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Lipoma Understanding, Management, and Prevention

Wed, 2005-12-07 22:18 — Jeremy
This post no longer accepts new comments. If you'd like to discuss lipomas please visit lipomagroup.com.

It seems to run in my family, the unique trait of growing lipomas. Thankfully these little buggers are completely harmless, but who needs extra bumps. So I just got finished with having a couple of the more noticeable ones cut out of my arm. The surgery was quick, clean and rather painless.

Thankfully I didn't turn white and empty headed as I had the week earlier when the dermatologist cut off a freckle (which after a biopsy proved to be just a freckle).

I can't say for sure what will make me faint and what won't. I have had some pretty extensive dental surgery; removal of molars and another that required the doc to open up my whole upper gum. I was awake for those and I found them to be kind of interesting. Maybe last week I hadn't prepared myself mentally for the sensation of being cut into like a stick of butter at an Isett family spaghetti dinner.

Speaking of those spaghetti dinners, once Mom put that bread on the table it was like a spaghetti sauce/carb/butter free for all, and of course the 3 or 4 glasses of milk to needed to keep everything soft and manageable. All that over-eating may explain the abundance of lipomas later in life. I am not really sure what causes lipomas, but looking at them in the doctors office they do look like they could have been produced by an overworked GI putting aside some milk fat for later.

Anyway, back to my original idea for this post. On my way home I thought how nice it would be to have a support group for LS's (Lipoma Survivors) and for people who married or were college roommates to an LS. Since I don't think anyone has ever died from lipomas the group could have a pretty positive message and the meetings could be joyous and not filled with all the anxiety and seriousness of say a cancer survivors meeting.

So I am starting LUMP, which stands for Lipoma Understanding, Management, and Prevention. The first (and only) meeting is on this Web site. If you are an LS, or are married to one, or a college roommate of an LS please feel free to send your message of support to other LSs'.

This post no longer accepts new comments. If you'd like to discuss lipomas please visit lipomagroup.com.

Comments

Tue, 2008-10-14 22:15 — Anonymous

Surgery yesterday!

I'm 27 years old and in relatively good health. I try to stay active and eat well. Ever since I was a little girl I've had a pea sized lump in my medial right thigh. My folks took me to the doctor, and were advised it was nothing serious. The doc told them to keep an eye on it and come back if it grew larger. It didn't start growing until my early 20's, probably to the size of a golf ball. I don't do well at the doctor's. At all. In fact, I neglected to go back to the doctor because I was so scared. Makes no sense! The way we take care of a million other things, but dismiss our health so easily. I was so fed up of hating this lump. It was the last thing I thought of every night before I went to bed. Sometimes, I could feel it, like a pulse. I was tired of not being able to wear shorter dresses or not allowing my boyfriend to caress my thigh, not to get graphic, but this was becoming very limiting! I finally made an appt. and saw a doctor. She was the first person to really set eyes on it and to actually touch it besides myself, she diagnosed me with Lipoma and explained my options, Leave it, or have it removed. I said "Get him out!" She then explained because of the bluish color, she was concerned it may have developed his own vascular system. Great! So this thing has attached itself to a vein and has been partying it up for the past several years? The nerve! I opted to have it removed, and I did, yesterday! I WAS SO SCARED. I never had surgery, ever. And it was a breeze. Really, the only pain I felt was from the shot they gave me to numb the area and then a slight burn from the local anesthetic. I did feel a little pressure from her hands, but that's it. Fortunately the lipoma was not attached to any veins, although it was a lot larger then she expected. She did mention in my diagnosis they wouldn't know how deep it was until they could see it. It was large, the size of a tennis ball! Ahh! While she sewed me up with sutures, I actually asked if I could see the lipoma. The nurse handed me the specimen cup and I was in disbelief. I couldn't believe I didn't take care of this little brain looking thing sooner. The whole surgery including prep and wrapping me up was 30 min tops. I actually found another lipoma, a smaller one, above my ankle. I will definitely get it removed as well. Before a few months ago, I never heard the word Lipoma, and now, this may be something I deal with for the rest of my life. I've heard the risks of them returning after removal but I was willing to take that chance. I had a quick peak of the incision before they wrapped it up, and I must say I was ecstatic to see a smooth thigh. If you are considering removal, know it's easy, painless and relieving. I'm looking forward to getting the sutures removed, then I'm wearing a dress and going out!
Fri, 2008-10-03 13:11 — Jon

Milk

Food doesn't matter.  I have 5 brothers that have the lumps, and all of us have tried all kinds of things to "lower" our lump production.  Pretty much nothing works.  Some genetic thing going on.  Probalby like hair growing out of your ears or something.  There's nothing you can do about it. 

