Patient Stories
Since 2002, the Flexitouch system has been helping patients with lymphedema manage their symptoms, improve their health and enjoy a better quality of life. Meet four courageous women who have first-hand experience using the Flexitouch system.
Betty
Betty’s active lifestyle was interrupted in 2003 when she was diagnosed with lymphedema of her left arm. As a sales representative who traveled roughly fifty percent of the time, maintaining a regular in-clinic manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) therapy schedule posed a serious challenge. Then Betty began using the Flexitouch system. The Flexitouch system has allowed her to continue enjoying her busy career and home life.
Read Betty’s story [PDF]
Gail
Before lymphedema, Gail was an active wife and mother who worked full-time at a correctional facility. In her spare time, Gail climbed mountains, rode horses and ran seven miles a day. That all changed in 1989 when she was attacked by a female inmate. Using a knife-like weapon, the inmate stabbed Gail at the top of her right leg, severing her lymph nodes. The injury caused lymphedema of Gail’s right leg, and set off a series of other medical complications. Gail suffered from painful swelling and infections for more than 17 years, until she started using the Flexitouch system.
Read Gail’s story [PDF]
Mari
Mari is a strong advocate for herself and others with lymphedema. Even before her diagnosis with lymphedema, she was determined to learn what was causing problems in her hand and arm. Once diagnosed with lymphedema, she refused to become lost in the medical system or become a victim of the challenges of lymphedema. After much investigation, Mari learned of the Flexitouch system. After trying the device, she was very pleased with her results, and enjoys an improved quality of life.
Read Mari’s story [PDF]
Janice
During the past 10 years, Janice made it through medical complication after medical complication. Surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome led to a staph infection. Soon after, a burst ovary was followed by a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Then, cancer treatments, which included a radical hysterectomy and chemotherapy, resulted in multiple complications, including a post-operation infection, blood poisoning and kidney damage. Then Janice was diagnosed with lymphedema. After two months of treatment using the Flexitouch system, Janice saw her ankle for the first time in a year.
Read Janice’s story [PDF]