Living with Lymphoedema: Psychological Wellbeing and Emotional Support

Lymphoedema is a long-term condition and lots of people manage it well, however, we appreciate for some, it may be more challenging.  Living with lymphoedema can have a significant impact on our quality of life and can lead to various challenges that are individual to you.  For example, managing lymphoedema is important but can also feel exhausting, especially if we have other difficult things happening in our lives.

Lymphoedema can change how you view yourself and your abilities which can be challenging to live with. Additionally, developing lymphoedema may mean unexpected and unwanted changes to how you live your life. 

What We Offer

We offer support to people experiencing psychological distress and challenges which can arise from living with lymphoedema. However, as everyone’s needs are different there is a range of support available offered in steps, to meet what you need now.

A Little Support

You may find it helpful to start with self-help resources that can support you in managing your wellbeing independently:

  • https://www.melo.cymru - Self-help resources, courses, and tailored support to improve emotional wellbeing. 
  • https://www.mind.org.uk/ - Information and support on wellbeing, including everyday living tips. You can locate your local branch online or by calling MIND on 0300 123 3393 (open 9am-6pm).
  • 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing (NHS) - Please follow this link to learn more about actions that can improve wellbeing.
  • Phone or visit your local council website to find your local mental health support 

A Bit More Support

There are several groups available that could help you with the emotional impact of living with Lymphoedema:

  • The psychology service within Lymphoedema Wales offers group sessions if you would like more guided support, and a space where you can connect with others with similar experiences. Please see our website for current details or ask your Lymphoedema specialist.
  • Some health boards offer Education Programmes for Patients (EPP) groups that can help you with the impact of living with a long-term health condition; additionally, some parts of Wales offer Lymphoedema specific groups. For more information, please visit: https://performanceandimprovement.nhs.wales/functions/quality-safety-and-improvement/improvement/our-work/epp/ or ask at your GP surgery for further details. 

Individual Support

Talking to a psychologist can help you to understand and process what is happening, helping you to manage the impact of your health condition. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth support, we can offer a one-to-one assessment with a member of the psychology team to think with you about what might help and the best steps forward. One option from the assessment may be one-to-one talking therapy.

We offer time limited evidence-based one to one therapy. The types of therapy we are informed by include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT).

If you would like to explore this level of support further, please speak with your Lymphoedema specialist, who can arrange a referral on your behalf.

Urgent Support

We are unable to offer urgent mental health support, but you can access this by either:

  • Contacting your GP within surgery hours for an emergency appointment.
  • Calling 111, option 2, to speak to a mental health professional (This is available 24/7, 365 days of the year)
  • Calling 999 or go to A&E in the case of a critical or life-threatening emergency
  • Calling the Samaritans helpline on 116 123