How often

mokenagirl

How often

mokenagirl

do you NOT wear your sleeve or glove? I wear mine all the time. I am considered Stage 0. I do not do the massages. I wonder what would happen if I ditched the sleeves and gloves during the day. My dr said it is recommended that I wear it 23 1/2 hours a day, but she knows most of her patients don't. I really would like to not wear it with short sleeves.

Barb

Marple

mokenagirl~you shouldn't be wearing a sleeve/glove while sleeping.  The sleeve can twist or buckle and cause uneven compression while you are asleep and unaware.  Sleeves and gloves are to be worn during the day.  There are garments for night time wear, or wrapping.  Neither of which you may need.

(Whoops, edit to correct my spelling of your name.)

CherylG711

I wear a sleeve and glove while exercising except for water aerobics since the water is natural compression.  My "oven mitt" aka Jovi night sleeve is worn about 3-4 times a week just depending on how my arms feels.  Because of hot flashes, I typically don't make it through a whole night with the Jovi on.

You need to find what works for your situation.

Cheryl

kira66715

Barb, the Nicole Stout study that showed that women with stage zero LE could be controlled and possibly reversed with compression garments had them wear them "daily"--while awake.

The article is a free link: here's the paragraph where they discuss the garments:Early Intervention

When women were diagnosed with LE, a conservative compression intervention was introduced. We hypothesized that light-grade compression garments worn daily for a short trial would alleviate subclinical LE and eventually could be discontinued. The garment provided was a Jobst (BSN-Jobst, Inc., Charlotte, NC) ready-made, 20- to 30-mm Hg compression sleeve and gauntlet fitted by the physical therapist. Two patients required custom-fitted garments because their limbs exceeded in length the size range of ready-made garments. Garments were prescribed for daily wear, and women were advised to follow-up for repeated measures in 1 month. No activity limitations were placed on the patients for the duration of the intervention.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.23494/full

I would agree with Sharon that daytime garments are not meant for nighttime use: did you doctor give you a time frame for how long she wants you in them?

I know some LE specialists, in some cases, will have women wear them at night, but that's not how they're usually used.

Carol posted this huge article on compression garments on the flying thread--it's incredible.

Kira

jinky

A few years ago when I was stage 1 ( arm/hand swelled, then went down) I only wore my sleeve and glove when I used my arm, not smart....ended up with stage 2 and now I wear it every day and some nights..... a nightime garment.....doing well now.....le hugs jinky

lago

Initially my LE MD said to wear mine at least 6 hours a day. I now wear it all the time when I'm awake. I have some thickness now and it hasn't gone away. I especially wear it when it's humid or working out. I also wear it one the other arm when doing strength training or flying. The other arm hasn't been diagnosed but I do feel heaviness at times. My LE arm I believe is a stage I.

Once in a while in the summer if I'm going out to some place special I might not wear the sleeve. My LE PT told me she knew I was compliant because she could see the tan line and I don't sit out in the sun. This is just from walking around all summer. My left arm was glowing white.

ALittleBitBritish

Wow, the study is interesting and Nicole Stout is actually my LPT!  I am down to 1% and she said I can wear my sleever intermittently now. I wear it for working out and 3 days a week at work.

I wear lymphadiva sleeves or Jobst.

 My hand doesn't swell so I leave the gauntlet off.

Ali 

Binney4

Barb, hello!

Do you have a lymphedema therapist? And have you learned how to do Manual Lymph Drainage massage? Even at Stage 0 it's a major advantage to have an evaluation by a well-trained lymphedema therapist. Especially at Stage 0, in fact, because that's when you can most easily head off progression and infection and make everything easier to handle moving forward. If you don't have one, here's information about how to find one near you (any doctor on your team can write you a referral for an evaluation):
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

If you already know how to do MLD, that alone might give you some freedom from wearing compression garments all the time. But the determining factors about when to wear them have to do with how your arm feels (tingling, achiness, heaviness, just feeling "funny"), what activities you're doing (travel, exercise, any unusual activity), and possibly other factors like a salty meal or an approaching storm. Sadly, those things can happen whether you're wearing long sleeves or short ones, so that's not really a factor. Wish it was! <sigh!>

Be well!
Binney

mittmott

Do not sleep in your sleeve.  I made that mistake and woke up with a hand so swollen, I didn't recognize my own hand...  I have since had a night garment made.

Galsal

Although very new to it, have worn the sleeve/glove during the entire day that I'm up and into the evening some.  Will be glad to get a gauntlet so I can type normally! 

mokenagirl

Thank-you all for your feedback. I left a message with my PT (I haven't seen her for a year) for her input. I didn't know your not suppose to sleep with the sleeve.

snorfia

I'm not sure this is really the best way to go, but I have started only wearing my sleeve and gauntlet when I measure 1 cm greater on the lymphedema arm than the other arm.  Also taking into account how it feels - if I'm having pain, I'll wear the sleeve/gauntlet anyway. Also taking into account if I have a very active day ahead. I do wear truncal compression every day (unless my garments didn't make it through the washer) So far things are staying in check with this system.