Lymph Living

I want to tell you about my weekend. This Sunday, I went on a big hike out and back hike. The hike was 13 miles. There was 3,800 feet of elevation gain in the first 6.5 miles, with the peak being around 10,500 feet.

Depending on where you are in your fitness journey, this hike might sound like a walk in the park… or absolute misery.

I’m leaning more toward misery. 😂

But the wildflowers were spectacular, and the views were a solid 10 out of 10. Would I do it again tomorrow? Absolutely not. (Ask me next year.)

The hike took about 6 hours at a pretty decent pace. Much of it felt like we were climbing up — and then back down — a never-ending set of steep stairs.

One thing I knew going into this hike was that my arm and hand do not love elevation. They swell. A lot.

Because I knew that, I wore my heavy-duty compression. As we climbed higher and got closer to the peak, I could feel it happening. My arm, hand, and chest started feeling fuller and tighter. On top of that, I was working harder to breathe — although that part was definitely the elevation and not my lymphedema. (10,500+ feet above sea level makes my lungs complain a little!)

Once we reached the summit and started heading back down, I decided to help my poor lymphatic system work.

While walking, I started doing my arm exercises:

• Hands above my head
• Open fist, close fist
• Bicep pumps
• Tricep pumps
• “Raise the roof” movements
• Shoulder rolls
• Trunk rotations

And then I repeated the whole routine again.

My goal was simple: give my lymphatic system every possible advantage to move that extra fluid.

When we got home, I peeled off my compression.

Yep.

Very swollen.

I hooked up to my pump for an hour, put on my nighttime compression, and settled in for some well-earned Netflix. I was exhausted!

Then something strange happened.

I. Could. Not. Stop. Peeing.

Seriously.

I probably went to the bathroom 10 times over the next couple of hours.

If you are new to lymphedema, you might not realize this, but frequent urination after lymphatic work can actually be a good sign. When fluid is moved out of the tissues and back into circulation, your kidneys can filter that extra fluid and remove it through urine.

This is why many people notice they need to use the bathroom after Manual Lymphatic Drainage from a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. The treatment helps shift excess interstitial fluid, and the body takes over from there.

And the crazy part?

Within a couple of hours, my arm and hand were almost back to the size of my non-lymphedema side.

I have exercised consistently for years. My exercise changes by the season, but in summer I hike, mountain bike, run, and lift weights outside on my sidewalk twice a week.

And I should clarify:

I WILL NOT GO INSIDE IN THE SUMMER.

True story. 😂

I am telling you I exercise everyday because I do already know that muscle contractions are essentially a lymph pump that can help move lymph through remaining pathways. Also, I know about the whole peeing thing, but I have never experienced anything quite like this.

I always notice increased urination after pumping or after treatment with my CLT, but this was different. This was next level.

So now I’m left wondering…

Was this from the sheer amount and intensity of exercise?

Six hours of basically climbing and descending giant staircases?

Was it the elevation change — going from over 10,500 feet back down to around 5,500 feet where I live?

Was it the combination of compression, movement, muscle contractions, and my pump afterward?

I honestly don’t know.

That is one of the things I have learned about lymphedema: you never stop learning. Your body becomes your own science experiment, and sometimes you discover things simply by paying attention.

This weekend I’m heading out for another hiking and camping adventure at 10,000–12,000 feet. The hiking will be less intense, so I’m curious to see how my body responds.

Eventually, I want to test this again:

• A long, intense hike at lower elevation
• A higher elevation hike with less intensity

Maybe I’ll learn something. Maybe I won’t.

But that’s the thing about lymphedema — there is always something new to figure out.

OF NOTE: I drank tons of water and ALWAYS carry a water filter to refill my water bottle in mountain streams. We all know hydration is super important when exercising with lymphedema.

Has anyone else noticed changes in swelling with:

• More exercise than usual?
• Big elevation changes?
• Long days of movement?

I’d love to hear your experiences.