I’m hoping some of you knowledgable women out there will be able to help me.
My husband was shown how to bandage yesterday by my MLD therapist - and yes, he was very patient and quite shocked at what I was having to have as treatment for my arm. I have 3 questions:
My arm got very itchy around the crease of my elbow and in the end I had to take the bandage off in the early evening.
The bandages had left a lot of indentations on my arm (i had that the first loose sleeve thing on, then a layer of that soft, quite fluffy stuff and then the bandages). Is that normal?
Do you normally put some cream on before you’re bandaged?
Hi Elinda,
when I had bandaging, we used ecuerin body lotion first (can’t spell, sorry!
the bandaging was very uncomfortable. the original plan was that I would wear the bandages from when they were put on, overnight and then keep them on until the next day’s appointment. I could not sleep in them and took them off before bed in the end.
the technique sounds the same, I kind of cottony sleeve, then layers of fleecy type bandage, then stretchy ones. I can’ remembe indentations but most of my swelling is in the hand.
good luck!
Rattles
Elinda, have you worn a compression sleeve before? (I know bandaging is much more intrusive) Well often when I first wore it my sleeve would drive me CRAZY at that joint, but I have grown used to it now, and it doesn’t bother me much. I wonder if this is just something that will get easier as you go on. I think the indentations may be normal–but I also think you should telephone the nurse/physio and get some feedback on your technique.
But, I have never bandaged, so take all my advice with a BIG grain of salt. Hope it gets easier–and that you get some good answers. Good luck, and let us know how you get on.
Q.
Quail - I’ve been wearing a compression for 3 .5 years now but I do know what you mean. When I first wore it I used to get rubbing in exactly the same spot I’m having problems with the bandaging but with the sleeve it’s all okay now. I can never put cream on my arm before using a compression sleeve though as bizarrely I end up with actual spots in the crease of my elbow! I had to pay privately for the bandaging treatment but you’re right, I could still contact the MLD therapist and ask - sure she wouldn’t mind. I’m also thinking that some marking must happen because of the bandaging going up the arm rather than the sleeve which is smooth.
Rattles - I haven’t tried cream first so I’ll get some of what you’ve used. I think maybe that I need to try two layers of the fleecy stuff. The whole bandaging thing is uncomfortable so definitely won’t be wearing at night. Looking at the research on this it seems the benefit is during the time that you move your arm so I don’t think there’s much lost by that but who knows!
Thanks both and really appreciate your thoughts on this.
Elinda xx