Skin reaction to sleeve/gauntlet?

mnmbeck

Has anybody ever had their arm turn bright red while wearing sleeve?  My arm is bright red from wearing it.  I also have a 'ring' around my wrist from the band of the gauntlet and sleeve being too tight (in my opinion).  I brought the first one back after 1 day.  They said it was the correct size based on measurements, but gave me a size bigger anyway.  It isn't quite as bad, but still always happening.  (like when I take off my sleeve, it looks like i'm still wearing a pink/red one).   I saw my PT today ...first time since getting sleeve/gauntlet.  My mild LE is no better....maybe even a tiny bit worse since starting to wear the sleeve.  We are trying to go without it for a couple of days  and do massage only, since the possibility of a skin reaction could make LE worse.  Right now, my arm feels tingly, and I feel like I have a little bit of truncal edema.  Bummer. 

So....has anybody reacted to the materials in the sleeve before?  I do get red like this from tape, band aids, etc.  Do they even make them in 'hypoallergenic' materials?

Morwenna

Are you allergic to Latex? I'm not sure what the elastic component of compression garments is?

I wore my sleeve and glove, and also full length compression hose (stockings) when I flew Canada to UK recently. The non-slip grippy bit at the top of the stockings caused me to blister!! But I think it was more the pulling on the skin than an actual allergic reaction. Painful though! 

My arm was OK, and the leg compression worked really well. I normally get swollen ankles, flying trans-Atlantic, but I was ordered to wear these cos I got a DVT/PE in March last year.

Kicks

You could be allergic to the material.  There are different materials available.  There are different levels of compression also that effect how they work for us individually.  See a Certified LymphEdema Therapist - not some PT.

doxie

I am allergic to the silicone band so had to get one w/o it.  I also had to go up a size in sleeves because the "correct" size caused my inner elbow area to bruise, swell, and get hot after kayaking.  Still a little too tight in that area, but not causing much of a problem.  

mnmbeck

hmmmm....my PT is actually a certified LE specialist, who has a ton of experience.  BUT, she is baffled.  My mild LE isn't changing a single bit by wearing a sleeve/gauntlet and doing massage 3 times/day.  We are wondering if it is because I am reacting somehow.  Redness is bad!  I called the place where I got the sleeve to find out if there are other materials available.  They are also baffled.  Either this isn't very common, or I am dealing with the wrong people!  They will follow up with the company and get back to me today, but not good since it is New Year's Eve.  For now, I'm not wearing it.  We shall see how it goes!

carol57

mnmbeck, it you're having a skin reaction, that's certainly a likely suspect for drawing lymph to the area, just as if you'd had a bee sting or dragged your arm through poison ivy.  So the skin problem could be what's preventing the compression from doing its job.  

My mild LE doesn't change much, ever, but in many ways I take that as a positive sign that my LE care is working, because it's not getting any worse.  I rarely swell, but I ache and get a burning feeling when the LE flares. Most often, after sleeping in my Solaris Tribute, any wicked ache is gone by morning. I put the Tribute on and it feels like a gentle hug that just nudges that lymph where it needs to go.  I can't recall without reading your earlier posts if you have a night garment (which is mortifyingly expensive, whether Solaris or Jovi), but it's another strategy to try.   If, of course, you don't have sensitivity issues to the fabric.

LE seriously stinks in how hard we have to work to figure it out and how to manage it.  I'm so sorry you're having to deal with such crazy frustration.

I'll launch the first few cyber brownies your way to help ring in the new year.  It's been a while since we passed brownies around in this forum, and New Year's Eve seems like a good time to start them going around again.  So, wishing mnmbeck and everyone else a year of heavenly brownies instead of LE bandages and garments!

Carol

mnmbeck

And Happy New Year to you, Carol!..... And all my BCO friends!!.  I wish we never had to meet  under these circumstances, but I am so incredibly grateful for all of you!

mnmbeck

stopped by the store to try another sleeve/gauntlet today.  She tried another sleeve, and we looked at alternative gauntlets.  When I changed the sleeve about 5" later, she could see redness in my arm.  She actualky took it all away from me and returned it.  She said I may need to learn how to wrap (whatever that is).  It is strange...I hated that sleeve, but I feel weird not having it as an option.  i feel like my arm looks more puffy today and now I wish I could wear it!  I have a feeling that "wrapping" is going to be a huge nightmare!  I am going to increase massage from 3-4 times a day and try to keep it elevated and drink more water.  Not sure what else I can do.  The woman called three companies about this reaction.  They all said they have seen this in women if they use a harsh detergent OR if they use lotions before putting sleeve on.  I was doing this so I stopped.  But it didnt seem to make a difference!  Ugh!!!

Kicks

You haven't been wrapped or taught to wrap?  That's usually the first step along with MLD to get the swelling down so accurate measurements can be gotten for garments.  

mnmbeck

Kicks....I think because my swelling was so minimal, she just put me in a sleeve/gauntlet.  She did baseline measurements the day we met, long before I ever had LE symptoms, so she had a good comparison.  I am so glad she did that.  I really think that she thought that this would be easy to control with compression and massage.  Unfortunately, it does not budge.  I wonder if the wrap is typically taught first around here.  The specialty shop where I got my sleeve seemed to think it was a real bummer that I would need to "progress"  to that. 

