My leg has improved considerably since I started bandaging my leg but I have these two extremely annoying problem areas that are more stubborn than I am...My knee and ankle are just not fans of getting smaller. My calf and thigh will be practically the same size as my other leg but there are these odd bulges in my knee and ankle. There are lymph nodes in both those areas so possibly that is why those two spots are the worst.
My occupational therapist suggested I get creative with the foam padding and make shapes to help the swelling in the problem areas. It sounds bizarre but it actually works. I have two foam shapes that I place on my knee and ankle prior to wrapping. I place the foam over the stockinette though because it can be a bit irritating on bare skin.
Oddly, this condition requires some creativity. Try out different shapes and ideas with the foam to help with your swelling. Also, there are some stockinettes that have mild compression built into them. They can be a bit too tight on the upper thighs but I wear it over the foam padding and that seems to work also. My knee went from looking like a bagel to being able to see my knee cap! I need to figure out where to get some of these supplies so I will post places once I get more research done on pricing and where to buy.
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Hello Lindsay! My name is Barbara, I'm 23 years old, I live in central Florida, and like you, I too have primary lymphedema! I see that you were only diangosed a year ago, and I'm envious... I've been dealing with this for over a decade now. After all this time, you're the first person I've found that has primary lymphedema in their left leg and is at least somewhat my age... I just started having the bandaging done a little over a month ago, and I noticed you said that your ankle and knee were not improving but that your thigh and calf were... Well my knee and ankle are improving, but my calf is barely showing progress!... This is however, the first bit of treatment I'm receiving for the condition, with the exception of the fact that I have been wearing my compression stockings for these 10 years... I know it's changing your life, because it changed mine so horribly. Middle and High School were terrrrible... to say the least. You are very lucky you didn't have to suffer with this then... Please, if you ever have any questions, or just want someone to talk to who understands what you're going through... feel free to email me: barbaralynnj@yahoo.com ...... I also have a facebook & myspace, if you have one... My physical therapy pictures and such are up on my photos for both. Here's my myspace: http://www.myspace.com/poisonousoutcast
As I said, please feel free to contact me... It's certainly been a pleasure.
hey, my name is Nicole and i'm 21 yeas old. i have primary lymphedema and live in Tampa florida. I'm starting my treatment in a few weeks and i've very nervous to start but i'm excited to see that it's been working for you. Please let me know how the treatment has helped/
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