Compression tank top?

Crystal, there are lots of options for breast/chest compression. I need compression at night but wear a night vest by Solaris or JoviPak (I've used both). They're quilted with directional stitching to help steer the lymph fluid out of the area, and they're stuffed with chipped foam (like a swell spot). They're reasonably comfortable and last about two years. I'm not sure a tank would be real comfortable. Mine tend to end up wrapped around my waist even during the day, so I don't know how well they'd stay in place at night.

On the other hand, if by "compression tank" you mean something like an Underarmor tank top, that probably wouldn't shift and bind as you flop around in your sleep. But how you'd keep Swell Spots in place with a tank I don't know.

JoviPak has a couple of new "swell spots" that are for armpit swelling. One of them might work for you, but again, I don't know how you'd keep it in place. Did they say anything about that?

Maybe ask about ordering night garments -- a sleeve/glove and vest. Anyplace you'd get lymphedema garments from would have to be a "specialty store," but if this one can't fit you for a night garment to address your needs, you need to find one that can. My insurance only covered one place, and it didn't handle all the LE products I needed, so I had to get their approval for a place that did. Took some time and a lot of stupid phone calls, but I now have a great fitter who knows her business.

Keep us posted, and please tell us how we can help.

Gentle hugs,
Binney

Trisha, yes, excellent idea. Would it hold a Swell Spot in place if one was needed, do you think?
Binney

I think it would.  It's pretty snug.  Sometimes I even turn them inside out if I am having a bad flare. 

I think that truncal LE is just not as known.  Mine was misdiagnosed for years, because my hand and forearm don't swell.  

Crystalphm, In the past I have worn a compression tank with swell spots to sleep. I will resort to this during a flare even now. During the more intensive phase of treatment, my LE therapist cut a medium density orange foam into a panel that ran from the side of my breast area, under my arm and slightly around back and down the side of my chest. The back part went up behind my arm. It was shaped like the side of a vest. Anyway, the foam provided firmer pressure, and I wore a tank a size larger just so I could fit one on each side. It was a PIA, not very comfortable, but it worked. Since the tank was larger, it didn't seem to rise up much, especially if I wore panties on outside. (such an attractive look, not!) Later on I wore the swell spots with a smaller size tank. I wore the orange foam and/or the swell spots with a tank 24/7 for four months, and I think it helped stabilize my LE. This is actually my current get-up for flying, and it does the job. I want to get the kind of vest Binney describes, but I am having to fight with my insurance to approve. The vest sounds ideal, but in the meantime at least you have a viable solution.



The torso is such a pain to deal with. The good thing about the swell spots under the tank is that not only does it provide extra pressure, but it can lift the edge of the tank away from the sensitive area while still providing compression. So, it may sound makeshift and hair brained, but my LE therapist is in the Phila area and highly trained. Sometimes a creative idea is what works best! Good luck in your quest to find a nighttime garment.

PinkHeart, I do exactly that - wait to put the swell spots in after security. I opt out of the scanning and go through the pat down process, so I don't want them there and have to explain. Same thing with my sleeve and glove. I will wear the tank though. I always make sure I get through security at least an hour before my flight so I have time to "gear up" in the ladies bathroom.

PinkHeart, I was wearing my sleeve & glove on a plane. The guy sitting next to me said "What are you wearing those things for?" suspiciously. I turned, looked him in the eye, said flatly: "Lymphedema from breast cancer."    "Oh" he said and didn't say another word to me the rest of the flight. 

Do you have a link to or remember the name of the camisole you liked at Target? I have trunkal LE too and keep trying to find something that works more than halfway and would hold a swell spot or similar in place. 

Thanks Kira. I think the Assets is a lower-priced line of the Spanx stuff. Yes, how did you guess I have to wear so many underthings inside out due to the rough seams?!  Anytime they do surgery on us, our skin's never the same!

Lunakin~

The camis I bought at Target are called Self Expressions and made by Maidenform.

They do have light seams on the sides; however, when I bought a "real" compression cami at a mastectomy boutique, it too had seams.  The only difference is that the straps were wider and softer so that if I also develop arm lymphedema that wider straps will probably be more comfortable. 

I bought a black and white one at Target, and need to go back to get more - hope they still have the same kind because I bought them three months ago.

How did you officially get diagnosed with truncal lymphedema?  I kept complaining at PT about getting a "fat" puffy feeling under my armpit and my right breast felt painful, though looking at breast and my side, you couldn't really see swelling.  It's hard to measure truncal LE as you can with an arm.  I don't think my PT was really aware of truncal lymphedema.  I did some research and brought in pictures and a medical article to show her.  I kind of diagnosed myself and then when I went to Mayo Clinic the physiatrist in LE clinic said yes I did.

Momine, did you develop truncal LE? Or swelling any place else?

The first thing you'd need to do is get evaluated by a qualified LE therapist, any doctor can refer you to one, and realize that quality of therapists vary, so be upfront about what they will do for you and their level of training:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

Also, here's a link to truncal LE info:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/breast_chest_trunckal_lymphedema.htm

I've been emailing a wonderful LE PhD level PT, and she finds that women often swell after/during chemo.

Please let us know how we can help, and how you're doing.

Kira

Momine, there was a paper published earlier this year, and they had a risk calculator for LE, and it was only on the web for a while,and will be up after the paper is published (the mods pinned it to the top of the thread)

One of the risks for LE was having chemo in the arm in question. It's just a risk, but it's hopefully something you can avoid--but without a port, likely they use that arm with "just" the SNB.

It's annoying is putting it mildly.

If you can elevate the left arm, hydrate and maybe do some MLD on it, hopefully it will settle down.

Kira