Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
Comments
-
Hey all you movers and shakers, I am just checking in after being away on the oregon coast and eastern oregon. Got lots of walks in and so I have given my self a big pat on the back. I did really good with beach walks too. I lacked with my stretches and lebeds but will start that tomorrow during my work breaks.
I see some of you are doing great and others are trying to poison themselves with ivy. What's with that?
I got to admit it I am a wee bit cranky in my hot black LE gear. I am sorry to say that I am complaining about 82 degree temps and I know some of you are much hotter.
Have not had time to read all your posts but if you are suffering in anyway please be assured that I give you my regards and do try to get out and pump those arms a bit.
0 -
Hugz, the beach walking sounds amazing, and that's a real workout for the legs! Pat yourself on the back some more for that work.
Poison ivy is now faded away, thankfully. I was in the gym on Tuesday but will miss my workout today, because family is descending in masses and my day is all accounted for with final preparations. I am positive that all the running around (well, walking...) will get me my 10,000 steps today, but not in cardio mode. It's so easy to get distracted by life, and let exercise go, isn't it?
0 -
Look out girls........I am warming up for a walk today. Do you got your sneakers on? If not.. go directly to the closet and don them.
0 -
got my new bright colored sneaks out, I need to celebrate, just got my notice that I passed my recent mamo and all is good with the world!!
0 -
I just got back from a short walk. Gorgeous day today!!!
Question for all you experienced LE ladies. I'm new to all of this. I just started wearing a sleeve full time last week. Yesterday I left it on too long, I think. At one point it was feeling irritated and pricky, but was so busy I didn't investigate. When I finally peeled if off last night I saw it had left little angry red dots where the silicone grip band is in the upper end. They hurt almost like a burn. I put some aloe vera on it and they've almost disappeared, thank goodness. Is there a limit as to how long we need to wear these things? Am I allergic to my sleeve?
0 -
Proud....Oh indeed that is great news. celebrate by breaking in those sneakers and tell yourself your gonna make the next few mammos with no probs.... and cold chocolate milk after the exercise. Nordy says that is good to replenish your body.
bc101. Welcome to the boards. You are really clever coming here and asking questions. Do create some posts with questions or tag onto a thread like this until you learn how to post. The more you know about LE the better.
First off you need to build up the wearing time of your sleeve, Maybe a couple hours a day only and increase slowly. The dots left should leave after a couple hours at the most and if they are angry I think maybe your sleeve may be tight. Hopefully some more experienced girls will weigh in. You might not do well with a band like that. Maybe allergic if it is latex or another material. If they break open put some antibiotic cream on them. If they turn into an infection then go to the hospital and mention the word lymohedema and cellutlis together as medical staff don't realize how careful we have to be with cuts/bites/sunburns or any other injury. We can get infections easy in our le limbs because we can't drain out protein rich fluids. We are a breeding ground for bacteria overgrowth.
You say your dots feel like a burn. You may have pulled the skin off if you put glue on your band to help keep it up. Not sure if you did.Slowly peel off if you use glue to help your sleeve stay up.
If you get sore inner elbows then buy an anti friction product that runners use. Mine is called Glide and I can't live without it.
Le is a steep learning curve but we are here to help not scare you silly so don't be worried. Being a July 4th holiday you may not get many answers here because many are vacationing but do ask your questions. I will pop in to assist you as we have no holiday in my country.
Glad that you are walking. Stick your arm straight into the air and pump slowly 25 times when you walk, occasionally. This drives the fluid down to your shoulder. I hope you have hand protection also. Glove or gauntlet to stop the fluid from being pushed into your hand.
Go on the stepup-speakout.org website and find all you need to know about LE.Some of our LE smartypants girls made the site and it is the best.
So glad your are walking. We go at our own pace here and do what we can. No competition here. Just good old support. Try to have your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle like you are jogging instead of hanging down to help the le fluid from pooling in your hand.
If you feel your swelling then prop that arm up and rest. Also tons of water as it helps move that thick fluid.
Please don't be to overwhelmed and take one day at a time. We are here to help!
