Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
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Carol, You are so smart taking advantage of the time in the airport to walk. Otherwise it really is just so much waiting, and waiting around. Carol, I know about those nasty scratches. The worst part is having to detach yourself from the garden and go inside to dress your wound. I wear my glove and sleeve and a long light jacket over to protect my arms. When I don't, I pay for it in scratches that just eat my time up having to look after them. bandage gets wet, take off, re bandage, bandage gets wet again, take off rebandage.yadda, yadda, grrrrr.
Bummer news. Found out today that my progressively sore hip area is probably brusitis. Not allowed to do stairs for a long time or else it will get so bad I will have to quit my walks too.
Gardening is limited to. I feel like I have been knocked down after trying so hard to get my life back on a healthy track. This all started last year when I whiplashed my entire spine falling off a couple steps. I never did recover from that injury and I fear this is the new me. I will have to stop feeling sorry for myself and start thinking of different ways to burn calories without so much hip involvement. Any ideas? Nordy, If your reading. Runners get this kind of hip bursitis I heard. What do you do?
Well, I guess I will go practice wrapping. I got new gauze!
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Hugz, some people get "greater trochanteric bursitis" in the hip area, and ice and anti-inflammatories and a cortisone shot if needed can help.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/309286-overview
You are the cheerleader here, we need you.
Do you have access to a pool? You wouldn't be weight bearing.
Kira
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Momine - Going OT but have to say I love Gordons - don't run into too many who have them! I've had 5 of them. I lost my last Gordy a bit over a yr ago at 13. I'd had him 12 yrs. as he had been taken to the Humane Society (with his papers) shortly before he turned 1. At the time I had an OTG (Off Track Greyhound) who was getting quite old when Son saw a picture in the paper of the HS 'Dog of the Week' and it was a Gordy so he called me - we went down there and came home with Cody. Now I have a Pembroke Corgi (at least she looks like full blooded) that Hubby found in a snowbank on the Rez and brought home to me 1 1/2 yrs ago.
Sorry for going so far OT.0 -
Kicks, What type of a dog is a Gordon? Never heard of it. Do you walk them alot? Don't worry about OT here as we include dog discussions as they are our exercise motivators! Besides their so good natured and sweet, how could you not talk about them.
Oh my goodness how did I get this hugh font on?
What did I do? I was previewing and touched something. eeks!
Kira, Thank you for the advice. I was thinking maybe to go on some ibproferen. Also I have a high dose form that is very bio available of Curecumin. It definately helps with my arthritis so maybe it will help with hip inflamation. I have to weigh this option out. I will look up the site you gave. Many thanks. Cortisone kinda scares me but If I need it bad enough I will succumb to it.
I went to the pool twice in the last few days and really enjoyed it. I can only go maybe 1 or 2 times a week and then my dry skin packs it in. itchy! I love the pool. My dream would be to own a EZ Therapy Pool (much more inexpensive than a real therapy pool but still lots of bucks) that is 60inches deep and works off a salt water system. My skin does well with that. Maybe one day especially if the pool fairy drops one off into yard.
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Not a big fan of the cortisone shots here. Steroids can have long term adverse affects if they are injected too frequently into the joint. Having said that, sometimes that is the only thing that will help decrease the inflammation long enough to allow some healing. So, I personally would use it if conservative treatment fails, and by that I mean physical therapy. Hugz - can you get a referal to PT? Your lymphedema therapist may not be the best person to treat your hip - it all just depends on his/her training and what they focus their continuing education on. I agree with Kira on anti inflammatories, rest and ice. The initial key here is decreasing the inflammation, so if that means resting for a few days then that is what you need to do. Then PT for range of motion and gentle stretching. But decreasing the inflammation is where you should start. Hang in there. Multiple hugs.
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Thank you Nordy. Yes, the girl that suspects I have brusitis is a physio and a accupunturist. So she will keep an eye on me. She absolutely said no stairs or I will be in trouble. I can't see her for a month due to budget so I will be real careful and take some anti inflammatories and ice.
