ALL THINGS Gloves and sleeves
Comments
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Thank you! I've always been a good water drinker, but since starting chemo, I've definitely taken it up a notch!
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Ummm...what's with a therapist who puts a woman in a sleeve and not at least a gauntlet?
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Well, as expected. I go to get a glove tomorrow. My hand is almost back to normal since taking the sleeve off. Thanks again for your great advice.
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Ummm...what's with a therapist who puts a woman in a sleeve and not at least a gauntlet?
Carol
Thats' an excellent question, and I just dont think it can be asked enough, again and again if need be. Whenever I see a post where someone mentions a sleeve , I always wonder if they mean sleeve and gauntlet . I sometimes hate cutting in to ask, but it is worth it.
Just today, I called my local medical supplier and informed them they will have to get a glove manufacturer on contract.
Now, in their defense, I went to this co. strictly because they are 100% covered by my INS. for DME. They normally do stockings and other DME ... They were happy to set up an acct. for me, and I am thrilled. I am their first sleeve.
When I spoke to the girl today she mentioned gauntlets and asked me if I thought I would be ordering any with my sleeves ( as if they were optional) . I explained that I would NOT be ordering any , but ONLY because I wear a glove. I then went on to explain that hand protection with the sleeve is mandatory, and she should never ever order one without it unless someone shows her their glove ( or ...) and says they are all set for now and explains why. She was so grateful for the info. She just didn't know .
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Good for you ,Purple, spreading all this essential information. You might just save someone from hand LE!
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I'm very frustrated. The LE center where I used to be seen is undergoing reorganization and I find myself without a therapist or fitter. After looking high and low without success for another therapist who fits gloves and takes my insurance, I am now just looking for a fitter who takes my insurance. The ones that my insurance company told me about either don't do custom, or are terrible (early on was fitted for a custom gauntlet that went an inch beyond my finger tips. When I complained, I was told to just to fold it over.) It turns out that the DME company (SunMed) that my former therapist used to order from has a fitter, but SunMed says they use therapists' measurement, and is bizarrely reluctant for me to use this fitter (won't tell me the person's name, and say they will give my contact info to the person in a few weeks). I've talked to my former LE therapist & all my docs and they don't know of anyone. I guess this is just a glove rant ... but if you have hints about how to find a fitter, do post them. ks1
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KS, maybe call any therapist--whether they take your insurance or not--and explain your situation (they'll likely already know about it since it involves your former therapist) and ask who they use for fitting. The SunMed situation is bizarre indeed. Is there another SunMed office you could contact?
Keep us posted!
Binney0 -
For those who can wear LympheDivas, check out their new line of sleeves called "The Hubble Collection"--designs inspired by the Hubble Telescope's pictures of deep space. WOW!
http://www.lymphedivas.com/store/pc/home.aspAnd they're on sale now through March 8. Enjoy!
Binney0 -
Very cool. I'm tempted to get a gauntlet...
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So, how do I wash dishes in this thing?
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WOW!
Thanks for that link, Binney. Those sure do look cool!
KS1Any chance you can call your INS CO and ask of there is ANYONE they fully cover for DME? THEN, if so, call THAT co. and ask them to order sleeves. ( I did that )
Any chance you can go by your last LET's meaurements ?
ALSO- the other option is as Binney suggested w/ calling any therapist. ( Maybe a combo of the two ?)
Good Luck.0 -
DiZZyMom - Well a rubber glove over. Some here suggest a thin cotton glove and then a rubber glove to keep down the sweating.
Remember not to have the water too hot!
Sometimes if it's a quick job, like rinsing and loading the dishwasher, I just take it off.
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Me too dizzy...if it is very quick, BUT if you do take it off, snake that sleeve off too.(NO sleeve without a glove!
)
Then, I will usually do a short session of MLD before I put it back on. ...at least open the terminus, nodes...0 -
Rubber glove, duh! I don't know why I didn't think of that! Thank you ladies. The sleeve is such a pain to get into and out of, I don't think I want to mess with that too much. Do you all machine wash/dry yours daily like recommended?
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KS1 - if it's any consolation, I drive 200 miles each way for my fittings, but it's worth it!
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Just wanted to add here that I remove my gloves for meals as well as for quick chores (if they aren't too strenuous), and I don't remove my sleeves. For many (most?) women that's entirely workable, and it sure is worth trying sometime when your LE is stable. We're all different, but I think that not being able to wear a sleeve alone for brief periods would be unusual.
Be well,
Binney0 -
We're all different, but I think that not being able to wear a sleeve alone for brief periods would be unusual.
You're probably right, binney but I just dont like to chance it ....most likely paranoia
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We're all different, but I think that not being able to wear a sleeve alone for brief periods would be unusual.
