ALL THINGS Gloves and sleeves
Comments
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I sleep in a Tribute every night. I swelling is rarely visible, but I sure do get aches and sometimes a burning sensation that tells me there's too much lymph rattling around in my arm. When I pull on my Tribute, I get an ahhhhh feeling...feels like a snuggly hug, and most mornings I wake up with no ache, and that will last well into the day even if I don't don a sleeve. I do much better by day's end if I do wear the sleeve, but I find myself trading off the relative freedom of skipping the sleeve/gauntlet in exchange from some minor discomfort the Tribute will work on fixing as I sleep.
Gosh, we're so different. Binney is so right about the need to figure out whatever works for us individually.0 -
"the point of treatment is WHAT WORKS for YOU..."
I know its like that coz at the very least, our bodies, metabolism, underlying unique conditions etc etc throw a spanner in the works before we even start. That parts hard to swallow coz I like to be organized about things and have some common guidelines and the more the merrier. Makes life easier.
That said I sure seem to be one of the ones thats dragging the chain for working out what works for me. LOL sneaky little dickens alright :-). Yeah. Im watching and the latest new kid on the block is sundry burning sensations in new places. LEist told me I had a hot elbow last time I went. I know this year the LE has progressed and so yes I must admit I've found it hard.
On a good note, the other night after I was getting more and more annoyed but still kept persevering, I had really good results (the best so far) from wrapping. Hubby helped me and he had to put up with my agro. (He deserves a medal)
Measuring specialist is back next week and Im having another appt midweek so we'll see what he says about my jobst which is STILL leaving a red welt on the inner bend of my arm and though the weight of fabric is more robust its still not maintaining my overnight arm size. Weird. My glove also has two little hard "tits" that develop at the base from the stitching, in between the two middle fingers. The last glove did the same thing.0 -
linda-n3 - Thanks for all the great info! I am swaying towards the Solidea sleeve. My therapist says that my LE is still is mild and early stage so if I stay on top of thing I should be fine. She says I definitely need a sleeve but, I can't even imagine sticking with the one I have. It rolled down on me while out with my kids this weekend...totally embarrassing !! So I am ordering the Solidea this week...I will keep you posted
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Tishfin, hi, try using IT STAYS special glue for your sleeve. Works great.0 -
Thanks for the tip but, I'm not sure I like the idea of using a glue on my skin. I just order my sleeve from Solidea. I'm really excited to try it!0 -
FOr anyone with sensitive skin just the thought of glue would raise a red flag.0
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musical, good thought sometimes glues and other lotions and potiions are hard on sensitive skin. I know the glue my LEist sprayed on me and then applied Ktape was awful. I couldn't remove the tape without getting a tape burn like abrasion.
Tishfin, It Stays is made for holding sleeves up.
You should be ok with the Solidea sleeve as your other arm helps it stay up. I use a Juzo Varin sleeve that goes over the shoulder and a strap holds it up underneath the opposite side of the breast so no tight bands at the top
Lately I remember that someone on the threads mentioned that their elbow was super sensitive and hurt with their sleeve on. This is my deal to , especially a new sleeve. I sometimes use a anti friction stick (GLIDE brand )that runners use as a anti chaf. Also Binney suggested cornstarch in the toe of a nylon stocking and pat it on your sensitive elbow. Do a small test patch. I think the glide is maybe made with a silicon base.
Finally after about 2 years my inner elbow has toughened up a bit. Still it is a baby though.
Don't forget to do a test on the unaffected side of your body if you are sensitive.0 -
Well ladies, the saga continues,
First, it seems that my night Tribute may be making things worse rather than better. I wake up with puffy hand and arm feels puffy. Did basic measurements and found every one was 1 cm larger than baseline after wrapping overnight. I cintinue to have hand pain despite the manufacturers attempt to revise the garment with velcro tabs to allow hand to be loosened; my hand no longer gets crunched into a curl, which is better, but still does not allow normal movement so my joints are so stiff and painful, and I wonder if it is woth it since the swelling is even worse.
My fitter is out with her own health issues for at least the next 3 weeks. We have been working together since June and I dont have a usable night garment or glove/sleeve yet.
I am currently using Medi95 glove one size larger than my measurements indicate (tried it on at a large medical supply store, along with trying every ots sleeve they had). It feels ok and works ok. I often use a swell spot to get the swelling down on the back of my hand. I am mostly using the Solidea sleeve, it sort of works but I still get the hand swelling. I wear sleeve over glove as someone suggested and that helps some.
I have pictures of how much harm the custom Juzo glove and sleeve did, but have not been able to schedule with fitter. I THINK a custom Juzo soft rather than Expert material might work for me if I could get her to discuss it with me. She cancelled the last 3 appointments due to her illness so I havent been able to even show her the pictures. She did leave me a message that I could work with one of her other fitters. Her store will actually file insurace so that is helpful but it might be easier if I filed them myself at this rate if I could get a good fitter elsewhere.
Other option: back to bandaging??????
