Compression-Strength, Waist High, Etc.

[Jacquie802]

I'm looking into getting some compression stockings that my dr recommended a while back. My insurance will not cover them and my dr said to get a higher strength..I saw mixed reviews from past posts regarding strength and waist high, knee high, etc. Can someone point me in the direction of a good, comfortable, affordable brand?

[k&ajsmom]

Hey J, I got Jobst waist high 30/40 compressions, extra firm,doc wrote a script for them...they are soooooo difficult to get on though I skip them somethimes cause they wear me out gettin on...I literally break a sweat and have to lay down lol They were pricey, I got them at med emporium for $130? I wouldnt pay that again though.

I went to a website called compressionsale.com and you dont need a script and there are several brands varying in price that are of decent quality.I got a pair of nstyle's for $30 that were pretty good. You kinda get what ya pay for with these though. The more expensive, the longer they last but again I wouldnt pay $130 again. Theres another site with some really stylish ones..I think its rejuva health, Im saving for a pair of those next. They run about $50 and up there.

Ive wondered about footless compression for the summer so I can wear sandels, I hate shoes in the summer. But I thought with being footless wouldnt they trap more blood in your feet?? Does anyone know?

[k&ajsmom]

oh ps....I hate thigh highs, Im not sure if they do this to everyone but they slip down after awile and I feel like Im always pulling them up, plus I was told by the lady that fitted me they just dont do as good of a job as waisthighs. I never did calf high didnt think they'd work and would have the same problem. My doctor said compression all the way up is best.

[corina]

I have waist highs which I think are really comfortable (Jobst brand, I'm inEurope). I tried the thigh high with open toes that I didn't like at all. The toes got very thick and itchy and the length (thigh high) didn't do it for me. Hope this helps!

[Canadiangirl73]

I wear Mediven 30/40 waist high. Couldn't tolerate Sigvaris because as it turns out the higher compression stockings have rubber in them and I'm allergic to that. For me, waist high compression stockings do make a difference when it comes to pooling (paired with an abdominal binder). Thigh high keep rolling down and knee high do nothing.

[Jacquie802]

Where did you guys order them from? Also what was the cost for the full waist ones?

[mwise]

Try BrightLife Direct for compression stockings. They have good prices. Google them. They have all brands, sizes and good customer service. Good luck.

[peregrine]

Many of the online sellers (at least Brightlife and Ames-Walker) have in-house brands that are generally cheaper. I don't know how Brightlife's in-house are; my partner's father likes his Ames-Walker in-house ones, but he wears knee-high for DVTs so it may be less useful. Some of the sellers have exchange policies, which I strongly suggest taking advantage of; I had to go through three different brands before finding that Juzo is right for my particular body.

I wear thigh-high 30-40mmHg open-toe Juzo (about $85/pair), which have worked best for me. I use "It Stays" to keep them upright, since otherwise the thigh-highs don't stay up... I can tell that the pair I got in February are getting too old (I alternate two different pairs), since they are starting to slip down even with the glue. There are also garter belts you can get for them, though the idea is kind of amusing!

I've read that knee-highs aren't recommended for POTS since you can get edema above them, though I didn't when wearing lower-strength knee-highs. I find that the open-toe setup doesn't bother me, although the first few days of the new pairs I had to stretch the opening a little bit by hand. It's nice for wearing sandals, since mine have toe straps. I'm occasionally tempted by waist-high, but the abdominal binder I wore included a panty bottom, and it made going to the bathroom kind of a pain; something worth thinking about, I guess.

A few other thoughts... the "opaque" or non-sheer types tend to last a lot longer than the "sheers" or similar. Hand-washing is a good idea; I do mine in the shower and then let them hang-dry overnight. Having two pairs to switch back and forth between is useful.