Hundreds of Lipomas

My husband is a 45 year old who has had Lipomas since his teens, he literally has hundreds of them. Our Doctor says they need not be removed...they cover my husbands body. They are everywhere, from his thighs all the way up his body on both sides, some are more solid than others and cause real discomfort.  I am afraid that by sheer numbers and size that they have to be affecting his circulation and/or nervious system! He has them down both arms, on his back, his stomache....they have to be over, if not on, his spine. They range from very small to 6 inches across..the deepth is a scary thought! My husband says that some of them ache all the time. Which means that he hurts everywhere! Nothing helps and because of our insurances issue with the term "elective surgery" we can't get them to pay for the removal of the largest of these tumors. My question is...when does this disease transform into a surgical necessity and what kind of Dr does he need to see to get some help? Does this disease progress into a more serious disease and should we be concerned about cancer?

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

There is a disease called Dercum's disease that is characterized by multiple painful lipomas. Not sure if this describes your husband's conditions, but it sounds like it. It has been  associated with weakness, fatigue, emotional and cognitive changes in some cases, but  fortunately there is no known association with other neurological signs/symptoms. Treatment is usually targeted towards pain relief rather than removal. Lidocaine ( a local anesthetic) can sometimes be helpful for very painful ones. There is a support group for patients and families with dercum's disease. However, I do not have any information on this. Perhaps you can try the internet.

In the case that this is not dercum's disease, lipomas themselves are not cancerous and do not necessitate surgical removal. There is a disease called liposarcomas which are fatty
malignant tumors, but you will have to see an internist or dermatologist for futher evaluation. The best kind of doctor for your husband is a derm surgeon. Good luck

[barbe10]

A related discussion, stubborn was started.