Hats off to any that wrap

kira66715

For the Klose class, there is an online video of Guenter doing a wrap: let me look at it again, because it's really clear: it looks to me like the person stood off to the side, and videotaped the patient, who was sitting on the table, and Guenter, who was standing in front of him: and-Guenter kept up a discussion the entire time, explaining what he was doing.

It would be amazing if he ever made it public domain.....

And, I've changed up my hand wrap a bit after watching it, as I used to take a tuck between the thumb and hand, but now lay it smooth.

Kira

Anonymous

That makes sense, Kira. I think I will try it that way. Thanks!

hugz4u

If Guenter is smart he will market a dvd of step by step with talking included and I am sure we will buy it. However if he donated his time for a youtube demo I would be even happier! I have the Vodder instruction dvd and they just are not clear enough. I love detailed info and I can't find any demo that provides that. 

Tina. Good idea to video it. I don't think my girl will alow me to video but I will ask anyway as there is always a 50% chance of her saying yes! 

I really would like a smaller wrap than 4cm. My petite palm finds 4cm a big wide. 

BeckySharp

Tina--I took video holding it in my left hand as therapist wrapped my right arm.  So it was a close up of each part.  She talked through what she was doing also.  She then videoed me the next time wrapping myself.  Unfortunately I did not keep the video.  JoAnn Rovig wraps herself to demonstrate on her DVD "Self Care for Upper Extremity Lymphedema" but the DVD costs $50.  She also shows how to do MLD on the DVD.  When I bought it it really helped me tremendously as I was not getting good therapy at the time.  Good luck Tina.

kareenie

Joann Rovig also demonstrates wrapping on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWq1kP4fvtY

ohio4me

Wrapping question - is it okay to wrap only my hand at night? I have continual low grade swelling in my hand. I'm guessing it is the result of being on the computer all day. I'd like to wrap my hand at night but don't think I need the whole thing wrapped - it that a good thing to do? Or will it cause other problems?

hugz4u

When I just started to think I was getting a very mild lymphedema start up and only wore sleeves for exercise and heavy work,I burnt my whole hand. Blisters and all. My MLD girl did drainage and wrapped my hand and each finger in gauze daily for a week ( with burncreme to take care of the burn)  I had no sleeve with it.

I wore it 24/7 with no sleeve.  I am thinking that you could just wrap a hand but I hope the expert girls come on to advise you.

That was the best LE investment I ever made! 

Binney4

Ohio, since you have the tools you need to correct any missteps, why not try it and see what happens? Try it when everything else is stable so you'll be able to tell clearly if it works or not.

Here's the problem: it's your hand that's swelling, but the issue that started your lymphedema is in your axilla area, not in your hand. Theoretically, if you wrap your hand you're not addressing the real problem area, which is "upstream" from your hand. BUT, there are women who can get away with just treating their hand, at least some of the time, so it's worth a try. If you wake up with a swollen arm, get on it right away with mld and wrapping (and treat yourself to something chocolate as a consolation prize). If you don't, use the chocolate to celebrate!

If you find it works for you, you'll still need to be aware that on days when you've stressed your whole arm (mowing the yard, say, or moving furniture) or your whole system (eating pizza, say, or dealing with an approaching storm), you'll need to wrap the whole arm to head off trouble.

Hugz, ouchie! Good thing you missed a round of cellulitis on that one!

Let us know what you discover!
Hugs,
Binney

hugz4u

What good suggestions Binney! I knew you would come thru with some sound reasoning. I never thought about the arm first being involved and then the hand.  But it makes perfect sense when I think about it.

Yah, I missed the dreaded cellulitis beast that time. FORTUNATE!  I was meticulus with the germ factor.

A tip regarding burns.  Crazy story but true. If you burn yourself and you can safely stick that part of the body out car window while going to ER, the moving air creates compression and it eases the pain A WHOE LOT!

I stuck my hand out for the 1/2 hour trip to the ER. and it worked. Barely any pain. My MLD girl confirms this works when I told her. In the ER I also pressed it against a cold pak and it eased the pain. As soon as I lifted it off the pak which was warm by then, pain returned as there was no compression. Just watch your integrity of your skin.

