Any Dr. Katzen patients develop lymphedema?

I am scheduled to have extensive lipo of the knees, lower & inner thighs (together with a LBL) followed by a vertical incision thighplasty (to the knee or lower!) . I am most terrified of developing lymphedema! I already have very large shapeless legs and thighs and extensive lumpiness which some websites mention might be a form of primary lymphedema, though I 've never been diagnosed with it . I've lived with my huge lumpy legs all my 54 years of life and it has been the source of my greatest social rejection. I wouldn't go through surgery at all if I couldn't improve them. I couldn't stand going through the thighplasty and ending up with even bigger thighs and huge legs and feet. I couldn't cope. I am a type 1 diabetic and am very concerned about risks. My PS is Dr. Katzen and he has reassured me that he never has patients develop problems and has worked on lots of diabetics, though"the legs will get worse before they get better." Stupid me, I didn't ask what he meant! I got confident and scheduled the work, but in the meantime have consulted with other surgeons who uniformly warn me not to do the thigh work near the knee because of the risks. I don't know who to believe! After all, Dr. Katzen does most of the post WLS PS in this area, so maybe his confidence is from experience others don't have. I don't know! Anyhow, I have 2 weeks to go before I commit to the LBL and lipo surgery. Should I cancel the lipo and the follow up thighplasty or jump in and pray for the best? Oh gosh! I am so anxious! Anyone else out there have a thighplasty with Dr Katzen? Anyone develop lymphedema?? Thank you for listening and I welcome any and all input. I just really need support. Molly

Molly,

Have you gone through the surgery already?

I was wondering if you had surgery already?  - I am a katzen patient and would be willing to discuss lymphadema.

I never even heard of lymphedema. That is, until I had a consultation w/Dr Katzen! His office was going to give me the name of someone who specialized in it... but when they called the office they always refered people to, they found out that they no longer did that. I asked my regular doctor, my rheumatologist and my barriatrics doctors IF I had lymphedema and, if so, what can be done. All 3 said, "Yea, you probably have it" and, "don't worry about it. Meanwhile my ankles and calves were getting bigger and bigger and "solid".  I just recently found an AWESOME physical therapist that specializes in lymphedemic drainage massage. After the first 4 days I saw something I hadn't seen in 2 years... ANKLES! And, the swelling has gone down considerably! Let me know if you'd like more info. And... good luck w/the PS!  Eventually I will go to Dr Katzen for a bodylift.