Looking for a bit of advice on how people are feeling 3 months on from Diep and full axilla clearance.
I had surgery on 7th Sept and picked up a 5pm deal for a spa I’ve visited before.
Got a couple of queries, firstly the whole lymphodema risk. The spa has various steam rooms/sauna and I know these can be a risk, but the advice is so varied, on one page you’ll read avoid and on another it will say perhaps limit the time in them. It’s just kind of gutting to never enjoy a spa experience again. I don’t tend to spend a length Of time in saunas / steam rooms, I don’t usually stay till I’m sweating and pushing myself through it, so thinking as long as I didn’t get too hot Id be ok?
Are jacuzzis ok?
The other question was how flexible do you find your arm is after 3 months? At the moment the thought of swimming etc is a no no but I know I’m only 3 weeks post surgery.
I want to book so I have it to look forward to, but on the other hand I don’t want to book and then feel im dreading it worrying about the risks.
I have not come across anything, which should prevent you from being ableto go to a Spa. As long as you are not on chemo or radiotherapy - i.e. you have a compromised immune system - in theory it should be ok. Of course your wound would have to have healed properly. Perhaps a quick call to your breast care nurse or treatment team, just to make sure?
As to lymphoedema - I was not aware that steam rooms can cause issues?!
If you have been doing the excercises post your surgery - your arm should theoretically be able to move well again. If it does not - again it may be an idea to call your bc nurse or treatment team for a referral to a physiotherapist.
Sue
Thanks! Is it just saunas you should avoid then? I know Uve read up a lot on lymphodema. I could cope with that as I do prefer the steam rooms.
Ah I didn’t think about chemo or rads, I have meeting with onco next Wed. Hopefully ill know more.
Wounds mmmm hadn’t thought about that either. I do have a patch on boob that is still not quite there. I’ll check with ps in a few weeks.
Mmm maybe ill check if I am still within timescale to cancel voucher (think just outwith) if bit ill book the date in and if I can’t then we can pass it on.
Yes that’s what I’ve read. It’s pretty annoying not being able to enjoy these things anymore (not that I did them often).
I do find it confusing that they say not use regularly or stop altogether. Is that because the more you use it it is like a build up, or a percentage risk? ie I could be fine the 1st 3 times but the 4th causes an issue but nothing to do with the previous 3? I’m talking sauna/steam rooms here, for massage ill be careful to either avoid the arm, get someone experienced in cancer surgery patients or just ask to gently massage the creams in. Again I’m lucky if I have one once a year!
Sorry finding it hard to put down in writing without confusion!
Think I’m gutted as i turned 50 last year and really wanted to do a girls trip to Bath in one of the spas, plus my friend was organising a spa day for us as my present, however she fell pregnant so we decided to put it off till she had her baby! Then I was diagnosed in May!