Nerve damage from Lipo?? Pain question, too...

Okay, I LOVE my results from surgery (June 2nd), but my legs are still awfully swollen.  They are better, and I've been getting weekly lymphatic massages on them, but they are still swollen...  Not the whole leg, but mainly the inner/upper thigh.  It still hurts in the morning and when I sit for any period of time and then get up to move....and the fluid lump (like the size of a coffee mug on my inner thigh under the skin) goes and comes...  It was almost all gone a few days ago, then BAMMO, today it is back and is so swollen that my leg skin has creased.  I pointed this out last time I saw the surgeon and he said it would go away wasn't abnormal, but I'm wondering if I should go back to see him again? I think this is week 7 as of today and am wondering if this pain and swelling is normal. It isn't life halting, but enough that I'm still taking like 2- 5mg Vicodin twice a day.  I'm having a small panic attack each day when I open the pill bottle because I"ll be out soon and the pain doesn't seem like it is going anywhere. It is like an aching/burning, and is worst in the morning and evening, and anytime I get up from sitting. As I am sitting here now I am fine. *shrug* Dunno. Do you think I have nerve damage from the high volume leg lipo? Should I be on Lyrica or something like that instead of pain meds? I need your two, or three, or four cents!!!

PS- Arm scars look good, boobs are great--still a bit itchy on the incision, but getting better. I'll post more pics this week.

Glad you are happy with your surgery results, it's too bad you are having such trouble with your leg swelling and pain. I have not had any leg work done, so I can't give you any advice except maybe they should try another pain medication for you.

Take care

Sher

I've had two....allergic to one, apparently. lol I am 7 weeks out--you think I wouldn't need anything. :-)

Hi Paula,

I also had high volume thigh lipo on 6/10 and can relate to the swelling and fluid lump.  My "rock" or "boulder" as I liked to call it and located at the top inner thigh, was fluid, but it was hard.  On top of that I have another major complication from the lipo.  I also had the creases from the amount of swelling and I still need to be careful in how I use ace wraps so that more do not form.  I need the ace wraps to hold wound pads in place on both upper thighs. 

I started taking epsom salt baths (twice a day to heal my wounds) but once I started them my fluid lumps started to decrease.    Unfortunately, due to my complication I have not been able to wear a compression garment of any kind since one two weeks post-op and the shape of my legs is very weird now.  I will be glad once I can do my thigh lift, which won't be until sometime next year.  I haven't gone back to work yet, but get that same bruning/pulling sensation.  I am ony taking my percocet at night now, but some nights I need to start about 5 pm if I have been up and about for any lenght of time.  I knew lipo was painful, but this reaction did no happen when I had my first round of agressive lipo on my thighs.

Good luck.  And get a refill of the pain meds if you need them.  No  reason to suffer.

I've had MANY refills....this is week 7 I think and I'm still taking 1-2 doses a day. I'm freaking out thinking I'll be cut off if I ask for more and then I'll still be in pain. I am still wearing compression shorts--are you? I have a big crease in my left thigh. The dr said it could become permanent if I'm not careful so I rub it each night to release the fluid and then jam myself into those torture pants, which help smooth it out. Are you planning on a thigh lift? I might in the next year or two--right now I'm still too traumatized from the high volume lipo to think about anything else major. In December I'm having a small revision to my upper arm and a tiny implant (I know, funny, I just had a reduction) to fill out the top of my boobies.

I can't use any compression garment due to the huge wound on my thigh.  I may find out today if I have to have surgery to excise and close it and I am hoping I can wear compression soon as you can see the weird shape when I wear pants.  I am wrapped in two ace wraps on each thigh to hold up the wound dressings, but that makes things look worse unless I wear wide leg pants.

I am having a thigh lift after the 1st of the year.  As much as I hate the idea of anymore done to my legs after this episode, I know  I could never live with them as they are now.  My dr. keeps telling me to keep the end result in mind to get through this. 

I have multiple creases in each leg now.  A couple have gotten better over the last 6 weeks.  More than anything I never want to hear the word Lipo again! even tho I now that small abounts of lipo will never feel like this high volume torture.

BTW.  My dr. gave me an rx for 90 percocet the last time I needed a refill and it is lasting quite a while.  As long as I have any pain he will refill as needed.  Hope your dr. has the same attitude. 

The very same thing happened to me and I'm finally fine now so I think it's normal.  I have no residual effects except some remaining numbness which seems to be normal.  I think mine lasted several months, maybe 6 months before all the heaviness and occasional burning stopped.  That extensive lipo gives good results in preparation for the thigh lift but it sure is some evil stuff during the recovery!

I felt the same fear about my pain meds but I called for a refill and kept taking them until I could do without.  You're conciensious so you won't get addicted and the surgeon will probably refill for you without a problem - mine did.  When you think you can dry some tylenol see how that will do for you occasionally. 

Holy crap- 6 months?!?! Yikes. How long did you wear your compression pants? My skin is so saggy now that I almost have to wear them or you can see the sagging and wrinkling through my pants.

Well it wasn't constant but during that time I still had those sensations.  I still wear a compression garment under my clothes when at all possible and I'm 10 mths out - I'll wear them til I have the thigh lift because it is ugly and saggy without them.  I know what you mean about being able to see through the pants.

burning can be nerve irritation.................. i hurt a nerve during child birth and had burning forever.  then periodically off and on over years................. but the thing is, i evidently needed B vitamins because when i would get on them good and regular........... burning went away.  this was before surgery............... just a though****ching the B's closer may help, or maybe not

good luck, and thanks for your post.  i am considering it for my midsection area.