I have some OTS gloves, gauntlet, and gauntlet/sleeve combo that i cannot use. if anyone can use them, please pm me for details and i will send them to you.0 -
Linda, Im sorry to hear of your trouble with the tribute. It is SOOO hard getting the combination right. My custom glove AND sleeve are still not right after being measured by a person who specializes in measuring. I understand it must be really hard getting this right for each person, and oh, the hand must be a real challenge to measure at the best of times.
He even took a pik with my glove on which shows that notch at the base inbetween the 2 mid fingers. He also took a pik of the red mark where it was digging in. Hopefully I'll get a replacement at no charge.
In the meantime, looks like Im going to have to keep asking myself the same question as you... back to wrapping????0 -
I see Solidea has a 15% sale until Oct 31. Has any one tried the gauntlet? And is their 23mhg the same as 30/40 in compression? If so I would like to try their product?
Also the truncal garment they have. I see it sits under the bust and goes to lower waist. Would that not have to come up to the back of your pits to drain the back of the armpit where swell usually first presents?0 -
The Solidea 23 mmHg is the same as a compression class I here in the US - same as our 20-30. Don't know about the truncal garment. I am using the 23 mmHg sleeve - LE therapist thinks compression class II would be better for activity, CCI would be OK for daily wear, and so far, am doing OK with it. Not optimal, but almost adequate. I don't have any CCII sleeves that work for me, so this is the best I can do until fitter gets back and gets custom garment issue sorted out.0 -
So if 23 mmHg is like compression 1 in the USA then would you be able to use their lightest sleeve compression as a night garment? I would think that the only problem may be that it may twist and bind which could cut off lymph flow.0 -
Their CCI garment is 2-sleeved, has a waffled pattern, and is soft but a bit irritating after all day wear. Not sure it would be good as a night garment - I have been told to NOT use sleeves at night, but have heard that some people DO use them and get good results. I actually use the lower level compression (not even CCI, they call it "slimming sleeves") - they are pretty comfortable compared to so many other brands, especially if you have sensitive skin. The idea of the waffled pattern is that it stimulates the lymph flow with a micromassaging technique, which has not been clinically proven, but seems fine in theory. And of course, we all know, theory just doesn't always apply to everyone, what works for one may not work for another. If you DO try it for night, I would suggest waking yourself up after a couple of hours to check for hand swelling or other swelling that might be getting worse. Be as safe as you can while experimenting!0 -
thanks Linda, good idea about waking up and checking on things.0 -
MEDIVEN SALE at BRIGHTLIFE DIRECT: USE THE CODE Mediven10. I have never seen them on sale before, Happens once a year. On until Nov 30 -
So I have tried the sigvaris gauntlet attached to the sleeve today and I find that the gauntlet wants to slip up and then I get wrinkles at the wrist which are not bad if you are wearing this combo for a few hours but anything else longer leaves deeper grooves across the wrist which is not good. Anyone with the all in one gauntlet sleeve combo have advice? Every where else it fits but I am wondering if the hand piece is on the small side causing it to ride up? It is comfy though.0 -
I am in a quandary. I use my Tribute at night, which has been revised twice to release the hand compartment a little. I still get hand swelling so bad - when I go to bed after wearing my glove during the day, I can put my ring on, but when I get up after using the Tribute, I cannot. The palm of my hand is now getting puffy and there seems to be NOTHING I can do about that now. The back of the hand responds to glove and swell spot or glove only. After wearing the Tribute overnight, the swelling in my forearm goes up by nearly a centimeter, and the swelling at the elbow goes up just slightly, the swelling at the top of my arm is not affected. I am considering just not wearing ANYTHING at night for a while to see if things truly get worse without night compression. I do know that bandaging at night brings some of the swelling down sometimes, but not always. And when DH is out of town, which is frequently now, I just cannot get a good bandage done for night - it seems like when I do it myself it acts more like the Tribute and I end up with more swelling. Maybe I am just being too OCD???
This morning, after finding my hand so swollen, took off the Tribute, put on my very light weight Farrow, and within an hour the fingers were great! Back of hand a little better, palm not so much.
Today I see the substitute fitter - it has only been since May that we have been working on getting a properly fitting garment and sleeve. I have serious doubts about the outcome today, will probably have to wait until the owner gets back. I had hopes way back in May that I would get my garments, have insurance pay for them then and for replacement set in 6 months - not going to happen on THIS plan year!!!!
I am actually thinking about trying an OTS sleeve that is one size larger than I supposedly need, in a material that is softer and tolerable, to see if the wrist works better for me. Geez, it just started in May with a little swelling in the forearm, then progressed to the hand AFTER STARTING TREATMENT! Upper arm has never been a problem, except that is where I have the deep burning pain when I have overdone with activities. I am SO FRUSTRATED.0 -
Linda so sorry you are continuing with this situation. Its so hard. Ive been having almost the same problems as you with the swelling, but not with my hand, which for you must be sooo annoying. FWIW, if you just want to try this (when/because all else fails) ...at night I just use a pillow to raise my arm. Ive found more often than not it has definitely helped me. I know when sometimes my arm is a little more swollen wwhen I wake, its because Ive ditched the pillow in my sleep.
