Anyone had firsthand experience with Panniculitis/lymphoedema?

Hi fellow SMTers,

Wonder if anyone has any first hand experience with lymphoedema and
panniculitis. I know lymphoedema is pretty much a condition people get
after cancer treatment where lymph glands are removed and the lymph collects
rather than draining - usually in arm on side of lymph removal. I have not
had the "C" word or any treatment like that, thank goodness. I went to see
my general practitioner on 24th December. I'd been having a problem for a
month or two whereby after sleeping I'd wake up and my lower legs (sock
distribution) would be a light red colour (erythema?) and my left foot
swollen and puffy. The right one is probably puffy too but the left looks
about 1.5 times the size of the right foot. Mainly the outer ankle and the
bridge of the foot.......the fleshy bit of the foot between the toes and the
ankle that you see when you look down.

Anyway he said I needed to get my varicose veins checked out with a Doppler
scan (which I have done - technicians said I had "leaky valves" from groin
down, but they had seen worse and my legs would not fall off if I did not
have surgery....Ozzie way of saying, "yeah you have a problem...but you will
not die tomorrow". Very laid back we are in Ozland. I have a referral to a
female vascular surgeon....who is supposedly tops in her field. I will make
appointment this coming Monday. (Christmas, New Year, camping away and
bloody hot weather my excuses for not doing so sooner).

Doc also said I had panniculitis - something about some malfunction of the
fat beneath the skin or some such. Also talked about skin being our
protective layer, etc., and barrier to infection and to make sure I took
care of myself and avoided injury (infection) etc.

Over summer I've had swollen left foot lots with our heat (recent patch of
over 40 C/104.4 F days). I also went away camping on 9th January for a week
and my feet got sunburnt....of course the left foot a lot worse than the
right.

I took it easy on my camping holiday, de-stressed, walked like a crab with
my puffed up foot and stayed out of the sun from the moment I got sunburnt,
and that's pretty much it.

Since I've been back home I've tried to raise my left foot while working
(small IC) as I imagine the position of that foot just sitting there all day
and the forces of gravity can'the be good (i.e. causing oedema). Today,
thank goodness the weather has cooled down after being up till 5:30 a.m. in
the lounge-room with the air-con going. Just got up at 11:30 a.m. and left
foot normal size now the weather is 26 Celsius ( 78 F) instead of 40 (104
F).

I do not usually eats lots of salty foods (being a total sugar freak) but
sometimes I indulge in salty crackers - maybe once every six weeks, so do
not think salt intake is the issue. I must mention here though that I do
have a weight problem. I'm 5'6" and currently weigh 104kg (I was 115kg in
August, lost 15kg and put 4kg back on over Christmas - worst time of year
for my sweet tooth).Thought it worth mentioning as I know weight can affect
swelling, fluid retention, etc. I don't drink tons of water (and know I
should). Find it much easier during hot weather but rest of time am pretty
slack.

I've heard exercise should help but with my foot being swollen it's hard to
walk lots and none of my shoes fit on that foot.

Also, doc recommended compression stockings (which I have not got yet) as
the thought of getting them on in this heat is more than I could stand.

Sorry about long-windedness of this but if anyone has first hand knowledge
of any of the above I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Special thanks to Rae Morrill BTW who has been my saviour since I posted an
SOS looking for MT assistance. What a woman. Has really helped me out big
time, excellent worth ethic, great turnaround and a witty chatter. Thanks
Rae - you are one in a million.

Thanks folks for bearing with me. Any thoughts/comments greatly
appreciated.

Cheers,

ozgal (Julie, Melbourne, Australia)



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