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hugz4u - a Gordon is one of the Setters (hairy bird dogs). Irish are red, English are white/spotted and Gordons are Scottish and are very hairy black and tan. I didn't 'walk' Cody a lot as we had a fenced yard and he'd go with me on horse and bike rides a lot. Rezzie (the Corgi from the Rez) and I walk down to the 'City' park almost daily for her to slide down the slide and ride the carosel and then 'we' fish in the creek. With her short little legs biking doesn't seem too logical for her and I don't really feel really confident with her OL manners yet to take her out on a ride. As she likes to slide the slide, ride the carosel and go through the kid tunnels, I'm thinking she might like to do Agility so will be looking into that for her/us. I would never have thought I'd have a Corgi but Hubby found her needing a home so I have her now so here she stays.
As long as I'm already blathering about dogs - I'll go ahead and tell about Hubby's Girl. Shortly after I was DX"d, he lost his 'Little Girl' to cancer. He wanted a Hound and had been looking for an adult needing a home. The day before my mast., for some reason I stopped at the Humane Society. They had a young adult Black and Tan Coon Hound. After I was in my room I sent him and Son off with Son having orders to be sure they went and looked at 'Svetlana' (what they called her) and he got her (she had to stay to be spayed so she came home from 'doggy jail' the same day I came home from 'medical jail'.0 -
Kicks, Oh my word! I just googled Gordon puppies. Oh my goodness, they are too cute with those ears! Yes,your corgi needs to be in Agility or either the circus!
Corgis are kinda cute in their own way. I love their faces and they are fast. Our Queen has several over the many years. If they are good enough for the Queen then for sure they are good enough for us common folk!Do we have any dog walkers this week?
JustmeJanis, I haven't heard from you in a long time. We need you to go and walk your dog. It is good for us and uplifts our spirits. Come on, pick up the leash and just go out for a few minutes! You can do it!
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Hugz--Pineapple is also good for inflammation. It is recommended in a lot of LE info.
Carol and Kira--So great you could get together PLUS you exercised while getting to know each other. Tina and I hope to meet up next week near Philadelphia. Hopefully we can get some movement in also. I noticed going around with Catherine delivering LE meeting flyers that our whole conversation usually revolved about LE. Only another person with LE understands.
Got only 30 min on elliptical. Getting ready to go out to dam and meet up with friend. I went on Monday and the steps were so much easier after the minute ellipticals. My legs are much stronger! Plus I lost 2 lbs quickly last week and think the elliptical did it!
Wish I had a dog. But my 90 yr old mother would have a fit if I brought an animal in. She is my pet for right now.
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Becky, my parents are in their late 70's and early 80's and have always had a dog, and when their last rescue died, my father said enough. And my mother pestered him, and they adopted a senior mutt who they adore.They had some rough moments with adopting him, but they've worked through it.
I've always had dogs, and my current dog is half shepherd/half aussie and I watch my daughter's "sato" dog--off the beach in Puerto Rico, kind of a tiny English setter/chihaua mix.
Binney has the coolest dogs: she rescued 2 golden doodles and trained them to be therapy dogs, and they are just huge bundles of dedication.
Kicks, I didn't know you rode. Carol and I talked about riding: my Appy died shortly before my diagnosis, and I haven't been on a horse since, but I sure miss the big guy, he was such a good horse.
Well, I found that without the structure of work, I fell off the exercise wagon: it was come home steamed and work off steam. Now I just kind of wander and I'm currently doing the on-line portion of the Klose class. I need to recreate my own structure for exercise.
Hugz, the eMedicine site was really written for doctors, but there was a page in there of stretches for the hip bursitis. Totally agree with Nordy, the expert, that rest, ice, anti-inflammatories and then PT is the way to go.
Today I will exercise, today I will exercise....
Kira
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Had an early morning meeting yesterday, and then had a terrible migraine so no exercise yesterday. My only self-care activity was I somehow managed to bandage in the near dark between bouts of vomiting (TMI ...). Woke up feeling better, so did my 6 mile quasi-speed walk. Even though it was raining, I was still a bit photophobic so I wore sunglasses. I passed dozens of miserable-looking people walking their dogs in the rain. I must be quite a sight to them: a crazy lady walking like a duck wearing sunglasses, a black oven mitt (my Tribute) and a brace, doing crazy things with her arms and neck (LE exercises). KS1
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Oh KS1, you are so dedicated, and as the mother of a migraineur and someone who has a touch of it myself, I can so relate.
