Trapped Air In Leg

[ScooterVanMan]

I've been on Betaseron for 18 years, using the Autoject then Betaject since they came out. Lately I noticed an area of swelling on my numb leg, and asked my GP about it. He did an x-ray and said that I had air trapped under my skin and I should ask my "MS guy" about it since I see him next week.

In the meantime I spoke with the nice Beta nurse, and my neuro's nurse also to see if this rang any bells with them and they said no. It's a slightly raised patch about the size of my palm on the top of my thigh in an area I've used as an injection site before. Upon further reflection I realized that I've actually had this for quite a while now. Not sure if this is due to my longtime injections there, or a Beta thing, or a little of both.

Does this ring any bells with anyone, or am I perhaps developing a pouch like a kangaroo?

[Redwings]

"Trapped air" under the skin really doesn't sound reasonable. It's not impossible, but it's not likely. First, where would all that air have come from? You're not injecting large volumes of air under your skin in the same place. Second, "trapped air" in the body dissipates and is absorbed and processed out. When someone has surgery, there's air "trapped" inside the body as the incision is sewn up. In fact, in some surgeries, air is intentionally introduced into the sites to separate tissue as an aid to surgery. It doesn't remain trapped there, turning the person into a human balloon, even when body cavities can hold it for awhile. Without a constant supply of new air, it all dissipates. And the longer you've had the abnormal area, the less likely it is to be undissipated "air."

Third, if it's air, you should be able to withdraw it with your syringe. Fourth, unless the radiology report specifies that the area is "trapped air," I wouldn't believe it. Even then, I'm skeptical () for the first two reasons. It will be interesting to hear what your "MS guy" says about it.

[ScooterVanMan]

Good points all. Hopefully my neuro will be able to act as referee and suggest what type of doctor to go see next about this. I don't necessarily assume that it's the injections, but I am suspicious. Just want someone to say "Oh, it's this and you're fine" before I put that thigh back in rotation for Beta.

[rdmc]

Wow, let us know what you find out. Trapped air, doesn't seem right. Maybe fluid trapped, that'd make more sense.

I'll be interested to hear what they finally decide is causing it.

[ScooterVanMan]

Surprise! My neuro said it's not air.

What it is, and WHY it is we're not sure yet. Since my gp did the x-ray in his office there was no radiologist report for neuro to review and the x-ray image didn't work. So now I'm awaiting a call from gp about a referral to whatever doctor is the next step.

I'm not terribly alarmed, since upon review I've had this area for a while. I just noticed it recently when it was particularly pronounced. But I'd rather know what this weird thing was . . . and I miss not shooting that leg!

[Redwings]

Thanks for the update. While you're waiting for the specialist referral, maybe you should also be looking for a new GP (I know I would be). At a minimum, your GP should have sent your X-ray to a radiologist for review. It makes me wonder what else your GP might be trying to do that he isn't qualified to be doing...

[ScooterVanMan]

I think you're right.

At least the radiologist did reports on ALL THE OTHER tests they've done for me there!

[ScooterVanMan]

Nurse called today. Although my gp still wants me to see a dermatologist, he has relented and decided to also get an ultrasound of the leg. Will advise on that.

In the meantime I have found a piece of paper I printed a while back about insulin use, and something called Lipohypertrophy. This is described (partially) as "Typical injection site hypertrophy is several inches or cm across, smoothly rounded, and somewhat firmer than ordinary subcutaneous fat."

That's me. Haven't found it specifically for MS injections, but it makes sense.

[Redwings]

Sounds good to me.

[ScooterVanMan]

Okay, I finally had the ultrasound, and it was nothing horrendous. The tech doing the test was having trouble so went and fetched the actual radiologist who took over and found a large area he couldn’t see through which he thought was scar tissue from repeated “trauma” (e.g. sc injections every other day!). High up in the thigh things looked normal, then travelling down he got to the area he couldn’t see through, and then past that it cleared up again except for certain spots (again, sites) where he could see damage.

Even had Bayer send out a Beta Nurse to talk to me about more injection sites since I wasn’t using my leg any more. She took one look at my leg and said “Oh, I can see it right there” and traced where it was. Then she pointed to a similar location on my other leg and said “Looks like there’s a small one there, too” which I hadn’t noticed.

The maddening part of all this is trying to find information. I found lots of terms on the internet: hypertrophy, lipodystrophy, lipohypertropy. And the report on the ultrasound said “fibrosis.” But in the end it’s just scar tissue developed from shooting myself in the leg (and other places) with Betaseron for nearly 20 years. And it’s funny because I always suggested this was what it was.

Although I should throw out the caveat that no doctor has said to me that’s what it is. Maybe at my next regular neuro appt in a few months . . .

[ScooterVanMan]

GP called yesterday: "Soft Tissue Calcification."

[Redwings]

Thanks for the update. That's quite different than "trapped air"! Are you still going to see the dermatologist for a biopsy?

[ScooterVanMan]

Nope, no biopsy. Actually the dermatologist was the most helpful person in all of this. But I guess it makes sense. No one wants to say how their treatment might give you neat scar tissue. Much like I learned, long ago, that if I wanted news on the latest MS drugs I should look in the business section.