Lymph node dissection – any tips

I had a clnd on my left groin…a couple things i can advise.
1-the pain wasn’t as bad as i thought it would be.
2- try using the narcotic pain meds as little as possible-it creates constipation and its not fun trying to use the bathroom with the stitches.
3-start walking as soon as they will let you but DON’T overdo it. The more i walked the better i felt.
4- keep your leg slightly elevated when your resting. Lymphedema is a threat you want to avoid if possible. Walking to much can make your leg swell. I was out of the hospital in 2 days and could get around pretty well. I had a huge incision because my wle was right on top of the groin lymph basin.
5- just try to focus on letting yourself heal. Make sure you keep dressings clean and drains stripped everytime you empty them. I used alcohol pads to open and clean top of drains whenever i touched them. You don’t want infection. Hope this helps a little any other questions feel free to ask me.

Jamie

I had a clnd on my left groin…a couple things i can advise.
1-the pain wasn’t as bad as i thought it would be.
2- try using the narcotic pain meds as little as possible-it creates constipation and its not fun trying to use the bathroom with the stitches.
3-start walking as soon as they will let you but DON’T overdo it. The more i walked the better i felt.
4- keep your leg slightly elevated when your resting. Lymphedema is a threat you want to avoid if possible. Walking to much can make your leg swell. I was out of the hospital in 2 days and could get around pretty well. I had a huge incision because my wle was right on top of the groin lymph basin.
5- just try to focus on letting yourself heal. Make sure you keep dressings clean and drains stripped everytime you empty them. I used alcohol pads to open and clean top of drains whenever i touched them. You don’t want infection. Hope this helps a little any other questions feel free to ask me.

Jamie

I had a clnd on my left groin…a couple things i can advise.
1-the pain wasn’t as bad as i thought it would be.
2- try using the narcotic pain meds as little as possible-it creates constipation and its not fun trying to use the bathroom with the stitches.
3-start walking as soon as they will let you but DON’T overdo it. The more i walked the better i felt.
4- keep your leg slightly elevated when your resting. Lymphedema is a threat you want to avoid if possible. Walking to much can make your leg swell. I was out of the hospital in 2 days and could get around pretty well. I had a huge incision because my wle was right on top of the groin lymph basin.
5- just try to focus on letting yourself heal. Make sure you keep dressings clean and drains stripped everytime you empty them. I used alcohol pads to open and clean top of drains whenever i touched them. You don’t want infection. Hope this helps a little any other questions feel free to ask me.

Jamie

Hi! Had my left groin done four years ago.  As the others suggested, give yourself time to recover, but when you're able stay active.  It helps pump lymph fluid out of your leg (according to my surgeon).  Get your compression stocking and use it during the day.  The pain in my case was not bad at all.  I was a little unlucky as I developed an infection about two weeks after discharge which bought me another week in the hospital.  .  Maintain the JP drainage system per your doctor's direction.  Four years later, I have no swelling and no physical restrictions.  Good luck!

Hi! Had my left groin done four years ago.  As the others suggested, give yourself time to recover, but when you're able stay active.  It helps pump lymph fluid out of your leg (according to my surgeon).  Get your compression stocking and use it during the day.  The pain in my case was not bad at all.  I was a little unlucky as I developed an infection about two weeks after discharge which bought me another week in the hospital.  .  Maintain the JP drainage system per your doctor's direction.  Four years later, I have no swelling and no physical restrictions.  Good luck!

Hi! Had my left groin done four years ago.  As the others suggested, give yourself time to recover, but when you're able stay active.  It helps pump lymph fluid out of your leg (according to my surgeon).  Get your compression stocking and use it during the day.  The pain in my case was not bad at all.  I was a little unlucky as I developed an infection about two weeks after discharge which bought me another week in the hospital.  .  Maintain the JP drainage system per your doctor's direction.  Four years later, I have no swelling and no physical restrictions.  Good luck!

