How do i stop my Pressure stocking Digging in during the night on the side of the foot.

[ninewells]

No matter how i pull my stockings on, i can have them over the toe, mid foot even, but the side of my foot where ever the toe part stops cuts in so bad i even have placed a sock around the foot inside to try and keep the pressure off.

I have even woke up and felt it so bad my husband has pulled the stocking off for a few hours , then helped me get it back on when the deep indent dissapears again.

Go to see my L/D Team in May, but would really like to find an alternative to my sock idea to try and help the pressure on the foot, don't want to be pulling my stocking off as often won't help my swelling. Any idea's guys?

What do you all do when this happens? I don't want the skin to break, my little toe also gets it bad.

ninewells

[ninewells]

Hi Bigleg,

Thanks for this, I tried this once before when i had a bowel op, the nurses on the ward didn't have time to fight with my Compression stockings every morning, I couldn't due to the bowel op, so i had to leave them off for the full 5 days. My L/D consultant new staright away that i had not had them on at all times, as the legs filled up by 3 litres in that short period of time.

What i do have and will give it a try is a wedge cusghion, i was given this to use in bed when i had snapped my Achiles Tendon many years ago. I had forgot about that, now away to hunt it out hehe.

Thanks again. Wish i could keep them off every night, i have thigh hi stockings with open toe, its due to the open toe the pressure gets you. It seems to be where ever the top of the stocking stops it just puts on such pressure on the edge. I have even tired pulling them down over the toe to hang, but all that does is shift the pressure to the wrong part of the leg. My stockings are made to measure and get measured every 5inches up my leg so this is where the different pressure is suppose to press on to help eleviate the fluid and fat deposits that are building up.

Will let you know how i get on

Cheers

Ninewells.

[Loobs]

Hi Ninewells! I also asked a similar question called 'Compression' on here I too wear the thigh high open toe stocking and like you I'm woken during the night with a searing pain in my foot. I also tried the sock and various other methods but through time I began to wake up less and even managed a few full nights sleep which helped. I have now had liposuction on my leg (at ninewells would you believe) and I am over the moon as my leg is now back to its normal size but I do have to wear my stocking 24/7 for life. I have again though started to wake during the night with the pain in my foot (and a terrible itching but I'm putting that down to the sensation returning post-op) so I will keep checking your post with the hope that someone has a miracle cure that will give us some restful nights sleep x

[ninewells]

Loobs,

I also have had both my legs done at Ninewells and both my arms, hence the chosen name hehe. How unreal is this

Having it done once again, we have agreed that more can be taken out as the skin can't shrink back due to excess bulk still in the thighs, but i also have Lipoedema and lipodystrophy and it has been found that skin retraction can be problem.

Will try and keep my fingers crossed that it does shrink back some, but i will be prepared for the possibility of more surgery to remove it all, as it hangs well down over the knees and its very painfull. The down side to more surgery is it can cause more Lympoedema, as it has to be cut near the aread of the Lymphatic system. and after getting the legs to this size, we don't want to have it returning.

My pressure stocking like you are are causing a problem on the foot area, but may need to talk with the team and see if we even made the foot area slightly wider if this would help, but what i don't want is for the legs to grow again. I had to leave them off for 5 days and the legs did take on some fluid which was a bit of a problem, but between the Farow wraps and the stocking being used together, we managed to reduce the fluid again.

This last set of stockings have been quite troublesome, even had them split up the back and had to have more re-ordered, but not long before i go back for a visit so will deal with it all then. Hopefully the Ward Sister will be back at the helm for measuring again, and maybe the coming months will help reduce even more bulk prior to the next round of Liposuction.

So glad that its all going well again for you, My lower limbs are fab, just wanting the thights to be as good.

Can i ask, when you dry your skin after a bath or shower does the skin still hurt. When i try to rub dry rather than dab it, it's like electrical shock on the leg. (feels like raw nerve ends) very painful, even when i cream up its painful.

saying all of this, I can live with that , don't think i am complaining, as they are 1000 percent better than what they were and how they looked.

Take care,

if i find a good trick for the stockings i will jump back on and share with you.

Ninewells.

