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0|0|0|||1||Could use some advice... %28Medical%29|Terminus Est||21:05:23|08/02/2016|I saw my GP today%2C and she basically told me they%27re gonna have to cut my legs off below the knee.%0D%0A%0D%0APerhaps some background is in order.  I%27ve been dealing with severe edema in both legs - specifically in the lower calf region - for the past ten years.  It%27s uncomfortable as all hell%2C and it brings a whole host of other health problems %28not limited to ulcers%2C infections%2C and other pleasant little surprises%29%2C but the main thing is that it%27s slowly turning my legs purple.  Compression wraps alleviate this to a slight degree%2C when I%27m able to use them%2C but that isn%27t anything like as often as it needs to be.%0D%0A%0D%0AMy GP is setting up an appointment to see a vascular surgeon sometime in the next month%2C to see if there%27s any hope of getting through this without cutting off inconveniently large bits.  I... have to say I%27m not terribly hopeful%2C all things considered.  It%27s been that kind of decade.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s just the tip of the iceberg%2C though.  My father%27s dealing with kidney failure%2C barely functional lungs %28courtesy of a chemical spill where he used to work%29%2C and malignant skin cancer on several areas of his body.  I don%27t know exactly which deity we pissed off%2C but I wish they%27d let us know so we could try to make amends.
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A Could use some advice... %28Medical%29|pjmoyer||23:19:43|08/02/2016|%3EI saw my GP today%2C and she basically told me they%27re gonna have to cut %0D%0A%3Emy legs off below the knee. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EPerhaps some background is in order.  I%27ve been dealing with severe %0D%0A%3Eedema in both legs - specifically in the lower calf region - for the %0D%0A%3Epast ten years.  It%27s uncomfortable as all hell%2C and it brings a whole %0D%0A%3Ehost of other health problems %28not limited to ulcers%2C infections%2C and %0D%0A%3Eother pleasant little surprises%29%2C but the main thing is that it%27s %0D%0A%3Eslowly turning my legs purple.  Compression wraps alleviate this to a %0D%0A%3Eslight degree%2C when I%27m able to use them%2C but that isn%27t anything like %0D%0A%3Eas often as it needs to be. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EMy GP is setting up an appointment to see a vascular surgeon sometime %0D%0A%3Ein the next month%2C to see if there%27s any hope of getting through this %0D%0A%3Ewithout cutting off inconveniently large bits.  I... have to say I%27m %0D%0A%3Enot terribly hopeful%2C all things considered.  It%27s been that kind of %0D%0A%3Edecade. %0D%0A%0D%0AI am in no ways a medical professional%2C but has Liver%2FKidney Issues been ruled out%3F  Both I %28and my mother%29 have%2Fare suffer%28ed%7Cing%29 from leg edema in the past%2C and in both our cases it%27s due to malfunctioning liver and fluid retention.  A short term palliative is to seriously cut down on sodium content%2C and take diuretics to get more fluid out fast %28this is doable if you DON%27T have kidney problems on top of the liver ones%29.  My edema was manageable%2C and went away entirely once my liver was replaced. %0D%0A%0D%0AAdmittedly%2C if Liver issues haven%27t been caught in the ten years you%27ve had this%2C I don%27t know what else could be the cause - but sodium reduction%2Ffluid removal is a treatment %28though really if the legs were being problematic you should have abdominal fluid to worry about as well%29.%0D%0A--- Philip%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%223%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D2 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%0D%0A%5Btr%5D%5Btd width%3D%2265%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie.org%2F%7Eaerianne%2Ffoth.img%2Fgaia_ser_philip_saber.