Hi
Just thought I should add the advice of my wonderful Lymphoedema nurse re footwear.
Every summer, prior to diagnosis, I would stop wearing tights, start to wear flip flops and open sandals, as I thought that letting the air get to them would help to prevent the swelling and pain.
Big error!!
The best thing to do is to wear flat Mary Jane shoes. And the compression hose!! And it works. Flip flops and open sandals just give the flesh infinite space to expand into, and allow the exposed swollen flesh to greater risk of infection and cellulitis from scratches and bites.
Flat Mary Jane shoes hold the flesh in, the strap across the instep helps to reduce friction, and being flat the foot is in a more natural position. The sacrifice of 'fashionable' shoes, heels, pointed toes etc. was small compared with the liberation from pain and swelling.
Over the years I have built up a collection of Mary Jane's in every colour of the rainbow ( I am known for being a 'colourful' dresser'!) and I have lighter weight Mary Jane's for wearing in the house, as slippers aren't good either. And even my slippers are full cover, not slip-ons.
Lymph. nurse said I could 'take a holiday' for things like weddings, etc. but quite honestly, the 'style' gain is hardly worth the pain!
I wear glasses because I am seriously short sighted; I have had to start wearing hearing aids because my husband got sick of repeating himself. So my Mary Jane's are embraced as being part of what frees me up to live a fuller life!!
Same as giving up the time each evening to the exercises and simple lymphatic drainage: TV or radio in the bedroom and I just get on with it!!
I have chosen to be liberated, not confined!!
Thanks. Looks like Debenhams sell them (I have to try on so many pairs I don't buy footwear on-line). A T bar/ strap is usually a problem for me as they don't reach far enough across but certainly worth a try. Thanks, again.
Hello AnneBury, hope you are as well as can be under these lymph circumstances.
I was having a general read through and saw this post, I for one will be tracking these shoes down. Have recently bought a pair of indoor/outdoor shoes from Cosy Feet but the straps only just fit over my swollen feet. The good thing is Cosy Feet also sell straps that fit onto the on the shoes you have, only down fall is the extra straps cost £4.99 + postage but I suppose they are worth getting if you have paid a lot of money for footwear.
Saying that though would have thought the manufacturers would of made straps longer on shoes to solve the problems we have with swelling. They need someone with Lymphoedema to actually go and explain to them what we need to save having to pay extra all the time.
I know we get v.a.t. relief but why on earth are shoes so costly for us! guess it is the work, material and time that costs so much. Not fair though.
Anyhow just thought would say about the extra straps you can get for shoes, they do other bits & bobs too. Hope this is of help regarding elongating straps on shoes.
Take care, stay safe......xxxx