ALL THINGS Gloves and sleeves
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it’s been 3 days. I love this sleeve. If feels good. It looks awesome.
Is there any reason I should shop the lymphadivas seconds sleeves? I have some cash (thanks Aflac!). Should I wait longer to see if I still like it
For reference... I have 6 or 7 pair of prescription glasses. And another 6 or 7 of prescription sunglasses. I have 20+ cloth masks .... so it would be right up my alley to deck out the arm.
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NotAsCalm - Lots of people are very happy with Lymphadivas sleeves. I tend to be impetuous too, but you might wait and wash it a couple of times first.
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If any of you have a design you like....let me know! I need to spice things up. There are so many I can’t choose
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minustwo that is sage advice.
How often do you all launder your sleeves? B
up till now I’ve only had temporary ones, so PT just have me new ones...Kathabus- I got the cyborg one. It is phenomenal.
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NotAsCalm - I hope someone else will weigh in on washing. My LE is breast & truncal. So although I wear a compression bra 24/7, I only wear my sleeve when I fly or do repetitive jobs.
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I have a sleeve and glove that I wear for outside work only. Then I have a separate set that I wear to sleep in. Yet another set for daytime. The sleep set gets washed the most infrequently. The other two sets once a week. I read that you get the best compression for the first six months or so. I tend to need less compression at night so I think my gameplan will be to rotate those sleeves that aren't as "good" into the sleep set to save money.
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minus 2.....that is maybe what I have because only my upper arm seems to fill and I swear I can "feel" thickness under my armpit and even on left trunk side. I honestly feel do better with just upper arm in an ace bandage and I do not get anything in my fingers. That seemed to baffle the physical therapist. It scares the sh** out of me because armpot swelling was how I caught the recurrence. 2 doctors who I saw just sai, oh thats normal after surgery ( 2 yrs earlier).
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I have been wearing a plain Juzo sleeve and gauntlet for a few months. I do want to get a "fun" one next time around. Trying to decide if I should stick with juzo (they have some fun designs just not as much as lymphediva) . Now that warm weather is upon us, people will certainly see the sleeve more so I have to decide how strong a statement I want to make. Of course, people will see the sleeve whether it is plain tan or funky, so I guess the point is, we might as well have some fun (?). Wear it, be loud and proud
So Two things -looking to know if people like lymphediva , though many people here say they do.
And - at the end of the day, I often have indentations in my arm from the sleeve. My pt doesn't seem too worried , but it does concern me a little.
And to share about washing: I hand wash my sleeve and gauntlet every other day. Seems to work and dries quickly.
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My issue is mainly in my hand. After I shower in the morning I put on the clean day sleeve + glove, wear it all day, take it off and put on the night sleeve + glove when I get in bed. The next morning, I put on the day sleeve + glove I wore the previous day and go for my daily walk. When I get home, I wash it by hand with baby shampoo since the sleeve manufacturer (Medi) specifically told me to NOT use Woolite and recommended baby shampoo as an alternative. I then hang it to dry and take a shower and then put on the other day sleeve + glove after my shower.
The brand of night stuff I have is Sigvaris and the inner foam part can detach from the sleeve part that has the velcro, so it is easier to wash and faster to dry if I take the foam out of the sleeve. I wash the night stuff in my washing machine but put it in a sweater/bra bag so it doesn't get caught on stuff. Also, I wear a cotton undersleeve with the night stuff, so I don't actually wash the sleeve stuff that often because the cotton undersleeve mostly protects it and I just wash the undersleeve as needed. I did buy a huge roll of cotton stockinette on Amazon so I can just cut off a new piece to use as an undersleeve whenever I need a new one. I do go through more undersleeves per week during the summer when it is hotter, but I have a fan aimed right at my bed with a remote control to turn it on/off as needed without needing to actually get out of bed to do that. I think the fan was the best $50 I ever spent at Target lol
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so you wear the sleeve for a day and a half and then wash it. Correct?
The plan is I will wear the sleeve when I fly (rare), change altitudes (infrequent), and when I exercise - so a few hours a day, tops. I do not wear it to sleep. If I’m not sweaty I assume your day and a half might equal a week for me.
I will keep you all informed of how washing goes, and if it effects my enthusiasm.
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NotAs - Since I'm always freezing in airplanes (and have sweaters or jackets on top) I don't wash the sleeves every time I fly. I do wash the gauntlets since those get contaminated by everything.
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washed the sleeve and gauntlet for the first time yesterday. Still feels good...
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Thanks for reporting back in.
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since insurance will cover two sets (maybe every 6 months or each year🤷🏼♀️) I am also ordering a gauntlet and glove in solid black and this sleeve; https://lymphedivas.com/nightfall-arm-sleeve/
I may pay for some of the “seconds” sleeves out of pocket just to be able to mix it up once I am out in the world more. I’d like to keep one at work and at least one at home.Right now I’m wearing it for such a limited time, and mostly in my house having just 1 works fine.
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Oops, sorry I didn't reply sooner, but I don't come to this website that often.
You should really wash your daytime sleeves every time you wear them since the oils in your skin cause the sleeves to break down faster, so if you wear them multiple times without washing in between, I think your stuff might not last as long as it otherwise could. Also, the replacement schedule totally depends on your personal situation, so you should discuss it with your lymphedema professional. In my situation, I guess my tissue is a lot firmer than many people's to begin with (on non-affected arm), so I need a higher amount of compression and also the amount of time I wear my daytime stuff is much more than the average because if I don't wear it literally all the time, bad things happen, so instead of 2 sets lasting ~6 months, my lymphedema specialist said I should get 2 sets every ~3 months to ensure the right amount of compression is maintained.
