Diabetic toe amputations leads to cellulitis and severe lymphedema?

Posted by davbarinc @davbarinc, Oct 30, 2024

My husbands legs started swelling really fast one night. It was so fast and that two of his toes busted and the fluid started draining. He ended up having a toe removed from each foot, diabetic ulcer on one foot, and now lymphedema. He is currently in the hospital with severe swelling and it’s even in his scrotum. He has gained 30+ pounds in a week. His scrotum is the size of a large Mellon and the tissue above his penis is the size of a pumpkin. We are in South Carolina. What surgeon would be recommend to possibly remove the affected areas and reroute the lymphatic vessels? Also any positives about medications would be greatly appreciated. I’ve read up on Bestatin trials and Ketoprofen. Thanks!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Diabetes & Endocrine System Support Group.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jul 17 7:47am

Hello @davbarinc, I can't begin to imagine how difficult it is for you and your husband dealing with the toe amputations along with the cellulitis and severe lymphedema. I know it's been more than six months and I'm sorry to see your post go unanswered for so long. A new Lymphedema Support Group has been created since you last posted and there are many different discussions including yours - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/lymphedema/.

How is your husband doing? Have you found any medications that have helped?

Cheryl, Volunteer Mentor | @cehunt57 | Jul 19 12:42am

@davbarinc this is a lot late but I want to welcome you to Mayo Clinic Connect. Yesterday 7/17/2025 was the first I saw your post. Clearly something has gone wrong! I am so sorry to hear of the diabetic toe amputations (also the cellulitis and lymphedema). I am diabetic (50 years) and have a fear of amputations. A close friend of mine who is also diabetic lost a foot and one leg up to his knee also toes on the other foot. It is serious business! What I have found to prevent this type of thing is achieving tight blood sugar control by any means possible and having feeling pulses (feet & toes) tested frequently to check for peripheral neuropathy. Other friends have had cellulitis that I don’t know much about. My father-in-law had lymphedema. You are not alone. There are medications, treatment and hope.
We at Mayo Clinic Connect should not diagnose or prescribe so I can’t say much about medications. When my father-in-law had lymphedema I was staying with him to care for him and my mother-in-law who had Alzheimers. I was taught how to do lymphatic massage and wrapping on his limbs that I guess was helpful. That was over 20 years ago so it is hard to remember. But it couldn’t hurt to inquire about it from his provider.
As @johnbishop mentioned above, you may find some more support in some other groups and discussions too.