compression pump

I got my Flexitouch pump for my arm a month ago. It is great having it at home and able to use it daily instead of having to go to PT 1-2 times a week. I hope yours is successful for you.

Thank you both! I had an appointment and told them about the machine and also getting a new lymphedema specialist. This site is my saving grace

Please my flexitouch pneumatic pump doesn't pump the lower half of the breast where the swelling is more concentrated neither does it pump the axilla. I have trunk and upper limb garment. The trunk is working fine even though I noticed that it works more on the groin of the unaffected side than that of the affected side. The chest garment is always hard to put on for it to lay flat on the shoulder and touch the upper chest. I don't want the unaffected breast to be pumped but that's what the pump does. Two trainers from the company tried to help set it up but I know something still isn't right. I called the helpline but nothing came out of it. Please any suggestion to make it work on my breast and for it not to stimulate the normal breast? I watched videos about how to put it on but the garments used in the demos doesn't look exactly like mine.

Thank you.

I got mine in Feb 2020. I too have had so complaints and they tried to fix it by sending me a vest which is better than the arm-chest garment that I was using before. There are still some issues even with that, it still cannot massage the lower breast region where my swelling are located. I did it lying down to see if it will be better, but it's not. The vest did a better job however. So I have come to conclude that it's for daily maintenance to keep it from progressing. If you have significant pain and noticeable swelling, you still need to see your LE Therapist, once it's controlled, then you can go back to daily maintenance. Flexitouch is better than nothing. So I use the vest for my chest, then use the arm-chest garment for my arm, forearm, and fingers. At the moment, I am having a flare, so I'm seeing the therapist. Hope this answers a bit of your questions. Do stay safe.

Yes ma'am. That is the vest and I also have the upper arm and core garments that I use for my arm, forearm and fingers. Take whatever garments you are given and your PT knows what to prescribe for the breast swelling.

My PT has been using an instrument on me that works so well. Basically what it does is that it pinches a small portion of the skin at a time, more like pulling up the skin to aid movement of the lymph underneath. It works like magic. Usually I see her once a week and I'm able to maintain it with flexitouch pump until the next appointment. I did missed a day or two of flexitouch and I am still fine by the time I go for my next appointment. She called the instrument lymphitouch (I don't know the spelling) and it's old name was physiotherapy touch. She said it's made in Finland. You can ask if your PT has it. My former PT didn't have it.

Hope this helps.

I started using a "Sequential Circulator" for the Right arm at home. Now looking for how to self measure since I probably will not be seeing the therapist as frequently ,since she thinks I am am managing it well, even though it goes up and down . I usedtodo manual massage 2x/day, and need to get back to that.

Has anyone found a "user friendly" measuring tape to help with self-monitoring? I find perception unreliable. My left hand is just too clumsy to measure the right arm. I see some tapes measures on amazon geared towards body builders that let you snap the end into a lock. They are cheap, but maybe an answer. Probably won't see the therapist as often . Any experience out there with laser therapy or surgical node transfer? Are they just temporary relief? I think there is more than one forum for lymphedema, so might post this on those as well.

Castigame - Good news that it is no cost to you. Expecting my new pump system, Tactile Flexitouch today. Decided to go ahead and purchase since I met deductables/catostrophic, even though I will only pay 15%of cost, it is spendy. If I waited till next year and had to pay almost full cost, I do not think I could afford it. I have not tried self measure with the myotape yet. This article suggest that self measure is not accurate as perometer. But I think I am more interested in general monitoring rather than actual numbers, because I find self perception unreliable.