Wearing a Compression Sleeve Immediately after Surgery

capelang
capelang Member Posts: 18
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

My surgery was Tues., Dec. 3 - bi-lateral mastectomy and all lymph nodes removed from left arm.  Before surgery my surgeon had me get fitted for a lymphedema sleeve and told me to wear it when I came home from surgery to help reduce the possibility of lymphedema. 

Has anyone else had their Doctor require them to wear a compression sleeve right after surgery for prevention?  I don't have lymphedema.  I have a day and night sleeve.  The day seems to tight at this point in the game.  The night sleeve is loser (like an padded oven mit).  I have worn that in the day and at night.

I have an appt. with a lymphedema therapist/specialist in a couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

 


 

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited December 2013


    Capelang, hello and welcome! (Love your avatar! Is that your own fur-baby?)


    Sure hope you never have to join our "swell" sisterhood, but really happy you're being so proactive about this. If you were fitted for a day sleeve before surgery, it's understandable that it would be too tight this soon after surgery. Normal post-surgical swelling changes the fit of a compression garment, and a too-tight sleeve is likely to do more damage than good. The night sleeve's a better bet for now, for sure, especially since you're no doubt still resting a lot during the day.


    You don't mention a compression glove or gauntlet, but it's best always to wear one with a sleeve to prevent any fluid build-up from getting "stuck" in your hand. Here's an short article that explains why:

    http://www.lymphedivas.com/handprotection.asp


    Be careful of lifting your arm above shoulder level for the first 10-14 days after surgery, as that's the time frame for the tender lymph vessels to repair themselves so you don't want to stress them. Other risk reduction tips here:

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


    Do let us know how your appointment goes with the therapist. Rest up, heal, and be well!

    Binney

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hugz4u
    hugz4u Member Posts: 2,781
    edited December 2013

    I am just kinda excited to see that your surgeon is proactive. Still if you have any qualms about what he told you to do then you might want to ask us questions and we will compare notes. Then you can  give the surgeon a call and talk to him about what you heard. Some doctors are still a bit clueless.

    Yes a glove or gauntlet is essential. Don't be fooled by the compression sleeve ads online that just show a person wearing only a glove.

    Drinking water is a great way to keep your body hydrated and your lymph system will smile.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • capelang
    capelang Member Posts: 18
    edited December 2013

    I do have a glove.  Do I wear that with the night sleeve?  Or, just when wearing the day compression sleeve? 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited December 2013


    capelang, does your night garment have a built-in gauntlet? (comes down over your knuckles and has a divider between four fingers and your thumb). If it has a gauntlet, you don't need anything else for your hand. But if it ends at the wrist, then something for the hand is in order. You have a while before your therapist appointment, and I'd hate to think of you inviting fluid to migrate to your hand in the meantime. Some women have found this off-the-shelf product to help, as they wait for a therapist appointment and professional measurement: http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=imak+active+gloves&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=3306833811&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=361753991711779294&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_752l3urdj5_e


    The glove you were given is meant for daywear and may be too compressive for night, when you're less active. As Binney said, your night garment is probably the better option now, even during the day, because normal post-surgical swelling could be making your arm / hand temporarily swollen, and LE may have nothing to do with it.


    Lots of us were told zilch about LE or had the risks downplayed big time, so it's heartening to hear that your surgeon is helping you do what you can to reduce the LE risk. Sure hope you don't get it! My mother had every single node removed too, and then a crazy amount of rads to the axilla. That was more than 40 years ago and she has never developed LE, so there's some hopeful inspiration that it will leave you alone, too!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • georgie1112
    georgie1112 Member Posts: 282
    edited December 2013


    capelang,


    Your surgeon is great at being proactive! If you can prevent LE, it is best. As others have said, water and also movement is helpful at moving lymph. I wish I had compression after surgery and it could have helped issues I have now. Sorry, but I wouldn't feel comfortable giving any advice on compression. Except ask for another day sleeve when you are at your next checkup.


    georgie

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ziggypop
    ziggypop Member Posts: 1,071
    edited December 2013


    Wow - kudos to your surgeon. What a great idea & good for you for coming here to get more info. All the best as you recover from surgery. And if you ever do develop LE, the women here are incredibly well informed & so willing to help it just floors me sometimes.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited December 2013


    ziggy, you know that expression 'what goes around, comes around'? Well, what comes around in this forum is incredible empathy and support, and it just makes you want to send it right back out to the next person who raises her hand looking for help. I've been floored in this forum, too. I feel incredibly fortunate to have 'met' so many wonderful women here.


