You are not my doctor and all comments are accepted as non-expert and non-binding.
I have high blood pressure that had been well controlled but now is creeping up again. At my last checkup, my doctor diagnosed me with leg edema and put me on a diuretic (hydrochlorothiazade - 25mg daily). She also suggested that I try compression socks to help mitigate the symptoms.
What are your experiences with compression socks? Are they beneficial or pointless? Do you have any specific brand suggestion?
They can be most beneficial. Swollen legs and ankles are uncomfortable at the least. Compression stockings can be worthwhile.
They come in 2 categories. Custom made to fit and a few sizes fit all. You can order online or go to the drug store or big box store for cheap stockings that are in your shoe size or small, medium, large. These may or may not fit your legs. Or you can have your legs measured to have high-quality stockings that are guaranteed to fit you. This can be done at a home medical equipment store or the like. Your doctor may be able to recommend a place near you.
Also, ask your doctor what strength compression she recommends. Ask her if you need knee highs or thigh highs. Open toe or closed toe.
In the custom made stockings you will have more choice in the fabrics, color and styles of stockings. Yes they do cost more but they last longer and will be the correct size for you.
Her short term suggestion to me was to just go over to the pharmacy next door and choose an over the counter sock. Try the relatively cheap and easily available models first, evaluate and move on from there. This was no doubt driven at least partly by my lack of insurance. They only stocked models with a relatively light compression of 10-15 mm/Hg and they didn’t actually have a sock that would fit me. I instead had to buy calf covers that leave my feet exposed. I’ve been wearing them a few hours now and I’d say that any result thus far is subtle.
Yes that is a cheap way to start. But if you need more compression the 10-15 will do little. Try a large drug store or big box store for more selection.
I have Peripheral Vascular Disease, and I have to wear 20-30mmHg stockings. I wear calf-high stockings and wear them all the time, except when I’m showering. I buy Sigvaris brand from compressionsale.com; they’re expensive, but last a long time and fit very well. I tried the open-toe type, but they push the swelling down to my toes.
Just got told this morning that I should get compression socks and found this thread. @Alpha_Twit how have the socks worked for you?
I have varicose veins, with very low blood pressure. There will probably be a vein specialist in my near future.
Results have been mixed I’d say. I need to be more diligent about using them and I’m still using the some sizes fits most (non-custom fit) models. On balance they’ve been helpful but they’re tedious to get properly settled on my calves without the upper edge digging painfully into my skin. More consistent use on my part and getting properly fitted socks would most likely improve my results.
Should your circumstances permit it, I would strongly suggest getting properly fitted, custom units.
This is a site I can recommend. They have good sales and a wide range of styles. Custom ones are outrageously expensive and unlikely to be paid for by insurance. Go to the site, find styles/colors/prices that you like. Note the measurements needed for a good fit for each stocking you’d be interested in (the needed ones tend to be the same for all styles in any one brand). This is important: then get someone else to get the measurements of your legs to be sure the measurements are accurate- it is very hard to do well on yourself. If the measurements vary from leg to leg, go with the larger measurement. Too short or too small stockings will be less comfortable and less effective. Too long or too big stockings just don’t do much.
Try the middle range of compression on compressionsale.com, or the next to the lowest. The lowest is basically support hose.
I didn’t like open toe socks-didn’t find them comfortable. If your stockings aren’t a wee bit hard to get on, them may not help enough with the edema. Put them on first thing before getting out of bed in the morning (your legs will be less swollen then). If you shower first, a talc free powder (like baby powder) dusted on legs will help them pull on easier. Obviously, if you lotion your legs, do it after taking stockings off, not just before trying to put them on. Pull on smoothly, creases and folds will dig in and be less comfortable and less effective.It is unusual for a dr. to want thigh high ones unless the dr. specifically told you to get those. Give yourself some time to get used to them, don’t give up too soon.
A one size fits all over the drugstore counter is more likely to be one size fits none. A crew length is likely to end up just pushIng the swelling to the top of the sock.
Wash after a wearing or too-whatever you do, DO NOT DRY IN A DRYER! Have at least two pair so one can be washed and drying.
I didn’t have edema but I benefited from wearing them on work days-less ankle swelling from being on my feet all day and my legs were definitely less achy and tired. Also are good for plane rides or long car rides where it is hard to keep good circulation in your legs.
Keys are:
Good measurements
Pick ones you’ll wear (colors and styles-Compressionsale has many) Have a little fun with the colors-you’ll be more likely to wear fashionable ones.
Wear every day, put on first thing
Wash and dry carefully
Pro tip: every chance you get, put your /legs feet up. The gravity with your legs higher than your heart is your friend. Do toe circles when seated to help move fluids from stasis down lower to freer circulation above your knees. Toe pointing exercises are also good.
This can’t be stressed enough! Air-dry only.
Thanks for all the comments @Alpha_Twit, @BippityBoppityBoo and @panache45!
I just got measured and mine are the Sigvaris brand. No choice in the brand, that’s what the doctor’s office has. I chose open toe for the first pair. I will try them for one week, and if they fit correctly, they will order another pair for me.
The woman who measured me said I should buy reusable dishwashing gloves because they help to put the socks on. I have to go buy them and bring them to the next appointment, which will be in approximately one week.
Insurance pays for two pairs. I see I need to get the measurements and pressure information so I can order more, if I so desire. Plain socks are so not my thing, and I think I’ll be wearing them all day, every day.
Mostly home office is really not good for circulation. I will start a medical fitness training today, which means I will have supervised training 2x a week. I think we have to start thinking about lunch time, or mid-afternoon walks. The sun goes down at 7:30 and that’s about when we finish dinner.
This is timely, I came to look for responses to my query about my arthritic kitty, and saw this.