Hi, I was also diagnosed stage 3 with nodular melanoma to my right calf which brought me a clnd of my right groin as well. I was dignosed in 2013 so a ways out now. First off, I want you to be aware that this is a big surgery. My surgeon's nurse went over things with me on the phone and I didn't fully get it until it was over. I had an incision that starts on my side, goes down the groin and then into the thigh with the jp drain shortly below the end of the incision. So it's a big cut. I was in the hospital 5 days, so it was a little longer than they anticipated. Then shortly after I was re-admitted for 4 days for an infection. So it was a way bigger deal for me than what some people have posted here. I'm not trying to scare you but inform you of what could happen. My drains also stayed in for like 6 weeks, so again, longer than some people. I did develop lymphadema which has totally changed my life. Not everyone does but I did and am a fast filler. Meaning as soon as I take the compression off, I fill up immediately. I wouldn't change anything because I'm only 33 but my life is different now. I was able to get on the trial of ipi vs interferon and I got the Ipi 3mg arm. I was able to do all of my doses with no side effects so that was good. But yeah, this surgery was defintely hard to get over, with having to clean your dressings and so on. Again, not trying to scare you but I wish I was more aware of what was about to happen. Hopefully everything will turn out the best. I have not recurred yet. I recently had spots and enlarged lymph nodes in my lungs but had a lung biopsy and it turned out not to be melanoma.

Hi, I was also diagnosed stage 3 with nodular melanoma to my right calf which brought me a clnd of my right groin as well. I was dignosed in 2013 so a ways out now. First off, I want you to be aware that this is a big surgery. My surgeon's nurse went over things with me on the phone and I didn't fully get it until it was over. I had an incision that starts on my side, goes down the groin and then into the thigh with the jp drain shortly below the end of the incision. So it's a big cut. I was in the hospital 5 days, so it was a little longer than they anticipated. Then shortly after I was re-admitted for 4 days for an infection. So it was a way bigger deal for me than what some people have posted here. I'm not trying to scare you but inform you of what could happen. My drains also stayed in for like 6 weeks, so again, longer than some people. I did develop lymphadema which has totally changed my life. Not everyone does but I did and am a fast filler. Meaning as soon as I take the compression off, I fill up immediately. I wouldn't change anything because I'm only 33 but my life is different now. I was able to get on the trial of ipi vs interferon and I got the Ipi 3mg arm. I was able to do all of my doses with no side effects so that was good. But yeah, this surgery was defintely hard to get over, with having to clean your dressings and so on. Again, not trying to scare you but I wish I was more aware of what was about to happen. Hopefully everything will turn out the best. I have not recurred yet. I recently had spots and enlarged lymph nodes in my lungs but had a lung biopsy and it turned out not to be melanoma.

Hi, I was also diagnosed stage 3 with nodular melanoma to my right calf which brought me a clnd of my right groin as well. I was dignosed in 2013 so a ways out now. First off, I want you to be aware that this is a big surgery. My surgeon's nurse went over things with me on the phone and I didn't fully get it until it was over. I had an incision that starts on my side, goes down the groin and then into the thigh with the jp drain shortly below the end of the incision. So it's a big cut. I was in the hospital 5 days, so it was a little longer than they anticipated. Then shortly after I was re-admitted for 4 days for an infection. So it was a way bigger deal for me than what some people have posted here. I'm not trying to scare you but inform you of what could happen. My drains also stayed in for like 6 weeks, so again, longer than some people. I did develop lymphadema which has totally changed my life. Not everyone does but I did and am a fast filler. Meaning as soon as I take the compression off, I fill up immediately. I wouldn't change anything because I'm only 33 but my life is different now. I was able to get on the trial of ipi vs interferon and I got the Ipi 3mg arm. I was able to do all of my doses with no side effects so that was good. But yeah, this surgery was defintely hard to get over, with having to clean your dressings and so on. Again, not trying to scare you but I wish I was more aware of what was about to happen. Hopefully everything will turn out the best. I have not recurred yet. I recently had spots and enlarged lymph nodes in my lungs but had a lung biopsy and it turned out not to be melanoma.

