Brachio question - garment too tight? Help please.

 I had my brachio a week ago. I am in a marena 3/4 length sleve. Problem is it's a size small. I know and understand that you need the sleeve to compress your arm and be tight, but I 'm very concerned that this is just too tight. I am not a tiny girl, I am a size 10/12. I went on the marena web site and looked at the sizes. I think based on my measurements and taking swelling into account (of which I have very little, maybe because it's so damn tight) I should be in a M or even a L.

How tight is your garment?

I can barely get this thing over my incisions without feeling like I will rip them apart. I am in tears/pain trying to get it up and over them. There is tape and scabs pulling off.

Should I go in tomorrow and ask for a larger size?

Let me preface this my saying that I had a drain in each elbow under this garmet that caused me so much pain that when the narcotics wore off, I was in tears from the drains being pushed into my skin under the garment. I went to the hospital on Tuesday to see mu surgeon to have the drains pulled between surgeries (for him) and I never had to take another narcotic after those drains came out. Againm I think this garment is too tight.

Thoughts please?

yes Bev I think thats too tight or at least it sounds it..... MIne is an XL ... the measurement is based on the size of your bicep....   You want them to be tight but not so tight that it feels like its ripping your incisions etc...   I would think at the smallest you might likely be a med... but I am thinking large or xl is the way to go.. I would call and ask for a bigger size or at least see what he says.

Hugs... hope it gets better.

Did you get it on?

It does sound like they are too small. In the meantime you can always just use ace bandages. I ended up wearing them my entire recovery because the sleeves were too uncomfortable for me. I hope you get some relief soon.

Thanks Renee. I picked up some ace bandages, but I am a bit confused as to how tight to make them. I'll play around with it between comfort and compression.

A medium was way too small for me right after surgery!! They made my arms hurt even more so they were on for 2 seconds I think! I didn't like the brand anyway. They were very thick and hot and too long. I like my marena brand better. I used ace wraps for the first 2 or 3 weeks until the ones I ordered came in. I got the 3/4 sleeves in a large and they were perfect. In fact they may not be tight enough now but I'm 7 weeks out and my arms aren't swelling anymore so I'm not worried about it. I only wear it in the evenings and at night.
 
As far as the ace bandage goes, just make it tight enough to provide enough compression but not so tight to where your fingers go numb.  I had to readjust a couple of times until it felt just right.

Thanks so much Melissa, the input helps.

I used ace bandages.  It does sound like what you are wearing is too tight.  Watch the color of your hands, and nails and if you have tingling or numbness-- get the thing off!  You do not want to compromise blood flow nor nerve function.

Red

I had the exact same problem - I measured just like the website said, but it was way too tight, I could only wear it twice, and just used my ace bandages and binder.  I felt like I sure wasted my money!

I am about your size 10/12 and I ordered the short  sleeve from Marena in a medium and that woeked out, order the medium but keep the small for when the sweling goes down

It definately sounds like they are too small. I don't know what size mine are, but they are "comfortable". They are snug, but don't hurt. I had surgery last Wednesday (can't remember if yours was the same day or not) and started out with the ace wraps that my husband was actually wrapping TOO tight. According to my surgeon he said you want them wrapped so you can still move and so they don't hurt. When he re-wrapped them for me, it felt so much better.

I hear ya about those stupid drains! Those were the worse part so far for me. They caused me soooo much pain. I remember waking up form surgery and asking what was on my arm, because it hurt! Once those things came out, I felt so much relief and I didn't need to take my pain medication nearly as much as I did when they were in.

Are you putting your sleeves on yourself? I haven't tried that yet, my husband helps me I can't imagine what it feels like with them being too tight and having to put them on yourself OUCH!
I would for sure go back and get a bigger size. I remember when I was being fitted, the lady said she really wanted to give me a tighter size (just for compression sake), but wasn't going to do that because of the incision and stuff.

I think once you get a bigger size, you will feel much better. I wear the sleeve during the day and then the ace wraps at night.