Keep losing suction

[ramek]

Hello everyone,

I have been an amputee (AKA) for about 2.5 years. After using the initial socket (and the inflammation subsided), I started working with the prosthetist on the next permanent socket.  Ever since then until now (and I have changed 3 prosthetic clinics), I keep losing air and suction and suffer from pain from the socket and have redness.

The prosthetist keep telling me that losing a little suction/air is normal and red skin is normal too.  But that doesn't sound right to me.  I lose more than a little and have throbbing pain.

I am getting very frustrated.

What are your thoughts on that?

Thanks

[spyder]

Hi,

i´m also above knee amutee (which aka means i think ?) almost 2 years now. I use a Pin-Liner which isn´t bad, my tech told me it´s much safer than with a vacuum socketcause of my short:

I had in the first time also a red tip. After the tech changed the liner into one with a larger tip it went better. You can get Liner in different shapes too, V-Profil or II-Profil (konisch oder zylindrisch). I think the Forces on your Skin is lower too !?!?!?

Do you have the throbbing pain just inside your socket ? Where Sounds first, like bad blood flow cause of ... ?

No panic as long your leg is fine, tech work takes time !!!

[cherylm]

Okay, I'm a below-knee, so I'll let you aks sort out the specifics of your situation, but please be aware that a properly fitted prosthesis WILL NOT HURT. Maybe a little discomfort, but redness and throbbing pain is NOT good and you shouldn't have to deal with it. Now,on the other hand, it can take a long time to work out all the tweaks and adjustments to reach that good fitting prosthesis. If you think your prosthetist is "on the right track" and is listening to you, do give them time to "fiddle" with your fit. And TALK to them about EVERYTHING you are feeling during that fitting process. Even it it sounds "silly" to you, TELL YOUR LEG TEAM WHAT YOU FEEL. They're supposed to be trained to get you into a proper leg, but you may need to give them some hints as to what they'll need to do.

Words of warning: If your prosthetist tells you that "you're too difficult to fit," find someone who's not going to blame you for your fitting problems. If they tell you that it's "normal" to lose significant amounts of suction and you can't reestablish suction without removing and re-donning the leg, that's another sign that you might need to look elsewhere. Red skin and throbbing pain is a BIG warning sign...if the adjustments your prosthetist makes don't continue to improve that situation, that's probably not the person for you.

If you're still having major volume changes, Spyder's pin-lock suspension system might be a good intermediate choice. If your residual limb has slowed down on muscle atrophy and you can find someone who can help you maintain suction, a suction suspension can feel wonderful...but not so much if your leg keeps threatening to come off.

If you're wearing a liner as part of your "gear," asking for a custom-fitted liner might help with the redness and the throbbing. I went years with off-the-rack liners when suddenly they started literally ripping strips of skin off my stump. Getting my liner custom-fitted to me solved the problem. Sooooo....you never know.....

I hope some of that might be helpful for you!

[alexv]

Although I am new to my prosthesis (Aug. for LBK) since Jan. The pain doctor I went to said about 10% of amputees have residual limb pain in the stump. I have stump pain with & without the prosthesis but much more with the prosthesis (I hate to put it on). I am trying medications ( lidocain; gabapentin meloxicam; 10 mg THC gummies; dextromethorphan cough pills for PP). One Dr. says I may need surgery for nerve endings

[stonecutter]

Hi Alexv. My amputation is the result of a crushing injury in an industrial accident some 27 years ago now. I had some initial nerve damage as part of the injury and it turned out I couldn't feel the end couple of inches of my stump with the exception of a small spot that if you grazed the skin I could feel a stinging feel all through my whole left leg right up to my hip down to my long-gone toes!

I had revision surgery in 2012 where they revised the stump (shortened) and buried the nerve. It's been a lot better to don my prosthesis (before I had to have it on perfectly to avoid aggravating that spot). Phantom pains were better and less frequent post revision surgery than prior (not withstanding my post of today's date on Phantom pains). I get them less frequently than before and when I do they are less intense.

Revision surgery might be an option for you - as long as your surgeon knows what they are doing.

Welcome to the forum! Please keep us informed!