I hear you on the wrapping, without hubby. I've found when I get it right, boy it makes a good job but Ive sure had my share of disasters too.0 -
Well, I met with a new fitter today, the one who I thought I had met before and didn't like, but it turned out to be someone entirely different, and I really liked her! So I am glad I went rather than wait another month for the owner to get back from sick leave! In any case, this young lady was extremely upbeat, pleasant, and respectful. She measured me again, looked at the records from previous measurements, looked at the adjustments requested previously, had me try a few OTS garments just for feeling of the material and how the wrist felt. I think I could almost use an OTS size larger than what my measurements say I need because the wrist was pretty good and the upper arm was only a little less supportive. In any case, based on that, she is going to order ONE MORE TIME from Juzo, using the SOFT material with a good compression and relaxed wrist .... here's hoping once more! Hope springs eternal, doesn't it????
Musical, I do think keeping my arm on a pillow would help, because I often find myself lying on my affected side with the arm curled up underneath me. Not really good, eh? I don't know how I can keep myself from doing that - supposedly that Tribute is one method, but it just doesn't seem to work for me. *sigh* But DH has been suggesting tying 2 pillows on either side of my arm to keep me from sleeping on the arm, LOL! He has some experience with orthopedic and other limb injuries, and has jokingly threatened to rig up something like an IV pole by my bed to anchor and elevate the arm for the night, so methinks the pillows might be easier as I do toss and turn a LOT during the night!
Thanks everyone for hanging in there with me. I really do not try to be difficult, it just seems to come naturally - just don't know if it is me, if I am doing something wrong, or if my body is just a royal PIA! But at least today I have some hope again.0 -
Well Linda sure, who hasn't done wrong things with all this but thats what this Forum is for and so no you're NOT being a pain in the butt at all. Anywayz we can't be responsible for our actions when we're asleep. We gotta pull for each other. You have to do what you can to get above this idiotic condition and the fact is it isn't easy. That said its great you have some hope again.
You made me laugh with your hubby's suggestions/threatenings lol. My dang arm was aching like crazy in the car (passenger) the other day and I just really wanted one of those loop things you can hang on to. Instead I had to sorta hang on to the edge of the sunroof. Sometimes it's just so relieving to elevate. LOL Now Ive got little pictures in my mind of how I might "innovate" in line with your hubbys thinking. Just imagine an IV pole sticking out of the sunroof.0 -
Linda, it's so hard to NOT sleep on the LE arm! We have a lifetime of sleeping in whatever position feels best, and then wham...try to restrict sleeping on one side or another. Not so easy! It's great that you feel you're finally making some progress here. Stay positive and I'll look forward to more good news as you implement the newest plan.0 -
Especially if you are bilateral - apnea is worse if I sleep on my back and can't get the mask to seal... So I end up sleeping on one of the LE arms. Oh well.. it is what it is..
I want to try something new with sleeves - I have only used the Juzo dreamsleeves. - any suggestions. I have to pay for them, and I am bilateral..0 -
GmaFoley, what compression level do you need? If you can get by with low level compression, Solidea makes a bilateral "slimming" sleeve that is pretty comfortable. I am supposed to be in CC2 for activity, CC1 at minimum, but these sleeves are just under that and actually work for me some - not the best, but a little compression is better than nothing I think! The Solidea LE sleeve has a full sleeve on one side and a short sleeve on the other to keep it up - has a band across the back rather than silicon or elastic top on the full sleeve, so it probably won't work well for you.0 -
Good news - I went to my LE Therapist and asked him to help me measure.. All my measurements were down except for the place and right above where I take my wrist BP at home.0 -
GMA, that is great that your measurements are down, keep on doing what you have been doing!0 -
Good news and STFU news - My Vaginal swab test came back clear.. And one of my supervisors at JoAnn's is buying me a set of Lymphadiva sleeves, just because!! I need new ones.. They are on sale for 3 for $199 right now. So got one different and will wear a plain pink one on the other arm. Picture of the one I'm getting below.
Had the transvaginal US Weds. and I am still cramping. Hopefully, it will let up soon..
Rainy week here on the mountaintop. Working my computer job then been playing Pirate101 with my friends - one in London and one in Florida - we chat on Skype while we play.
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oh, those are both beautiful!!
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Does anyone know what happened to purple32, who started this forum? Is she ok?0 -
Linda, Purple is having some health issues, not related to LE and giving her a pretty rough time. I believe she looks at posts from time to time so it would be great if we all gave her a virtual hug.
Here's mine...hey there, Purple...hope you're hanging in there, and even though I know you're spending your energy on other matters, I do think of you and I'm sending you lots of psychic energy to keep pressing forward! Hugs and chocolate winging their way to you now! --Carol0 -
(((((((Purple))))))))0
