The swelling in your legs is most likely lymphodema due to your lymph nodes being removed. My legs were really swollen a few months after surgery/radiation. You do not want to let the swelling to get out of control for various reasons. Every day I wear compression hose that go up to my knee and I have a pneumatic compression device (
FlexiTouch) that I use once every day alternating legs.
You might have noticed some women with swollen arms or wearing some kind of a compression garment on their arms - this is due to the lymph nodes under their arms being removed during a mastectomy.