What to expect
Please arrive for your appointment in plenty of time. We do try to keep the clinics running to time but may run late on occasion. We do ask you to let us know if you are running late for your appointment, we may need to rearrange your appointment if you are more than 10 minutes late. First appointments at the clinics are usually for one hour.
We will have received a referral from a health care professional about your swelling but may not have all the details. We will want to hear your story of your swelling, your general health and any medications that you take. We are also interested in your lifestyle, e.g. work and interests.
Weight management is an important part of managing lymphoedema. As part of our assessment the clinician will ask if they may check your height and weight. Having a base line helps on subsequent visits to measure changes in your swelling.
We will usually take measurements of your swelling, if this is in an arm or leg, this can be with a machine called a perometer. If this is not possible, we will usually take measurements with a tape measure.
We will ask to examine the areas where you are experiencing the swelling. Please wear clothes that make it easy to access these areas. Examination of the swollen area is by touch, to feel the extent of the swelling and changes in the skin to these areas. This should not be painful, but we are happy to work at a pace that suits you and the priority is making sure you are comfortable throughout the examination.
We may ask to take photographs for your notes to record a measure of the swelling or changes connected to this. We will only take photographs with your consent.
What to bring
- We are happy for you to bring someone with you to your appointment to listen or take notes. This may be useful when recalling information from your consultation.
- Please bring information of when your first noticed the swelling and any information relating to this. This will help the clinician piece together your story.
- Please bring a list of current medication and other health conditions.
- Please bring a list of questions you may have, we will be happy to discuss these with you, during or at the end of your assessment.
- If you have previously been provided with any compression stockings or wraps, please bring these with you.
What will you get from your assessment?
Your appointment will be with an experienced lymphoedema clinician. This may be a doctor or a specialist nurse depending upon your presenting condition. The aim of the appointment is to give you a diagnosis or reason about why you have swelling and if this is lymphoedema. Sometimes it may be necessary to discuss if any further investigations are necessary, such as blood tests or scans. If the clinician feels you are experiencing lymphoedema, we will look at how we can support you to manage this.
Follow up appointments
If you have a follow up appointment (subsequent appointments after your first appointment) at the clinic, these are often for 30 mins. Please let us know before your appointment date if your circumstances have changed, especially if it is likely your appointment needs to be longer, e.g. you are having compression bandaging, significant change in mobility and health, multiple concerns to discuss.
Please attend in plenty of time for your appointment and let us know if you are running late. If you are more than 10 minutes late, we may need to rearrange your appointment.
On your first appointment we will have taken information about your health, medications, weight, and measurements of the area that is swollen. At your follow up we will ask if you have any changes to your health and medication, this is important as some medications and health conditions need to be considered when we are planning your lymphoedema treatment. We will also ask to repeat your weight and limb measurements so we can see how the lymphoedema is responding to the treatment plan we have agreed.
Please DO:
- Attend in your hosiery (if prescribed), this helps us check how it fits and review you whilst you have been managing your lymphoedema.
- Bring an up-to-date list of your medications and details of any new health conditions, hospital appointments and admissions.
- Bring your old hosiery with you.
- Bring clothes you are comfortable in whilst we examine you.
