Why lipo is unhandy

[Snowangel]

For the life of me I can not remember all the meds I have been on.  I know at one point I was on (not necessarily together) Started in 93/94. epivir, videx, azt during birthing.  Last regiman was Truvada, Norvir and Reyataz.  I am now on Atripla.
For the last week the bottom of my feet have been really killing me half way through the day, but they don't tingle.  I thought I read somewhere that someone had lost padding on thier feet, is this from lipo too?  I am not seeing my doc until the end of next month to ask.

Thanks for any info.
Snow

[bobino]

Hi Snowangel,

The post about the loss of padding in the feet might have been mine.  Lipo has caused me to lose the fat pad on the soles of my feet, so now I have orthopedic inserts that I have to wear in my shoes.  Walking barefoot is unpleasant.  My feet don't tingle, either, they just hurt, and it's because I'm basically walking on bone and nerve endings.

And just to weigh in again on some of the earlier posts, I'd be very suspicious of any doctor who makes any guarantees about lipo.  The truth is that doctors know next to nothing about this condition, and very little research is being done into it.  It may be true that the newer meds generally cause less lipo than some of the older ones, but that's no guarantee in any individual case.  And don't forget that you can get lipo even if you're not on meds.  I've got it, and I have yet to swallow my first antiretroviral.  The only thing certain about lipo is that your doctor (1) can't predict whether you'll get it, (2) doesn't know what causes it, and (3) can't treat you if you do get it.  Any doctor who tells you differently is full of crap.

Sorry for the rant, but I really think doctors need to shut up about this condition until they have some grasp of what it is.

Just my $0.02.

John

[Snowangel]

Thanks, Bobino.  I guess I will be "gellin" soon 

[hartiepie]

Agree with Bobino about those inserts. They saved my feet. I have had to give up my favorite way of relaxing --- no shoes--- in favor of carpeted rooms or wearing shoes on any hard floors. Ain't an easy thing to do for an Ozark boy, keeping them shoes on!

[BT65]

Oh yes, the lipoatrophy of the feet.  I know this very well, along with having PN.  It's not very comfortable (at all).  However, Neurontin is controlling the PN pretty well (900 mgs 3 x a day) and I haven't yet checked into the sole inserts for the shoes.  I imagine that will be next.

[bobino]

Gotta put in a plug for the inserts.  They've made a huge difference for me.  If you have insurance and your insurance will cover it, go to a podiatrist and get them professionally made.  I was using gel inserts that I bought at a shoe store, and they certainly helped, but the orthotic inserts that I got from my podiatrist are ten times better.  Can't recommend them enough.

John

[denb45]

You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.

Mike M

LOL............Yeah, I found out that dosen't work (holding-in-your-stomach)..........I don't know how I manage to do 100 situps every-other-day
that dosen't seem to work either.............OH WELL...........like they used to say back in the 60"s "let it all hang out Baby"

[BT65]

LOL............Yeah, I found out that dosen't work (holding-in-your-stomach).........."

I don't even try anymore.  People who ask me all the time "when are you due," well, I just say "oh, is that what this is?"  That ends that dialogue.

[Winiroo]

I don't even try anymore.  People who ask me all the time "when are you due," well, I just say "oh, is that what this is?"  That ends that dialogue.

Oh thats a good one. I'm stealing it.

Now all I have to do is remember it.

[aztecan]

Well, I have had yet another person walk up and ask, "What's wrong with you neck?"

This was a member of my bowling team.

It isn't just the hump anymore, its the front of the neck It has ballooned to gargantuan proportions.

I told them I was trying to improve my chances of winning the "Mr. Turkeyneck" award.

Then, of course he mentioned the back of my head. My hump, which is pretty stable at the moment, wasn't the only area to grow.

I now have the "chipmunk effect." Big lumps behind my ears.

I thought about letting my hair grow out to cover them, but there isn't that much hair left on my head. I'd end up looking like Dilbert when he grew the ponytail.

Oh well, I may let the hair grow out anyway. It couldn't look any worse.

HUGS,

Mark

[minismom]

That's what Mini has - the lumps behind her ears.  She was fitted for her new glasses today and the lady was like, "What is that behind her ears?"  Mini said, "It's just the lumps I got from my meds...it happens."  Do your glasses irritate them?  We have to buy silicone covers for her earpieces.  They seem to help.

Mini has lipoatrophy.  Her face is so thin that you can see her cheek bones, especially when she smiles.  We always get comments about how "thin" her face is, what "long, lean" legs she has, and how "dainty" her arms are.  I just thank them and move on.  She's also starting to hurt more. *sigh*

Mum

[denb45]

That's what Mini has - the lumps behind her ears.  She was fitted for her new glasses today and the lady was like, "What is that behind her ears?"  Mini said, "It's just the lumps I got from my meds...it happens."  Do your glasses irritate them?  We have to buy silicone covers for her earpieces.  They seem to help.

Mini has lipoatrophy.  Her face is so thin that you can see her cheek bones, especially when she smiles.  We always get comments about how "thin" her face is, what "long, lean" legs she has, and how "dainty" her arms are.  I just thank them and move on.  She's also starting to hurt more. *sigh*

Mum

Just tell her to say, that they are............. "Beauty marks and only very special people like me get to have them"