Flexitouch fit

MiniMacsMom

So I have had my flexi for a few weeks and had the fitter out and all that.  I am wondering what your fit feels like.  She said its supposed to be pretty tight fit all over.  I have the harness system for my right arm.  I find though that when I fall asleep and wake up a few hours later, it feels to tight.  Also, with the system being fit super snugly the pump channels feel very firm.  MLD is supposed to be soft and gentle, so I wanna make sure I am doing this right.  The lady who fit it is a former Lana therapist.  

Thanks.  I have a 2 year old and I can't keep wrapped all day with food and diapers and such.  One of the lana PTs I have seen in the past used to get mad at me for non-compliance, but its really hard to comply when everything you are supposed to do ends up taking so much time  Sometimes I feel like its more harmful to keep taking my glove on and off as much as I have to, so the flexitouch is pretty great for our family.

Binney4

MMM, have the Flexi fitter come back and re-fit. You're right, it should be gentle. She should stay long enough to run through the whole arm cycle with you to assure a better fit. She may be a LANA therapist (and that's a good thing!), but she can't feel the pressure like you can, so she needs your input to adjust it. Also, have her spend enough time to help YOU learn how to adjust it. Now that you've used it awhile that skill will be easier--right at first it's just sort of impossible to take in!

I hate to say this, but sleeping in it is really NOT a good idea. When it's working it's mimicking a message, but when it's turned off it sure isn't mimicking compression garments. Any wrinkles or squashed places could easily create a tourniquiet effect and make things worse instead of better.  When the machine shuts off, take off the garments. (Hint from personal experience: do not just dump them off the bed onto the floor, because if you get up later in the dark you could, uh, trip over the hoses, which is not a graceful move.)

I'm sorry about the guilt-trip from the former therapist. Most unhelpful! Life continues to happen, and you need help finding great, workable solutions, not being tsk'ed at for what's impossible to do. Bottom line is, are you managing to keep the swelling in control. If so, that's the point. If not, we could all brainstorm with you if you'd like--there's a wealth of experience on this board!

Be well!
Binney

MiniMacsMom

I can tell that there is a little swelling, no one else can really tell.  With 3x per week mld this summer while I was getting rads in tx we had my swelling down to a 5% difference, which was great!  I know its not that low, but its mostly what I can feel not see, if that makes sense.  We haven't been measuring and I didn't get a copy of my TX measurments to know what my arm is doing.   I don't try to fall asleep it in, its more of a result because its so relaxing   Once the kiddo get full swing into his half day preschool I will prolly try to get it done earlier in the day so I can wrap before bed until I get my solaris.  I am in an pseudo appeals process to get a night sleeve, but they don't cover anyone locally, nor do they cover the place that was recommended in TX Ugh.  I do have great coverage on garments and my flexi was paid for at 100%.  I just need to get in a better routine with all of it, without having to be completely consumed by it.  I had a total of 30 lymphs removed between two surgeries and 30 rads, so this is part of my new normal

The fitter did stay the whole time, but I guess I didn't know what I was supposed to be feeling.  It just seemed weird to me that I felt like I was getting better results before the fitter came when the hubs and I experimented with it.  He, by the way, is super happy to be released from having to help me do MLD on my back every nights, so I don't think the machine is going to get to disapear