    Which reminds me...I just received a please-donate letter from breastcancer.org, probably because DH and I donated last year. I always look forward to mid-December when I set aside a time to decide where to send some donation money, and this year bc.org is at the very top of my list--my way of saying 'thank you' to all of you, because to me, you ARE breastcancer.org.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited December 2013

    Day and night garments work on different principles - active and passive.  Day garments are for while we are moving around - active.  Night garments are for while we are sleeping/no to little movement - passive. 

    There are different levels of compression also that can be critical to some of us.  Not all of us fit into the 'standard/normal' measurements for garments.  No 'One Size Fits All'.

    You should get a lot of better info when you have your appt with a CLET.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • capelang
    capelang Member Posts: 18
    edited December 2013

    This post was in response to a private message I sent to Binney4 last night.  Interested in any of your thoughts.  Thanks for all the responses - as I told Binney4 - It's comforting knowing someone is out there to help!


     

    Binney4, thanks for responding and giving me all the info.  It's so comforting to know that people like you are out there to help.  My goal is to eventually return the favor for others.

    After going online and doing some investigating, the "night sleeve" I was given is the

    "Solaris Caresia Arm Bandage Liner Sleeve (Wrist to Axilla).

    I matched the product number from my package that the sleeve came in to the product number shown on the website.  My sleeve has no glove/gauntlet built into it.  Just goes to wrist.  Website shows photo and infor.

    http://www.hightidehealth.com/solaris-caresia-wrist-axilla-liner.html

    Solaris makes another line called Tribute custom nightwear showing a padded sleeve with built-in gauntlet. 

    http://solarismed.com/products/tribute

    I'm thinking I was given the wrong item.

    There is a little more to my story.  I didn't tell you I'm a flight attendant and have been for 26 years.  So after my first diagnosis in 2009 (4 lymph nodes removed - same surgeon) until my second diagnosis in May 2013, I have been flying weekly/regularly for 4 years for my job with no sleeve because no-one mentioned it.  I know many other flight attendants who don't wear a sleeve because since they had 3-4 lymph nodes removed no-one has ever told them or me that the pressure change on the aircraft can cause lymphedema even if you only had 3-4 nodes removed.

    So I've been lucky and now want to have all my ducks in a row to do whatever to be proactive.  I want to prevent but I don't want to make things worse.

    Last night and today I didn't wear any sleeve.  I'm going to make some phone calls Monday to get some things straightend out.

    All my surgeon said was to get fitted for a sleeve and wear it when I got home from surgery.  I don't think he really knows about the glove and night time garmets.  The prescription he have me was for "lymphedema sleeve".  The Women's Center where I got my sleeves called his office and had the nurse practioner fax an order for the gloves, gauntlet and the supposedly night sleeve.  He is being proactive but there is a gap between him and the Women's Center.

    I didn't realize until I read on-line and from others that responded that you really shouldn't wear the sleeve alone.  If I had the correct night time sleeve with the built in gauntlet, I would just wear that for now.

    Anyway, I'm going to post this message I'm sending you and see what others have to say.

    Thanks again, you help means alot.

    Mandy

     

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • capelang
    capelang Member Posts: 18
    edited December 2013

    Hey Carol57, would you resend the link to Amazon - it didn't work.  Took me to the home page of Amazon, not the product.  Thanks for your help.

     

    Mandy

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited December 2013


    Capelang, try copying the link Carol send and paste it in your browser. That worked for me and showed a page of Imak Active gloves that are useful and reasonably priced.


    Caresia liners come either axilla to wrist, or axilla to knuckles (otherwise known as MCPs), like a gauntlet:

    http://www.brightlifedirect.com/LYMPHEDEMA-PRODUCTS-Solaris-Compression-Garments-C.asp?gclid=CJi08_eZn7sCFQqGfgodmiEAKg


    Can you trade in the one you have for the axilla-to-knuckle version? The Tribute custom garments are considerably more expensive and take longer to order, so the Caresia axilla-to-knuckle might be a better bet. Just a thought!


    Here's information written for doctors, by a doctor who has lymphedema herself. You might want to pass it on to your team, especially since he's already interested in the subject. Unfortunately, doctors have as much trouble finding accurate information about lymphedema as we do:

    http://www.stepup-speakout.org/essential%20informat%20for%20healthcare%20providers.htm


    Hope some of that helps!

    Binney

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited December 2013


    Here's a link to the glove, in size medium. I'm hoping this works for you and you can navigate from it to other sizes. http://www.amazon.com/IMAK-Active-Gloves-Medium-Pair/dp/B007JVIGHW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386478299&sr=8-1&keywords=imak+active+gloves

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories