Ok here goes . I have never put myself out here like this but I’m honestly loosing hope at this point . I am a rbka and have been since July 2025. In sept of 2025 I had a bad fall right onto my stump . It reopened the surgical wound and bled like crazy . I went to the er and they just put butterfly stitches on it . I asked if they should sew it back up but they said it was too far from my surgery to actually put new stitches in . So from sept till March of this year it healed sooo slowly . Went to wound care 2 times a month to check on progress of healing . So then I finally got the ok to start the prosthetic process. Which I was beyond excited for . I was such an active person before my amputation and being in a wheelchair or hopping around with a walker was soul crushing . So since March I have been through 3 test sockets and still do not have a final socket . The problem is extreme pain . Every time I take a step in these sockets the pain and pressure is unbearable . It’s all over pain but mostly at the end of my limb . So my bone sticks out under my skin and causes a lot of pain right in the front and they have tried over and over to make it more comfortable to no avail . The other problem is that I have a bulbous stump. Which I have heard can make it difficult to fit into a socket. Also, my fluid volume changes a lot when I put the leg on. It’s very very difficult to get it to click even one time then as I’m walking around wearing it about an hour later, my leg is all the way at the bottom and causing a immense pain and also the whole entire leg and foot turns to where my foot sticking out to the side. So then I stop what I’m doing and I add some socks. That works for a little while but then again after walking around, I have to add more socks. and it still after adding all the socks is very very painful. I am just wondering if anybody else has had this experience. And what the solution was. I feel like I need an adjustable kind of socket, but unfortunately, I have Medicaid and they won’t pay for anything besides the basic old pin lock socket so if there’s any suggestions anyone could give me or have been through the same thing and found something that worked for them. I would really appreciate it because at this point I’m losing hope that I’m ever gonna be able to walk again !! And that to me is a fate worse than death !! Being stuck sitting down. It’s pure torture!!

Hey Everyone of r/amputee,

For years now I have had to deal with cancer coming back over and over again in my right leg, already having had plenty of bone removed around the area. Yesterday I got the news it's back again right below the knee and with everything that has happened over the past 8 years, the chance they have to amputate is pretty big, with a chance they might still be able to save it with no guarantee it has to be removed later when the cancer once again returns. And if they end up amputating, thanks to already missing 50% of my femur in my right leg, they would amputate up to just above halfway my right thigh.

I have the choice now to just amputate, but I have no idea what it will be like, what things I will have to start looking after or how this will impact my life further. I already can't use my right leg much so I am not afraid of losing functionality around walking/running or sports, but it's still a very weird concept in my head that in a couple weeks I might be down 1 leg.

So here is my question: what were your experiences like? What did you learn over the years that you would have liked to know before it all happened?

Hello my fellow friends that lack 1 or more appendages 🫡 I'm on year 3 being a BK amputee, right leg. I've been through 2 prosthetics, have only had 1 foot, & multiple adjustments done to my socket to fit during atrophy. In my opinion, I still don't walk "perfectly" & I blame it 100% on my prosthetic set up. Recently saw a new prosthetist** since **my new one moved, & I tried to explain to him that I still walk a little uncomfortably & difficult at times, & all he did was blow torch my socket to fit a little more snug, which helped maybe 5%.

My question for those of you who are seasoned veterans with years of experience as a (preferably below knee) amputee is this - what was it that finally changed the game for you, that felt the absolute most natural to how it was when you had your genuine leg, to where pain is rare, & life became easier because the leg became less of a problem with limping/fitting wrong etc. ???

Was it perhaps a different foot? I've seen foots that actually bend with steps, or the super expensive ones that assist with reducing pressure on your stump, have motorized lifting, or that add bounce to your step etc.

Or what was it for you that made everything much better? Thanks ahead of time for the responses!

Hi lovely community. I've been lurking here since I found out last week that my 80yo mom will be joining you. I'm looking for ways to help her as best as I can, while trying to wrap my own head around it, and I'm not doing all that well with that atm. So maybe you people can put some things in order and perspective for me.

Situation in short is that my mom's toe pain was dismissed countless times since january, turned out to be a diabetic vein thing, all else failed and now she's scheduled for surgery. I'm furious that they let her wait and sit in pain for half a year waiting for this to happen, and more than a bit frustrated she never insisted on becoming someone's priority (and refused my and sibling doing so), as they never want to impose on those busy doctors.

I wouldnt see mum as an old woman mentally. She's got her wits about, is digital savvy and generally an insanely optimistic person, who has had countless of mental and physical setbacks in her life and somehow always manages to look at what she CAN still do, instead of what she can´t. Sitting still for the larger part of this year has wilted away her muscular strenth though, and because she hasn´t been able to work in her garden, she's rarely outside anymore (doesn't want to look at the rampant weeds, but also refuses help), and the reality of the leg sinking in has definitely hit her now I think.

