Lymphoedema - gripe
Lymphoedema - gripe I have had my three year check-up with my breast surgeon. Thank goodness everything was ok.
However, surgeon asked me who had told me that I had lymphoedema - as his statistics are for less the 1% of his patients are affected by lymphoedema. I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing - does he think I wear the sleeve for the fun or it?? He even asked me if I really did need to wear the sleeve.
When I told him that it was actually Prof Mortimer that had diagnosed me that stopped him in his tracks… I explained that I had gone to see Peter Mortimer after recurrent cellulitis on my arm.
It is appalling that professional people and especially a breast surgeon ,just don’t seem to grasp the facts about lymphoedema and how it affects us.
He seemed more concerned about his statistics then how I was managing and dealing with lymphoedema!!
Joanx
Hope there’s no surgeons reading this but I think they all think they are gods and we should be grateful for them taking the trouble to operate on us!!!
I don’t think surgeons realise the impact of lymphoedema and I wonder where they get their stats from anyway!!
Sorry you’ve had such a bad time with cellulitis.I’ve had phlebitis and that was bad enough and my lymphoedema has worsened since this.
Good luck
Kate
Surgeons Hi there
You are so right! My breast surgeon is pretty switched on to lymphoedema, and one of my plastic surgeons, but another one just doesn’t seem to understand it at all.
I’ve got to have a bit of further surgery to even up my boobs after my second reconstruction, and he was keen on reducing the left one (where I have lymphoedema) rather than working on the one that needs plumping up! I explained I didn’t want anything done on the left because of my lymphoedema and he said he didn’t think it would affect anything. Doesn’t he know that we’re not even allowed to have blood pressure/blood taken/injections on the affected side?
Maybe they all need a few lessons!
Helen