Suggestions on binders

My surgeon does not provide one, I already asked. :( So when I was looking googleing the DS forum history on binders ... I basicly found nothing helpful. Everyone commented "You will get one from your doctor". So I found no answer there. 

I have looked on amazon for binders and found quite a bit but I am not sure what type to get. There is velcro, slide ons, compression garmets, ones that hook between legs, t-shirt looking ones, etc. What types were issued by your doctors? Did they cover from below the breast to the groin area or is that too big? Is there a brand that anyone prefers? I don't want to drop $50 without some SUPER DSer's advice. Otherwise I might pick a doosy. I wanted to find one localy but... here in Montana we don't have to many medical supply stores. So I am stuck ordering it online.

Any description or brand of what I should be looking for, would be really helpful.

Mine wrapped around my abdomen and secured with velcro.  It was pretty simple.  Hopefully someone out here will have one to pass down for you.  I gave both of mine away years ago.

I ordered Dale binders online.

http://www.daleabdominalbinders.com/?gclid=CK65qM6zvqwCFQ40hwodIw4bog

The height is going to depend on how long or short waisted you are. I used the 12 inch that stretched from 46-62, again that will depend on how big you are around. You want it snug but not cutting off the circulation to your head or other extemities.

My surgery was open and when I went without the binder, I felt like my guts were going to fall out.  I don't know about hernias but I do know that my scar is now about the width of dental floss.

I have heard that people with lap surgery also loved the 'secure' feeling of having a binder.

HTH,
Michele

 My was the same as Valerie's.... wrapped around the middle and velcroed on the side.  It looked pretty much like the one below.  



I know everyone is different, but I HATED my binder after my open DS.  I wore it for 1 week and then ditched it as soon as I could!!!  Well, maybe even a week early!  I never felt like I was going to "fall out".  NOTE: I didn't hate it because it was a bad binder, just did not like wearing a binder at all.  I didn't need one and I didn't like the tight feeling it gave me!  I am wearing the same binder now after my tummy tuck and it hasn't bothered me at all! 

One like this would work good: http://www.amazon.com/Ita-Med-Panels-Elastic-Abdmnl-Binder/d p/B000Z9CT8W/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1321566033&sr=8-5 

Good luck!!! 

I asked about binders a couple of weeks ago and was given dale binders as the place to go. I was right between sizes and ended up ordering the smaller size (30 - 45) which didnt fit and never got used. My DS was done lap and i dont think i would have worn it anyways. I had very little pressure or pain in my incisions, which are little.

Dale binders were very reasonable priced so im not so mad it didnt get used...hey if it your size you can have it!!!:)

I ordered a Dale binder and hated it! I cannot even image a more scratchy uncomfortable thing to put on my body. Ack. I *did* use my belly band (leftover from pregnancy) to help hold all my dressings in place and to give me a little light support. Those are nice and soft. I seriously am sensitive to scratchy fabrics and the binders are scratchiest of the scratchies!!!!

I hate my binder. Dr K. insists I wear it for 6 weeks so I will wear it for 6 weeks. He wrapped me tight like a burrito yesterday and I kept it like that until this afternoon when I finally got home. I just had to loosen it up some.  My DS was lap and except for the small incision under my belly button,  I can hardly even notice any scars but I suppose the support is necessary. To avoid the itchiness and in my case, the adhesive residue from taping dressings onto my affected areas, Dr. K put a towel over the dressings and then wrapped me up. BTW, hospital wound dressings are painfully expensive at the drug stores so Dr. K recommended sanitary pads. They work fabulously well and these days they make them so thin that you don't even feel them. Try using a comfortable tee shirt over your dressing (I don't mean wear one, drape it over the area) and then wrap the binder as tight as you can stand it.

If your binder itches, wear a men's A-line T-shirt underneath. (Some people call them 'wife-beater' T-shirts.)  The suggestion the other poster gave you about sanitary pads for any leaky incisions also works great.

 I hate the phrase "wife beater" in terms of responding to tank tops, t-shirts, or anything but ******** who hit their wives.  

Even over a thin cotton undershirt, that thing would have been torture for me.  I am going to try to get some kind of *soft* support garment when I'm a little smaller and can fit more stuff.  

Ok, I now know what shirts your talking about. Also thos nice soft undershirts that older men usually use, guys now days really don't wear them anymore. My grandfather has those nice light soft white undershirts under everything:) I might go to wally world and pick them up. I also looked into thos dale binders and picked one up off of amazong for $20! Not bad at all on price and they look extra stretchy.