And, I can't really say that she has not diagnosed me with LE on paper.  Maybe she has.  She has just told me that current research suggests that we should not be officially diagnosing LE until a year after surgery, because there are so many fluctuations within that year. 

Oh, how I wish there was a magic cure!  I am always frustrated when I ask questions, and the answer always seems to be "nobody knows for sure." 

carol57

mmbeck, if you see your PT again, can you ask the source of that research comment?  Some of us in this forum follow the research and that conclusion does not ring a bell, and I'd love to read the study.

ShariMancuso

I have had a similar reaction to my sleeve/glove. ( Also, band aids and tape.)  I tried several brands too. I finally decided to wear my sleeve when I HAVE to like when I exercise or do house work. I noticed my arm really gets tingly or it itchy when I get hot. When I notice my arm getting tingly then I remove my sleeve. I will be watching to see if someone has found a workable solution. Thanks for sharing because I really thought I was the only one with this problem.

(The redness was not as bad after I washed the sleeve in the washing machine rather than hand washing.)

mnmbeck

ShariMancus.....I think we are a rare breed.  The companies are saying that they have seen this with people who use lotions/oils before putting on the sleeve.  But, I know mine started without any of that.  And the weird thing....I'm not sure it 'always' happened.  Did you ever dry your items in a dryer?  I never did, and now I am wondering if it may have helped (made it feel less stiff and itchy?).  I don't know. I currently don't have any compression garments.  They were all taken away.  As much as I hated those things, at least I felt like I had 'something' that might help!    I will certainly let you know if I learn anything more!!

Kicks

I don't have your problems but I can definitely feel a difference in the softness of my sleeves and gloves when they are machine washed and dried as opposed to when I have to hand washed/air.dried (not very often).

mnmbeck

I always machine washed mine, but hung it to dry.  Now I wish I could have a "do over".  I will ask if we can try again. 

carol57

The lotion part confuses me, as it seems it would help matters, not worsen them.  One of our members used to post about a product called 'calming cream' and I think it might have been a Eucerin product.  I think she used it to do just what the name suggests, to calm the skin after irritations.  I wonder if you might experiment with various lotions to try to find one that actually protects against a reaction to the elastane or whatever fiber the manufacturer is using to achieve compression.  If you were wearing an off-the-shelf sleeve and gauntlet, you might get an inexpensive set or the really inexpensive combo sleeve/gauntlet from Brightlife's Allegro line for such an experiment.  I think $30 gets you the combo, but of course if you try this, work with your therapist to make sure the size is right. 

Another thought is to try many, many more sleeves from different makers. Not to put in a plug for Brightlife, but they sell from quite a few manufacturers and they have an amazingly generous return policy.  You might look them up and call to talk with a rep, because by now they've seen it all with returns, and they might have an opinion about which sleeves seem to come back for skin reactions and which ones do not.  You might find that they have more options for you to try than your local shop.

And another thought--drying sure does make my sleeves softer than air drying that I must do in hotels. Trying on garments in a store to see if you get a reaction isn't a good trial, because they have not likely been laundered.  If you get another set to try, how about washing them and drying them several times in a row, with a non-allergenic laundry soap, before donning?

I'm grasping at straws for ideas for you, because I find this incredibly frustrating that you're not getting results from anything you've tried. 

mnmbeck

carol.....thank you for the insight.  Is Brightlife a website?  Do you know if they take insurance?  $30 sounds amazing for a set.......if I ever get back to compression garments, it would be nice to have some for less than $100+!!  I will definitely call/write to that company.  I really appreciate your help!

carol57

mnmbeck, take a look here: http://www.brightlifedirect.com/allegro-20-30mmhg...

I have the sleeve/gauntlet combo and it's not as soft of fabric as my juzo sleeve, but I find it's fine for me. I don't have sensitive skin. Also, some have found the Allegro combo (sleeve and gauntlet in one) to not fit perfectly, and some find combos to be challenging because you can't just pop off the gauntlet to wash your hands.  You'll find separate Allegro sleeve and gauntlet here, too.  In any case, if you try the product and it does not work for you, you can return it, and shipping on these little items is minimal.  I find them very  helpful so you will find a willing ear if you call.  (I have no connection to this company, really!)

mnmbeck

ok....I just checked out the website and I am not seeing anything that cheap...most are around $60 for just the sleeve.  Am I missing something?  I will go back and check again for the combo.

carol57

mnmbeck, look at the lymphedema tab, then sleeves, sort by A-Z, and you should find Allegro.  I thought the link I put in earlier would take you to a Allegro sleeve/combo page, but maybe I linked to a general page.

Try this: http://www.brightlifedirect.com/allegro-20-30mmhg...  

and http://www.brightlifedirect.com/allegro-20-30mmhg-...

and http://www.brightlifedirect.com/allegro-20-30mmhg...

You'll see mixed reviews, but for experimentation, you cannot beat the price and return policy.

mnmbeck

Found it!  Thank you so much...I also left the a message to ask if they have any ideas/suggestions. 

carol57

You are so welcome!  I hope you get some good suggestions so you can make some progress in this LE madness you're having to deal with.

mnmbeck

I did contact Brightlifedirect, and you are right...they are really SO helpful.  They are perplexed, just like everyone else.  But, maybe there will be an answer.  We will see!!