How to deal with my mother who won't wear compression support hose?!
Question:
How to deal with my mother who won't wear compression support hose?
If anyone has any experience with this, I appreciate your answers. My mother (80 years old) has lymphedema. Her legs are so bad that they have begun to just leak fluids. I got her treatment before for this and the doctor had legs compressed in a wrap. Well that did work and it was successful. However, when they took the wrap off, she was suppose to wear support hose. Now she flat out refuses the suppport hose and of course her legs have swelled again. I'm so upset, because now I'm back where I first started.
She also has dementia which is part of the reasons she won't wear the stockings. I feel so bad but don't know what to do. Has anyone dealt with this issue with their aging parents.
The other thing that makes this difficult is that she won't sleep in a bed or elevate or legs like she's suppose to. Her nurse can usually get an hour a day out of her for elevation. I'm scared infection may set in and she will lose her legs.
Serious answers only!! Thanks!
Answers:
GREETINGS, I'm Tina from Lymphland International Support Group. Diuretics are not good for lymphedema, disregard that other answer please. All diuretics do is push out the water part of the lymphatic fluids but they leave the debris behind such as plasma, proteins, germs, bacteria, ect. Those debris build up and block more lymph and then harden and become fibrotic rings or bands that block more and more fluid and eventually the patient worsens and swells more and more. We are trying to educate doctors about this vicious cycle and the more people learn about lymphedema the better off patients will be.
Leaking fluids means her skin is breaking down, you have to be very careful about infection and ulcers forming. She needs to go back into therapy to help reduce the fluids again and needs to bandage her legs now using gauze and compression, and it would be good to use an anti-infective protectant such as a zinc or silver based cream.
How much is she aware of with the dementia? Can you try to educate her about the fact if infection sets in, she could lose her legs? A little wound is a big thing for lymphedema patients. One such patient, Jeff Dorton, had a blister that ultimately lead to his death, it infected, gangrened and they kept cutting away on him for years, he lived in a medical facility and ultimately lymphedema took his life. I know you are afraid of that. Would pictures of what can happen help you show your mom? I can provide links and pictures of some pretty nasty wounds and Jeff's pictures.
would she wrap her legs? Could you wrap her legs? Does she or you do the manual lymph drainge bodywork to her to keep things moving better?
What about a recliner? At least in that she could tilt it back to elevate her legs of some sort.
the pump is an option but I have to warn you if other bodywork isn't done first it can result in genital lymphedema and you have to get the leaking stopped first.
My website is http://www.lymphland.com and I have the Lymphland support group on yahoo groups, feel free to check my site out and also if you'd like to join the group, I'm sure by posting a note other members would have some good tips too as they have parents and children who probably need help too.