Check out a good dermatologist or go to your family doctor and ask him to refer you to a cosmetic surgeon.  They can cut them out with mininmal scarring, etc.  And its usually covered by insurance.

Fri, 2008-10-03 13:08 — Jon

bumps

I have had several removed.  So far, 2 have "grown" back in almost the same spot as the ones I had removed.  Most of my brothers have them as well.  I don't worry about hiding them, since I haven't had any issues about it.  As long as you're honest about what they are, most people are just curious, nothing more.  I guess that I don't have that many...probably about 30-40 if I counted all of them.  Mostly in my upper thigh region on both of my legs.  A couple on my arms but not many.  I had one removed from my elbow cause it felt like it was constricting blood flow from my lower arm.  No problems since, and no new growth. 

I will probably get all of the ones removed from my arms for cosmetic reasons.  The ones on my legs will stay.  They are covered by shorts anyway.  And anyone that sees my bare thighs already knows about them Surprised

Good luck kid.  Wish I lived in LA cause I would probably check out the Doc.  I'll have to make do with what is here in DC.

Thu, 2008-10-02 22:57 — Anonymous

bumpy

Hello, I am 25 year old male that is in good shape and loves to party and be around other people. I frequent the gym, but its getting harder and hader to cover these damn lumps up. They seem to grow on their own accord having no remorse for the stress, strain and embarrassment they cause me. I am not a bad looking guy, so my momma tells me " kidding =) " but over the past few years these bumps have begin to run my life. How horrible is it to fear the touch of another? For the fact that you know when they feel the bumps on you they will draw back and react, becoming awkward towards you. My dating life has become all but stagnant, for no other reason that when i do find someone i am attracted to, i really have no choice but to turn away, knowing that when they get to close i cant let them touch me in fear of what will be said and the reaction that would be had. Bottom line is, THIS SUCKS! I suffer from MFL (Multiple familial lipomatosis) Simply stated "Many bumps." I have counted 200+ on myself. They seem to only grow larger as time passes, never getting smaller. I have had a nutritionist set me up on a few different diets hoping that maby I could effect their growth, however i am sad to say nothing worked. I have tried becoming a vegetarian which i did for about a year and a half, but still no results in the size of the bumps. I only found that they continued to grow no matter what has been done as far as diet and exercise. I have had about a 25+ of them removed, mostly from my arms and stomach area. I have not seen any grow back into the exact spot where others were removed, but they do grow around the area. The bulk of them are in my thighs and torso region, but not limited to those areas. Some are as small as a grain and others as large as a grape. I have noticed they seem to grow in a pearl pattern "Closely linked in an area" This genetic disorder is ruining my life and i slowly feel my mental health getting worse and worse due to the stress and sadness that they cause me. On a good note, Karen Herbst, M.D. at UC San Diego Medical Center has been working on this disorder as well as others. I took a trip down to see her last year where i provided her with dna samples from my family and allowed her to run various tests on me. She also removed a couple lipomas for me and i was paid $100 for participating in her research. Here is a link to her.
http://ucsd.photobooks.com/directory/profile.asp?setsize=10&dbase=main&pict_id=6269952
If anyone is in the Los Angeles area and looking for a Dr to remove some lipomas i know of a very good one who takes care in removing them with minimal scaring. He has done a very good job and i would still be seeing him on a regular basis, but unfortunately i don't have the money for treatment. Thanks to anyone who took the time to read my rant.
Thu, 2008-10-02 05:53 — Anonymous

