with my pain diminished. I credit the laser with much of my improvement in the past 15 months.

Best wishes for good health!

Dr. Gardner,

Thanks so much for doing research about the Acuscope and posting here. So little research is done to find new ways to help patients with LE. Personally, I greatly appreciate your efforts to make progress in healing and improving LE, not just controlling it.

I count on this board to find out about new products, new treatments, refinements of old treatments and anything else that can help me with my LE. I have learned so much from the posts here, always remembering that everyone's body is unique, and what helps one patient might not help another.

For me, your posts are educational and interesting, and I greatly appreciate your taking the time to let us know about your experiences with a new treatment and your research interests.

Thanks again!

rrs,

In answer to your question about how long I have used the laser, I bought my laser about 13 months ago.

I used it as it was done in the study, with the exception that I paid attention to how my body responded and also because I am built small, I used the low setting (not high) and generally used it for a shorter number of seconds. As I recall, the study was something like 3 times per week for three weeks, then take the break, then repeat once, but one should check that with the study as I don't have my notes in front of me now. Later, I did a refresher with the LLL, also as we had read about and researched, but with the low setting for a much much smaller number of seconds.

I carefully monitored my reaction to each LLL treatment, and we took extensive notes about exactly what we did when, to try to handle it in as organized a manner as possible.

My husband and I are scholarly bookish people, so to read the study and research the LLL was a project about which we felt comfortable, which might not be the case for some people.

Unlike some of the women on this board, I had never previously had radiation treatment for breast cancer.

My quality of life prior to the LLL was not good. The LLL greatly improved my comfort, swelling and fibrosis, and my pain decreased.

Each individual is different, but for me personally the laser helped me so much. At the time I purchased it, I checked with the company that distributed the laser and they did not know of anyone doing the laser treatments anywhere near where I live, so getting treatments from a therapist would have meant traveling far out of state twice, for three weeks each time, which was not an option for me. That is why I purchased the laser. I am very grateful that I was able to purchase the laser. I also suspect that a therapist might have used the high setting, which for my body was too much, and would not have accounted for my thin size in the treatment, as it was clear to us needed to be done (based upon our research and my body's reaction to the LLL).

I don't know if the LLL would be good or bad for other people. But my family and I agree that buying the laser was some of the best money I ever spent. My quality of life now has reached a higher threshold, and I feel like I have my life back. I still limit my activities and what I eat (as recommended by my LE therapist), do my LE exercises and MLD, but from my first laser treatment, I started feeling better and am thrilled with how it helped me.

As the saying goes, YMMV...your mileage may vary. But for me it was the right thing to do and the quality of life I have now is much, much better.

I think that Binney is great and pointed out good things for each person to think about, but for me personally, the increase in my quality of life due to the laser was dramatic and wonderful. I kept up with the same other treatments, such as MLD, pre and post-laser. The other things helped me, but the LLL really was an important life-improving addition.

As with all health decisions, it is good to make up one's own mind, and research carefully. Personally, I am very grateful that I was able to purchase the laser.

Best wishes for good health!

Ann Angel,

Riancorp's Low Level Laser has made a huge positive difference in my life and has vastly improved the quality of my life. I feel so much better and healthier. My family is thrilled with how much your LL Laser has helped me.

I am in Florida and cannot attend the conference in San Diego. If you are ever going to have a gathering in Florida, please post it here and message me through this website.

Thanks so much!

Hi Yogi,

My LE is widespread on my body and I have experienced some swelling on the left side of my face sometimes, but it wasn't too bad and went away. My therapist told me that LE is affected by what one eats and told me not to eat food or beverages with caffeine, including chocolate. I noticed that she is right (ugh, I like chocolate). Chocolate does aggravate my LE and makes me swell. Hopefully, yours is not LE. I also hope that your swelling goes away soon. A few very gentle massage motions down my cheek in the direction I wanted the lymph fluid to flow seemed to help me at the time of my face swelling. My face is fine now.

Best wishes for good health!

Thanks very much, Binney!

Thanks for the helpful info, OneBadBoob and Kira!

When I replace my sleeves, I plan to try the Jobst.

Kira,

I experienced the same sticker shock with my LE therapy!

The local hospital where I had my LE therapy charged about the amount you mentioned and sometimes more. At least one of my regular LE therapy sessions was billed at $460. Since my bcbs insurance limit was $1500. per year for LE therapy, the physical therapy cost to me was prohibitively expensive.

Since my LE is widespread, truncal and bilateral, my LE therapist taught me to do daily exercises for the LE and taught my husband how to do a full body MLD (neck to toe) for me. Now, all my physical therapy is done at home.

Best wishes for good health!

Diane,

Like you, it would give me peace of mind if I had antibiotics on hand in case of infection, especially because it can take a while to get a prescription or appointment here.

I plan to ask my gynecologist (who performed my hysterectomy) for the prescription when I see him next year. Hopefully, that will work out. In the meantime, I had better stay healthy with no infections!

Thanks for your well wishes and concern!