Limb removal for pain management.

[backwoodsman]

Following on from this thread, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

My wife has been talking about wanting her leg removed for the last year or so, what is the chances of having a limb with health tissue removed.

She gets cramp 7 or 8 times an hour, the slightest touch is agony, the knee, and ankle no longer bend, but the skin and tissue are healthy with good blood supply.

The pain management clinic say they can do nothing further.

Is this something a doctor would ever consider?

We realize that at a minimum they would want a psychological assessment.

[Burrow01]

My wife's cousin had a leg removed due to pain from chronic ulceration, so it is something that happens

[The_Doc]

backwoodsman said:

Is this something a doctor would ever consider?.

Yes. Start getting opinions, you will need two, at least, surgeons to agree, and a psychologist will only help with a robust plan.

[mattikake]

I would say never under-estimate diet. It's usually the first cause of most things. Maximise potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium B12, B6, folate and water intakes before embarking on something irreversible...

Spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, legumes, eggs plus green leafy salads for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus much more water (force drink it) than would normally be consumed.

Time and patience are your friends, not your enemy.

Edited by mattikake on Saturday 30th November 23:28

[davhill]

Three little words: 'Phantom limb pain.'

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_limb

Worth checking.

[Silent1]

From your other thread your wife hasn't explored anything like all the pain options and if the pain clinic aren't helping then change pain clinics, limb removal won't always cure it.

[Victor McDade]

davhill said:

Three little words: 'Phantom limb pain.'

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_limb

Worth checking.

+1

I have a friend who is a double amputee mid thigh and suffers terrible pain in his 'feet' and lower legs.

There are literally dozens of different analgesics out there for varying degrees, and types, of pain. I'd want to try all of them before considering such a drastic route like this because it may not even work.

[techguyone]

Imagine how she'd feel if she has the leg off and suffers from phantom limb pain, it'd all be for nothing then

[jonah35]

mattikake said:

I would say never under-estimate diet. It's usually the first cause of most things. Maximise potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium B12, B6, folate and water intakes before embarking on something irreversible...

Spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, legumes, eggs plus green leafy salads for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus much more water (force drink it) than would normally be consumed.

Time and patience are your friends, not your enemy.

Edited by mattikake on Saturday 30th November 23:28

I 100% agree with this.

Please get your wife to try a good diet so no sugar, caffeine alcohol or smoking. The poster I'm quoting knows it well. Exercise, multivitamin, fresh fruit and veg and do it RELIGIOUSLY for a year or two if necessary.

Speak to a very good organic food store dietician, get hypnosis, get Anything you can including yoga.

Warmer weather and bathing in the sea also helps.

She MUST try anything and everything before she considers removing a limb.

I hONESTLY think diet is accountable for 99% of illnesses like mental health, skin problems, heart problems, diabetes etc etc.

[Farmerpalmer]

mattikake said:

I would say never under-estimate diet. It's usually the first cause of most things. Maximise potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium B12, B6, folate and water intakes before embarking on something irreversible...

Edited by mattikake on Saturday 30th November 23:28

good advice. magnesium is key to relieving cramp = get some supplements.

[otolith]

Crikey, amazing that all the medically qualified professionals couldn't diagnose and cure her so easily.

[kiethton]

Brother had regional pain syndrome when young with identical symptoms...

His got resolved via a specialist doctor (anti depressants to surpress brain then application of cream for nerve endings)

[Rachie]

Farmerpalmer said:

mattikake said:

I would say never under-estimate diet. It's usually the first cause of most things. Maximise potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium B12, B6, folate and water intakes before embarking on something irreversible...

Edited by mattikake on Saturday 30th November 23:28

good advice. magnesium is key to relieving cramp = get some supplements.

Definitely, we eat so much inflammation inducing crap, all sorts of host response going on.

[TheJimi]

Can't really add much in terms of advice, but I would strongly agree with the sentiments above, in that amputation should be viewed as the nuclear option, only after *every* other option has been exhausted.

Admittedly, I'm not the one living with the pain...

[blindswelledrat]

jonah35 said:

I hONESTLY think diet is accountable for 99% of illnesses like mental health, skin problems, heart problems, diabetes etc etc.

Don't be fking ridiculous.

[Engineer1]

blindswelledrat said:

jonah35 said:

I hONESTLY think diet is accountable for 99% of illnesses like mental health, skin problems, heart problems, diabetes etc etc.

Don't be fking ridiculous.

He is correct in much the same way Water and Oxygen can be linked as without food water and oxygen all health problems stop,

[The_Doc]

blindswelledrat said:

jonah35 said:

I hONESTLY think diet is accountable for 99% of illnesses like mental health, skin problems, heart problems, diabetes etc etc.

Don't be fking ridiculous.

[jonah35]

The_Doc said:

blindswelledrat said:

jonah35 said:

I hONESTLY think diet is accountable for 99% of illnesses like mental health, skin problems, heart problems, diabetes etc etc.

Don't be fking ridiculous.

I do. Diabetes is a lot to do with diet is it not? Mental health is often attributed to and made worse by sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Skin problems too, many people have wheat or dairy intolerances. Heart problems? Fat man eats burgers and drinks coke and beer and has fatty food?
Japanese people have healthier diets and live longer.

Athletes are healthy and eat well.

Many medicines come from herbs and flowers and plants.

I don't care what anyone says and I don't think doctors know everything, I'll stick to my argument.

Aspartame and dodgy chemical stuff, fatty food, caffeine, sugar and alcohol or green veg, fruit, pure water, brown rice and organic whole meal food? I know which would be better for psoriasis, diabetes, fitness, heart conditions, longevity, anxiety, gout and many more issues.

[Silent1]

jonah35 said:

I do. Diabetes is a lot to do with diet is it not? Mental health is often attributed to and made worse by sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Skin problems too, many people have wheat or dairy intolerances. Heart problems? Fat man eats burgers and drinks coke and beer and has fatty food?
Japanese people have healthier diets and live longer.

Athletes are healthy and eat well.

Many medicines come from herbs and flowers and plants.

I don't care what anyone says and I don't think doctors know everything, I'll stick to my argument.

Aspartame and dodgy chemical stuff, fatty food, caffeine, sugar and alcohol or green veg, fruit, pure water, brown rice and organic whole meal food? I know which would be better for psoriasis, diabetes, fitness, heart conditions, longevity, anxiety, gout and many more issues.

[Atlantic]

jonah35 said:

I do. Diabetes is a lot to do with diet is it not? Mental health is often attributed to and made worse by sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Skin problems too, many people have wheat or dairy intolerances. Heart problems? Fat man eats burgers and drinks coke and beer and has fatty food?
Japanese people have healthier diets and live longer.

Athletes are healthy and eat well.

Many medicines come from herbs and flowers and plants.

I don't care what anyone says and I don't think doctors know everything, I'll stick to my argument.

Aspartame and dodgy chemical stuff, fatty food, caffeine, sugar and alcohol or green veg, fruit, pure water, brown rice and organic whole meal food? I know which would be better for psoriasis, diabetes, fitness, heart conditions, longevity, anxiety, gout and many more issues.

whole load of stuff to comment on there but what jumped out at me is that Steve Redgrave is a diabetic and was during his sports career. even by your own logic athletes = healthy and bad diet causes diabetes is flawed. its a whole lot more complicated than that.

no one thinks that doctors know everything not even doctors

(sorry for the derail OP and good luck)