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Replies to "Lymphedema in both legs, from auto immune disease, not cancer. Compression socks (when I can get..."
Cancer: Managing Symptoms | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (20)
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Lymphedema in both legs, from auto immune disease, not cancer. Compression socks (when I can get them on) have mostly just moved swelling around, but I have kept trying. Same with elevation—lowering my legs after resting with them up is the worst pain as the fluid shifts. Exercise is the only relief for me, plus lots of fluids. I am lucky that my flare ups are episodic, but any injury (severe osteoporosis) can trigger the swelling—want to try massage next time.
The biggest frustration is the complete lack of medical interest
Replies to "Lymphedema in both legs, from auto immune disease, not cancer. Compression socks (when I can get..."
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Welcome, @mlledaffodil I’m sorry you’re dealing with such painful lymphedema from an autoimmune disease. I had bouts of it too, but while on chemo. One of the things that helped me the most, as @jkh mentioned in her reply above, having regular lymphatic massages really made a huge difference for me. Make sure you seek a licensed massage therapist. Some specialize in Lymphatic Drainage.
I have to tell you, the first time I had it done, I didn’t feel well for a day. (My massage therapist let me know ahead of time that this may be the case). That’s because of the toxins that were released into the body with the massage. So drink lots of water to help flush your body following the massage. The next day, I felt like a million bucks and each subsequent massage was beneficial with no ill effects.
Have you ever had a massage?