Lymphedema People ™

Can someone explain to me excartly what lymphangitis; is and what it looks like on a Lympedemic leg?

I have a red rash that just doesn't seem to wnat to go away.
It gets some better and almost tp a pinly syage and boom it comes back again.
Some times its like small red spots and some is like an area of red.

I have tried most everyhting and wondering now if I need to see a dematologist?
Even the Vascular Specilist that I saw recently didn't seem to know what it is and he is the one who officialy diagnosied me in 2002.

if I knew what was causing it then maybe I would knoe how to treat it.

I need to try and get rid of this rash and its the same leg that I am going to have a knee replacement on and its also my biggest leg.

Thanks so much.
Shirl

Dear Shirl,

I am very new to this site and I have not even posted any kind of introduction yet. I just read your posting and felt very compelled to answer because earlier this year I had gone through the same thing of having lymphangitis. I have always gotten the same medical run-around because as you have already seen, there is a huge lack of medical knowledge when it comes to anything 'lymphedema.'

I am here to tell you that to treat lymphangitis, you need to see your general medical practitioner and get a prescription for antibiotics (definitely not one that you are allergic to) which will alleviate the red splotches/streaking, and pinprick sensations. I also doused my legs with plenty of moisturizing lotions. With my lymphangitis I saw a vascular surgeon who rerouted me to my family doctor because he 'couldn't help me.' I did take it a step further (without my family doctor knowing it) and went to an infectious disease doctor who prescribed the antibiotic I did not know I'd be allergic to, and then from there I did see a dermatologist. Getting an antibiotic that I was allergic to sent my condition into an absolute tailspin resulting in blistering which took a long time to go away. The antibiotic which is right for you, from my personal experience, in the long run, did make these pesky symptoms go away. I hope this helps. It is so incredibly frustrating not to get the medical answers and treatment that we need right here and right now! Take care, and you have my best wishes.

Welcome to our forum; this is a wonderful place to ask questions and meet new people. Everyone is very friendly.

Thanks for replying and also sharing your experineces with me.

its extremly hard to get anyone to understand us where Lymphedema is concerned.

Like you I am allerigic to most antibiotics and also to many meds.
But I do need to get this looked in too.
My Family Dr didn't seem to know what to do; I have also had several trips to merg or urgent Crae Clinic and its always the same ordeal.

At the clincs and ermerg; they also kept insisitng that I had thrombosis so I went to see my vascular specialist ( the one who originaly doiagnosied me in 2002 and both my legs are A! vascular wise.

I don't have any pain or sorness nor streaking.
Its more like small wee red spots hat gradualy go into one big area. But it does sometimes itch.
It never feels hot like cellulitis does.

So I haven't a clue what it is nor whats casuing it; but its ugly looking and I want it to clear up.
Do you have any other diagnosis beside Primary Lymphedema?
I also have Lipedema and Lipomatosis/Dercums and a few others as well.

I went either undiagnoised or wrongly diagnoised for over 30 plus years.

Thanks again for replying.

Hi Shirl and Mirrorless

Here is the link to our revised page on

Lymphangitis

http://www.lymphedemapeople.com/wiki/do ... mphangitis

At the end of the page are some diagnostic images. Shirl, that rash you have is not lymphangitis. If it were and it had gone untreated for as long as it has, you would be in ICU trying to survive. But, remember also you have been on multiple antibiotics and the rash continues. If the rash were based on a bacterial infection, all those antibiotics you have taken would have hit the infection and cleared up the rash.

As I have explained earlier, with lymphedema (especially with longer standing lymphedema) it is not uncommon to have various discolorations on/in the skin. This is due to the vascular "contrictions" that the fibrotic tissue puts on the vascular system that nourishes the dermal layers of the skin.

Pat


Here also is the Google Images page on lymphangitis:

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&sour ... &aqi=&aql=

In a nutshell, Dr. Raymond D Pitetti, writing in E/Medicine defines lymphangitis as:

Lymphangitis is defined as an inflammation of the lymphatic channels that occurs as a result of infection at a site distal to the channel. Pathogenic organisms invade the lymphatic vessels and spread along these channels toward regional lymph nodes. The infected lymphatic vessel becomes inflamed. Bacteria can rapidly grow in the lymphatic system.

Thanks so much Pat for you quick reply.

Okay so is this something I should just put up with and not be so concermed about?
I so often hear about poople having those awful ulcers on their legs and running inot end;less problems and hospital stays with it.
I sure don't wnat this to happen to my legs.

Would you suggest me seeing s dermatologist or just trying to ignore this redness,
It seems to sometime get dry and skin flake off. But when I keep steadily using the Eucerin cream it gets really mosit and sot of blisters up in places.
Could it be a yeast problem or just as you say its sort of natural and come with the Lymphedema and fibrotic tissues.

I will have to get something in writhng in order for the Pre Op DEPT to approve me for surgery.
Now how would I go about that?
Would I just simply try and persuade my Family Dr that this is what it is and explain further all the antibiotics I have tried to get rid of it to no avaiil?

I will await a reply from my dear trusted friend Pat; before making an appt with a dermatologist.

Thanks so much Pat. Your always so kind and compassionate when we ask questions here.

Shirl

I am so grateful that Pat as well as the members of Lymphedema People who are are so informed and are able to correctly guide us to greater relief when our professional medical help cannot! Thank you for your kind compassionate understanding that helps us get through our difficult journeys with grace and confidence.

Hey Shirl and Mirrorless

Shirl, certainly if you want to run it by a dermatologist, that would always be a good idea and to make sure.

Initially, I did check mine out with my ID doc and he pretty much had the same thoughts as I did. For me there was no pain, itchiness - nothing at all except the redness. It just is a part of our lymphedema/fibrosis. Even with doing proper skin care, I seem to have a number of things on both legs. I also get these fibrous tumor nodules that I eventually have to have surgically removed. That was one thing they did last month while I was in the hospital, they removed about 9 of those.

My right leg to have the strangest discoloration. It actually looks like a checker board ( how's that for an oddity ). LOL...looks like someone placed my leg on a grill.

I don't have those ulcerations you mentioned. Using the Eucerin and doing the skin care routine seems to have helped avoid that for me. They can be really nasty too and seem to always cause infections, so I am just glad I don't have to deal with that.

Let me know what the dermatologist says. Pat