You're probably right, binney but I just dont like to chance it ....most likely paranoiaRE: Diva gauntlet.
Go for it, Cindy...you'll also be helping someone else !
"In memory of Susan Niebur, a portion of each sale from the Hubble collection helps Crickett's Answer for Cancer to continue to offer financial support for lymphedema garments, mastectomy bras, wigs and other such services free of cost to those in need."0 -
Thanks for all of your suggestions. I did call my insurance company ... the only companies they had listed for LE garments either only did off-the-shelf, or was the company who botched the gauntlet so badly. I think I need to call them back again and get the names of all participating DME companies, and then call the companies one-by-one and see if they do garments. I had been traveling 4 hours RT to get garments at the LE clinic I went to in NYC. I just had a brilliant thought ... I bet the other hospitals in NYC have lymphedema clinics. Time to see if any of them are in my insurance plan + have fitters! KS1
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and then call the companies one-by-one and see if they do garments.
Or if there are WILLING to do them...ask that !
and good luck to you.0 -
I feel so ignorant. What "fittings" are you all talking about? My therapist sent me to a medical "boutique". The woman there measured my arm and sold me a sleeve off the rack. For the glove, she had me try on two different sizes (small and medium) and asked me which felt better. From reading your posts, it seems there's much more to it?
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Dizzy, Off the shelf didn't work for me, so I've had to go to custom made garments.
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The woman there measured my arm
She may be a fitter.As for the glove, yes, they usually take lots of hand meaurements, but if you are getting 'off the shelf' as you did , the way she chose to have you select is not necessarily wrong....but certainly not the norm for a good fitter.
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I just got a MedaHand--I'm intrigued, and it does seem to bring the swelling down on the back of my hand, but am a bit concerned it's going to cause finger swelling--I wish there were finger stubs with it. I generally wear a glove but in this case, the gauntlet part went down so far that I thought it might work. Plus, the glove looks more like a mitten than a glove, so I was trying to avoid that.
What has actually worked best so far has been a Medi 95, one size too big, with a dorsum swell spot, biut it can aggravate the webbing area between my fingers.
However, at least I'm making progress!
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I love my MedaHand!
It has not caused finger swelling for me, and I'm prone to that. The MedaGlove was so constricting and made my fingers feel like they were going to cramp. Plus it wasn't as padded, and didn't have the great palm pad this one does.
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Do you use it at night at all, Victoria?
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Yes, I bought a JoviPak that ends at the wrist to wear with it. But, I love my Biacare nighttime sleeve better, so I don't wear it much.
What I have been doing more and more, is wearing the JoviPak and the MedaHand in the evenings at home, then switching into the BiaCare nighttime garment for sleep. In other words, I wear my day sleeves less these days. I mean think about it - if the regular compression sleeves only keep things status quo, then why not wear more aggressive garments in your down time at home? My evenings are usually TV or computer or reading.
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I think I am the exception to the rule as a glove made my hand swell. I wear a custom sleeve and was measured and fitted for several gloves with the same results. So far things have gone well, although I know things can change.
Now I just got my 4th sleeve since December 2012. First one was too short and the silicone was only partial. Second one was way too long and I posted pictures of it on this thread. The next one came in and was too short again. So I decided to check with a different location/fitter with the current company. They had the local sleeve rep from Medi and a second one come in from out of state to check the sleeve and measure my arm. Well it was too short, so they measured my arm several times in a couple different ways. I was given a business card by the local rep and told to call any time there is a concern. So I picked up my new sleeve today and we will see how things go as it fit like a glove at first but I am a little concerned about the length and the elbow region. I wore the sleeve for several hours and took it off and it is irritated and red in the elbow region. The redness is going away gradually and it is most likely because I have been wearing older stretched out sleeves and this is a new sleeve. So hoping for the best and will ease into wearing the new sleeve a little longer each day.0 -
Did you get a donning glove with your purchase? I would suggest pulling upwards in the elbow area to stretch it out a bit thinner there so extra material doesn't settle in the crease. I also would suggest Imak active gloves. I have trouble with compression gloves making my hands swell too.
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Ok, so per my usual Sunday routine, i wear a gauntlet rather than glove to church and then to lunch. (I'm such a rebel!l) My ring size is a 7 but I had a really cute ring in size 8 I decided to wear and thought that should allow for swelling ... ha! Well when I got home I could not get the ring off. I decided to try my Imak Active glove WITH THE RING ON. An hour later and voila! I have a nice pressure mark, but the ring came right off. If you look closely you can see the Imak glove road maps on my fingers. I'm telling you this glove really reduces hand swelling for me!! Wow!
Caution: Do not try this at home.
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