: (

Thanks for putting this website up. I feel so ashamed on mine, and I've got new ones growing now, so I always think, how big is this one going to get? Some of mine are quite painful and they're unsightly. None are that big, but I'm still ashamed. Sometimes I want to just cut into my skin and pull them out myself. I wish I knew what to do to avoid them. I discovered new ones in my upper thighs. I don't want to show my arms or my legs anymore and I don't want anyone to touch me... which is hard because I hate feeling so ashamed of my appearance. Thanks for letting me get this off my chest... I've never been able to share like this before. I wish I knew how to prevent them. S
Sun, 2008-09-28 10:30 — Anonymous

Lipoma

Some one told me not to drink milk or any fatty thing if you have lipoma? is it true... will it help me? I have many lipoma all over my body ... the worst thing is that i have on my arms also... bcoz of which i always have to wear full shirts :( its really sux sometimes i get very depressed .....
Mon, 2008-08-18 21:25 — Anonymous

Surgery

Has anyone had the surgery to remove them? On friday, I'm having surgery to remove a big one from the right side of my tummy (about the size of a lemon) and one grape sized one from my forearm. I'm going to be knocked out, but don't know what kind of recovery to expect.
Tue, 2008-08-05 18:12 — Anonymous

Lipoma Study

Dear Lipoma Suffer, We are conducting a nationwide study with people dignosed with lipoma. The study will be condcuted via a 30 min phone interview and will offfer a $100 for your time. It is highly confidential and all information gathered will be used for research purposes only. If interested please contact us at LAmedical@schlesingerassociates.com.
Wed, 2008-07-30 12:44 — Anonymous

Really I feel we nee to enjoy the life

I feel we should not worry about this because life is short , lets eat whatever we want and go ahead.... no matter who sees me or not. But for sure out of my experience dieting did not help in any way. So I have started eatign whatever I want, oily or fatty items nothing has changed my past condition. So let be confident and live our life with joy... till the scientist find a solution for this... Yuvaraj yuva_raju_raj@yahoo.co.in
Wed, 2008-07-30 12:38 — Anonymous

Lipoma, is that heriditory

Hi, I am just 26, and have got some 10 -15 lipomas in hands and thighs and stomach even. I am planning to get married in a year , will this be coming to my child as well.... I am worried about it and also planning not to marry for this sake. If i make a surgery, will it leave a scar....
Thu, 2008-05-29 13:59 — Anonymous

finding more and more

A big one from the side of my neck, but now that i know what i am looking for , i found more on my legs and forearms. i am scared that they will keep coming. i'm 47 female. Can diet help, for real????
Thu, 2008-01-10 16:12 — Anonymous

Lipomas and company

Hi there, There are lots of conditions which cause lipomas and angiolipomas to form. And unfortunately they are not as harmless as some might think............ I have hundreds and hundreds but then I have Dercum's Disease also known as Adiposis Dolorosa and there is also MFL Multiple Familial Lipomatosis and Madelungs Multiple Symmetrical Lipomatosis. You can find all sorts of information on these diseases at the Lipoma Forum :www.lipomaforum.com which is down for work today but should be back up quickly....... years and years of people with lumps and their suggestions and treatments. May I just add that there is a risk of bowel cancer with the Deoxycholate injections????? Info can be found on the net and it is still not licensed for this use although some people are using it. There are lots of us lumpies out there in the world - why should we hide when others feel so bad at looking at us? Life is not fair - but there is always worse - so don't forget it ! Ciao !!
Wed, 2007-12-05 22:18 — Anonymous

"new" idea in Lipoma management (reduction / removal)

Hey, I have a few things (one on my right forearm, and possibly one in my right shoulder) that may be lipomas, as I have been reading more on them. I have been looking on the web for a wide range of treatment ideas, as it seems that most include surgical removal. The issue is that surgical removal does not guarantee that the lipoma site does not regrow, and there have been cases of lipomas appearing in other locations after surgical procedures. I have, though, found something that you may all be interested in. It is worth a read, and may be something you can present to your doctor and see if it is a viable idea. "Lipomas treated with subcutaneous deoxycholate injections" - http://www.fig.com/release/rotunda2.pdf This was published on October 17th, 2005, by the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc., and this would not be just a layman trying to fudge an idea. I printed it and will be taking it to my doctor upon examination of the two sites i mentioned before. Hope that helps! ~Christopher
Wed, 2007-01-31 03:42 — Anonymous (not verified)

Nice to Know I'm Not Alone

This is the best website ever. I'm the only one of all my friends that have these unsightly things. I even had surgery to remove 61 of them in my upper thighs and forearms mainly. I now have scars but they will fade. I still have a few more small ones but what a difference. Hang in there everyone. It seems to me that more people suffer from this than I had thought. I would like to get more information on prevention though.