I had a sore, what I thought was an ulcer, that would not heal, on the back of my leg and went to would care. Luckily not an ulcer, it was a fungus caused by “weeping” of fluid (lymph?) in that spot. I treated it with anti-fungal cream and a corticosteroid and all gone. But the DX was edema. So I have been wearing the 20-30 socks about 15 hours a day. The doc also prescribed an edema pump, which is a contraption I put my legs into and it massages me from toes to just above the knees.
Lymphedema Compression Garments: Flexitouch Plus System | Tactile Medical like this. Typically used for lymphedema, which they agree I don’t have, but they felt this would be helpful. And Medicare paid for it, so what the hell.
But question - why no dryer?? Doesn’t it tighten them up? I was told never ever to wear the same pair more than one day, also. Thanks for the rec to Compressionsale, I will check that out, the socks the therapist recommended where $70 a pair, and I just can’t see myself paying that much.
And Die_Capacitrix, where did you get your information that ins. pays for 2 pair? Are you in the states??
And also, on Compressionsale, I see little hand wrap things, which I would think would be handy, since honest to god, I sprained my thumb putting these on and it still hurts. (I am a newbie to all this)
The dryer heat ruins the elastic, shortens their life considerably. The heat can make them ‘shrink’, becoming too tight and even harder to put on. Best to just handwash them anyway, then you don’t have to remember to sort them out of the wash load before you put it in the dryer. I wear them 1-2 days and then wash them the day I take them off. I just swish them in the bathroom sink while I’m brushing my teeth before bed. I use a mild lingerie wash I get from my department store lingerie dept (after all, they know the best way to wash $70 bras for longest life, without damaging elastic). Compression sale may even sell one.
Check their clearance dept too-even more affordable.
I’m on Medicare and BC/BS supplemental, in the States. I had no coverage at all except for very limited post-surgical conditions.
If you sprained your hand better to go back and ask for a refresher on best putting on techniques. If you are hurting your hand they stocking are either too tight or the application technique needs tweaking. Physical therapists and occupational therapist can often help with this also. Ask for a referral from your doctor.
As for the hand wrap, once again a doc or physical therapist is the best way way to get the right one. There are 100s of hand things and only specific kinds will help you (and we are again back to if you’re hurting your hand putting them on some thing else needs fixing than your hand).
Went back and checked on mild garment detergent. Compressionsale sells several, one is Sigvaris brand.
Try putting on your stockings immediately after sitting up in bed in the morning-that is when your swelling will be the least and the stockings will go on the easiest.
Dryer heat not only makes them tighter, but also shorter. And definitely shortens their life expectancy.
My wife uses these by Juzo. Which recommend machine wash and machine dry on cool. They seem to last as well that way as they do if hand washed and air dried.
The 20-30 mmHg are easy enough to put on & wear that special effort, my help, dish gloves, etc., aren’t required. The ones with greater compression are a PITA to put on and two people with the dish gloves help.
If you can sleep on your back with your feet elevated on 1 or 2 pillows that definitely helps the fluid to drain overnight when you’re not wearing the socks.
For sure if you get behind and get swollen the socks will be that much harder to put on and harder to wear. Getting ahead then staying ahead of the swelling is the key to making this easy. It’s also healthier that way.
We’ve found she can wear a pair for about 3 days before they get sorta stinky & should be washed. Though that’s 3 days of mostly just sittig around the house, not out leading a busy life. So coupled with taking half a day off from wearing them just for morale, one pair is plenty if you wash them promptly. They last months or years if you can avoid damaging them.
Not in the States. I’m an American living in Switzerland. The doctor told me this.
I got the call this morning, after the nurse telling me I would have to wait a week. On her recommendation, I had bought a pair of latex dishwashing gloves. I have no idea how anybody could put them on without them. As it is, it took some time. And now I’m looking at videos for how to take them off.
Colors! Patterns! If I’m going to have to wear these for the rest of my life, I’d like a few more choices.
I have tons of socks, which are mostly useless I guess. I’ve been wearing the ones I got for the last 3.5 hours - not too uncomfortable. The nurse does not expect that I will be able to wear them for a full day from the start. She said it takes a while to adjust. After I have these for a few weeks I can call them and order the second pair. Then I could get two more pairs in January, when it’s the new calendar year.
I chose open toe, which I think is good for home use. But for shoes, I should probably have a pair which covers the toes. When it gets really cold, I can certain put socks over them. But today it was still summer, temperature wise.
If you’re wearing shoes you definitely want some kind of sock, even a very thin one over the compression stocking to protect it from the shoe. Despite being strong, they don’t really take abrasion well.
My doctor told me on Monday that I should start wearing compression socks due to mild edema, mostly on my right foot. He said medium would be fine. So I went on Amazon and ordered a pack of 8 pairs, which arrived today. I had also seen a podiatrist today and found out I had an ingrown toenail on my left foot, so I’m hoping that the sock will fit over the bandage on the big toe.
The only care instructions which came with the socks were a row of symbols; wash at 40 degrees, do not iron or dry clean, do not bleach. Nothing about drying instructions. Just to be on the safe side, I think I’m I can’t do a bunch at a time.
Also, they have copper on the feet.
Thanks for the information. I took today off, because getting them on takes time and today was crazy, despite being a Saturday.
Tomorrow will be the first full(-ish) day of wearing them. I will figure out socks as well. At least it’s getting a bit cooler so wearing them won’t be overly warm.
I wear compression socks help alleviate some of the pain in my feet from neuropathy. I’ve had a lot of luck with the socks from www.physixgear.com . They are also very customer oriented and reached out several times after my purchase for feedback and to make sure I was satisfied with their product.