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Post by lalasnake on Oct 14, 2022 5:30:16 GMT
She looks like a halloween mask of herself. I don't really understand what lymphedema is, but I had heard she had it. I thought it was something that happened to really big people? What does it mean that it's "dry"? What would it look like otherwise? (Sorry MsDark I just know you have the answers and will explain things better than google....and I'm curious about it.) I'm not MsDark, but I read an article about it written by Kathy Bates, so I'm pretty much an expert now. It can happen to people whose lymph nodes aren't properly draining lymph fluid from the body. While weight can be a risk factor, you can be any weight & have this problem if your lymph nodes are blocked, inflamed, or too many were removed in surgery (this happened to Kathy Bates when she had a mastectomy). Dry means that her lymph fluid isn't currently blocked, so her legs aren't swollen, which is why her skin looks flabby. Kind of like the skin on a woman's stomach after she's given birth & lost the baby weight, or the skin on a person who's lost a lot of weight & has excess skin now. |
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Post by MsDark on Oct 16, 2022 15:46:13 GMT
Yup pretty much. The skin looks way more dry, scaly, loose and crepey when the size change is due to fluid loss as opposed to fat.
Her age and dietary habits probably exacerbates this.
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Post by waterslide on Oct 16, 2022 19:50:28 GMT
Thanks both of you. I had heard of lymphedema, but didn't know the ins and outs of it. (I forgot I had asked about this, but I was truly wondering about it. lol) Looks horrible to go through.  I didn't think excess fluids could do that much damage to your skin. |
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Post by no1novice on Oct 23, 2022 18:56:39 GMT
Apparently she has lymphedema, so that might have something to do with it. Lymphedema causes swelling of the skin and it can end up looking sort of pitted. It tends to start in the lower legs and work its way up (or in the arm after breast cancer surgery). It's treated by wearing compression garments. Wendy's wrinkled thighs look like she's had massive weight loss from the knees up to and including the butt. I suppose that could happen with lymphedema, but she also looks like she's lost weight around her waist and in her arms. It's really sad to see what has happened to her since her divorce. I enjoyed her show and her sense of humor. Yeah I have it & it starts at my ankles & works its way up.Its never got past my knees though as it hurts so much at that point that I dig down & get back to actively managing it. If I (in my totally non medical way) had to guess I'd say weight loss when later in life when her skin is less elastic. I looked at her legs & was horrified but then I thought well, kudos to her. She doing what we are told to do & dressing how she wants so good for her! |
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trixie
OGs 
stuck in the middle with you...
Posts: 2,105
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Post by trixie on Oct 23, 2022 20:34:40 GMT
She supposedly lost 50 lbs at age 50 (she's 58 now) and in photos she definitely looks slimmer but she still has those fake gigantor boobs which kinda ruin it. But she loves them and says she would never get a reduction. I think she's a little young to have all that crepiness just due to age, but who knows. Maybe it's just a matter of genetics.
I remember her talking on her show about the lymphedema and how she had to use some kind of machine for so many hours per day to get the swelling down. Her ankles were really swollen and she stopped wearing any kind of shoe but a sneaker, even with nice dresses.
The latest is she checked into a "wellness center" end of August and just got out, ready for all those wonderful projects she has planned! We'll see.
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Post by imnotbitter on Oct 24, 2022 16:32:33 GMT
Are you guys sure you mean lymphedema and not lipedema? Lymphedema is usually unilateral. Pretty sure I have lipedema but I haven't been formally diagnosed. Novice, what do you do to manage it?
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Post by no1novice on Oct 25, 2022 0:50:04 GMT
Are you guys sure you mean lymphedema and not lipedema? Lymphedema is usually unilateral. Pretty sure I have lipedema but I haven't been formally diagnosed. Novice, what do you do to manage it? Yeah there is a big difference. Lipodema is managed by surgery. Lymphoedema is managed with fucking horrible compression sock, managing liquid intake (for me more is better) and weight control (not happening!). I also sleep with my feet on a pillow & the foot of my bed is subtly higher than the head by an inch or two. Mine is both genetic & surgically induced as I was suseptable prior to lymphecyomy & that just finished it off. imnotbitter fluid intake & class III compression socks. I noticed today that my ankles are bad/sore/swollen, I have backache & I'm dehydrated. So have spent the evening drinking + now it's 1:30am & I can't stop pee-ing. FML! waterslide I don't get that type of skin damage but I get a lot of bruising, some of which is permanent due to the water retention. |
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Post by MsDark on Oct 25, 2022 12:13:26 GMT
I've seen it in both limbs, especially the legs. Especially in people already obese. But it is usually worse on one side.
