Amputees Support Group

I think you are asking how much pain you will/should have durring the prosthesis fitting process? ----

The answer is that you should have very little to none. Your limb should be healed up enough (takes 8 weeks or more) by the time you start the fitting process. Rule of thumb for this is --- discomfort is OK but PAIN IS NOT!!! on that 1-10 scale 2 would be ok 3 is pushing it and would mean the fit is incorrect or you are not healed up enough to go though this process.

I am assuming that since you mentioned 08,09 that you haven't had your amputation yet. If that is the case, I think everyone will tell you that once the amputation takes place you won't have anywhere near the same level of pain you are experiencing right now. You will need some pain meds until your stump is well on the way to healing. Once you are healed you will be fitted for your prosthesis. The mold or the scan of your stump is painless. Once they make the prosthesis and they have you walk on it, there may be some discomfort but no real pain. If you experience any real pain you need to make your prosthetist aware of it, because that means the socket you were fitted for needs adjusting or needs to be redone. If your prosthetist tells you that pain is normal and you your stump needs to get use to the prosthesis, then it's time to get a new prosthetist. Unfortunately not all prosthetists are created equal and it's up to you to take charge. Remember what Tiger said, discomfort is OK but pain is NOT!!!

Thanks both of you, Should have said May 08,09 amputeed. It is scary when answer from doctos is" dont worry"

Iagree,there will be discomfort and a little pain,but it should not be much,and should not last very long. Your stump needs to heal,but if they tell you it needs to toughen up,that is wrong.

That's when to worry, in my experience, when the doctor says "Don't worry." Got to agree with Tigertatt's message; there should be NO pain, and if there is, and it lasts more than a few days without getting significantly less painful, it's definitely time to go have things checked out.

Most of the messages I've read indicate that, other than "phantom limb" pains, usually things get less bothersome as time goes by.

I was told that the best thing was moderation. Don't overdo it trying to get your pre-amputation mobility or activity levels, because you'll stress yourself emotionally and overdoing things physically will not help your body heal faste, and likely will cause things to go slower than it would.

One bit of cautionary advice: ask the doctors to tell you what signs of possible infection are. Take my word for it, that's *NOT* a pleasant experience!

In general, if something hurts or seems odd about the area near your amputation, have it looked at, because it could become a major problem in a very short time.

I have been a right leg above the knee amputee since feb of last year.After 4 months they gave me a machanical knee using a strap to hold the leg on.there was a lot of pain involed learning how to walk.It seemed like it took for ever for the deep scabs to heal.All the while still learning how to walk.I stopped useing the first knee in Sept and waited till xmas for my c-leg bottoming out was a problem.I still have to use pain medication as the stump just plain hurts.My biggest problem has been regenerating the muscles that when to hell while waiting for the c-leg.My femuer bone moves around and at time hurts to the point of tears.Next Tuesday we are going to do a different socket instead of useing suction rings we are going to use the whole sleve to hold on the leg this will so they tell me give me added support.As for the pain number now 1 being non 10 being undersadation I pretty much stay at about 4 depending on how hot it is out side.Hope this helps