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%0D%0A%5Btd%5D%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000dd%22%5DPhilip J. Moyer%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000aa%22 size%3D-2%5DContributing Writer%2C Editor and Artist %28and Moderator%29 -- Eyrie Productions%2C Unlimited%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000aa%22 size%3D-2%5DCEO of MTS%2C High Poobah Of Artwork%2C and High Priest Of the Church Of Aerianne -- Magnetic Terrapin Studios%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230044aa%22 size%3D-1%5D%5Bi%5D%22Insert Pithy Comment Here%22%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230044aa%22 size%3D-1%5D%5Bi%5D%5Blink%3Amagnetic-terp-input.tumblr.com%7CFandoms%5D%5B%2Fi%5D -- %5Bi%5D%5Blink%3Amagnetic-terp-output.tumblr.com%7CFanart%5D%5B%2Fi%5D -- %5Bi%5D%5Blink%3Amagnetic-terp-converse.tumblr.com%7CFan Meta Discussions%5D%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%0D%0A%5Btd width%3D%2265%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie.org%2F%7Eaerianne%2Ffoth.img%2Fgaia_aeri_coat_sword.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%0D%0A%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%223%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D1 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
4|2|1|||1||RE%3A Could use some advice... %28Medical%29|Terminus Est||05:39:11|08/03/2016|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Aug-06-16 AT 06:33 AM (EDT)]So far as I%27m aware%2C my blood work hasn%27t turned up any organ failure problems.  Admittedly%2C they do run in my family - dad%27s side especially - but so far%2C I%27ve dodged at least that particular bullet.  I neither drink nor smoke%3B caffeine is my only real vice%2C mostly in the form of soda %28and yes%2C I know I need to kill that habit.  Work in progress%2C I assure you.%29%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m currently taking lasix %28fluid pill%29 and allopurinol %28for gout%29 on the diuretic front%2C with colchicine %28for gout flares%29 on a situational basis.  I%27m also taking potassium %5Bi%5Dchloride%5B%2Fi%5D %28supposedly for cramps%2C since lasix murders my ability to rest without them%29 and have just been started on a ten-day course of antibiotics %28cleocin%29 because of the ulcers.%0D%0A%0D%0AEDIT%3A  misnamed a medication.  should%27ve been chloride%2C not citrate.
2|1|0|||1||RE%3A Could use some advice... %28Medical%29|Gryphon||23:57:22|08/02/2016|Holy shit%2C that%27s horrible.%0D%0A%0D%0AAbout the only thing I can offer is anecdotal%3B when I had my surgery%2C I spent the first couple days after it in a thing like the bottom half of a pilot%27s anti-G suit%26mdash%3Binflatable pants connected to a robot compressor that would randomly inflate and deflate different compartments.  Supposed to prevent deep vein thrombosis%2C but ISTR someone saying they%27re also good for edema.  Not the most convenient thing in the world%2C and if you%27re having trouble managing the logistics of compression socks it%27s probably not helpful%2C but it%27s pretty much all I%27ve got at the moment.  I don%27t even know what the things are actually called. %3A%2F%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
3|2|2|||1||RE%3A Could use some advice... %28Medical%29|Terminus Est||05:29:23|08/03/2016|This is probably something they%27re going to try with me at some point%2C in hopes of not having to cut bits off.  Thing is though%2C all I have for insurance is Medicaid%2C which... isn%27t the best thing in the world.  I get 14 days in-patient care per year%2C and I %5Bi%5Dthink%5B%2Fi%5D about that many doctor visits%2C but there has to be 1%3A a referral from my GP%2C and 2%3A a physician that takes Medicaid to do the work.  The second bit is%2C naturally%2C the harder one.  Considering where I live%2C it%27s just short of a miracle that there%27s a vascular surgeon who visits the clinic I go to bi-monthly.  I don%27t know what kind of wait there%27s going to be to see him at this point - my GP is setting it up for me.%0D%0A%0D%0AThing is%2C this should%27ve been done %5Bi%5Dlong%5B%2Fi%5D ago.  This will be the first time I%27ve seen a specialist for this.  I don%27t have any idea why my GP hasn%27t referred me to one before now.