Question, Pushing on my lumps

Dercum's Disease
#1

Hey all - I have had “brain fog” for quite a while now. I was an executive secretary to a big organization, heck I couldn’t begin to do that job now. I often can’t remember conversations after 1 hour with my husband. My mind is a total blank.

So I have a question, I have itching something terrible, and each spot that itches is also painful, but I get a little relief if I press real hard on those spots. Am I making myself worse by pressing on them ??

My dr did diagnose me with DD, which is a relief. My husband said what does it matter if you have a diagnosis or not?? Well my son says if I will only get some exercise and have positive thoughts, I will be so much better !! Which is why its important to have a diagnosis. MEN … Sorry u guys reading this. LOL

Merry Christmas to all of you, and big hugs.

Carin/Calle

#2

This is only my opinion, but if it doesn’t cause you pain, it probably isn’t doing any damage. I try to leave my lumps alone because it doesn’t take much to aggravate them. I do scratch a lot though. The itching is worse for me than the pain.

Exercise is not recommended for us because we can easily tear our connective tissue. I think swimming is okay though. My daughter thinks diet and exercise would help me too, but my son seems to “get” it, probably because he has signs of DD too.

My brain fog has been scary bad lately. I can’t remember how to get to places I’ve been several times before and I miss turns in areas I should know like the back of my hand. I can’t multi-task anymore either. If someone askes me a question when I’m doing something else, I completely forget what I’m doing. It is very frustrating and could cost me my job if it gets much worse.

I hope everyone had a wonderful, pain-free Christmas. Mine was very enjoyable.

#3

I am new to this site but I feel like I am reading my own story over and over again. I was dx with DD about a year ago and I know after researching it I have had it for at least fourteen years now. The pain is debilitating, bumbs mulitply like crazy and therefor more pain. They have begun on the bottom of my feet!! I love to walk but it is becoming too painful. But Brain Fog is causing me so much trouble, I can’t even keep up with my checkbook anymore, my husband has to stay on me because I can’t remember to write anything down. This has caused more than a few disagreements.

I work in a Chiropractic Clinic, and have been there fifteen years. I manage the front desk and schedule patients make sure all records are input correctly, this disease is creating so much confusion, I don’t know how much longer I can continue. I don’t want to screw it up. I love my patients, I am close to many of them. They are like my family. I am afraid if I leave I will become more depressed than I already am. But I have a fourteen year old son I adore and Need to preserve my energy for him. He has Aspergers Syndrome and needs extra attention. I can’t ignore his needs because I am distracted by my own problems.

I am rambling but it feels good to let some of this out. I don’t have anyone to talk to that really understands what I am going through. Most everyone believes its all in my head and if I would diet and exercise more I would over come this disease. I just don’t even discuss it with them.

My daughter is getting married in July and I would really like to look nice for her wedding. So I am going to try very hard to loose some weight and feel better about myself. She loves me like I am but i know I would just feel better if I could accoumplish these goals I have set for myself.

Hope you feel better and my prayers are with you and everyone who is hurting in anyway.

God Bless You,
Brennie

#4

The lumps on the soles of my feet were the straw that broke the camels back for me! I managed to ignore the lumps for many years, and attributed all the pain to fibromyalgia, but those things on my feet got my attention and got me to the doctor! Otherwise, I would still not have a clue DD exists. Funny, since I have apparently had it for most of my life.

As for coping with the aliens on the soles of the feet, try rubber shoes. Payless makes a very soft “crock” knock-off.

#5

I have a lump in the ball of my foot under neath in deep and the Dr felt my foot and said he didnt feel any…well of course not…its in deep and I can feel it esp when I walk or stand…This was a substitute Dr and when I get to see my reg Dr Im gonna let him know what I told the other guy went right in one ear and out the other…I am having more brain fogs…even to mispronouncing words and my husband thinks Im being funny…Im not…I just cant even say words at times…This morning I was supposed to go have a nerve conduction test…I couldnt go I was so severly sick…I am going to have to push myself even if I am sick to go to these.I laid for hours in bed with a heating pad on my back and took a pain pill so it would stop hurting…

#6

Hi CalleKitten53, In reply to your question about’ pushing on your lumps’, I would say if it hurts do not do it!!Yet I have found when a new lump is developing it really starts to itch in that area until the lump forms… About exercise, swimming is the only one that we can do without pain or painful outcome. The passive workout and the fact that we are cradled in water that gives us the feel of no gravity works out real well for how tense our muscles get wrapped around these tumors, and when the water is warm, we can let our muscles relax and have a workout swim at the same time! It is beneficial for us and it feels good during and after…The jacuzzi is real good for relieving pain and relaxing the tightness of the muscles,it seems that hot moist heat works better than dry heat. I am newly diagnoised with Dercum’s and will beat this with God’s guiedence!!!2008 will be the year of health and the year for cures to rare diseases!!!