I just saw my LE therapist, and she wraps me, and I stepped out to talk to my neighbors, pulling my sweater over my wrap--I'm not nearly as brave as you.
I think you deserve a special medal for bravery, perserverance and being a role model. Now we need our resident artist, Tina, to create it.
Kira
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Yesterday was a beautiful day, so I went cycling around the lake close to my house. 12km (about 7 miles) and some deep breathing and stretching afterwards. Felt good and no pain. Wrote down my "achievement" in my log book and was pretty satisfied.
Today, I am paying the price. Knee and back hurt really bad, so I had to back off. No lower body exercise. Just concentrated on upper body and did a bit of weight training lying down on a bench for 15 mn. This is messing up my weekly plan, but nowadays, with LE and all the other side effects of the treatments, one has to be flexible. I hate these limitations! I can'tn help looking back at those pre-cancer, pre-LE days, when 5 times a week aerobic was easy pie. ....
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DM13--Thank you, thank you for the Nike+GPS app. I loaded it before walking with my friend today and we loved it! We were so enamored hearing it say "1 mile and pace is..." "2 miles and pace is..." that we walked 10 miles! I like it so much better than my pedometer plus you can freeze it if needed (as we needed a bathroom break). I hope you have a better night tonight.
I used to have a darling little schnauzer--she never got above 11 lbs which is very small--Sasha. But she got old. I may get another one someday.
KS1-I love your "I don't care what they think" attitude. Way to go!!!
Lifted weights this afternoon but after 10 miles did bare bones. I then dropped a can on the toe next to my big toe and think it may be broken. I have taped it to the next toe. It doesn't hurt but has a big lump on it. So clutzy I am!
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Ten miles - wow!! I gotta get me that app. I know that I feel better physically and mentailly when I exercise, but sometimes it's hard to actually get out and exercise. Reading what you all are doing makes me get out and do it. It's interesting, in the past when I walked with day sleeve + day glove, day sleeve + wrapped hand, or a Tribute without wrapped fingers, my hand would swell. This doesn't seem to happen now that I am walking with a Tribute over fingers wrapped in gauze. I'm afraid to even type this for fear of jinxing myself, but last night what with my migraine, I went for almost two hours not wearing anything on my hand, and it didn't blow up. -- KS1
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Whew, today I have been left in all of your collective dust! So many miles logged, and with attitude (KS1, you are demonstrating fabulous in-your-face spunk)!
I woke up yesterday feeling a bit off, and by last night, I suspected I was coming down with a cold. This morning it was undeniable, waking up feeling like total crap, in all the classic rhinovirus ways. Had to teach my seminar, so now I'm voiceless to boot. The worst: wondering all day if I was Typhoid Mary and passed this stupid bug along to Kira while we dined, chatted, walked and exchanged the famous LE hugs! At dinner with Kira, I felt just fine. I assume I picked this up in one of the airborne incubators, i.e. airplanes I rode in this week. I don't have the heart to look up the incubation period of a cold, just crossing my fingers that Kira escaped it. Kira, if you are sneezing today....I am so sorry!
And all of that is to explain why I took a taxi to the bank building this morning intead of walking the 2.5 miles, and why I gladly accepted a ride back to my hotel at the end of the business day. Not looking forward to my very early morning flight and probably not planning to trot through any airport corridors, either. Oh, and did I mention that for no good reason (other than having a cold I presume), my LE arm aches and tingles tonight? And I'm really PO'd at getting a cold, because my destination tomorrow is not home, but to where my daughter, SIL and granddaughter live. So I will have to keep my distance...crying foul here!! (And none of this is LE related, so imagine how I would carry on if my arm was puffy instead of my nose!!) (And compared to migraines, this is of course nothing. Or compared to broken toes. Or to bursitis. So I hereby apologize for this rant and thank you ladies again for keeping the inspiration bar really high!)
