Recent Surgery

[boo512]

Hi this is my first post here and I just want to say what a godsend this site is, and that I would be lost if it was not for your boards!!! I am 25 yrs old and have had lymphedema in both my legs all my life but was just finally diagnosed this past august... was told for a long time that it was due to my weight and I was just clumsy! So I am both old and new to my condition..lol. So here is my problem I had to have a lump removed on my lower left leg on Thursday morning, we had no choice but to remove it the doctor wanted it biopsy she fears it may be cancerous. However she was very knowledgeable in my condition and took alot of precautions to prevent infection and help with the healing. She put double sutures in and instantly put me on a topical antibiotic cream I am scheduled to have the top layer of sutures removed in three weeks time as long as the wound is healed, but the problem or should I say my question is, is it normal for me to still be bleeding? Not sure if anyone has ever had this done but I am still bleeding its not gushing but its enough that I am changing my bandage more than was I originally told to do, I also am having alot of pain in my calf muscle on the same leg, not sure if anyone can help but my doctors don’t open till noon on Mondays and decided to give this a shot.... Thanks in advanced

[patoco]

Hey Boo

Super welcome to our family here

Boo, I have had so many biopsies on my legs that I lost count - not to mention other surgeries. The bleeding has always stopped shortly after suturing or stitching.

This bleeding is not normal - you need to le the doctor know ASAP. this should not be occurring.

Please call the doctor now.

Also, please let me know how you do and what the doc says and does.

My best to you

Pat

[boo512]

Talked to the doctor she called in oral antibotics and have a wound check in two days two check to make sure if they are working if not getting admitted for iv....

[patoco]

Hi Boo

So relieved you called. Hope the antibiotics will do the trick. Any type of infection would cause the healing to slow or stop and then the bleeding. Keep me up to date!!!!!!

Pat

[boo512]

Hi sorry its been so long since my last update but I have been really down lately. About 5 days after my last post my wound went bad I started getting green pus/ blood mixture ozing out between the stiches so my mom rushed me the er and the doctor there was a complete jerk telling me how no matter what condition I have that stiches should not be left in no more than one week and said that he was going to remove them and made it sound like i would be admitted so I could get the help I needed to get my suture site to close... so I let him take the stiches out and then he ships me home, he did not even give me a antibiotic!!!!! Needless to say I called my doc the very next day and she flipped( she even called the er doctor and snapped on him!) and she put me on stronger antibiotics told me to clean 2x daily and to put mupirocin ointment on it every time I change my bandage.... Good news is that after a month and a half the infection is gone for now. But thanks to the friendly er I now have this huge hole in my leg, it feels like it is never going to close and it picked the best time of the year for me you know the only time I get alil relief by swimming and I cant even do that!!!! I am just so misrable and fed up!!!! Oh and all the tape and bandaids I have had to use is eating my poor leg alive!!! So does anyone have any tips for getting it to heal or alt. for the bandaids and tapes??? Oh and I am also now havin trouble with my right hand 2 fingers are numb all the time and the others go numb thru out the day!!! Plus SSI denied me so its been a very long month.... Thanks to everyone that reads this I already feel a lil better just getting it all off my chest

[patoco]

Hey Boo

Glad you wrote and updated us. I soooooo understand how you must be feeling. I have had some real nightmare experiences with these ER doctors. I even once had one yelling at me for daring to question him. He totally ignored my medical history which was on file at the hospital and then totally ignored what my ID instructed him to do. My ID doc was hot - he reemed this guy a new body orifice. Thank God your regular doc started you on those antibiotics.

One thing that I use are abdominal surgical pads. They seem to be expensive until you figure in the cost of regular gauze pads, bandaids, tape etc. They are sterile, thick (absorbant) and give good protection to the wound.

The bad thing is that you can't get them at a regular pharmacy. I order them (10 to a box) from the same company I order my pleurz catheters from.

Instead of using tape. I keep them on by using a gentle wrap to keep them in place. I (1) put the pad in place (2) use rolled sterile gauze wrapped around the leg and then (3) use a regular short stretch. For me it works great. If the infection is gone, then it should be safe for you to try this - check with your doc too for their opinion. You'll need to try and keep the swelling down as much as possible so that the wound isn't stretched from the swelling. that in itself can really effect how fst the wound will heal.

Swimming is my very favorite sport because not only am I able to do it, but it is so helpful in getting some of the swelling down.

Here is metro Atlanta, there isn't a river that I would dare swim in - and public pools for me at absolutely forbidden. But, years ago we did have some lakes that were safe during he earlier parts of summer. Then, they started issuing bacterial warnings on them - so ended that for me. I really really miss swimming too.

Please don't accept this denial from SSI - appeal, appeal and appeal. Try to get your doctor involved in documenting just how much you are restricted and unable to do things as you are. Have them send in every possible, helpful medical record you can.

SS does not recognize lymphedema as a condition causing disability. So, you have to go on what all the complications are and have done - how it limits you - how it effects you ability to even carry out day to day self care and maintenance.

That numbness you are describing really needs to be watched. That can often be a sign that the nerves are being compressed by possible edema in the tissues. i went through quite a spell of that when my arms and hands started to swell.

At least for me that is one bright spot. While the LE is clearly still there the right arm is now normal size and the left one has only mildly swollen.

hang in there my friend - remember, we're always here for you - anytime

Pat