Oh, I didn't know about Cellulitis back then but I told ER I had LE (well at risk at the time) and that is was dangerous for me to sit waiting for help as I can react to germs easily. They just looked at me and made me wait 5 hours. I elevated my arm almost the entire time, taking short breaks to rest it.  I was so scared not to.

 Binney, Confession here, While I PM'd you I ate a bag of salty chips. Should be interesting to see if I swell in the back of the arm tomorrow morn.  I am so stupid for doing that! Me dumb dumb!

Binney4

Hugz, potato chips happen! Now that you know how to wrap your arm in case of swelling you have nothing left to fear. Enjoy!
Binney

3jaysmom

good point,hugz and kira: that explains why i've had such a hard time with wrapping my hand!!!! thansk for bringing that up.. it still remains so painful bc i have neuropathy in the rght hand as well. when that swells, ouch!!!  i too, love the acromyn,Nitocris.. it fits me to a tee!!!  3jays

ohio4me

Thanks, Binney. It feels like the rest of my arm responds well to MLD, etc. with mornings being the best. There's just that little bit in the hand the remains in the AM - gonna wrap tonight and see if that gives it an extra push.

I meet with all my docs next week and I need to have my arm looking really good so they don't freak out.

KS1

Hi ohio4me, In January, my hand suddenly became swollen.  After a week or so wrapping my arm and hand with no progress whatsoever (in fact hand continued to get bigger), my therapists told me to JUST wrap my hand (24/7).  They told me to try to minimize the use of my arm.  I did this for 2 or 3 months, occasionally wrapping to the forearm during the day if my forearm got sore.  After about 3 or 4 months, my hand started behaving enough that I was able to wear a day sleeve with the hand wrapping.  Around about the same time, I took out the spacers in my night garment (a Tribute) and began to wear the Tribute OVER a gauze-wrapped hand.  

It's been 6 months of wrapping essentially 24/7, and my hand is much much better, though not quite back to wear it was before this hand flare.  I was fitted for day garments in early May, but because of a snafu, by the time they came, they were too big for me, and I am still waiting on their replacement.  

I've discovered in the last couple of weeks, I can wear a somewhat stretched out pre-flare glove for brief periods of time without swelling too much (can get the swelling down overnight by wrapping).  I have also discovered that if I am doing light activity that requires dexterity, I can get away with doing the activities with just having my fingers gauze wrapped for a couple of hours without swelling much.  (Caveat:  I wrapped my hand in 3 pieces of gauze.). 

Like everything LE-related, what does and does not work or cause swelling depends on the person and the situation.  Good luck!  KS1 

Nitocris

 Hi,

Jobst has two Posters showing a detailed wrapping sequence for arm and leg.  This is one of the many ways MLLB (Multi-Layer Lymphedema Bandaging) can be done.  One more option to try.

 http://www.jobsttilaus.fi/_includes/GetFile.cfm?id=3875115bacc48cca24ac51ee4b0e7975&FileVariant=original

http://www.jobsttilaus.fi/_includes/GetFile.cfm?id=a501bebf79d570651ff601788ea9d16d&FileVariant=original

 

I am a novice at wrapping, so besides the videos, I also needed to have a printed version to look at while I am "fighting" with the various bandages.

kira66715

Nitocris, this is a great reference--I've seen it in the Jobst booklets, but never as a web page. They list more bandages, and only show three. They do the figure of eight, which doesn't cover as much "ground" as just rolling on the bandage, but some therapists prefer it.

Thanks!

I'd love to collect all your great references and pin them to the top of the page.

Kira

Nitocris

Thanks Kira ,

The more information we can gather the better for all of us.  There is so much on the internet, that it is not always easy to see the "flaws" of some documents about LE.

So a big thank you to you and Binney for patiently watching and reviewing all these resources. 

kira66715

bump for Dawn

Estel

Thank you.

Estel

Well...made it through a couple of pages.



