So my lymphedema is back and now it’s in my arm. The lymphedema is in my left arm where the lymph nodes were removed 14 years ago June 1. I had previously had lymphedema in my lower left leg, and it’s still flares up sometimes but it’s much easier to massage your leg than massage your arm with one hand.

I have been fighting with this often on for about a year I think. I thought wearing a sleeve more often, etc. would help. And by sleeve I mean compression sleeve, but it’s not doing the trick, and I discussed it with my oncologist at our now annual visit and he agreed that physical therapy was the right choice.

And I need to inject here that a lot of women do not know after they have had breast cancer surgery that physical therapy for lymphedema is available to them. It should automatically be included with your breast benefits, so to speak, but a lot of women myself included don’t know at first. 

And I had an excellent care team, but I did not show any signs of lymphedema after surgery consistently or when I was doing treatment and seeing my oncologist more frequently than today 14 years later. The lymphedema in my left leg was the lower left leg and it surfaced after I had meniscus surgery on my knee and it goes back to the you’re not supposed to do anything on your left side much if you can avoid it after you’ve had lymph nodes removed. I never have blood pressure on my left arm. I don’t have blood drawn on my left arm or IVs, and I’ve noticed things like simple bug bites take longer to heal on my left side now versus my right and that all has to do with the lymphatic system.

So now I’m back for physical therapy, which in 2025 is significantly more expensive than it would’ve been if I had needed it 14 years ago.

My lymphedema in my left arm is not extreme, so I am hopeful that once again, I will have a good result.

That’s all! Although this is new in this arm, it falls under maintenance Post breast cancer.