mkirkland are you having a complete Lymph node removal or a sentinal node biopsy to determine if the Melanoma has spread(staging procedure)? The reason I asks is that stage 2 patient don't usuall have complete node removals. If it is a sentinal node biopsy(snb) then the recovery is a lot easier than a CLND. Wishing you the best and speedy recovery!!! Ed

mkirkland are you having a complete Lymph node removal or a sentinal node biopsy to determine if the Melanoma has spread(staging procedure)? The reason I asks is that stage 2 patient don't usuall have complete node removals. If it is a sentinal node biopsy(snb) then the recovery is a lot easier than a CLND. Wishing you the best and speedy recovery!!! Ed

mkirkland are you having a complete Lymph node removal or a sentinal node biopsy to determine if the Melanoma has spread(staging procedure)? The reason I asks is that stage 2 patient don't usuall have complete node removals. If it is a sentinal node biopsy(snb) then the recovery is a lot easier than a CLND. Wishing you the best and speedy recovery!!! Ed

I had my lymph node dissection last March, no problems no infections. This was also in my right groin. My nervous on the thigh, top only were damage and no feeling. It may come back. Lymphodima is slight, I watched Youtube videos on self massage to help keep swelling down due to the lymphodima. My JP drainage tube was a pain in the way, I ended up naming it! Good luck best to get rid of the nodes.

I had my lymph node dissection last March, no problems no infections. This was also in my right groin. My nervous on the thigh, top only were damage and no feeling. It may come back. Lymphodima is slight, I watched Youtube videos on self massage to help keep swelling down due to the lymphodima. My JP drainage tube was a pain in the way, I ended up naming it! Good luck best to get rid of the nodes.

I had my lymph node dissection last March, no problems no infections. This was also in my right groin. My nervous on the thigh, top only were damage and no feeling. It may come back. Lymphodima is slight, I watched Youtube videos on self massage to help keep swelling down due to the lymphodima. My JP drainage tube was a pain in the way, I ended up naming it! Good luck best to get rid of the nodes.

It's a pretty substantial surgery to recover from. I'm not trying to scare anyone, and I don't mean to insinuate that there is unbearable pain. But definitely respect that your body has a lot of healing to do following this surgery and don't push things to quickly!

Like others, I spent the night in the hospital (my procedure was this past May). My CLND was my left groin, as my primary was on my left calf. Walking was a little ginger at first, but that improved quickly. I didn't think the pain was too terrible. The inconvenience of the whole healing process from the procedure bothered me more…dealing with the drain, the awkward showers, etc.

I pushed things too hard, too fast. We had a garage sale within a couple of weeks of me coming home, and I was overconfident in how much I had healed. I was lifting and moving items out onto the driveway for the sale, and then bringing them back in at the end of the day. That was a big mistake. My leg swelled up like a balloon, and my fluid levels in my drain increased substantially. It took a while for my drainage levels to go back down, so I ended up having the drain for 4 weeks when I might have only had it for 2.

I have mild lymphedema now, and I would suggest you look for a certified lymphedema specialist in your area. For a while, I just listened to my surgeon and medical oncologist. They were "happy" with how my leg looked because I'm sure they see MUCH worse in other patients. They didn't suggest I do anything. But a great nurse practitioner had advised me to be proactive about my recovery and go see the lymphedema therapist just in case (because hey, my insurance is maxed out anyway!). The therapist taught me about lymphedema and how it was great that I came in when I did.

At this point, this is about 7-8 weeks after my surgery. I had mild swelling in my ankle that would develop during the day and be back to normal by the next morning. I figured I was still healing, but she taught me about the stages of lymphedema. Turns out, what I was experiencing was stage I lymphedema and that I would never be cured of that. It can only get worse over time and could progress to stage II lymphedema (which doesn't go away overnight). So, I now wear compression all the time during the day (which she said I'll need forever). Honestly, that was a pretty hard thing to cope with at first…that my leg will never be "normal" again. But, like the cancer diagnosis, that has gotten easier with time.

Just please don't be afraid to seek out a lymphedema specialist if you see any signs of swelling once you get far removed from your surgery! Experience with both of my doctors taught me that though they know a lot about melanoma, they don't know much about lymphedema!

It's a pretty substantial surgery to recover from. I'm not trying to scare anyone, and I don't mean to insinuate that there is unbearable pain. But definitely respect that your body has a lot of healing to do following this surgery and don't push things to quickly!