Carol
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Stumbling in here to say that, having taken apart the kitchen to get at the leak behind the wall, I am hereby declaring dishwashing-in-the-bathtub an olympic sport.
I've been doing this for several days now, carefully bracing knees on tub edge and cantilevering over the tub so I don't have to kneel and risk resting my weight on my arms. And what I have now is an extremely sore neck and shoulders. Even Lebed hurts--how bad is that?!! I'm madly trying to keep it from affecting my truncal LE. No end in sight. We shall see...
I recently read a study (or maybe I dreamt it
) that said dark chocolate was really good for colds, broken toes, bursitis, and sore shoulders and necks. (Uh, sorry, but I can't even pretend it's any good for migraines!) Be well, all!
Binney0 -
Atttended my first breast cancer support group tonight. My real curiosity was to find out how many women were aware of LE. Six BC women in attendance (including me). Four of five had not been told anything about LE, four had lymph node removal. One lady had one episode of LE in the last 11 years which was her first intro to LE.
Interesting.
OK - still have MLD so best get busy. Slacked off on exercise and water last two days and I'm paying for it.
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Carol, You may have bypassed Kira with your cold germs and passed them my way! The girls are right. When you get a cold or flu your LE rears it's ugly head to bite you once again. I woke up feeling like a fat ball was under my pit. Go figure. Yup. Darn LE. Wore a shaper and it took care of it.
I took an elevator up 2 floors to my office instead of stairs and felt like a Geriatric patient but I want to save my hip so I can walk carefully in a few days. Just sat on my break and ate instead of stairs. YIKES! Can't do that too much!
Bought a fancy ice pak that molds to odd shaped body parts ( that would be me alright!) Gonna stick it on my hip as I practice wrapping tonight. No time for sex! Maybe chocolate though as per Binney's suggestion.
Binney. Id take those dishes outside and spray them with the hose, soap and a brush. End of story! Save your arms and trunk from that nasty edge on the bathtub.
Oh my gosh you are all leaving me in the dust! 10 miles, really! Oh wow. You girls go!
Does anyone know how I got that huge print in my yesterday post. I want to learn it so I can scream out. EXERCISE when we need to kick LE in the floppy buttocks.
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Becky - I am in awe of your 10 miles! I too like the feedback, but changed mine to be every half mile... lol... I am so proud of you! Maybe tomorrow I will go 4 miles
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Binney, your kitchen repair project is really putting you through too much! Can you elevate a couple of wash basins in the tub, say by putting them on plastic stepstools or an overturned plastic storage bin? How about using one of the old fashioned rubber hose/shower devices to bring the water closer to you? Your method makes you be a contortionist!
Ohio, your mini study is likely highly representative of the general experience. Now we need to find out WHY our healthcare providers are silent on LE. This should not be the DIY discovery process that it is, especially when we learn about LE the hard way.
Hugz, you do have a way with words: floppy buttocks...I can relate to that!
Have a great day of exercise, LE care, and for Binney, better dishwashing ergonomics!
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Hi All--Bummer for those of you with colds. I would not be doing exercise either if I had a cold. They lay me low.
DM 13-I played around with the app last night and did change it to call out every 1/2 mile.
Binney--It is called paper plates, plastic utensils, etc. Throwing in the trash is easier than washing in the bathtub! When will you have a new house?
It is already too hot today so will stay in and do treadmill--plus some elliptical minutes.
Chocolate here we come!!!!
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Carol--knock on wood, no sign of the dreaded rhinovirus. After many years of chronic sinusitis and 5 (yes, but 2 were re-do's due a bone infection) surgeries, I am a neti pot user....
I walked the dog yesterday, and realized again, why I'm so glad we moved. What a friendly neighborhood. For 20 years we lived 3 miles away in a suburb reknowned for the schools, but never particularly friendly. Now, we live on the ocean--race night yesterday, with spinnakers flying and as I walked my dog, an older woman came up to me to tell me of her beloved dog she'd lost.
Binney--you know I vote for cheap shelves and a temporary kitchen until all the horrible details can be sorted out.
