Lymphoedema following surgery.

Hi - if you are still awaiting biopsy results then I guess it is quite soon after the surgery.  In which case I imagine this could well be post op swelling rather than lymphoedema.  Keep an eye on it and speak to your clinical team if it does not reduce.

Thanks Peter.  I guess that depends on how you define "quite soon", it's now six and half weeks since the surgery .  Most healing seems quite complete, apart from the tracheostomy site where the tube was not removed until mid February.  

I have lymphoedema after having both my main lymph glands in my neck blitzed with radiotherapy its like a sack hanging under my chin and looks bloody awful .I have an appointment with a specialist nurse in April so this maybe worth looking into .I have tried some of the massage techniques on youtube but its no better .

Thanks Holidays.  I have been looking for specialist nurses, but the only ones in my area are focused solely on breast cancer patients.  There is a special clinic for lymphoedema in an adjacent health trust area, but they only accept referrals from GPs or consultants in their own area.  Shockingly, head and neck cancer has the highest incidence of lymphoedema, of all the cancers. 

Hi Momist. Have a look at this thread. There are links to self massage in the second page. 

https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/head-neck-cancer-forum/f/new-here-say-hello/297467/lymphoedema

Momist said:

I guess that depends on how you define "quite soon", it's now six and half weeks since the surgery .  Most healing seems quite complete,

Yes bone biopsies take a long time  I think probably it’s safe for your wife to try some massage