Help! Leg ulcer for 3 years! Not sure what to do next
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi, my sister has had a leg ulcer for 3 years now. It seems to clear up and then takes a dive and gets worse again. She also has lupus which won't help the situation but takes medication daily for this.
She is in compression and has been since the start. She's only 39 so realistically this should be gone now. The ulcer clinic she goes to is really not the best, and hospitals pass her from one place to the next. She's had 2 ops to clear veins that was leaking blood on the leg in hope that would help but nothing as of yet.
She's getting to the point where I believe she really doesn't want to be here anymore. I'm desperate for some help for her if anyone has any ideas!
Thank you in advance hopefully
0 likes, 4 replies
Terrycafe kelly_30287
Posted
Hello Kelly. I understand the situation. I have chronic venous insuffency. Meaning that it can return. I have had surgery, and had two ulcers after that. Week after week in wound care. There are a few things that are important. Compression. Losing weight. And if she smokes, to quit or cut down. I need to lose weight and try to quit smoking. Those remedies are important. I will continue to wear the stockings. Mine are knee high. And they aren't that bad. The ulcer area is dry and scaly. I rub the area with vitamin e oil. Your sister should not give up. Her goal is to be ulcer free. One step at a time.
kelly_30287 Terrycafe
Posted
Thank you for replying, she is over weight and smokes but it's a vicious circle. She comfort eats coz of the pain. The doctors have just rendered her to the pain clinic to see if they can do a pain block. She takes so much medication for years that she's got to be addicted to it now. She has morphine etc her ulcer is in the large scale and there is 4 of them. I try my hardest to keep it all positive for her but the min the bandages come off it all comes back to reality. What operations did you have?
Terrycafe kelly_30287
Posted
Kelly, I had a fusion. The doctor closed the vein that caused the most problem. However, the compression stockings are most important. Your sister needs treatment at wound care. Losing weight is hard, but it is harder on the lower body. Legs and feet suffer the most. I believe that whatever she does, she should not rush. Rome wasn't built in a day. Each day is a new step towards healing.Let me know. Terry
helen10804 kelly_30287
Posted
Hi. I can totally relate to what you are going through with your sister. My mum has been suffering with a nasty large leg ulcer for the last few years. All the time it is growing and getting worse and is now the size of my forearm and spreading round the back of her leg. She is 70 this year but has no quality of life. The pain is unbearable most of the time and even worse when Shen has her dressings changed. Her other leg now has developed a small ulcer. This week my mum was admitted to hospital following a scan on her veins. She has had appalling treatment over the past few years , 2 different nurse giving different treatment and then the hospital gives a third opinion. Crazy. She has not slept in a bed due to pain for well over a year. Like your sister, my mum can't stand much more. It is heartbreaking seeing her in so much pain, feel so helpless. Hospital intend to do the op to unblock her vein but I am so worried after reading things on her that it won't make much difference. Morphine and tramodole doesn't seem to help much with pain.