[Loobs]

Hi Ninewells! Yeah my skin still hurts after showering and it does feel like electric shocks! My op was only at the end if February so lots of healing still going on. At the moment my leg is itching like mad and is driving me insane. I still have lots of 'numb' areas on my leg and I think the itching is because the sensation is returning. I've been taking an Antihistamine and it is helping. I do feel very very lucky as if anyone saw my legs they wouldn't notice there was anything wrong (well except for the stocking lol) I wish you every success with your legs and arms for the future and will keep checking your updates xxx

[ninewells]

Hi Loobs,

Every line of this post i have a big smile on my face, as i know how good you will be feeling when you look down and see the change in your leg. How amazing does it feel.

I never thought i would ever be able to show my legs again until i met my Consultant at Ninewells.. I am Sure if say Mr M you will know who i am refering to.he has given me back my life.

It took nearly a full year before my leg swelling after the lipo was at its final stage of being fab.

I had both arms doen first, then one leg at a time to allow my body to recover in between, i had the ops 6 months apart.

Take it nice and easy and keep those Stockings on, the last thing you want is for fluid to build up again, or any fatty deposits. But i am so happy for you that you were able to have it done. I am glad but in a nice way that you also have the same sensation, at least i know it's part of the condition and maybe something that will stay with us, but my oh my, what a small price to pay to have legs that resemble legs again don't you think..

The only reason i haven't had the 2nd round of lipo at my 6 monthly interval, was due to a problem with my bowel and this had to be operated on, so we deciided my body had already had enough ansathetic and would give it a rest and allow me to fully recover, i had ended up on a ventilator as my lungs also gave out with a bad asthma attack all at the same time period.

But i go back in May and i am really excited about what's ahead.

Keep smiling, i could almost see your smile in each word you typed.

Take care

Ninewells.

[Chetanna00]

Hi ninewells,

Ive always been told by therapists that sleeping with stockings is dangerous for lymphodema. There is the chance that the stockings will move around and pinch areas of your leg (which is the pain you're feeling) and also trap fluid causing it to harden over time.

Has your therapist not tried bandaging you up ?

[ninewells]

Hi,

I have not had Bandaging treatment since having the official diagnosis, I had many different treatments over the ongoing 15 years of wrong diagnosis, i had very tight half stockings more like long socks, but the pain from them was off the scale. I had very thick stocking that felt like a plaster cast full length, but was unable to keep them on for the pain.

When i was given my correct diagnosis, i was then informed that due to my condition the pain i was feeling was down to the Lipodystrophie and Lipodem side, as a great deal of my legs had gone hard and this was the cause of the pain, rather than fluid. I know Bandaging reduces fluid better for some people but it would not have benefitted me at this stage.

I had to do a trial period of wearing my current Pressure stockings in advance of my Liposuction, to make sure i could tolorate the pressure stockings 24/7 or i could not have the Liposuction, as i was informed they hadto stay on 24/7 even when my legs were at their smallest size.

After Liposuction i do have to wear 2 layers of pressure wraps for a period of time before i move onto Stockings that are made to measure for my legs. They are replaced in size as my legs change shape

I will have to check on this Chetanna00, my main concern is if i remove the stockings in the evening fluid will be able to rebuild in the legs, as per what happened in the past, whilst having a stay in hospital..

My legs took on more than a Ltr of fluid in a very short period of time.

I will let you know what the Consultant says, but most of the people on this site that i have spoken to wear them at night also. Could it be down to the type of L/D we have i wonder?

I do know that we all need to be treated as individuals, so our care package will differ from person to person, depending on what our bodies can handle and what procedures would benefit us more. Also who our Consultant/care team are. A great number of people treating the condition are not qualified in this field and can give wrong advice, I am not saying them all before i offend anyone.

I myself had this happen over the years and paid the penulty along the way.

I am just so greatful that i now have one of the Top consultants who specialise in this field as my Consultant together with his Team who care for me now. He has allowed me to have qiality of life once again. Up until now all my care has been first class and benefitted me every step of the way, so if he says 24/7.i think i will stick with this at the moment. But i will ask the question about Night Stocking care.

But one thing we all have had in common is the pain and discomfort of lugging around all that extra weight. Also feeling like the odd one out that gets people making nasty remarks when you pass them.

If they only new how hurtful that could be. But having this forum now allows us to share our stories and experiences. So thank you for your feed back today, I will let you know what my Consultant says.

take care

Ninewells.