Lipoma

[Exchme]

Unless the Dr. says it's a more complicated surgery and recommends a more complicated treatment, it's some cream to numb the spot for the shots. Then shots around the lipoma to numb you just like the dentist. Wait 15 minutes for the numbing, and 10 minutes of cutting and sewing and you're done. Come back in 10 days to get the external stitches out (the internal ones dissolve). Get it removed while it is still just that minor!

[FIYes]

Swakaby, thanks for your description.

Yes, I recognize that I need to go ahead and get this done. I am scheduled for a call next week to discuss my options. I know that I will never be younger and healthier and the lipoma will never be smaller so this is the time to go ahead and get it done.

Also, I don’t have any travel scheduled right now that this would interfere with. Once travel is okay to do again, I want to make up for this lost year of travel

[Boho]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIYes Yes, I recognize that I need to go ahead and get this done. I am scheduled for a call next week to discuss my options.

You didn't mention how big it is or how much it bothers you. I think it's recommended to leave it alone if a biopsy shows it to be benign, though sometimes it's completely removed before testing which I think could be also OK. Sometimes the scar is worse than the bump. Dr. Pimple Popper once said she has a lipoma but won't have it removed because she doesn't want the scar.

Liposuction is an option and won't leave a scar.

[Gumby]

You should be proud of all your scars, for the story of your life is told in them.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby You should be proud of all your scars, for the story of your life is told in them.

Enlightening statement!

I never thought about scars as a story of my life. I could write a short novel about mine, which include, from memory, (best I can recall) seven scars from surgeries related to a very bad car accident, three scars from the replacement (with titanium and synthetic materials) of worn out moving body parts and repair of broken bones, and two very small ones from the removal of minor irritations and sperm producing equipment.

But who would read the book?

[MrsHaloFIRE]

I would prob have it done. Anesthesia doesn't get easier as you get older and i think lipomas grow. Ive had conscious sedation. Think "barely under." Propofol and benadryl or similar by IV. Same as they do fir colonscopies etc. I had an upper endoscopy. IV in the hand by far the worst part. Say night night. Close eyes. Wake-up to nurse giving me juice. Walking and talking within minutes. Dressed and home in about 45. Took a nap. Took a long walk to burn off any remaining anesthesia. No biggie. I would guess you would give dissolving stitches or glue. So maybe 10 days with vaseline and a bandage? Just postulating. But yes I would choose my surgeon, the location and the timing (first thing on the am is my prefetence).

[manwithlantern]

I had one on the inner forearm that got to be about half a golf ball size under the skin. When it started aching I was directed by PCP to a hand surgeon (apparently they do forearms too.) An MRI was done to see how the tumor was situated relative to nerves and blood vessels. Surgery was done with local sedation and took about 20 minutes. The surgeon asked if I wanted to see it after removal...looked like a big pink slug in the pan. Glad it was gone.

[pacergal]

Yes, I have had lipomas and had them removed. Simple procedure in drs office for mine.

OP--things to ask are related to "risks and benefits" of the surgery and anesthesia. The dr should go over them anyway, but it is good to ask.
It sounds like it is large enough to cause discomfort, which is the biggest reason to have it removed in my opinion. It will only grow bigger in time.

[chris2008]

DM had a big one on her arm for years.
Finally at the age of 87 she decided to have it removed as it grew and she could no longer hide it.
All went well but it took a long time for the skin to adapt. She should have done it much sooner.

[5Miler]

I had a lipoma removed from the back of my head about 10 years ago at age 57. Kaiser bounced me around a bit from my Primary Care to Dermatology and finally to the Surgical Center. The Surgical Center did it in about 45 minutes start to finish under local. They originally told me I could leave it but it was already bothersome so I insisted they remove it. Wasn't that big of a deal and I'm not one to like doctors at all. Had stitches removed about a week later and no problems since then.