I saw your pics and the one you have from August 2009......oh my goodness!!!!!  How could you even walk??? My legs are looking like yours back then, but not really that bad. I am having difficulty walking sometimes. I can't wait to finaly start my wrap therapy. About how long does it take for the fluid to drain? Will we ever have "normal" looking legs. I miss wearing skirts and shorts. Thanks for all your help.

I wish I knew. I don't travel by plane, and I am fairly new to this Lymphedema thing also. Do you have a lymph therapist? Maybe he/she could give some advice, or maybe even your primary care doc. I know you need an urgent reply, but try taking with Saralicious who frequents this site. She has been helping me, and on one of my posts, a new lady has given me advice too. I wish I could be of more help.

Good Luck!

I did notice when I first started getting wrapped and compressed that after the dressings came off and I was able to shower I felt lkie I was being picked by glass when I washed my legs. Dr. said it was the nerves waking up after being compressed  so long. I also felt very tired afte my sessions and peed a lot afterward. I went and then came home nd elevated the rest of the day.I Now my legs are  small enough to wear compression pantihose which take about 10 minutes to put on in the morning . My legs don't ache anymore after 12 hr. shifts as a nurse.  Toward the end of the day just before you get massaged and wrapped the dressings due migrate down and get tight around the ankles but no real pain. I was fortunate I saw a Plastic surgeon who was knowlegeable and sent me to be treated for Lymphedema. It is time consuming because you have to wash and dry and roll your dressins each day you have treatment and have them ready to put on. They give you 2 sets so you wear one and have one ready to put on. I  used a pillowcase  and pinned it closed to put   the like ace wraps   and stockinettes in whenI washed  them on gentle in cold waer.. I hung them on hangers  in  doorways in the  extra bedroom with the fan on to dry. Hope your treatment goes well.  .

If at any time the wraps are too painful to bear, then remove them...pain is not good. Sometimes they might slip a bit and start to pinch or feel too tight...unwrap! Too tight is not good. There will probably a lot of trial and error in the beginning...do your best and give your therapist a lot of feedback. I used spandex biker shorts to try and keep the thigh wraps up/on...but for the first years wraps on my thighs just would not stay up so we only wrapped the lower legs...it was better than nothing.

Thank you for your support. Both of my shoulders are here if you need to cry too. (as long as you don't mind them being filled with lymphedema.)