I will check back in on you in 5 hours as I have a function to attend.If you feel full at the back of your pit or anywhere on your le side then you may have breast le or trunk LE to. You would need to wear compression on that too. Many of us wear a Underarmour brand mens tee (compression only) to help. Get it in a size smaller than you normally wear and not the girls as the sleeve cut to much. This is good for flying or exercising also if you feel any discomfort there.
0 -
Hope all are coping ok.
Try to get out early instead of the hot heat time is the best if you are in high temps and drink tons of water while exercising girls.
Ps. I am bad with mornings but the weather is so perfect for walking then. I must start to practice what I preach!!
Binney are you coping Ok in Arizona. Maybe it's time for Alaska trip.
0 -
It's HOT in Florida, I'll tell ya. But if I walk first thing in the morning, it's not so bad. I've been walking every day, and am keeping an exercise journal now, so that I can be accountable to myself. Otherwise, I'm afraid it will fall off. I'm doing some light weights and resistance bands to increase shoulder strength, 3 times a week. So far, so good. Almost 3 weeks straight!
0 -
Wow glennie that is fantastic news. 3 weeks! You are such an encouragement to me.
Yes an exercise journal and a eating journal keeps me motivated. I use this thread as my journaling accountability area. Sometimes holiday eating etc sneaks up on and and I throw it all away. I haven't done a eating journal in a while .....and that shows that I have not been accountable. After being wheat and dairy free since Feb I went off the wagon on my trip a couple weeks ago and haven't had the discipline to start again. My joints keep reminding me how inflamatory wheat is for me.Sorry a bit off topic, just tooting my horn that I am trying to eat better. (but I am sabotaging myself too, boo hoo!) Proud to say that I haven't done coffee since Feb. At least I didn't succumb all the way. Now pass the chocolate. Dark is healthy is my excuse.
0 -
Dark chocolate is healthy!! (who says it's not???)I try to stay wheat free too. It helps to not buy it at the grocery store; I tend to only cheat when I go out to eat. I have a lot less bloating when I don't eat it. But I do like those pancakes at Perkins,,,,hmmmm,,,,
The LE has me really concerned. I am just so afraid that it will get worse. So I'm really trying to walk, stretch, Lebed, etc to keep it under control. And if I don't journal it,, I will slack. It is not easy to stay motivated to do healthy things.
I bounce on my big ball when I watch TV, as I don't have a rebounder,,, I figure it does about the same thing!
0 -
Ok.... so I did the dark chocolate thingy just before my walk and I think the sugar rush helped me shave off 5 mins. I had extra energy for some reason. I hope I don't crash while typing this. That was 70% dark chocolate if anyone wants to experiment!
So this morn I brushed up against a wire planter and scratched my arm. (The LE arm because that is the way Murphy's law works )
I put antibiotic on it and watched it all day. It was a very surface scratch, 2 inches long but two of them. I have been sitting all day except for my lebed opening that I did early afternoon. The scratch looked angry and a bit puffy. I thought that this may be swelling due to compromised arm. Anyway I just got back from my walk a half hour ago and noticed the swelling went right down and there was just two red angry lines. As I sit here it is starting to raise again but not as bad. The point is.... I think movement helped it go down and now that I am sitting it is trying to raise its ugly head. I guess exercise is a good thing, I found out.
I am watching carefully for signs of infection so don't worry girls. BTW it is the same arm that I got a mosquito bite on a few days ago. Of course that dang bug found my fleshy part of my arm just above my LE sleeve armband and below my tank top sleeve. I swatted it when I felt the pinch so I am not sure if he had a chance to penetrate as I have no bug bite sign.
0 -
oh hugz, you are getting the bad luck, but good to me that you think the exercise may be helping!
off course, likely the dark chocolate too~~feel better
0 -
Thanks, Ok I have burnt so much time on these threads today gabbing and now I must get on with my day. I see that it is a USA stat holiday today and our experts are probably celebrating so I will try to view the boards a bit more this weekend. We had our stat holiday earlier this week. I hope all are making best of the time off and enjoying their familys. I will check in late tonight to see if anyone needs help.
