LSN

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Replacement Compression stockings

Primary lymphedema was diagnosed a few years ago and I have been wearing compression stockings since. This has worked!

Several times there have been hiccups in getting replacement stockings. This time has become more dramatic I have been waiting for replacements since April.

Have any other members had this experience? I am wondering if it is due to cut backs from the NHS or Brexit. In either way I am in danger of being house bound.

I am considering buying a walker with seat so that I can have limited mobility.

Written by

TeresaMay

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12 Replies

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Keep pestering your lymphoedema clinic - politics should not be an excuse for a delay in garment provision.

If you want to invest in a walker, it may be quicker to buy one, unless the Occupational Health dept local to you can provide one?

My GP issues the prescriptions. I do not attend a clinic. Another alternative to the delay could be incompetence, but I am reluctant to try another pharmacy as it might be the manufacturer that is to blame.

You should then contact the GP clinic and ask if the prescription has been processed, and if it requires collection or has been sent to the pharmacy - and which pharmacy?

I am in frequent contact with the pharmacy. they say they are worrying the supplier but I can only scream and warn I could be housebound if replacements are not obtained

If my surgery is anything to go by doctors seem pretty clueless about compression garments and how to prescribe them.

It is best to liaise with one of the surgery nurses who will usually see the whole process through with a dopla and measurement session needed regularly.

They seem better at co-ordinating with the local clinic as well.

I have an annual test but replacement stockings are needed between times.

Agreed. New garments are needed every 4-6 months. Should be able to get anything measured up by doctors surgery dispensed via Patient Choice though

You shouldn't be treated like this, so why not contact your MEP? This has been very successsful concerning lymphoedema issues. See aftercancers.com/making-use...

I get mine ordered by the clinic in St George's Hospital (London) and they are posted direct to me from Juzo, the supplier in Germany. It only takes a couple of weeks.

I replace mine every 12 to14 weeks and they take 5 days from ordering to me getting them.

When I first had Jobst compression socks they came in a fortnight from Germany, made to measure. The last pair I had, last September took about a month or 5 weeks to arrive. I notice now that Jobst have been taken over by BSN Medical, a "Global" company based in Hull (Kingston-upon-Hull to give it its proper name). After nothing had come after 5 weeks I checked at the pharmacy to find they hadn't received a prescription from the medical centre, (they are in the same building!). When I checked with the medical centre they had made out the prescription but had lost the measurements. I contacted the hospital lymphoedema unit and they told me where my medical centre could find the measurements, on line. About 3 weeks ago the pharmacy told me they'd received the measurements and had ordered the knee length socks. I expect to receive them in the next fortnight.

My clinic used to order them for me but last time they said for doctor to order them what a run around I had . Doctor didn't seem to know procedure for made to measure ones . Then the chemist wouldn't dispense them as they had optional s which had a cost of £20 for gripper tops . Said to go back to doc as he wasn't going to left to pay extra .