One moment I can help and be optimistic. Something is getting done, and I honestly think she would benefit from someone working with her towards recovery, instead of her default solution: when in pain, sit in chair. (Mum's not a sporty person by nature). I've got loads of ideas to help make their not so suitable house work. On moments like today it feels like a death sentence, and I'm walking around half crying as if Im in mounring. I've noticed that being an eldest daughter who also happens to be a firefighter makes me an incredibly ill equipped person to not be able to help properly. My parents are very independent people. They've refused any help sofar, even though we live 10 miles away. I want to help, but I dont want to be a pest either.

To make things worse the surgery coincides with my summer vacation with spouse+kids. I needed/wanted to be away badly, and so do they. My parents say we should go. Mum says she'd rather call than have us visit anyway, wanting to cocoon and come to terms with it, and I know shed feel bad if her illness would 'cost' us our trip but I keep swinging from not going to going to flying out (1h) to visit halfway. We'd be back before she leaves hospital. I'm not too worried about the surgery in general, since it wont be full anaesthesia but a spinal one + sedation (she's had those before), but I'm not sure if I should be..

Sorry for the rant. Any advice on helping or coping as family is greatly appreciated!

Any lower extremity amputees dealing with/dealt with adventitious bursitis? How did you manage it? If it went away, what finally helped to make that happen?

So it's coming up on my six month mark since my amputation.

I got my prosthetic about five weeks ago and have been getting used to it.

Unfortunately I had a setback with my left foot giving out on me two months ago that left it completely not weight bearing for several weeks. It's slowly getting better but my surgeon has gotten it fitted with an AFO which I'll be picking up next week and will refiguring out what the best long term solution will be. They're talking about doing a fusion like I had on my right, but since I know that will mostly likely end up being an amputation too in the future I'm nudging them to possibly just go directly to the amputation and get it over with.

Also because of this, instead of traditional OT after getting my prosthetic, they're starting me with aquatic therapy, which I have my first session tomorrow.

In the mean time I doing what I can with my left foot which hurts like hell when I try to use it. My OT wanted to see how I do going up the steps into my house, so I figured I'd share the video with all of you too.

Just wanted to share the "decoration" that I use to keep myself moving forward. (Lbka due to motorcycle) In the pic theres feet I use, the helmet that I was wearing, bike parts from the bike in my wreck, medicine to help save my foot (a bit over a year of limb salvage before the amputation). I wanted to add the metal spikes in my leg and a ruler next to them but idk where theyre at so ill settle with a pic of my xray instead.

Edit- im a bit drunk so dont shit on me too hard

Just got my middle finger amputated this morning. Right away the pain was pretty severe. I would put it on par with my labor contractions. After getting some sleep and getting a few doses of pain medication in me, the pain is bearable now. I think the pain may have been coming from the after effects of the tourniquet coming off. Going to keep making some updates as I haven’t seen a lot of people that have had the Ray amputation done.

Ok so maybe a weird question....but those are the best kinds!

I was born with my arm missing below elbow. So I have a stump that I always seen as male. Im a female (cisgender) but I see my stump as male

I'm 37 and today I just realised I have gendered my stump.

Anyone else? Congenital or otherwise?

Stay beautiful x Edit: And not because its a phallic shape

So I’m talking to this girl that has a prosthetic leg and if ppl could give me date ideas and stuff to do for fun I would appreciate it we’re both under 21 fyi

These are my current sockets. I recently had a revision surgery and am getting fitted for my new limb on Thursday. I’ve had continuous issues with end of stump pain, swelling, and bruising. My surgeon suggested I try a suction suspension instead. I’ve but this off for a while (my prosthetist did suggest it to be fair) because I really, really wanted pinlock to work. I love the convenience of it. I dread the idea of having to carry a little spray bottom of alcohol everywhere I go 🙄 But I get there’s no point in a limb being easy to put on if you can’t wear it for long.

So for those of you that use suction, how is it different? Does it actually feel noticeably different? Does it fall off easier? Does the lack of the pin lock hardware mean you have more space under the socket for components? (I’m very short, space a foot hight/component hight can be an issue for me) Does it work if you get a lot of volume change throughout the day? I’m thinking of ditching the boa and trying the new ethnocare liner.

Hi everyone. I’m a right AKA and I’m trying to figure out some ways to move my body to help with my mental health. I get wounds if I walk too far, especially in this summer heat. I’m also blind, which limits my ability to independently do some exercises. Has anyone with AKA successfully tried a rowing machine? Would it work without my prosthetic on?

