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Breast Lymphedema and Hand Cellulitis - Anyone else experience this?
Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue. I just returned from spending 3 days in the hospital with severe cellulitis in my hand. The cellulitis began in a finger and grew up past my wrist. I had many IV antibiotics including vancomycin.
This may sound ignorant, but I never even thought about the very mild lymphedema that I have had in my breast since a lumpectomy 6 years ago. Once I got home, I read about the correlation on the internet. I read that breast lymphedema significantly increases risk of cellulitis in the affected hand and arm. I have had 2 breast cancers within the last 6 years, and no one has ever talked to me about this. This is information that the hand orthopedist should have had.
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@katrina123, I'm tagging fellow members like @billiemoore @rosy33 @cindylb @fisch @trixie1313 @tullynut, who may have experiences to share. See this related discussion:
- Lymphedema and now Cellulitis https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lymphedemacellulitis/
Katrina, how are you doing now?
@katrina123
I had axial webbing (a form of lymphedema) following my surgery which was helped considerably with that as well as wearing a sweet spot used in my mastectomy bra.
I was advised by PT and my oncology surgeon to be careful when having scratches, mosquito bites, bug bites, etc. While gardening I use a gardening sleeve to avoid scratches. However, this last summer during camping, my foot was bitten by a harvester ant...ouch! Then not to outdo that creature, a wasp stung me on my inner elbow on the breast cancer side...my arm blew up over an inch from wrist to shoulder! My PT ordered a lymphedema sleeve and a glove, following which I was sent to the people who measure arm length and hand width for glove and ordered them. They do fit quite snug but once you get used to them, they're A-OK.
Hope this helps...all the best to you.
@colleenyoung
Unfortunately, my finger is starting to itch again and is slightly inflamed. Concerning since I spent 10 hours in one hospital with IV antibiotics and then was transferred to another hospital and was on IV antibiotics for 3 days there. Prior to this I had had 2 arthrocentesis procedures on my finger joint on left hand to drain a mucin cyst. I have severe erosive osteoarthritis in my hands.
I have an appointment with my breast oncologist this week and I will see what she thinks. I am really wondering if the cellulitis is connected to lymphedema. I have had very mild lymphedema in my left breast for 6 years. My first breast cancer was on the same side as the hand cellulitis. I had breast radiation on that side 6 years ago.
We will see what happens.