Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Complications of Lymphedema

As I have said before, there are good days and bad with Lymphedema. On occasion, there are not just bad days but bad weeks. It becomes frustrating and then disappointing as you feel attacked by the Lymphedema-as though it is taking over all aspects of your life due to the both physical and mental problems it can cause.

I felt like I was getting back to the old me before the Lymphedema about a few weeks ago. I was doing 4 miles at the gym on the elliptical and walking on the treadmill and I was weight lifting. I was at the gym 4 times a week and loved it. My leg started to feel much better. Then what seemed to come out of nowhere, my hip, abdomen, and thigh became incredibly swollen that sitting was painful and I was walking with a limp again. The Lymphedema seemed to take over my life last week. Pain set in and by Friday, I was exhausted from the pain that could not be alleviated with IB Profen. I wasn't myself because I was so tired and in so much pain. I was irritable and no matter what I did; elevate, MLD, etc. the pain and swelling would not minimize.

Today, I feel better but went to the doctor to get checked out. I may have an infection but it may be something else so I am getting prepared for another witch hunt as I am referred form doctor to doctor as each scratch their head at my condition. It took nearly a year to get a correct diagnosis for Lymphedema but now that I have the diagnosis, when a complication arises, they still don't know. There is just too much that doctors don't know about Lymphedema and the complications that occur as a result of the condition.

I try to stay optimistic about it all because honestly there is no choice, I cannot choose to wake up tomorrow and not have Lymphedema. The swelling, discomfort, pain, complications, tiredness, limited physical ability etc. will be with me for a lifetime. So I could either whine about it or just ignore it and that usually works. Usually. But as I felt worthless over the weekend, tired and in pain, unable to do the things I usually do on weekends, I spent the time lying in bed and on the couch and I absolutely hate wasting my weekends like that.

I am not even sure what is the point of this post other than to say how frustrating and upsetting it is to have this condition and that sometimes are harder than others. I am just hoping that whatever is wrong with me will improve soon so I can get back to feeling like myself again.