Help with some diplomatic wording please

UI was very interesdted in what Chestnut showed for leg elevation but I sleep on either side and they ate only for lying on back. I looked on Amazon and most were for placing between legs which is use;less for my problems.

I have no idea what IU did during the night, but the dressings on my right leg fell off and like ferry I have had a glorious day without pain or any problems on my right leg. The left leg compression bandages are sliding down the leg, (shows how well they were applied) so I may have another day of bliss tomorrow.

Unfortunately I am well aware that with the correct dressing and adequate compression are the only things which will heal my legs. Like ferry this has gone on for many months.

I was able to expose my right keg to sunshine today, a definite no-no, but I felt better afterwards and who is to know. I wasn't there long enough for a tan. I am glad I am 82 and not 28 and it is my legs and not my arms.

Lol MissA.

Tried that and she handed me a box of tissues

In all fairness, my wound nurse does understand the effect it's all having on my mental health and she is trying to help out on that front.

How awful.
I suppose you have to accept that the medics know best, but it sure doesn't feel like it.
Don't hold back though, if you feel like crying, do it in front of the nurse.

I have 2 leg elevation cushions - both are fine as long as I don't move a centimetre during the night!

I've now had 26 hours since removing the compression bandages and it's been the best day I've had for months. I could move around, easily get outside to water the garden, nothing uncomfortable or tight around the leg ankle and foot. I feel like I got my life back for a day.

Back to the wound clinic tomorrow though

I find it almost impossible to sleep any other way than I always have.
You have my sympathy, sincerely.

I don't think I could sleep all night with an inflatable of any kind under my legs, much too light. The leg elevation pillow is made of foam, really soft and comfortable and very stable. Even raised up with a flat chair cushion underneath it still feels steady, although you obviously can't kick around and change position.

I presume you can buy them, but I've seen in care homes, inflatable foot rests for in bed.

They might help, possibly, depending on the problem.

The main thing is, though, our skin isn't meant to be bandaged up like a mummy.

I also have bad leg problems due to neuropathy and long term plantar fasciitis, both really painful and difficult to live with. I also get oedema which is much worse in the hot weather. During the heatwave my legs came up like balloons.

I started using support stockings but they are horribly uncomfortable because of the neuropathy which makes everything more painful. I think the heatwaves make leg problems so much worse, and having your legs strapped in those high temperatures is just awful.

One thing I don't seem to have trouble with is sleeping. I bought this leg elevation pillow and have got used to sleeping on my back (you can't change position in the night). Leg Elevation Pillow

I then put another cushion from an armchair underneath, which raises it even higher. By morning my legs are looking quite slim and feel good. I just thought that might help people with leg problems. Get your legs up high all night.

I was given antihistamine tablets months ago by a GP who told me rudely if it was itching, not to scratch it. I hope she develops this problem one day. I showed her a wart which was increasing in size and she asked me what I wanted her to do about it. So caring.

Thanks for mentioning the name of the drug.

I'm so sorry please keep speaking up.

When one leg was very painful as well as itchy I took two Panadol at bedtime and it appeared to do the trick.

Charleygirl5 and everyone else, if the itching is too much to bear try taking an antihistamine tablet at bedtime as well.
I take Cetirizine for hay fever and eczema itching.
It's a one-a-day tablet but you can take up to four a day, according to the leaflet and confirmed by my GP and practice nurse.
You could of course confirm with your own surgery.

I can't get it through to any District Nurse That the wadding is too thick and I can't get slippers on and walk safely. One walked out a week ago when I said I would sue if I fell!

Have you tried putting your leg on a pillow? I am aware it can cause DVT but you have to get a night's sleep. When one leg was very painful as well as itchy I took two Panadol at bedtime and it appeared to do the trick. Like you, I was desperate.

If I pick up any tips on Wednesday, which I doubt, I will pass them on. You are doing exactly what I did 3 weeks ago. I did try to tolerate the compression bandage for around 7 hours because I was well aware that is the main thing which heals the leg. I have both legs in a state so double trouble.

Oh your journey sounds very similar to mine sandpiperessex. And I can't sleep in a bed as it's too painful to lean the back of my leg on the mattress.

This afternoon I cut off all but the tubular bandage over the dressing and I put some yellow line on for extra protection. All the bandaging and that horrible wadding had compacted around my ankle and it felt like someone was sawing away at my skin, and that I was dragging a brick around with me

My mental wellbeing is quite fragile, - I'm on month 19 now and I can't describe how heartily sick of it I am.

They make the bandaging so thick around my foot and ankle that I can hardly flex my foot. It's impossible for me to drive.

I really hope the vascular unit will be able to help and you can start to make some progress. You have my sympathy.

I feel your pain. I have bilateral leg ulcers and I await a visit to Vascular at the hospital as my doppler reading wasn't too good.
I'm being re-dressed twice a week and I hate it. It hurts and causes so much pain but of course has to be done. As this has been going on since January, I am heartily sick of it and I am having to really make sure my mental health does not get too affected, I do struggle some days as my legs dominate our life.
I am living downstairs as I can't abide sleeping in the bed right now.
I have also had the problem of finding some nurses more caring and taking much better care of ME as a whole person. I did raise the question of another nurse using a technique that was much better and she was please that I had said something. In waiting to get a regular spot at my local hospital we have been all over the Fylde coast to attend DN sessions and didn't see the same person twice apart from on one occasion. It's not easy, it;s a horrible 'journey'. I don't think I am looking forward to compression even though it is the thing that is meant to cure the legs.
I hope you continue to get better and can put all this behind you soon.

