fitting for new prosthesis

[Belinda Martinez]

Hello and thanks for your response.  I'm not sure how much pain and tenderness I will have when I wear a prosthesis but right now I step on it lightly and it doesn't seem to hurt too much.  I'm afraid of stepping on it hard.  

Can you tell me why you think it's best to wear a new prosthesis as soon as possible?

Deciding to convert to a Symes was because I was having chronic pain with my Chopart amputation.  I still barely had my heel and the bones that were cut during that surgery would rub against my prosthesis and create extreme pain.  My achilles tendon was not stretched and my heel was unstable.  It felt like I walked on a constant sprain.  My orthopaedic surgeon wanted to file down the sharp bones and stretch my achilles tendon so that my heel would be more stable but he couldn't promise that doing that would get rid of the sprains completely or the pain of the sharp bones.  I decided to research the Symes myself and came to the conclusion that I would probably benefit most from that surgery.  I thought that if I was gonna take off a whole month of work and spend the money on another surgery, I might as well go full force on something that has more of a probability of working for me.  My surgeon agreed.  I am very excited to see how I walk.  

I wanted to get a below knee amputation but I had a tumor there 2 years ago and was afraid of a reoccurence.  

I went through 3 prosthetic feet during my Chopart and none of them worked for me.  I stayed that way for 4 years and I can't believe that I put up with the pain that long.  Right now I have no pain with this amputation (of course, I'm not walking on it yet).  I would hurt even when I wasn't stepping.  I couldn't even remember what it was like to not have pain.  Thanks for your concern :)
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: K L 
  To: Amputee Information Network 
  Sent: Friday, November 07, 2003 10:51 PM
  Subject: RE: fitting for new prosthesis


  Belinda,

  i am not too sure about the exact treatment for symes amputations, but i do believe it is best to wear a new prosthesis as soon as possible.  having both legs amputated below the knee for 14 years and having gone through a bone reconstruction a couple summers ago, i understand how concerned you are about injuring your leg.  are you still experiencing any pain or tenderness?  

  being a first year medical student (and trying to believe that there is goodness in the hearts of all physicians), i think that your physician would not tell you something that will put you in harm's way.  i believe that if your swelling has decreased quite a bit, then your body is responding well to the reconstruction and that you are healing quite nicely.  having a prosthesis on will only make the swelling go down even more and you will have the benefit of walking around on your own even earlier.

  however, it is your decision to make ultimately, of course.  it sounds like you have some mistrust in the competence of your physician and prosthetist, and i fully understand in you questioning their opinions.  my experiences have also forced me to question the motive and the lack of understanding of physicians and prosthetists.  be sure you know what you want and make them see it that way.  do not do anything that you are uncomfortable with.

  what reason finally made you want the symes amputation?  i guess i would like to have some understanding of others with amputations, so i may better serve my future patients better.  thanks.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Belinda Martinez 
    To: Amputee Information Network 
    Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2003 7:10 PM
    Subject: RE:fitting for new prosthesis


    Yes, my prosthetist said that I could gett fitted this next week but I heard that getting fitted too soon is not good.  I would like to trust everything my doctors and prosthetist say but I've found my answers out the hard way in the past.  Do you think that 3 weeks is okay?
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Roberta Wynn 
      To: Amputee Information Network 
      Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 6:56 PM
      Subject: RE:fitting for new prosthesis


      have you talked with a prothetist?
        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Belinda Martinez 
        To: Amputee Information Network 
        Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 4:59 PM
        Subject: RE:fitting for new prosthesis


        I converted from a Chopart amputation to a Symes on the 16th of October.  Does anyone have an educated answer as to when I should start getting fit for a new prosthesis?  I know that it might depend on how much the person swells but my doctor said that I don't have as much swelling as most people.  I don't want to get fitted too early and then run into problems.  Thanks, Belinda.


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