I heard the Klose module on exercise: very interesting--no specific endorsement of the PAL protocol, but good overall advice, including the need to restrict overhead movements to shoulder height post-op: why didn't I get that advice?
When I was talking to the Vodder therapists, they told me of surgeons who refuse to let them educate their patients: flat out refuse, as they don't want the women "scared": we have the Mei Fu study that shows that education reduces the incidence of LE, but in the real world, they're so afraid of alienating these surgeons. They asked for my advice and I said to push the early detection scheme, and use the Cancer journal for oncology rehab as evidence.
And,I'm proof that lack of education can increase the incidence of LE. Will never know if I'd dodge the bullet, but would have liked a fighting chance....
Hugz, my husband orders these fancy ice packs, called thermasoft: they sell them to PT's, he's a dentist and fights chronic mid spine pain, and did herniate a disk, and he and my SIL ( a family doctor and fanatical volleyball player) order them in bulk....http://www.polarfrostusa.com/gelpacks.php
Have been sitting on my butt doing the on-line training for Klose, but almost done with the on-line stuff, now to the DVD's.
You guys keep me motivated and make me feel accountable.
Everyone with colds: FEEL BETTER.
Everyone with migraines: FEEL BETTER.
Kira
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Can I join your thread? I few things brought me here....
Bursitis today on a search...I have been struggling with it for about 2 months in my Knees. I started using a new treadmill 6 days a week in Mid January. I was really loving taking care of myself (I have lost 10 #s ths year) . I also bought a Weight machine this Jan. And added in some kettlebells in Feb. So my knees started really hurting...I took it easy for about 3-4 weeks. I have been back on the treadmill taking it still slower then before. But my knees are hurting again. Now in back too- not just in front. Doing Ice & Elevating for the Bursitis..did take some Ibuprofen last time...Have not thought to do it this time.
Also 2 weeks ago I had my 1st flare up of LE. My left arm & trunk. I think I have always had trunk LE...very mild though...I saw a LE specialist 6 weeks after my BLM due to swelling alot of pain...She called it Edema or Temporaty LE that would go away in about 6 months...Well that was almost 4 years ago. The swelling is alot less & so is the pain- until 2 weeks ago. the day after a kb workout my Arm felt very painful & very heavy- along with my chest.
I did not go to a LE therapist for this
. I did my own MLD ( I know I shouldnt without instruction) I did tons of Deep breathing & I kept it elevated. it was feeling alot better in 5 days...And much better in 8 days.I have done the kb 2 times much slower with a lighter bell since then & have been ok...
And of course reading the last page of posts & I got to hear about everyones awesome dogs!
I have a 16 month Goldendoodle who I get to walk almost every day. She makes me Smile.
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I also wished I had been given the advice of restricting overhead movements to shoulder level after the 1st operation 3 years ago. Instead, the exercises I received were all about stretching and pulling. And that's what I did because I wanted to go back to my pre-op physical condition as quickly as possible.
When I look at it now, l realize that many of the trigger factors were there but nobody explained anything. Post-op seroma that was punctured twice a week for 4 weeks, cording, plus chemo with taxanes.... I wanted to be in the best physical condition to deal with chemo, so I kept on training and training. Did everything as I did before without any precaution. By doing so, I probably used my drainage capacity much faster. I am convinced that if I had been told honestly that even though I was athletic, did not smoke, did not drink, ate very healthy, etc, each treatment they had planed for me would be increasing the risk. But no, nothing. Anyway, no need to dwell too much on "what if...." it takes you in the past, or in the future and what we have to deal with is now.
I had a session of MLD this morning and I asked my therapist to kinesio tape my knee for support (with wide strips of tape) so I could train today. That did the trick. I did 35mn of step aerobic with no problem. I will keep the tape until this evening and see tomorrow how it looks. My therapist showed me how to put some kinesio tape for swelling around the knee (fan shaped).
Bonnie, just imagining you bent over that tub doing all these dishes kills my back. When all the work is over, you can fill that tub with chocolate. Save a piece for me.