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I have been advised to get a low-compression sleeve to wear for air travel or when I plan on exercise, etc. I'm having trouble finding a fit in off-the-shelf sleeves because I inherited my grandmother's arms. (Thanks, grammie!!
) I have small wrists and lower arms, but my upper arms are not proportional. Unfortunately it seems that off-the-shelf sleeves are made for normal people which excludes me. If I find one that will fit my small wrist and forearm, the top is definitely too tight. I hesitate to get on the custom garment train because of the expense and aggravation of trying to get something that will work for me. To add to my physical issues, I am extremely "compression adverse" and can't tolerate ANYTHING tight on me anywhere. I'm worried that I just won't be able to wear compression sleeves/gloves. Sorry for whining, but all this crap just gets overwhelming sometimes, ya know??
If anyone here has a similar issue with the weird arm thing, can you tell me if you found any off-the-shelf solution? Thanks in advance.
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Your lymphedema therapist should have some ideas! I had to get a custom one because my arm/fingers are too short. Ha.
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Thanks, 'Keets. It seems that we "less than perfect" people always get the short end. (And that was not a dis to your arm/fingers!!! Haha!) The LEPT wasn't very helpful; she gave me info on some off-the-shelf brands that didn't work. Truth is, I don't wanna wear the damn things anyway so I'm peeved.
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If your lymphedema is mild you can probably skip it? I try to wear my sleeve on planes but when I forget, nothing happens. I rarely wear it at home either. Exercise controls most of the swelling. I hate the sleeve too!
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We should start a "LE Rebels" thread where everyone who's non-compliant and living on the edge has to confess.
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I have the custom flat-knit sleeves that I wear from the time I get up to bedtime and wash them every time I wear them. It takes less than 5 minutes - wash with soap, then 2 rinses or until water is clear. Roll in a towel then hang to dry. The first water is filthy but I'm not sure whether that is from skin oils or the fabric itself.
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I have a question. I have had lymphedema for about eight years and since Christmas I have had a flare. I have tried massage by a certified PT in lymphedema: I tried a week of wrapping with no change. I saw Dr Wei Chen this last week for a consult and he said I should be wearing class 3 day time garmets. When I told the women who I have gotten measured and ordered my compression garmets from she said she had NEVER (she bolted in the message to me) ever seen anyone with upper arm lymphedema need class 3.
I’m just looking for input!!
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Runner is it possible your doctor is trying to aggressively slow your flare? Perhaps you could send a message to their office for clarification. Sorry I cannot be of more help - hopefully someone else who has had this experience can add in. I would say if you are concerned with the class 3 level, you could always try a lower level first and see if you respond.
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hi there. I have been in a class 2 and it seems like it just won’t contain it. I think he was trying to say maybe based on the fact I can’t seem to get it reduced I should be in class 3. I guess I’m just curious if anyone with upper arm lymphedema has used class three since my fitter was acting like what he said was never done.
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I never had a conversation with my PT about class 2 or class 3, just the size 30-40 for example. What is the class size?
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Homemom--the 30-40 is the amount of pressure the sleeve exerts. Here's some info...
Sleeve measurements vary depending on the pressure, in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), that they place on the arm. In the United States, compression sleeves for lymphedema have the following categories:
- Class 1 sleeves exert 20–30 mm Hg of pressure on the arm.
- Class 2 sleeves exert 30–40 mm Hg of pressure.
- Class 3 and 4 sleeves are custom order levels, and they exert 40–50 and 50–60 mm Hg, respectively, of pressure.
In the European Union, the classification system is different:
- Class 1 sleeves exert 18–21 mm Hg of pressure on the arm.
- Class 2 sleeves exert 23–32 mm Hg of pressure.
- Class 3 sleeves exert 34–46 mm Hg of pressure.
- Class 4 sleeves exert a bit more pressure than class 3 sleeves.
The sleeve should provide even compression and not bind at the wrist or elbow. There should not be any areas of numbness or tingling due to the sleeve.
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Hello everyone. I thought I'd mention that several websites are having Labor Day sales on LE sleeves and other garments. Check this thread for info... https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/64/topics/883253?page=1#top
Also thought I'd mention that I have been plagued with that "baseball in my armpit" feeling since my ALND last fall and I finally bought myself a "swellspot". I got it yesterday and put it into my bra under my arm this morning and was AMAZED at the immediate relief. I was so skeptical of these things but I have to say this is the best money I have spent lately! If you have issues in the axilla (or other random spots), please do try a "swell spot." This is the one I purchased; it is shaped like a large kidney bean...
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Hello. I would need an advice. I have hand and finger lymphedema (started a month ago). My fingers are long and thin and my palm is a bit wide. I tried Mediven Harmony size 2 and 3 but it doesn't fit. Can you recommend me a glove with longer fingers and not too tight at palm? Lymphedivas maybe? Haddenham microfine glove? Exosoft glove? I'm not in USA, and in my country there is Mediven only. I must order online so it's hard to guess which glove to choose.
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You'll probably need a custom glove. I'm in the USA and a Mediven rep always measures me for my gloves and sleeves. The standard sizes don't fit me either.
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Thank you, dear parakeetsrule.
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