Hi lympho gang!
I just wondered what your experiences of MLD are? I have had ongoing problems with my hand. In a nutshell, a low level infection, sore hand, two courses of antibiotics, no improvement. My lymph nurse now wants to try two weeks intensive MLD and taping to try and get everything flowing a bit better. It’s quite a commitment as I work full time. I’m prepared to give it a go if she thinks it will work but wondered whether anyone had had positive (or not so positive) experiences.
Thank you.
Hi Hatts
I have mild LD in my arm and non breast area. My LD nurse did try taping on my arm when I was first DX with LD and I tried it for some time but for me it made very little difference. There is no MLD available in my area on the NHS so I found a highly qualified private lady who I see once a month and I can only speak for myself but it definately makes a difference. She also uses a machine which I believe is called a Hivamat on me which I think is an electromagntic gizmo and that also gives me good results.
Good luck, I hope you find a treatment that helps
Andie
I’m in the positive lot. First had mld and taping with physio via the NHS and it deffo worked. In the end my skin reacted to the tape and I had to stop but that was after a year!! Wonderful stuff when I had it though. Recently I have been having massage from a local lady privately and she is fantastic. She comes once a week or fortnight and gives me a really deep massage (she’s Polish and they do deeper massage there). It’s great to see the results and it does make me wear my sleeve more often like I should.
Liz
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Well that’s all very positive. Thank you. My ld nurse put some tape on last night and, fingers crossed, I haven’t noticed any aching today so that’s good. It’s all starting to peal off at the edges though and it’s getting on my nerves! I have decided to go for it and do the two weeks. Luckily BUPA will cover it and my boss is very understanding.
I found my sleeve and glove just compressed everything into my hand. I do only have it mildly in my hand and wrist. I go with the MLD and Kinesio taping. I had a lot of MLD in the beginning(3 times a week recently and every day in the beginning)but sadly i still have this swelling that wont shift. I reckon a desertspoonful. I bought some kinesio tape online so i could copy the application and do it myself. It is all trial and error and everybody does what they think is right for them. It is good getting other opinions. Good luck
Maybe an unhelpful comment, but have you tried swimming? The compression affect you get from this is as good as MLD in my experience - although mine is throughout the whole arm. Even after one swim, I noticed the difference. I work full-time and long hours, and wear a sleeve all the time. At the end of the day when I’ve been at the computer or writing, my arm is swollen and painful. My Bupa physio suggested swimming which she explained as ‘you know how many people need a wee when they go swimming?’…‘well, this is the fluid in the body being compressed and needing to escape’. Sounded mad to me, but the relief was instant.
However, I’m not as disciplined as I should be and fitting swimming in is difficult, but there is nothing better to instantly improve that horrid heaviness.
Annie
Thanks for the advice annie. My therapist is always recommending swimming but I am not very good at doing it. Like you, I work long hours and just can’t face it. I did lots of swimming in the summer (in Spain, nice and hot, nice villa, bit different!) and i think it did help. MLD and taping going ok so far. My hand does still ache from time to time though. Maybe it always will. Who knows!
I heard that about swimming too. I too live in spain with a pool, but unfortunately as a bad swimmer it didnt seem worth it. Also didnt always have time either…Hatts that would explain why we both had daily MLD at the start. Here in spain, they work on preventative treatment to eradicate costs later when/if things are bad.
it has cooled down this last week or so and I hope that will make a difference to the swelling. The heat was another reason I didnt wear the sleeve in the summer, however my arm didnt get bigger, but when i wore it my hand got worse.
Alas, I was only on holiday in Spain!
…just another thought. If you’re getting flare ups and swelling then the sleeve should be worn all the time for maximum benefit - and even in the heat, it should still be worn, and even if you think the swelling has gone down.
So, if you are finding it uncomfortable, maybe it needs to be remeasured, or it can be made in more ‘breathable’ material. It was a friend of mine who is a physio who ‘told’ me to be more demanding as it didn’t occur to me that one could actually be comfortable wearing this ‘armery’ (to quote Mary Portas’s new range of ‘tights’ for the arms!). It took me three goes before I got a sleeve that was comfortable (although I have to put it on with rubber gloves to get it over my arm!).
(and by the way, I treated myself to some black lacy Charnos arm wear to cover the compression garment for when I am wearing short sleeves and it works really well)
Good luck all
Annie