I have had my 4th acupuncture session for menopausal symptoms and it is going well. For this later session, I had a big reaction for the first 24 hours of multiple hot flushes day and night and then after that, they have reduced significantly and I even slept for two 3.5/4 hour stretches last night which is unheard of! So I am pleased that it seems to be starting to make difference though still a way to go.
So far, I've avoided my surgery arm as I thought this was the right thing to do. But I was talking about what all the different points did to the acupuncturist and the one for body temperature is on your hand/wrist which got me wondering whether the effect would be better if I could have both hands involved. Acupuncture is trying to treat you holistically so this is not the only point that makes a difference to hot flushes, but it was the only one specifically for temperature.
I did talk it through with the acupuncturist and said I would try and find out more. She is a nurse so thought that the risk of lymphedema was mostly when you inject something into a vein or take blood from a vein. Acupuncture needles do not go in very deep and I was also thinking that I have had plenty of scratches and cuts on that hand since my operation with no issues and the needles are sterile, she said she can also use alcoholic wipes on that hand before and after, and I don't see any evidence of them once they're removed.
I only had 3 lymph nodes out and my oncologist said the risk of lymphoedema for me is very low.
I will try and get in touch with the BCNs but has anyone else had acupuncture into their surgery arm? The more I think about this, the more I think it would be fine but I also don't take the risk lightly.