0 -
i'm working and checking here periodically! It is a holiday, but I like to work holidays as I make time & 1/2 on holidays!BTW,,, I spend 8 hrs a day doing order entry on the computer. My LE therapist has me wear my sleeve while I work, cuz she has had other patients where too much computer work was the trigger for their LE flare-ups. Anyone else ever heard that before? I do wear it when I work on here.
0 -
Glennie, GMA foley works with pillows under her arms at the computer. I have a squishy teddy bear that I use some times as a support to rest my arm at the computer to. I don't need it but what the heck. I am just sitting there so I may as well have my arm a little higher up towards my heart to help with the fluid and gravity problem.
I take it all is well as I have not heard any concerns. Good night.
0 -
I folded a thick beach towel into a long support for my arm, with a pillowcase folded around a long piece of cardboard, placing the pillowcase/cardboard on top to make it firmer on the surface. A mouse pad on top of that, and I've got support as I need it. I stand at a tall desk when I work, so my method may not work for glennie, but I think some trial and error and you can come up with some creative solutions to support the arm while at a computer.
No exercise for me yesterday--a house full of family this weekend, so I'm getting lots of hither-thither steps in, but no cardio. I probably cannot get my routine back until Monday, yikes.
0 -
pillows and an arm rest. I will experiment! Happily I'm off the rest of the weekend. I do get up and walk around periodically and stretch.
I walked already today and just have to do my arm exercises now.
Having guests and taking vacations definitely throw you off your routine. I always have trouble getting back in sync afterwards.
0 -
hmmm, back is crankie today, been achie for several days but I kept swimming through it. Caving in today, heating pad and even a pain pill, sofa is for me
0 -
7 hours gardening.. ....I am pooped so I need not worry about tasking this arm anymore tonight. Will be flat out on couch with arm on pillows giving it a break.Was very careful with arm by rotating tasks and not working it to hard, weeding. Tying up dahlias. Ooooooh to have the energy I once had.........just dreaming about it.
0 -
Yesterday I went out for what I thought was a short kayak lesson for a twelve-year old great nephew, but he was so much fun to work with that I stayed out with him for an hour and half. And....thinking I was just going to show him a few paddle strokes, I had not put on my sleeve...my very, very bad and last night I had some more-than-usual aches and puffiness. Usually my Tribute night garment clears that up, but nope, I really overdid it and woke up in about the same sorry condition. Family is still here but will be departing this afternoon, and then I'll be doing the pillow-elevation thing, too, along with a slow session of Lebed and some extra MLD. Feeling pretty sheepish and stupid...but a lesson learned, and now I have figured out the hard way that despite all the strength training, the arm still cannot be put to such work without the sleeve. Ack!!!
0 -
oh Carol, those cute young family members sure can be a distraction, they are too much fun! Hope you feel better soon.
0 -
Carol. Yes we can get so distracted when we are doing something we love. When I have my sleeve off late evening, I sometimes wander out side to look at my flowers. Next thing I know I have a shovel in my hand and have to stop myself from continuing ....but it's sooooooooooo hard when u love an activity. Don't beat yourself up too bad for enjoying the day.
A professional MLD session might take that nastiness away and have them wrap or teach you if you don't know how, but what bad timing with your visitors.Yes soon as they go I would focus on myself.
You must of had a great weekend and all. Family is the best, I have found out since I have been aging gracefully.
0 -
bc101, I am allergic to the band at the top of the sleeve. I order sleeves from Lymphedivas without the band and having been using Juzo Glue with some success so far.
0 -
hugz4u - thanks for the tips! I wasn't able to get back online until now. Yes, I'll have to try wearing the sleeve part time. One LE PT scared me by saying if I don't wear it all the time during the day it may stop working one of these days because my swelling is "fluctuating." But I'll try wearing it less to see if that helps.
As for the red bumps, when I called a therapist at my cancer clinic she asked if I had washed it and I said yes, I just did the night before that happened. She said sometime soap gets caught in the little silicone thingys, so I rinsed it really well. I think maybe the sleeve is too tight, though, because the redness is still occurring, although not nearly as bad as before.
Yes, I have fullness at the bottom of the arm towards the shoulder especially noticeable after I wear the sleeve. I think the jury is still out as to whether I have truncal LE. I have a few problem areas (sternum, side) but they could be an after effect of surgery.
