RNY and lymphedema

Hi, I just found out I'm approved for RNY after being banded for 20.mo. and no wt. loss. Since I started treatment for my lymphedema 3 weeks ago I've lost 8lb.s Any advise on do's and don'ts ? My legs are going down and my rash on my legs is 90% healed hoping to get my stockings before surgery the first of Nov. I never realized this treatment could be so time consuming and make you so tired. I do find I take much less pain medicine and maybe it isn't fibromyalgia but has been the lymphedema all along. It's sad that dermatologists and PCPs do not recognize this condition sooner  to save us the pain. Miss Jean

Hi there - good luck with your LE treatment and the RNY.

Only advice I can give is dependent on how much you have to lose/how big your legs are.  My legs have reduced in size quite significantly (obviously most of that was fat) - so I'd suggest not buying a whole lot of stockings, because you could shrink out of them rather quickly.

I was using these (these are prescription only, but adjustable****il I got the point where off the shelf compression socks would work for me.  www.circaid.com/Pages/Products/readyfit.html

The LE treatment is surprising tiring, but really does make a world of difference - stick with it - things do get better!

Thanks Maris, May I ask what you did when you had surgery? Did you keep your legs wrapped and about postop? I see my Dr. on Wed. to discuss this. I'm thinking only wrap to the knee while I'm in the hospital so I can walk then keep getting wrapped the first month while I'm losing so much fluid to help things along . I don't think I'll be able to get stockings on for a few weeks. And it will be very costly the first couple months with losing so much fluid. I definitely see calves and wrinkles in my legs now and the rash is totally gone and no more itching. I look forward to a more mobile healthier New Year. Miss Jean

Honestly, I took my Circaids to the hospital, but didn't end up using them at all ****il I left to go home).  My surgeon's program is pretty aggressive about dealing with the potential for blood clots after surgery (puts their patients on anti-clotting meds - heparin I think it was), had us up walking every few hours (just short walks, so not long enough to be worried about edema), and while I was in bed had inflatable compression 'sleeves' on my legs, so there was no need for my compression devices.

They probably won't want you wrapped in bandages while you're in the hospital - they need to check circulation etc and that's hard if your feet/legs are invisible.  Plus in the operating room they don't allow any foreign materials that could harbor bacteria etc.  I'd ask if it is possible for your LE therapist to come wrap you back up before you go home, because bending over to do it yourself is going to be pretty unlikely... your stomach will feel like one big, painful bruise.

Bandaging is the most effective and lowest cost treatment for LE... for me, since I live alone and have a really busy life (work full time, study, volunteer etc) wrapping was too long and difficult a process - so I went with the Circaids - but it sounds like a great option for you.

Good luck with your consult - be prepared to explain in detail what you need with your LE... most surgeons, doctors and nurses know very little about the needs of LE patients, so you need to be very specific about what is involved.

ThanksMaris, I didn't think of that about checking circulation. So I won't get wrapped again until I get home and  I'll take them off just before I go to the hospital .That will be one less thing to worry about doing the day before surgery. Miss Jean

Tommorrow is the Big Day for  my RNY. My lymph dr. is so encouraged and says I will feel so much better and may lose 30# the first month in fluid alone. He said as the fat is released so goes the fluid but I need to keep hydrated so the fat doesn't clog me up making more problems.