Question about support stockings

[gbn_]

Hello. It's been a while with posting. I have been wearing support stockings since last November after arriving home from the hospital, for almost 10 months now, they have always been a struggle, and it's a bit tough to wear shorts with these knee-high's, I usually wear long pants outside to hide them, but with this hot weather, it's not too comfortable, and with looking at my legs below the knee, they seem to have become discolored a bit, I don't know if it's because of the stockings or not, but I would like to maybe get some sun on them, so today I'm thinking of just putting on my "pre-afib" usual ankle high white socks and wearing shorts outside for the first time in a long while. I know that the support socks are meant to help with swelling and better circulation, so I'm hoping that taking my medications (it's still furosemide, bisoprolol and xarelto) will keep things in check with that. Also as a side note, I've incorporated into my daily menu about 5 ounces of beet juice, I've grown to really like it. Still struggling with the usual weight issue with being about 8 pounds heavier, and I'm now thinking about giving up or cutting back to just 1 teaspoon of my natural nut butters on whole grain crackers (I usually eat about 6 crackers in with my morning breakfast) but I could cut it back to 2 or 3. I still weigh myself daily and have settled with being around between 167 and 168 lbs. after going to the bathroom and stuff like that. The natural nut butters are either peanut, almond or walnut with nothing added to them and usually salt-free.

[Tapanac]

I found I couldn’t wear those support stockings. Apart from the struggle of getting them on, when I took them off a lot of skin went with them, so I have left them off. In hospital the nurses help with them, but I also found it painful on my legs putting them on and off.

I don’t know about the discolouration. Could it be they are too tight and if those hospital stockings should you wear them constantly?? Maybe ask your doctor?

I’ve never had nut butters. I’m assuming they are something like peanut butter we get here which is very fattening. All I would say 8lbs is not too overweight

All the best. I know I’m not much help sorry

Pat x

[gbn_ in reply to Tapanac]

Hi Tapanac. Thank you for the reply. Yes, the socks are quite hard to get on and off. These are the compression type socks that are prescribed. I believe they were just totally too tight, and almost painful. I have recently tried a few different brands that are compression that I have been seeing at several stores here, tried a pair and have found them to be much better overall, and much less money, but I would still like to take a break from wearing them all the time. It seems like that extra 8 pounds or so went straight to my middle.

[Tapanac in reply to gbn_]

Oh don’t worry too much. I don’t know how old you are, but unless very lucky elderly either go very thin or the other way!! As long as it doesn’t push on your heart I’m sure you’re just as lovely as ever!

Regarding the stockings. Yes leave them off maybe every other day (?) or for a while but trying to raise your feet above hips while sitting down and wiggle your feet snd ankles

I know the feeling about weight. Since I’ve been on all my tablets and also brain tumour surgery I can never find anything to wear on my wardrobe! They’ve all shrunk ! Huh my husband said his have all stretched…….

Best wishes

Pat xx

[Desanthony]

Hope your lower legs enjoyed the freedom and fresh air. I would think it is OK to leave them off for a few hours during the day when you are moving around now and again. Don't know how you can stick wearing them for that length of time. I could only just manage with the 6 weeks post surgery I was told to wear them for and was only too glad to get rid of them. It wasn't so much the struggle of getting them on but the time it would take too.

[gbn_ in reply to Desanthony]

Hi Desanthony. It's been a struggle. I had them off for a good part of the day and it was great.

[ibuputih]

Oh my! You deserve a medal for putting up with wearing those disgusting things for so long. I had to wear the full length version after knee surgery while living in the heat of the Middle East, and then again for a prolonged length of time after knee replacement. I ceremoniously burned them once I was ‘free’!

Are you wearing the white TEDs ? I read that they were not designed for full time wear - only post surgery. I think if I was told to wear them full time I would invest in one of the cage things that they use in hospital to stretch them on.

If you can ‘graduate’ to compression socks (they come in different strengths of compression) they sell them in a variety of colours. They are knee length, but might be more acceptable to wear with your shorts?

[gbn_ in reply to ibuputih]

Hi ibuputih. They gave me a pair of the TEDs in the hospital, but they didn't wear too well, soon had a hole in them. These socks are the knee length that you mention. I have since tried different ones, same type and length with slightly less compression, but still tough to get on and off. Was told to wear them to help with circulation from my afib.

[Cavalierrubie]

Apples are good for water retention. Make sure, when you have a sit down, to put your legs up. Take care.

[gbn_ in reply to Cavalierrubie]

Hi Cavalierrubie. Currently munching on an apple, with my feet up too!

[Cavalierrubie in reply to gbn_]

Bless you. I have just bought some support stockings but will try them in the winter! Take care.

[Cavalierrubie in reply to gbn_]

Ps. Get some pure apple juice. Works for me.

[Cavalierrubie in reply to gbn_]

Me again! Celery and bananas are also natural diuretics, but apples do it for me. Have a happy day.

[gbn_ in reply to Cavalierrubie]

Thank you Cavalierrubie, great suggestions.

[Buffafly]

Cautionary tale: I know the circulation in my feet is poor but I’ve never seen a doctor who seemed concerned, although I fret about leg ulcers (my mother died because she refused to have her ulcerated leg amputated). I had support stockings but didn’t wear for all the reasons above. Today I can’t walk on my right leg because I have developed cellulitis literally overnight it seems. I also feel very ill all over, luckily got a docs appt - ‘my legs are dry and flaky and circulation poor (blotchy skin from capillaries oozing)’ so after giant antibiotics I have to cream my legs daily 🙄

[gbn_ in reply to Buffafly]

Hi Buffafly. Sorry to hear that, my daughter suffers from cellulitis also, do you think that the support stockings would have helped in avoiding the cellulitis? These honestly do help with leg circulation, but I just wonder if I actually can take a break from them or not.

[Nightmare2]

Keep wearing them they are for a reason, i wear knee high ones even on holidays with capri pants or skirts, but who cares about getting legs b rown when it comes to controlling fluid in legs and ankles, pride goes out the window for me, i think more of my health which is what most of us do. Suggest stop weighing yourelf daily aswell, it can become an obsession, just make the most of life is my advice to anyone

[gbn_]

Hi Nightmare 2. Thank you for this reply, so true. I will keep wearing them, but I would sometimes like to take a break from them, the hospital gave me a daily tablet to check my daily weight, it's something they wanted me to keep track of.