My battle with lipo-lymphedema

I'll try to keep this short.  Just a little history, I started this battle at 298 pounds with a 5'2" frame.  I have always had larger legs which started getting bigger as a young teen.  I was very active in sports and excelled quite well for being overweight.  So when I had my surgery in October 2009 I thought I would lose all over.  Well I lost from the head down...mostly to my waist.  I did go from a size 22/20 pants to a size 16 petite so I did lose some but when we did measurements at my six month check up, I had only lost an inch around my ankle and I had lost 98 pounds.  (At my 9 month check up I had lost a total of 115 pounds.)  I needed to see my GP anyway and asked about it.  She sent me to PH for an evaluation.  The PT I saw suspected lipo-lymphedema right away and sure enough after all the questions, history, and some areas of very slight pitting edema, she said you have lipo-lymphedema.  After doing much research, this link I am attaching pretty much tells it all.  http://www.lymphnotes.com/article.php/id/164/  I am now almost done with the first stage of having her pressure wrap my right leg from the ball of my foot to my groin and tomorrow we are going to measure for the right leg's pantie hose.  I will have to wear these pressure garments the rest of my life.  It has made a remarkable difference between the size of the two legs.  You can almost see my shin bone!!!  Don't know why I felt compelled to put this on here today except the more information you can have, the better off you are!!  If anyone else reads this and is either going through the same things or if you are reading and have questions please pm and lets talk about it.  Thanks for letting me put this out there, maybe I just needed to write it all down to get it off my chest.  It does not bother me but somewhere deep down inside, when you see your weight going down and not all of your body, it plays tricks with your mind!  This board has been such a help to me, I only hope I could help newbies some too!  Donna

How very kind and generous for you to share your battle with this condition, Donna.  It is uncomfortable and not fun to have something you can't just "take a pill" for!   I have borderline issues with this, too, and am using partial leg pressure garments. 

I appreciate the link, and read the information, and it was mostly what my health care professional talked about.  Thank goodness we can get medical care for this. 

All the best to you, sweet lady!

Mary

Geez, if it ain't one thing it's another, huh?  I am sorry to hear about your leg issues and hope the compression garments will make you more comfortable.  I know there is a woman on the main board "saralicious" who has this too (I think).  You might want to look her up.

Donna,

First off hugs.......And Thank you so much for sharing this.....I read through the article, my 1st thought was Lipo suction, I then read in the article that it can make it worse, OMG.....Sounds like with many sessions they can drain it?

Keep your chin up.....You may have this condition, but you are way more healthier......

Love, Kelly

Hello Donna.....thank you so much for posting this information, I agree the more information we can get the better. We may not have that problem but we may be able to help out someone else at some time.

Hope the pressure garment helps you feel better.

Hugs....connie d

When I FIRST logged on to OH, I came across a woman by the name of Amy Williams.  Her story is amazing, and she suffered/suffers from lymphedema as well.  She documented her struggle quite thoroughly, as I recall, on her website -  http://www.amylhwilliams.com/ 

I have a SIL who I would bet suffers this as well, as her legs look very much like Amy's did.  I approached another SIL, who happens to be a nurse, about the possibly of our talking to the first SIL about the condition, but when she found out that I discovered this information on OH because I was researching WLS, all hell broke lose.  So I never followed through.

I hope reading about Amy can help you deepen your understanding of the condition and treatment options.

And, I hope I see you sometime soon, Donna!  It's been since Swapkins!!!

Thanks everyone!!  I was able to order my pantie ho today!!  Yes pantie ho = one leg of a panty hose!  lol  I never thought I would be so excited to get an ugly, thick, did I say ugly and thick, pantie ho but it means no more wrapping for a short while.  I have a dog show the end of the month and then start on the left leg.  So by this time next week I will be out of all these pressure wraps and into my stocking!!  I continue to do research on this so I can help others too.  Donna

Hi, Donna.

So sorry to hear you have got some issues to deal with, but so glad that you are in a healthier overall place.  It seems like we fix one thing and then something else gets whacked.   With me it was needing a cervical fusion last month.

Glad you're getting the pantie ho.    I have turned into a bra ho myself.    Pretty colored preformed bras in all shades of the rainbow.   Love it.

Continue to feel better - can't wait to see you after a hundred pound loss.    You are going, girl!!

Tuna

Wow Donna, I am sorry you have to deal with this.  I too have to "verbalize" or write about an issue to come to terms and deal with it.  I'm glad you knew this was a good forum filled with friends and well wishers for you to discuss it.

I laughed at your comment about your shin bones!    I'm sure you were thrilled to see it!  I hope they can help you out, you've done so well!  YOu are to be congratulated for your persistence and going to get it all checked out.   I know it's easier to just ignore it and not deal with it, been there, done that!

The very best of luck.  Thank you for sharing this with us!  Big hugs.   Tess