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Post by imnotbitter on Oct 25, 2022 21:32:20 GMT
Are you guys sure you mean lymphedema and not lipedema? Lymphedema is usually unilateral. Pretty sure I have lipedema but I haven't been formally diagnosed. Novice, what do you do to manage it? Yeah there is a big difference. Lipodema is managed by surgery. Lymphoedema is managed with fucking horrible compression sock, managing liquid intake (for me more is better) and weight control (not happening!). I also sleep with my feet on a pillow & the foot of my bed is subtly higher than the head by an inch or two. Mine is both genetic & surgically induced as I was suseptable prior to lymphecyomy & that just finished it off. imnotbitter fluid intake & class III compression socks. I noticed today that my ankles are bad/sore/swollen, I have backache & I'm dehydrated. So have spent the evening drinking + now it's 1:30am & I can't stop pee-ing. FML! waterslide I don't get that type of skin damage but I get a lot of bruising, some of which is permanent due to the water retention. I have to super hydrate for other reasons but I hate when I have to get up at 3 am to pee! I don't get the swelling but I also get a lot of bruising; in fact, I just came from the lab because my doctor wants to make sure it's not for some ominous reason. I have tried compression socks when traveling but they just seem to cut off the circulation. Weight control also not happening here, unfortunately! |
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Post by no1novice on Oct 25, 2022 21:49:02 GMT
Yeah there is a big difference. Lipodema is managed by surgery. Lymphoedema is managed with fucking horrible compression sock, managing liquid intake (for me more is better) and weight control (not happening!). I also sleep with my feet on a pillow & the foot of my bed is subtly higher than the head by an inch or two. Mine is both genetic & surgically induced as I was suseptable prior to lymphecyomy & that just finished it off. imnotbitter fluid intake & class III compression socks. I noticed today that my ankles are bad/sore/swollen, I have backache & I'm dehydrated. So have spent the evening drinking + now it's 1:30am & I can't stop pee-ing. FML! waterslide I don't get that type of skin damage but I get a lot of bruising, some of which is permanent due to the water retention. I have to super hydrate for other reasons but I hate when I have to get up at 3 am to pee! I don't get the swelling but I also get a lot of bruising; in fact, I just came from the lab because my doctor wants to make sure it's not for some ominous reason. I have tried compression socks when traveling but they just seem to cut off the circulation. Weight control also not happening here, unfortunately! Ugh! I feel you. Compression sock have 2-3 different classes & I feel that it's about striking a balance of the right class Vs enough compression Vs the correct size. On the plus side as you're in the US you don't have to limit yourself to black or American tan. I get mine on Amazon or eBay & get some patterns, colours, etc. If your bruises are just from this & nothing omminous - have you tried arinca? I used to massage Nelson's arnica cream in to my lower legs in summer but I have since discovered that you can get homeopathic tabs. Oh also I've noticed that since I'm much less active my legs are worse. Despite being in my feet all day for my job & a big dog to walk my ankles were much less puffy. |
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angeli
Senior Member
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Post by angeli on Oct 28, 2022 1:16:52 GMT
I agree the health issues (the Graves and Lymphedema) are probably tough to deal with, but are they so serious she would miss a year of work? I could be wrong, but I don't think so. There are definitely mental or addiction issues there too. Totally agree she's got more than just that going on. I guess I'm just thinking of how her eyes look sort of crazed, and mine did that when my Grave's was at it's worst. It was her crazy eyes that really bothered me during the year or so that I watched her show (before it went off the air). I thought it was her contact lenses or false eyelashes that were bothering her eyes. I didn't know she had Graves' disease. Barbara Bush also had Graves' disease and she got that bug-eyed look toward the end (although not as bad as Wendy Williams). Poor Wendy; she's been dealing with a lot. |
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I didn't think excess fluids could do that much damage to your skin.
