Today I’m without bandaging after four weeks of it on my right leg which has been steadily swelling for the last 18 months. I have had lymphoedema in both legs for ten years following cancer treatment but 18 months ago the right leg started getting worse. In that time I have gone up to class 2 circular-knit tights plus a class 1 stocking, had a lot of LymphAssist, and did SLD morning and night. Before the right leg got worse I had been running 30-40 minutes for three times a week but stopped because I felt it was making it worse and was painful. I still walked a bit but not so much, again because it seemed to be worse. If the swelling had gone down after activity I wouldn’t have been bothered but this was against a background of it slowly but surely increasing in size, regardless of what was being done.
I was so pleased when the NHS clinic offered me a month of bandaging twice a week with Lymph Assist plus flat knit tights as this seemed the only treatment I hadn’t tried. Today the bandages are off and although my ankle and thigh are a little better my calf and knee are no better, in fact my knee if anything seems bigger.
I’m obviously very disappointed as I really believed this would help. All I can hope for is that the flat knit tights might at least stop the leg from getting any bigger. I have to wear them 23 hours a day for the next two months! Does anyone know why the bandaging wasn’t more successful? Might the flat knit tights stop my leg from growing any more?
At long last ,Hospital appointment tomorrow.
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The problem with doing it twice a week, is that the bandaging would reduce the swelling but then when you don't have it again the next day, it'll just go back to it's original form - I can't believe the people doing the bandaging don't realise this. Or they should definitely be suggesting a higher class of compression. When I had bandaging done years ago on both legs (I cant remember the time length), as soon as it was done I was in class 4 compression - my entire leg. Class 1 would do next to nothing in my opinion. Honestly, the type of compression you're wearing probably won't help unfortunately.
In terms of your knee getting bigger, if the bandaging / compression is only on your lower leg then this would make sense - the fluid has to go somewhere, right!?
I'm also a bit surprised at having to wear the compression they're giving you for 23 hours. I have never ever worn compression at night because when you are asleep and your legs are up, this reduces the swelling by itself.
Where are you being treated?
Sorry, I probably wasn’t clear enough about the treatment. I went to the clinic twice a week, bandages removed, had LymphAssist and bandages were put on again straightaway so had them on virtually all the time. I have now been put in Class 2 flatknit but they want to change it to Class 3. I don’t think I can manage that, TBH. It’s only for 23 hours for the first two months but it’s extremely uncomfortable. I’m beginning to think that if the bandaging doesn’t work why would the flatknit tights but I will comply as there is no alternative.