I found this academic article about the importance of the socket: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0327781

I feel there is always a lot of talk about the expensive parts of the prosthesis, but rarely about the socket.

How was your first socket?

How often you go to your OT to make changes?

How long does it take to get it right?

October ‘25 I had TMA’s on both feet. All of my toes, gone. This happened after a nasty fight with sepsis. I’m not diabetic but I do smoke. I said all that to say it’s almost August ‘26 and I’m still healing.

The left foot is closed, no open wounds but still tender where the sutures were. I have the custom insert and plate for the left foot.

The right for still has and open wound(shrinking slowly). They did a skin graft in April to speed up the healing process. It was mostly successful but it’s not yet to the point where I can where regular(amputee) socks and shoes.

I know I’m making progress: A few months ago I was in a wheelchair and now I’m jumping in the car, pulling off, forgetting I left my cane in the house. I still have an extreme limp but I assume that will change as the pain decreases.

How was your experience? How long did it take to get to the “New Normal”?

I laughed so hard at this

Anyone had experience with Dr David Leonard in Leeds? I have been referred to him for possible TMR. He also does amputations and TMR at point of amputation so thinking he may have been some other people’s original amputation surgeon in here

Hello Pump Club family. My name is Marius Simion. A fellow member from r/ArnoldSchwarzenegger kindly suggested that I join this specific community, as you are all about lifting each other up, building resilience, and finding solutions.A while ago, my life was completely upended by a severe railway accident that resulted in the amputation of both of my arms. It was a massive shock, but from day one, I refused to let this tragedy define the rest of my life. Every day is a grueling workout of its own, learning how to adapt, how to regain independence, and how to keep my mind sharp.

Arnold’s daily message of staying positive, moving forward, and being useful to the world is what keeps me going. I am doing everything in my power to fight back, but the physical and financial challenges of adapting to this new life (including my goal of getting bionic prosthetics) are immense.I’m here because I want to surround myself with the ultimate village of positive minds. I would deeply appreciate any advice on mental resilience, adaptation strategies, or how to stay physically driven when facing such a massive change.

If anyone wishes to see more of my daily battle or support my journey to independence, I have pinned my story and details on my Reddit profile.Thank you for welcoming me to the village. Let's all keep moving forward!

Hello this is my first time posting on here! My name is Felix and I am 30 years old.
A little story about myself is that in January 14th, 2022 I was in horrific motorcycle accident that left me with 8 broken ribs, broken left clavicle, severe brachial plexus injury , rupture spleen, both lungs collapsed and both femurs and tibias were broken. Throughout this time I’ve been recovering and trying to salvage my right leg since it was mangle pretty bad to the point where I’m currently missing approximately 15 inches of my right tibia.
It’s been hard tbh because not only I’ve been struggling of salvaging my leg, I’ve been dealing with the fact that since my accident I’ve decided to amputate my left arm above the elbow since my nerves got severed from my T1 spine. So managing and learning a new way of living was interesting at the least. But going on the main reason why I’m here is that I think I’m ready to let go on salvaging my right leg.
Like I’ve said it’s been four years since my accident and I’ve been still recovering/ trying to save it since I still have full motor function of it. However, I’ve had 2 bone graft, 1 3d printed bone and 3 infections cleaning procedures on it. The procedures at least didn’t work and we won’t know for certain it would work since it would take at least a full year of recovering for each procedure . So that would mean another year of uncertainty.

I just think it’s time to let go of trying because after every attempt is added time of my life being put on pause of the things I want to accomplish. I just don’t want to waste another year of uncertainty. I just want to live and not worry anymore. I know amputation is a big thing and it will change my life but hasn’t trying to save my leg done the same. So I think it’s time to move on and be okay with the fact that I’ve tried at least. Amputation isn’t game over in life, just one hurdle in a life which I’ve already done before and I know I will get past it.

What do you guys think?

Hello everyone!

Here’s a question for the AKA amputee :)

I have my prosthetic for about 2 years now and overall it’s great but there is still something that’s very annoying and I cannot seem to learn to do it properly is to put it on. I know I know, I’m still struggling at the first step but there must be some kind of trick to manage to put it in right the first time everytime! Usually it’s naturally titled on the inside, sometimes but less often on the outside. I have to spend minimum 10 to 15 minutes each morning to put it on the best that I can and still sometimes it’s not a 100% straight, which make walking even more difficult. Other than that it fits fine, I can wear it all day and it never falls off no matter how many time I stand up or sits down.

I wondered if any of you had the same issue, and what did you do to change it?

Este 21 de agosto se cumple un año de mi amputación, sé que mi corazón no ha sanado al 100% pero estoy segura de que algún día volveré a ser yo otra vez