Need advice on hand

KS1

Intermittently over the past 5 or 6  weeks, I've been having increased swelling in the back of my hand, particularly between my knuckles.  MLD doesn't seem to help, but elevation does.  

I'm not sure how (or why now), but last week, the finger spacers of my Solaris sliced the webbing between two of my fingers.  I've been using topical antibiotics, and the slice has not become infected.  However, a substantial pocket of fluid is collecting on the dorsum of my hand between the knuckles of the fingers where the slice is.  I've been going garment-less day and night because even my farrow glove irritates the cut and makes the swelling worse.

 I work full-time, but have been elevating as much as possible (and drinking a ton of water).  Does  anyone have any suggestions on what else I can do?  I wear a glove because my fingers swelled when I wear a gauntlet, but maybe using a gauntlet is better than nothing?  

I'm thinking that kinesiotape might be a possible solution and, if I recall correctly, someone on the group has tried kinesiotape on the hand.  If so, I would greatly appreciate input from the person.  

It's becoming increasingly clear I need to learn how to wrap, even if it means paying for the LE therapy myself.  How many sessions do you think it would take to become proficient at wrapping? For those who have paid out-of-pocket, have you been able to negotiate a reduced rate?   KS1

kira66715

KS!--I hold fluid by the MCP joints also. And, I just tried my Solaris for the first time after my fracture, and it didn't work.

What I've done when I've had hand issues and gloves didn't help, was a gauze wrap--I have a photo of it.

I put foam "carrots" between the MCP joints when I wrap, and they help a lot.

I think, as a health care person, you'd pick up wrapping in a session or two. It's fairly straightfoward, and there are tips that help--I kneel next to the bed to use the bed to keep the bandages from getting away from me.

I'll try and put the finger wrap picture up: it tends to show up twice.

Kira

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Binney4

KS, LindaLou's pictures of her hand kinesio taping are on this page:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/kinsiotaping_for_lymphedema.htm

BUT, taping is not (at least at first) a do-it-yourself proposition. Too many errors are possible that can make things considerably worse. So maybe take that page with you when you see a therapist and ask about having her help you with that.

When you're ready to use your night garment again, don't pull the hand on too viguorously -- the spacers should just touch the webs of the fingers, but it's easy to pull them down too hard on the webs and really irritate them.

Heal quick!
Binney

Suzybelle

KS, so sorry about the issues you're having...your post just proves to me why I need to avoid my Solaris.  It always aggravates my hand and swells it up, for some reason.

I wrap every night, and it really helps tremendously, plus I am doing the kinesio tape constantly - it moves fluid like crazy.  I have stopped using compression garments totally - for some reason, they just aggravate my le even more.  My therapist says some women just don't do well with compression, just like some don't respond well to the kinesio tape.

It's just a constant experiment, isn't it?  I am so sorry about the cut and hope you are healed up and doing better soon - I would definitely try the kinesio tape to move the fluid...but you need to apply it over the whole arm in order for it to work effectively.  If you will pm me with your email addy I will send you a diagram of how to apply the tape.  It's not hard, but it does require some practice.

I would put it on here, but I am a moron when it comes to attaching photos. 

kira66715

Suzy, Binney and I met with the head of Solaris today, and I told her how it's not doing anything for my hand, and she seemed honestly upset. She told me to try a swell spot, either a dorsal or palmar on the top of the hand, and to work with her.

I told her to read some of our threads--and I did show her how much nicer the Caresia was made than the Solaris hand...

She seems truly concerned. I still don't know if that will help me personally.

Kira

KS1

Thank you all so very much for all of your help.  The solaris works very well on my arm, but it is variable on my hand.  Some mornings, my hand looks great, but others it looks not so great.  

I wash my solaris weekly as suggested.  When it is freshly laundered, it fits snugly, but as the week progresses, the outer jacket and oven mitt stretch enough in the hands that my fingers move around and go deeper into the glove while I sleep.  I was thinking that maybe if I lightly wrapped, it would stay put more and give more compression as laundry day draws nearer.  But, maybe a swell spot inside would accomplish the same thing.

Last night my arm was puffy and really bugging me and I knew I had an arm-intensive day ahead of me, so I pulled out the big guns, recruiting my husband to do the back part of MLD.  I also ran a band aid from the palm of my hand between my fingers over the cut and onto the doral surface of the hand.  And then I oh-so-gently put on my freshly laundered solaris.  This AM my hand looked fantastic - I mean really good.  Looking at LindaLou's kinesiotaping pictures, I can't help but wonder if the band aid was doing something similar.  The skin on the back of my hand is very fragile and is a bit red from the band aid so I don't think I will try it again tonight.  

I went to all of the stepup website's links to LE therapist finders, hoping to find one that is a bit more affordable, closer by and does kinesio taping.  There isn't a single LE therapist listed within 20 miles of where I work or live.  I'm a bit surprised because I live in a fairly populated area.  How complete are the listings?  Is there another source?  What about LE therapists who are LANA certified but not OTs or PTs?  Thanks so much, KS1 

kira66715

KS--My LE therapist is an LMT, and LANA certified--I pay out of pocket for her, but it's cheaper than the copay was when she was at the hospital clinic, and she's amazing and worth every penny. She has a former partner who is supposedly amazing in Manhattan, if that's close to you.

Kira

Sher

Kira, did the head of Solaris give you any idea if they had plans to change the hand part of the Tribute?  When I called them with questions about mine (which has to be remade because the hand doesn't fit right) I was told that they had changed the Caresia glove and theTribute glove to vertical channels - not sure when or how long ago this was done.  Doesn't make sense to me to have the 2 different types of Tributes with regard to the way the hand is made.  I'm leaning more toward requesting a remake in 2 pieces so I can have the better made/fitting glove.

kira66715

Sher, she said she wanted feedback, and I'll go find her card with her email, and I showed her how nicely the Caresia was made, and then held up a "slash" one piece and asked her if this in any way resembled the anatomy of my hand.

It's Kathy Weatherly the CEO, and her email is:

kathy.weatherly@solarismed.com

She wants all feedback, good and bad on all products. She was really open to talking to us and brainstorming.

Kira

Binney4

Kathy's motto is, "I don't want your Solaris stuffed into the back of your closet!" She's been great about remaking garments for me, so I know she's sincere about it. Her reaction to Kira was, "Wow! Nobody's ever told me that!" But she saw the issue at once. Go for it!
Binney

KS1

I got my Tribute in April 2010, and its channeling is on a diagonal for the hand as well as the arm portion.  I went to Solaris's website to see if my Tribute looks like the ones they are selling.  I didn't find a good enough pic to tell, but I read a few interesting things.  First, the Tribute now comes in 5 colors (alas, no beige).  Second,  they have a fingertips to clavicle Tribute.  And third, they say to replace the outer jacket every 6 months.  Has anyone heard this before? My outer jacket doesn't looked stretched out, but  maybe a new one would help with hand compression.  If I hadn't already used up my one free alteration, I would be tempted to ask them to take the hand in a bit.   - KS1

kira66715

KS--I'd suggest emailing or calling Kathy Weatherly about your issues. For me, I've never used the oversleeve, but have used a short stretch bandage over it when flying. When I told Kathy about my  hand, she suggested inserting either a dorsal or palmar swell spot in the hand, and if it worked, tack it in place. I know she really wants feedback about product issues.

We're a great research/focus group and it's a win/win situation.

Kira