Tue, 2007-01-23 22:57 — Anonymous (not verified)

fatty tumors are us

my husband "suffers" from the dreaded fatty tumor {lipoma} he has undergone 2 pretty large surgeries one on his left fore arm removed like 8 which within 2 weeks he grew 2 new ones now visibly noticeable. Right thigh removed 10 the largest being the size of a very large lime with bumps. He is very self conscience about them and I wish there was something us outsiders could do

but for now I will continue to do what his doctor asked of me
keep count and question him about all new ones

thanks for the site
Carie

Sat, 2006-04-22 23:00 — Jon

lipoma theme song

Hey guys, the Black-eyed peas have decided to write a song about lipomas! Have you heard it yet? My lumps, my lucious lady lumps. I have man lumps, but thats close enough! Thank goodness that ths is being brought to light! LUMP sufferers have kept this in the dark too long! Its time to break out! Sing it with me everyone! My lumps, my humps, my lucious Man/lady lumps!

Sat, 2006-04-15 23:52 — Anonymous (not verified)

Lipoma

Hoping for better prevention info. Well I just we gotta eat and live right - Bummer. :) Remove and they grow back? Sounds awful. Summer just came and I wore shorts and noticed new ones on my legs - at first I was bummed, but then I realized I was blessed because for some people they are Painful.

Mon, 2006-01-30 13:06 — Sharon (not verified)

Lipomas

I have 2! (and I'm female -- go figure...)

The first appeared on my shoulder -- I had it removed a few years ago and it grew back BIGGER!!

The second is on my bun...

And in 48 hours I am having both of them surgically removed -- the surgeon is knocking me out (anesthesia) so I will not experience any discomfort at all...

It's crazy how no one knows why we get them... so therefore there is not any preventative measures.

Some folks think that they are caused by the body's inability to flush out toxins... So they (the toxins) get stored in fat...

I am thinking it could be partially dehydronated oils in foods. Someone says these trans fats take 50 days to digest... Maybe they get bored and turn into lipomas...

Anyways, thanks for starting the chatroom...

Wed, 2005-12-21 15:31 — Jeremy

Darn

There is a support group for Lipomas...

http://www.lipomaforum.com/

Thu, 2005-12-08 03:09 — Jeremy

LOL

LOL, just like I had hoped, talking about lipomas with upbeat attitudes.

(I hope my insurance comes through for me.)

Thu, 2005-12-08 01:53 — Jon

LUMP

Its no contest. I definitely have the largest and most lipomas of anyone I know. I need LUMP bad. Sometimes I just want to run and hide away from the rest of the world, with just me and my limpomas. I have started to wear long sleaves to hide the unsightly bulges on my arms and elbows. Thankfully, my shorts cover the largest limpomas that I have.

BTW, whats the correct spelling, limpomas or lipomas? Maybe Jayme can shed some light on this for us. I seriously have about 25-30 that need to be removed. Now if I can only get it covered by insurance!?

I need help!!! Please LUMP, help me!!

Thu, 2005-12-08 01:19 — Dan

right on!

I am glad someone is finally talking about lipomas and the lives they destroy. For so many years, I have hid and felt shame about my lumps. I was afraid to tell my parents, and brothers, and now even my wife. Now that I know someone else is standing up and saying I have lipomas and I am doing something about it, no longer stuck in the closet (or more likely under your arm, leg, elbow, etc...) You have a lot of balls ( besides fatty white ones) to come out and tell people in an honest way about your condition and treatment.

I say we celebrate the lipomas and compete for the biggest growing one, whaddya say Johnny boy are you up for it? "Living with Lipomas" a true story.