Would you like to share your tips on dressing/fashion for lymphoedema? I am 40 and have lymphoedema of my right arm, breast, trunk and both thighs following TUG flap reconstruction. I spend a lot of time searching for clothes, lingerie and other useful items to help me live better with lymphoedema, and thought there may be others who are doing the same. It’s hard enough most of the year, but this heatwave has made it much more difficult to dress for (and made my swelling worse…). I’m not into big floaty kaftans style wise (thanks Vita magazine!) and being a size 12-14 hourglass shape need some definition, not a shapeless tent. I find the combination of needing to accommodate all of my areas of lymphoedema, with the higher-cut soft cupped bras, and wearing a scarf to protect my irradiated skin from the sun quite a challenge. I’ve wasted a lot of money trying things that don’t quite work.
Some things which work for me:
I’ve just tried a lymphediva sleeve and gauntlet from chic compressions, and I’m amazed how much cooler (in both meanings of the word) it is than my NHS Jobst bella-lite sleeve. I’m about to order 3 more, and think I might feel brave enough to bare my arm in these. They are expensive, but they have some in a sale at the moment. I may reserve them for summer and ‘best’.
Bella-lite now comes in black (sleeve and the small handpiece/gauntlet) on the NHS. Hooray! I believe sigvaris also do a black one.
Seasalt have some useful clothes for lymphoedema- I find their Larissa shirts great, as the crinkle disguises the difference well, and means no ironing; they have been very cool to wear in this heat. Probably wouldn’t work for more severe lymphoedema though. They sell long sleeved t-shirts all year. In the autumn/winter they do some patterned ones with turn back contrast cuffs- I can wear these a bit longer to cover my sleeve completely. Seasalt also do some maxi skirts in a lightweight bamboo jersey which hide my swollen legs nicely.
I’ve just got a couple of long sleeved lightweight jersey shrugs by Linea from House of Fraser online. They are in the sale. They mean I can now use some of my pre-cancer camisole’s and sleeveless tops. Again, they would probably only work for milder arm swelling.
Some other useful non clothes items which have made my life easier:
Healthy back bags- Can be worn cross wise.
Jar key from Lakeland- Releases pressure from jars, making them easier to open, only about £3. I then use a piece of Dycem reel to finish the job.
Bionic’s elbow length gardening gloves.
I make my own insect repellent spray, factor 30 suncream and mositruisers as I’m very fussy about what goes on my skin now.
I’ve just had a load of free kit for work via the Access to Work Scheme- You can self refer, just google them to get the phone number for your area. It’s a government scheme to help people with disabilities in the workplace. The kit is free if your employer has under 49 employees, and they part pay if they are larger (unless you’ve only been there 6 weeks I believe). I had a very useful OT assessment, and have now been given special pens, a writing slope, an easier keyboard, phone headset, a special chair with armrests, and some more specialised equipement for my particualr job. It has made my life a lot easier (though I do have problems other than lymphoedema including peripheral neuropathy and restricted chest/should and hip movement).
Biggest Problem area I haven’t sorted:
I can’t find a suitable bra. I need a non wired, moulded/padded one with higher sides, as I need to disguise some minor asymmetry postreconstruction and didn’t get on with a partial prosthesis. I’m using Royce’s Chloe, but my lymphoedema nurse wants me to find one with higher sides. I’m a DD, which limits the choices further, as many styles stop at a C or D. I’ve just got an Under Armour sports bra via Amazon which is fine, but the neck line is too high for most of my tops. I’m awaiting delivery of a Moving Comfort Luna sports bra from Less Bounce, but found their cup too small in my usual size- I’ve ordered one a band size up in the hope that the cup will then fit, but I’m not very hopeful, as the back will probably be too big. So any other bra suggestions would be gratefully received please.
Life post breast cancer is very complicated isn’t it?!!