Seeing a LE therapist Friday. What should I know/ask?

My first LE therapist retired several years ago. She taught me manual drainage and also taught my husband how to do that on my back. I had stayed somewhat stable with some flare ups and there was not anyone anywhere close to us so I have not seen anyone about it for about 5 years. Last fall I had a bad fall and broke it with my LE arm. It turned out that I had a partially torn rotator cuff. I never have been able to get my arm down to it's pre-fall size and have found that at a hospital only an hour and a half away that they now have an LE department. So Friday I will go up there and meet with them and see what they suggest. I only wear a sleeve and gauntlet during the day and do nothing at night. I just wondered if there is anything that I should be asking about as far as techniques I should get trained in, equipment I should ask about or anything else in general that has come along in the last 5 years that might make managing my LE more manageable. Thanks!

Thanks Binney. I met with her and my arm is definitely in need of more management than just me at this point. No cording, no fibrosis but definitely has increased from initial diagnosis and where I was the last time I saw a therapist. Anyway, she is going to have me wear a Wear-Ease compression t-shirt to help getting the swelling down in my upper chest, back, lower back and upper arm. I think she must have seen the look of terror in my eyes when she said I needed to wear it during the day. She said if I couldn't tolerate it in the heat, to wear it at night. She also told me she is going to teach me to wrap and when we get the swelling under control she will measure me for a night garment. I can't remember if she said it would be a Solaris or a JoviPak but it is one of the two and she said it will be like having a cast on your arm. She will also measure me for new sleeves when this is all back to manageable. She said a lot has changed since I last saw a therapist. I start seeing her three times a week for two weeks in a little over a week. Again, thanks for the advice.

wow cowgal! You have really takin the bull by the horns (pun intended) and jumped in to manage your LE. That's great because now you can control it instead of the other way around. That said you might have some bumps along the way but if you give us your dilemmas we can help you. Our LE master binney is such a great resource and although I'm not on the boards as much as I use to be ill hop in before I go on holidays to check up on you if you indeed do post.

I'm told wear ease is a fantastic product. Spendy but at least your not paying for a garbage product like I have done so many timesbefore. I should just bite the bullet and buy one.

Just checking in whilst on holiday. My LE therapist is my fitter to and is pro Jovi because she likes the way the lines are sewn in the direction lymph flows. The developer of Jovi has lymphedema herself and has created a good design.

Solaris products look really soft and look easier to put on. I love the zipper idea and when I suggested it my fitter look dumbfounded at me. Never heard of it but she was new at fitting so I didn't push for it. Jovi is stiffer but my Jovi jacket with sleeve is thinner and quite streamlined. Ugh it's like buying a car, so many variables. Actually my old car cost less than my jovipak.i guess that's why I'm not driving a fancy pancy vehicle.

Let us know how it's going. Wrapping sucks but it sounds like your doing what your suppose to do and that spells success.

Here is a pic of my holiday destination. So beautiful it will make you forget you have LE...we'll maybe for a minute

Yes it is. What a nice place and to think it was a cement quarry at one time. After our visit we stayed at upisland area then whistler. Beautiful time. Lots of hiking.great news, my arm hasn't flared here at 4000 feet😉 But my trunk and breast felt a bit fuller. Once I got walking it tamed it down.