1) MUST.GET.CHOCOLATE.

I will not forget this.



2) I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing Binney and some of the rest of you on the TV as I watch the London Olympics. Look for me in 2016.

sandcastle

Has anyone ever ordered from LymphaDivia's??  GREAT, looking gauntlets and sleeves.....I do think I am going to order from there.....Liz

Anonymous

Dawne, I qualified for the #1 position (U.S. team) for the "Artistic Wrapping of Docs in Denial" competition. They don't usually televise the "interpretive" wrapping events, but our team will be there. It's probably best "live" anyway. Some of the other events will be televised at early morning hours U.S. time. However, Nordy will be seen as she arrives with the torch! I heard something about a group of PS's hijacking the final carrying of the torch into the stadium, so who knows. Those doctors have so much pull, it wouldn't surprise me if they wrangle the attention away from our star. ;-)




Now back to the task of wrapping and the sharing of info . .

Binney4

Tina, you think they could wrench it away from NORDY?!! Ain't gonna happen! First time anybody beat off a whole gang of attackers with the Olymphic torch--looking forward to it!
Binney

BeckySharp

Use your bandages to lasso them and tie them up!

Anonymous

I know Nordy is our champ, but those docs fight dirty!!

sandcastle

I, did order a gauntlet from LymphaDiva's this morning....a really pretty one called Sunday Picnic....it was on Clearance.....I called the order in and they were VERY nice....I am looking forward to receiving this item....which is on it's way ALREADY!!

hugz4u

Sorry  I haven't checked in lately. I have been practising for the Olymphic event of "jumping into shapewear while sweaty" I think I may win... if I could only keep my shapewear from creeping up to my neckline.  Perhaps I could get the "docs in denial" to wrap bandages around my waist to secure my shapewear properly.

Must practice Shortstretch wrapping tonight before I forget.

Has anyone been taught long wraps? My LE girl thinks that may be better suited for me than short wraps as I am mild LE. Can't remember much about it. Anyone know the difference? I will learn the long wraps technique soon.  

Binney4

Hugz, are you talking about short stretch and long stretch? Long stretch is an ACE bandage, and it's never used for LE, mild or otherwise (especially not for mild, because it can cause problems and make things not-so-mild anymore). So maybe ask her again what she means? We're always learning here, and this has me really curious!

It's a good thing we have someone good on our team for the "jumping into shapewear while sweaty" event--it gives  our team some depth. Definitely not my event! More like "wriggle into shapewear while sweaty"!

Hugs,
Binney

hugz4u

Binney, Your too cute! Let's cancel the shapewear event. I've had second thoughts because I hate shapewear!

Regarding the long stretch. I am probably saying it wrong.  I do know one thing for sure it is not an ACE wrap. My girl is an  LANA LE instructor so she would never use this.  I will have to wait until she gets back from vacation to ask her.

I know she has a different method for me in mind being that I am mild.  She first taught me short stretch wrap and I told her this might be a bit much for me unless I was in a emergency situation. She then said something like, "You know I really should teach you long stretch" or something like that.  We will just have to wait until I see her to clarify this. Now you got me wondering what she said. I know she is going to teach me something different and I will let you know.

She teaches all over the world and is wonderful.

hugz4u

Binney, Your too cute! Let's cancel the shapewear event. I've had second thoughts because I hate shapewear!

Regarding the long stretch. I am probably saying it wrong.  I do know one thing for sure it is not an ACE wrap. My girl is an  LANA LE instructor so she would never use this.  I will have to wait until she gets back from vacation to ask her.

I know she has a different method for me in mind being that I am mild.  She first taught me short stretch wrap and I told her this might be a bit much for me unless I was in a emergency situation. She then said something like, "You know I really should teach you long stretch" or something like that.  We will just have to wait until I see her to clarify this. Now you got me wondering what she said. I know she is going to teach me something different and I will let you know. She teaches all over the world and is wonderful.

BeckySharp

I would be throwing the shapewear across the field as I hate it and would win for longest throw!!!