question about hand swelling

Cathy, hands are HARD--and if the compression garment isn't just right--the sleeve can push more swelling up into the hand. And, some people do worse with more compression, and a good glove requires an experienced fitter.

If you just wear the glove for a bit, how is your hand?

My swelling is mostly in my hand, and it took awhile before I got the right custom glove to really help. At first I had to put pads in either the palm or the top.

I don't tend to wear sleeves, but when I do, I sometimes get swelling up by the knuckles.

I do wrap at night, and typing right now with a wrap isn't easy--writing would be even harder.

Can you make it through tomorrow wrapped and then reach your therapist for next week.

Have you seen the SUSO page on well fitting garments?

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

It will get better once you tweak the garments. Please let us know how you're doing.

It does sound like you're doing a great job getting this under control. 

Kira

I agree.. Hands are hard. That's my biggest challenge too. I wouldn't recommend it long term, but in a pinch I have gone without through the school day and wrapped as soon as I could after school to try and move the fluid out before I go with nothing again the next day. I have also done a mini-wrap on just my hand at lunch & recess then unwrapped for whatever I needed to. My issue is typing. The bandages hit the keys.

Teacher, wrapping is a very steep learning curve, for sure. In fact, there are some of us here (ahem!) who have been known to fling bandages across the room (and end up picking pet fur off of them when they unfurled themselves all over the carpet--so while you're learning remember to vacuum before each attempt!)

I doubt it's a problem of not trying hard enough, but it sure is something that takes time and a lot of effort to learn. On the other hand, once learned it gives you a tremendous sense of freedom to live your own life again. Actually kinda makes you proud! So it's well worth the trial to learn it. I hear you on having to do it with your non-dominant hand, and that does make it even more of a challenge. But it CAN be done. Eventually even I learned to do both arms (though I still get confused having to do first one arm then the other -- mirror-image processes!)

This is no small thing. But you can do it! Onward!
Binney

Cathy, I sit in the middle of my bed when I wrap so the stupid things don't get away. Some of the women kneel beside their bed or sit at the kitchen table and lay their arm flat on it as a way of corralling the bandages.

I'm so sorry about the swelling today! Very crummy, but TGIF! 

Nope, NOT gifted! More like desperate.
Happy weekend anyway!
Binney

Teacher:  Off topic a bit. As  teacher you probably write/mark alot. I only wear a sleeve/ glove and know the awkwardness of trying write/print tidy.  This is what gives me better pen/pencil control. I hold the pen/pencil between 2nd/3rd finger and pinch the other side of the pen with my thumb.  Get comfy with it. practice, try titling your paper around a bit if you can't see your writing.  I read about it on the "handwriting for heros website". It has improved my horifying lettering.

Teacher: We all get frusterated with this LE stuff,  Try and not to  be so hard on yourself. Remember those training wheels you had when you where 5. Guess what!  Eventually you took them off and darn it anyway you COULD ride that bike.

Hi, about wrapping, here is a 17mn video in which JoAnn Rovig demonstrates how to self-bandage an arm for lymphedema.

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

 My first lymphedema therapist was also certified for therapeutic horseback riding for handicaped children and she explained that you hold your rolled bandage and wrap your arm the same way you do for a horse leg. (I was wrapping the wrong way)

 Here is a video;  "How to put on a polo wrap"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXsnjlC7B8Y&feature=related

Keep up practicing, it will get better.

Hi,

I realized that I put the wrong link for the JoAnn Rovig video.  I corrected my previous post, so now the link is the correct one.  Sorry

 Here is another short video: "How to bandage wrap the lymphedema arm". About 9mn long with a 2mn sequence showing Hand/fingers wrapping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSBwkGWUcHA&feature=related

 Kira, thanks for the J.Zuther link. My daughter used to ride too, but we made a deal that I would take care of the dogs and she would take care of the horse.  So, I never got into the bandaging thing.  For my hand, I use the glove when exercising and flying and I do fingers/hand exercises throughout the day.  I keep small balls of various sizes and textures by my computer and do some exercises while working.  For the moment, that seems enough to keep the swelling down.

Take care

Cathy, just a thought, but I sure wouldn't rush into a Flexitouch if I were you -- it's a good tool for some things, but not especially helpful for hand swelling, IMO.

Forgive for not knowing this if you've already mentioned it, but have you learned to wrap yourself? Important tool to have in your own control.

Was your therapist able to get the swelling out of your hand? Usually that would happen before ordering another glove. Just a thought.

Hugs,
Binney

When my hand bothers me and swells too much I go to wrapping 23 hours a day. If the wrapping doesn't take it down the first 23 hours I add a something to put more pressure on it and it always works. Usually for a week but sometimes 2 weeks. le hugs jinky