Lymphedema

Along with the worst ear ache of my life came swelling of my left arm. Lovely. My hand was visibly swollen and my left wrist was a full inch larger than the right. You could see my veins popping out. Just what I need... elephant arm. I followed up with my doctor who ordered a CT scan of my sinuses and lungs to see what might be causing the ear ache. My sinuses were chronically inflamed and full of fluid, so that was the cause of the ear pressure. The lung pictures were clear, but the lymph nodes on the left side were about triple the size of the ones on the right. I officially have "lymphedema". The radiologist who read the scan also recommended biopsy of the left axillary lymph nodes to exclude metastatic disease (holy crap), given my current breast cancer history. I'm standing there in a dark room, looking at the film on a computer screen listening to the radiologist tell me cancer may have spread to my lymph nodes. It was all very daunting. I was very worried to say the least. Once again, I felt like I had been diagnosed all over again. Last Thursday was not a good day. I connected with my regular doctor again this week who also talked to my oncologist. They are not as concerned and if cancer was in my lymph nodes the sentinel node would have been positive. It is likely that the sinus flare up caused the lymph node enlargement. Another CT will be done in four weeks for comparison. Meanwhile, I have to take it easy and keep my arm elevated whenever possible. I am supposed to keep my elbow above my heart and my wrist above my elbow. This is nearly impossible to do while sleeping, so I wake up pretty swollen in the morning. Throughout the day I look like I'm raising my hand to ask a question in class. I have even figured out how to drive with my left arm elevated sometimes. This is a pain, but hopefully it is manageable and temporary.

[Introduction to Lymphedema: The lymphatic system helps coordinate the immune system's function to protect the body from foreign substances and includes an extensive network of lymph vessels and lymph nodes. Here's how the lymphatic system works: Excess fluid is collected from the space between tissues in the body and moves through the lymph vessels. The fluid (now called lymph) isn't pumped through the body like blood, but instead is "pushed" through the lymph system as the vessels are compressed by surrounding muscles. Filters called lymph nodes remove certain harmful substances from the lymph fluid, such as bacteria and debris. The fluid from most tissues or organs is filtered through one or more lymph nodes before draining into the bloodstream. What Is Lymphedema? Lymphedema is an abnormal buildup of fluid that causes swelling, most often in the arms or legs. The condition develops when lymph vessels or lymph nodes are missing, impaired, damaged, or removed. Lymphedema often develops after breast surgery because there is an alteration in the pathway that drains the fluids involved in the immune system. It can occur at any time after the surgery.]