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My side was a bit achy this AM, but set off for my 6 miles walk anyways. Walked slower with arms down instead of speed walking and doing LE exercises. I did deep breathing, and massaged supraclavicular nodes, and 3 miles out, I pulled out the big guns and started doing MLD trying to drain trunk to inginual nodes. The streets were empty, so hopefully no one saw. When I got home, I did truncal MLD for real and waited 2 hours before remving Tribute/bandages. Side is puffier, and upper arm may be a tad bigger, but my hand looks great
I guess my LE therapist is right and I should wear a short sleeve compression t-shirt when I exercise or fly. Her favorite is Zensah because it is seamless, and the sleeves are not "cap" sleeves. The problem is I am very small up top, and the small is downright blousy on me. I went to a sporting goods store and tried on a bunch of brands, but didn't find anything that is small enough in the trunk, without being too tight in the upper arm. Amazon sells "ASICS Women's Competition Shirt," Eastbay, and New Balance compression t-shirts that look like possibilities. Has anyone tried them? Any suggestions on other brands? KS1
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I walked 3 miles today with my German Shepard
I wish I could blink myself back into shape! lol.I have been told to not raise my arms from my old PS, since December... what that has done is cause severe frozen shoulder! Pain is not good! Finally meeting with LE PT June 6th!
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Dejaboo, welcome!
It's great that you managed the flare yourself, but ideally, a LE therapist should check you out--measure you, examine your whole quadrant, consider compression garments and review MLD. We do have to do self-care for LE, but it's best with the assistance of a qualified therapist.
Kettleballs are tough--a weight on a pendulum.
It's great that you're active, but please take care of yourself.
Is your avatar your goldendoodle?
Kira
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Thank you Kira.
I cried when I posted & saw my Avatar...I forgot that that was my picture...That is my Deja- she died March of 2011. I then said 'No more dogs'...For all of a day...And found my Goldendoodle puppy- I got her 16 days later...A little too fast...But she helped ease my pain alot. She was my 3 Year Cancerversary gift to myself
Im just wondering if my flare up is 'back to normal' Still Some arm & side pain & side swelling. But what it has basically been like for 4 years. My Arm measures what it has for 3 years (it is 1" bigger then before my BLM- I feel alot of that is from getting out of shape though & not LE) ...Can the LE Therapist help me at the moment? I have had alot of Drs tell me 'nothing is wrong'...So I sometimes hesitate to see anyone.
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Dejaboo, was Deja a setter? What a sweet face. It's so hard to lose them.
Being told nothing is wrong is the default position of so many of our health care providers: we call that "denying our reality"
I think that a GOOD LE therapist could help you, and I've found that quality varies, but a good one, is worth their weight in gold If you have swelling and pain, then you're not in ideal control, and the longer the high protein fluid stays in the tissue, the more inflammation and fibrosis we get, and it's harder to get back to "normal". I know it can be difficult, expensive, time consuming, but I'd recommend another try with a LE therapist: here's a link on how to find therapists, and consider interviewing them before making an appointment.
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm
Seriously, most physicians don't get any education on LE: I recently spoke to a room of gyn oncologists and breast surgeons and none of them knew how to treat LE. And they work with a fully staffed LE clinic in the building, so a referral is their job, and knowing anything about the condition just isn't a high priority.
We wrote this to health care providers:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/essential%20informat%20for%20healthcare%20providers.htm
When my amazing dog died in 1990, I knew she was sick with bladder cancer, and took home a shepherd puppy--a co-worker who knew my dog was sick was pushing me to take her-- the next day--and it was a huge mistake. The shepherd was inbred and had terrible hips and hated being touched, but we had her for 14 years, and my daughters loved her. When she died, I told them we were going to wait, and my older daughter was on petfinders.com and a week later, I'm driving to a rescue and we got my avatar, a half shepherd/half aussie who is a love. She turns 8 this weekend. The daughter who found her, left for college two weeks later, and is convinced she raised her, but in reality, it was her younger sister who did the heavy lifting and literally had her homework eaten by the dog...
You are fit and strong and you deserve a good evaluation. IMO.
Kira
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