I think I will order a different sleeve from http://www.lymphedivas.com/. I'm curious as to what others think of that brand vs. the Juzo.
Yes, I have a gauntlet - so far no swelling in my hand.
I live in MN where mosquitoes are unavoidable. What's wrong with getting a bite? Is it the actual bite or the danger of getting it infected? I get bit all the time!
I had a great time this weekend paddleboating, kayaking and swimming up at our lake. The lake temps here are still pretty cool - very refreshing! I think swimming is the absolute best thing for me right now. Wish I could go every day!!
0 -
bc101. Bug bites invite infection which in turn could bring out the nasty cellulitis beast which requires major antibiotics , sometimes intravenous. Just keep an eye on them for any redness growing and put antibiotic creme on them. Don't scratch, Actually initially they itch like a dickens but if you don't scratch the bite won't bother you after a couple days. I had one the other day and dressed it, after a couple days it was fine. Yah I hate those buggers with a passion. Many girls here have special bug shirts. Mine is made by Columbia and I wear it camping.it is infused with some repellant.
Swimming is just the best. Way to go!
One way of finding out if you have truncal is if you wear an ordinary bra and you get a pinchy, fullness bothersome feeling or just not comfy feeling. Once I get my UNDERARMOUR on without a bra it tames down in about ten minutes, others may have different experiences. Because your shoulder gets fuller when wearing the sleeve that makes me think your sleeve is too tight and is pushing fluid up into the shoulder. You need to tell your LE pt girl and your sleeve fitter.
If your girl says to wear your sleeve daily you should but she should have told you to start out slow,a couple hours a day maybe for a week or so. I wonder how qualified your LE pt is? Do you know her training and how long her course was? A quicky course for LE is not sufficent. Someone correct me but isn't it a 135 hour requiremnent?
You had surgery last January and your post surgery swelling should be pretty much resolved. I see your going for reconstruction July 21 this month . Come on the boards for help on preparing for surgery.
Interesting about the soap in the dots. Never heard of that but it makes sense especially if your sensitive to soap. Rinse well.
My sleeve is flat knit custom and that is the way to go for fit and better containment. My LEist doesn't like circular knit for the lesser containment reason . They are so stretchy and made different than flat knit. Many wear circular knit and find it satisfactory. Play around and use you therapist suggestions. I use to wear Juzo3512 off the shelf which is stiffer than lymphedivas but is butt ugly. Custom is way more expensive. Confused you yet?
Got in 4 hours gardening, pooped once again.
I got a presentation to do over the next few days and going away to so I may not be on the boards much but others will be glad to help answer questions.
0 -
Question for all you wonderfully knowledgeable ladies. How do you, and or your LE therapists feel about having your BP taken with a wrist cuff? My PS uses one, and I bought one for home. It seems fairly accurate. We tested it by using a regular cuff on my DH and then waiting ten minutes and then using the wrist one on him. It was very slightly different. The wrist cuff doesn't seem to put any pressure on the arm at all, and for the life of me, I don't know how it get's an accurate reading with hardly any squeezing, but it seems to.
Hope you all had a great holiday weekend.
0 -
Hey, all you bike-riders! Have you seen the Lymphedivas bike-wheel print sleeves? They're pretty as well as practical:
http://www.lymphedivas.com/store/pc/viewCategories...
Nice, huh?
Binney0 -
Love the color.0 -
Binney, Those sleeves real cute. Oh my glove smells better than your dogfood glove now that I washed it in baking soda, but I am so scared it will revert back to the gamey danky smell. I soaked it all day in sigvaris washing liquid and then did the baking soda trick. I hope not. Thx.
Goldie, not sure about the wrist bp. I know they tell us to do it on legs prefered ankle for comfort. Hope others post about it.
Will try and check in during my trip but no promises.
Walking next for 45 minutes, nice day to for that.
0 -
I have a wrist cuff to check my BP at home. not sure if accurate as it jumps all over! I use it to tell me it I a up or down and then rely on the doc
then again, they know how to do it better than me!
0