I remember the awful trauma you went through ferry. So sorry to hear that you’re still having problems. Wishing you all the very best and I do hope your leg begins to heal very soon. 💐

Just tell the 1st nurse the problems you were having with her treatment and that the 2nd nurse resolved it by not putting your dressings so tight, and if she wouldn’t mind doing it the same! And that you hope she doesn’t mind you mentioning it!
I’m sure if she cares she won’t mind, as it is your health and recovery that is important to her
Good luck and wishing you better health

Or even more simply:

“Can I tell you something I’ve noticed? Last week’s bandaging was much easier for me to tolerate. I don’t know exactly what was different, but it made a massive difference to my comfort. I’d really love to see if we can work out what she did.”

That approach:

* acknowledges that your regular nurse has been caring for you,
* doesn’t criticise her technique,
* focuses on improving your care,
* invites her to investigate rather than putting her on the defensive.

If your regular nurse is a good clinician, she’ll probably be pleased you’ve found something that helps. Compression only works if people can actually tolerate wearing it, so knowing that a small change improved your tolerance from “1 out of 10” to “6 or 7 out of 10” is valuable clinical information.

I’d also mention just how dramatic the difference was. Saying something like:

“Usually I’m awake at 3 a.m. wanting to cut into the bandages, but this week I wasn’t.”

is a powerful, factual description of the impact. It’s not a criticism—it’s evidence that something changed.

From what you’ve written, you’ve been finding this treatment really hard, and having even one week where it felt more manageable sounds like a significant breakthrough. It’s worth speaking up about, because if your regular nurse can reproduce whatever was different, it could make the coming weeks much more bearable.

You could say something like:

“I wanted to mention something from last week. While you were away, the nurse who covered for you bandaged my leg a little differently. It was honestly the most comfortable I’ve been in compression. I still don’t enjoy wearing it, but I wasn’t awake in the early hours desperate to pull at it, which is a huge improvement for me. I wondered if she’d left any notes about what she did differently, because if we could replicate it, it would really help me cope.”

I remember your original post - what a nightmare you've had 💐

Yes I responded upthread

I am bumping this because I don't think ferry has returned.

I certainly don't regret having my ;) knee replaced. I would be bedridden or worse by now if I hadn't. I can understand the Consultant wavering.

I can live with the lymphedema, I wear trousers all the time. I can't live with the itchiness and a bucket load of antihistamines would barely touch it. I am going to the Vascular Clinic next Wednesday and I will not be fobbed off.

I think there are a lot of side effects from some operations that aren’t mentioned. Which is why my consultant didn’t push me to have the TKR, especially as I’m in no pain when I’m not walking. A friend of mine developed lymphoedema after a TKR ( although she still doesn’t regret having it done).

ferry I have had compression bandages on both legs for months. Sorry MayBee mine started gradually having 2 TKRs over the years. One of the side effects is excessive itchiness and I scratched both legs which started the lymph running. My left was the worst and I had a large raw area on the front and side, above my ankle. Because of the rawness I couldn't tolerate compression bandages and I cut them off after 2 hours. The R) was fine.

That leg has only a small area, nearly dry and is no longer painful so I can tolerate compression bandages. I was aware that compression heals but it is a catch 22 when one can't tolerate weight.

I am fortunate, although the DNs come x2 a week, when desperate I can do my own dressings and apply compression bandages. A DN only comes because I am partially sighted.

If you need any help/advice please PM me.

Compression stockings are only measired after the leg (s) are dry.

My legs are so itchy I know the same will happen again once I have full access to both legs.
I have 2 comp. bandages applied and the District Nurses cant understand why I need to wear slippers or shoes. One aslked me why I had to go out! Stay in for 365 days, I dont think so.

Gin

You have my sympathy. My dog accidentally sliced my calf and as my skin is like tissue paper, I have a 4 inch wound. I am having to wear a compression stocking and I hate it. I feel like my ankle is in a tourniquet. I cannot put the damned thing on as it required stronger hands than my arthritic ones so only get it changed by the nurse. I also have to sit with my leg elevated. I am assured healing will be much quicker if I follow the rules. Night time is the worse time, throbbing wound and boiling hot!

Have you tried any of the sock aids? There's several different types and when mine healed the first time and I had compression stockings I did find it helped - I too have arthritis and I know how difficult it is to try and get them on and off.

All that said, I have now had 4 pairs of made to measure compression stockings and all have been too long ankle to knee - I do have short limbs. They seem far more concerned about the girth and not the length. And I hate the bl**dy things.

I have been seeing a private lymphoedema nurse (clinic won't see me with an open wound). She has sourced me a compression wrap with just two velcro fasteners that can be cut to size. That's probably what I'll have to have when the bandages can come off.

There's something about compression in general that makes me feel I'm a character in a Dickens novel hobbling out of the workhouse. Mrs Cratchett maybe.

Once I was tripping around the financial district in Manhattan in my Manolos, now I'm watching daytime TV and wondering which funeral plan to have. This getting old is certainly a barrel of laughs.