Conditions
Leg Ulcer
A leg ulcer definitely sounds like something we could all happily live without. And thankfully, for people under the age of 45, they are very rare. However, if you’ve made it past the grand old age of 80, the figures show that 1 in every 50 are affected by venous leg ulcers, and they are more common in people who are obese or immobile. Leg ulcers look like craters in the skin, varying in shape, colour and size. Your leg may also be painful, itchy and swollen. In many cases they are due to poor circulation in the arteries, if the values in your veins stop working or as a result of diabetes. Ulcers need to be kept clean to avoid infection whilst arterial ulcers may benefit from surgery. If the leg ulcer is caused by an underlying disease it’s important to have this treated as well.
Comments and Questions
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I also suffer from leg ulcers on my lower left leg and appreciate the comments made.I attended my surgery early January for regular dressings but my leg deteriorated and I introduced to a neighbouring Leg Ulcer Clinic at the beginning of April. I was given a Doppler procedure to ensure I was a likely candidate for Compression Bandaging and have been having my leg dressed three times weekly since. Although the ulcerated site has diminished the area surrounding the ulcer has become very raw, extended and damaged due, I think, to the excessive leakage. I have difficulty sleeping and have become very despondent and low from the pain I endure. My nurse assures me that there is improvement, but I can't understand how it has become more painful. I am normally a very positive person - but the thought of years of enduring this condition horrifies me?
I have itchy legs with what appear to be thread veins and in some places varicose veins though not sure as not painful as yet. However my skin in general is itchy and worse in the areas at the site of thread veins. I have tried using aquaous cream I got for eczema on my arms but it does little to help. Shaving my legs make itching worse. It is driving me crazy, had to give swimming a rest which is annoying as it help my arthritis and is why I went to the expense of paying for private gym as the pool is warmer than council. Thanks
Following complications with an RF cardiac ablation I had massively swollen legs with splitting skin and infective eczema. Legs are reduced in size with daily furosemide though very discoloyred with white patches, and left leg goes hard and red/purple at times treated with anti biotics by GP. However as I use creams also prescroibed to treat often get 'holes' opening which are quite deep and then scab over but never heal and which bleed when scab flakes off. Concerned this could lead to more serious leg problems. Can you offer any advice /support
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I suffer from Raynaud's Syndrome and therefore have to wear compression stockings on both legs. I'm normally a healthy 37 year old male,but now find myself with five huge leg ulcers below the knee. I also suffer from blood pooling due to the Raynaud's Syndrome. Also, I have two smaller ulcers on the right leg below the knee. I am not diabetic and I have given up smoking. The problem i find is conflicting advice and when wearing compression stockings or melonin patches I find this removes any healing tissue that has formed,causing the ulcers to be gaping and enlarged. Please can anybody help. I alao suffer from painful varicose veins and I am at my wit's end due to the pain and being passed from pillar to post with numerous doctors and consultants, all whom have different ideas on treatment. I can upload photos if necessary. Please help. Thank you.
have u tryed anti-bacterial mannuka honey. i found it really good. give it a try.
Thank you for visiting our web site and for discussing your problem so openly. If you would like the opportunity to be seen by one of the Embarrassing Bodies Doctors and have your problems assessed and treated by a specialist, then why not apply for the chance to take part in the programme. Please visit the following link and click ‘Apply to be on the show’ where you can fill in an application form: http://www.channel4embarrassingillnesses.com/features/be-on-embarrassing-bodies/
this message is to claire .. you say you have had a lump in your leg for 9 months has your doctor ruled out a haematoba? it sounds to me like it could be ask her to have another look, its sound similar to my problem, i got hit by a car and the haematoba got infected and had to be drained out of my leg surgucially, please see your doctor, if your leg is swelling alot too as it could be secondary lymphodema.
Hi I am 60 years have had a leg ulcer for15 years have been to consultants and had all the bandage treatment and a biobsy that was fine it gets better and then flares up again. Iam now getteing dressing from the surgery and looking after it myself, am puting 50 50 cream on it is there anything else i can use. Thankyou.
My poor long suffering 83yr old father is dealing very very badly with a leg ulcer (many yrs now), doctors not interested any more. He can barely walk now because of it! It leaks all the time, is very swollen, hot, painful, hes had and is on endless antibiotics, pain killers, he's dressing it all the time and running out of dressings, he cant bend his leg, walk. His sheets, trousers get mucked up with brown liquid from it all th time, endless washing, IM AT MY WITS END AS TO HOW TO HELP HIM. Please I need urgent advice how to treat it/get rid of it. please please help. Thank you, from Georgie.
The dressings and treatment that the surgery gave my father (79) didn't work - they just made the ulcers larger. I researched Manuka honey dressings - they are not cheap/available on prescription, but they work! Try The New Zealand Honey Shop.co.uk
I am 30 years old and have had small swollen inflamed areas appear on both my legs always below my knee on and off since the age of 18. My Doctor has diagnosed them as erythema nodosum, she has taken blood samples from me and said everything is normal. I have a large lump currently on my right leg, it is the biggest i've ever had and it has been 9 months now and still inflamed (the longest i've ever had one for). It is painful and I know it can be related to auto immune diseases. I would prefer to see a specialist who may be able to tell me more as the pain, discomfort and my leg is not nice to look at.
I was told I had erythema nodosum 4 years ago - large red painful bumps on my legs. I stopped taking the pill and the bumps went gone down. But now I am left with the marks. They look exactly like bruses but are under the skin - I have tried everything to reduce these but nothing works... Any suggestions??
hi there i have a d.v.t leg ulcer and its constantly leaks water could you plz tell me why this is happening.bacuse this has never happened before manythanks......claire
i have rheumatoid arthritis,every time i have a flare the skin on my legs just seems to melt and ooze clear fluid,like blisters just on the back of my legs.really painful,they itch,hurt and during the night they seem to heal,yellowy scabs.as soon as i start walking round in the morning they crack and start getting wet again.if i stop my methotrexate they start to heal but my arthritis gets worse?also an arcoxia.consultant says its not the drugs?
Hi I psoriatic arthritis with blisters to hand and feet i have started uv to hands and feet which has helped. I was given methotrexate but didn't really like the sound of the side effects. So searched the internet for arthritis and came up with 2 table spoons of cider vinger with 8oz of boiled water u can add honey if you wish. You take small sips thoughtout the day untill the glass is finished. I have seen a big improvment i can now get my rings back on fingers and don't feel so stiff in the mornings. I can even get my normal shoes back on feet as swelling to joints is going away. I hope it helps if you try it.
Hi Im 18, I got a leg ulcer on my left ankle, i got the ulcer when i was 17, it heeled, but i didn have a stocking or any support, i went to play football and it flared up straight away, twice as bad, ive had these this ulcer for nearly a year and half, i cant do what a young, fit healthy 18 year old normally does, but, despite the negatives, there is a positive, altho it took the nhs so long and a number of scans to help them decide i needed laser surgery, which i have had and it is improvein, slowly, but surely, hopefully this helped.
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