Like others, I spent the night in the hospital (my procedure was this past May). My CLND was my left groin, as my primary was on my left calf. Walking was a little ginger at first, but that improved quickly. I didn't think the pain was too terrible. The inconvenience of the whole healing process from the procedure bothered me more…dealing with the drain, the awkward showers, etc.

I pushed things too hard, too fast. We had a garage sale within a couple of weeks of me coming home, and I was overconfident in how much I had healed. I was lifting and moving items out onto the driveway for the sale, and then bringing them back in at the end of the day. That was a big mistake. My leg swelled up like a balloon, and my fluid levels in my drain increased substantially. It took a while for my drainage levels to go back down, so I ended up having the drain for 4 weeks when I might have only had it for 2.

I have mild lymphedema now, and I would suggest you look for a certified lymphedema specialist in your area. For a while, I just listened to my surgeon and medical oncologist. They were "happy" with how my leg looked because I'm sure they see MUCH worse in other patients. They didn't suggest I do anything. But a great nurse practitioner had advised me to be proactive about my recovery and go see the lymphedema therapist just in case (because hey, my insurance is maxed out anyway!). The therapist taught me about lymphedema and how it was great that I came in when I did.

At this point, this is about 7-8 weeks after my surgery. I had mild swelling in my ankle that would develop during the day and be back to normal by the next morning. I figured I was still healing, but she taught me about the stages of lymphedema. Turns out, what I was experiencing was stage I lymphedema and that I would never be cured of that. It can only get worse over time and could progress to stage II lymphedema (which doesn't go away overnight). So, I now wear compression all the time during the day (which she said I'll need forever). Honestly, that was a pretty hard thing to cope with at first…that my leg will never be "normal" again. But, like the cancer diagnosis, that has gotten easier with time.

Just please don't be afraid to seek out a lymphedema specialist if you see any signs of swelling once you get far removed from your surgery! Experience with both of my doctors taught me that though they know a lot about melanoma, they don't know much about lymphedema!

It's a pretty substantial surgery to recover from. I'm not trying to scare anyone, and I don't mean to insinuate that there is unbearable pain. But definitely respect that your body has a lot of healing to do following this surgery and don't push things to quickly!

Like others, I spent the night in the hospital (my procedure was this past May). My CLND was my left groin, as my primary was on my left calf. Walking was a little ginger at first, but that improved quickly. I didn't think the pain was too terrible. The inconvenience of the whole healing process from the procedure bothered me more…dealing with the drain, the awkward showers, etc.

I pushed things too hard, too fast. We had a garage sale within a couple of weeks of me coming home, and I was overconfident in how much I had healed. I was lifting and moving items out onto the driveway for the sale, and then bringing them back in at the end of the day. That was a big mistake. My leg swelled up like a balloon, and my fluid levels in my drain increased substantially. It took a while for my drainage levels to go back down, so I ended up having the drain for 4 weeks when I might have only had it for 2.

I have mild lymphedema now, and I would suggest you look for a certified lymphedema specialist in your area. For a while, I just listened to my surgeon and medical oncologist. They were "happy" with how my leg looked because I'm sure they see MUCH worse in other patients. They didn't suggest I do anything. But a great nurse practitioner had advised me to be proactive about my recovery and go see the lymphedema therapist just in case (because hey, my insurance is maxed out anyway!). The therapist taught me about lymphedema and how it was great that I came in when I did.

At this point, this is about 7-8 weeks after my surgery. I had mild swelling in my ankle that would develop during the day and be back to normal by the next morning. I figured I was still healing, but she taught me about the stages of lymphedema. Turns out, what I was experiencing was stage I lymphedema and that I would never be cured of that. It can only get worse over time and could progress to stage II lymphedema (which doesn't go away overnight). So, I now wear compression all the time during the day (which she said I'll need forever). Honestly, that was a pretty hard thing to cope with at first…that my leg will never be "normal" again. But, like the cancer diagnosis, that has gotten easier with time.

Just please don't be afraid to seek out a lymphedema specialist if you see any signs of swelling once you get far removed from your surgery! Experience with both of my doctors taught me that though they know a lot about melanoma, they don't know much about lymphedema!