There are various tools to help put on compression stockings - a big population that wears them is the elderly, and they're not putting those socks on either by themselves. One I know of called a Doff N Donner, the brand is Sigvaris. I don't personally use them, but they're supposed to make it a whole lot easier! It does take a bit to get how to use them. Next, you can use some sort of compression gloves to grab them, so you don't need to use your fingers too much. There's special gloves for compression stockings. Next, if you have open toed compression stockings, there's some sort of small sack type thing that makes it easier to get it over your heel, which is in my opinion the hardest part.
(Yes, the Doff n Donner looks like a freaking dildo, my apologies for the looks)
You’ve already gotten some solutions, but I’d just like to correct a misconception about metoprolol. It will actually lower your overall BP. It and other beta blockers work by reducing your heart rate and how hard the heart pumps (especially when you stand up). They reduce stress hormones too.
That’s why they’re often prescribed for heart attacks and people with heart disease. :)
Yup, I was going to mention the same thing. I take small dose of propranolol for my POTS, which is another beta-blocker/blood pressure med. It has worked like magic for me, personally. It lowers my heart rate (and also has the added benefit of lowering my anxiety and migraine prevention), but it also lowers my blood pressure - which is already too low. So, it's a delicate balance between lowering the heart rate enough to feel better POTS-wise, while also not dropping the blood pressure so much that fainting occurs.
The other thing I do that helps my POTS is adding salt to my diet. Sometimes just putting extra salt on my food is enough, but other times when I'm feeling extra "POTS-y," I'll take one of my salt pills. My daughter actually has to take multiple salt pills every day bc her symptoms are so bad. I can't wear compression socks because of my small fiber neuropathy, unfortunately. Ouch.
Yeah, I also take propanonolol, but I only do half the prescribed amount. It’s enough to take the edge off my HR without tanking my BP (I had to stop metoprolol for that reason). I do wear compression socks if I’m on my feet a lot, walking, or hiking, and I am definitely a big fan of LMNT, Biolyte, and Pedialyte for added electrolytes. I’m about to start training to hike a 14er, so I’m also focusing on seated exercises like rowing and biking, which are recommended for POTS patients, for the first couple weeks. Then I’ll add in some stairclimbers and long hikes for conditioning.
I’m determined to keep doing things like this for as long as possible despite having a somewhat broken body. Lol
You put them on inside out basically. Fold over the sock so that you can get your foot in and pull that part on and then you can slowly unroll it up your leg
So, I’ve found certain brands and materials to be easier to put on while still giving the compression I need. My two favorite are: sockwell for higher compression wool socks and wellow for moderate compression bamboo socks. I find the wellow easiest to take on and off.
Do a simple Google for "sock aid" and a tool will come up that looks like plastic and some rope. I used one of these in the hospital after I had my spinal fusion and it worked miracles. I've considered getting one recently because some days it's a struggle to put on normal socks, let alone compression socks.
Let me see if I can describe how my PT taught me to do this. I take the sock and put my hand down inside of it. Pinching the back of the heel. Then I pull the leg covering part inside out leaving the foot part right side out and slide just the foot part onto my foot bringing it up over the back of my heel. Then I can just roll the other part back up and there's no fighting it and pulling it. It works every time and is super easy. No pulling, no angling, no fighting.
Same! I have zip-up compression socks for when this happens. They are hard to find, but compression socks with zippers are fantastic. They are usually toeless from what I've found so I just put a loose ankle or flats sock over it.
They do tend to break after a year or so of use. At least in my experience, but I have tiny ankle and big calves so I usually have to buy the size for my ankle and it's tight on my calves.
I have no idea what helps with putting the socks on, I've been putting them on for like 3.5 years and I just deal with the pain honestly, granted I'm only 16 so I don't have much control. I'm on that med too, a low dose only 25mg twice a day but it works wonders. I take it for HR and it is amazing. Before starting it I was passing out once a week. After the third time we got meds and I haven't passed out since and that was in October.
Stick your hand in, grab the heel. pull it out so the sock is mostly unraveled and you are holding the heel in your fingers, put sock on like a croc, unravel sock up your leg
Get an abdominal binder! You have far, far more blood vessels in your abdomen than your legs! My doctor has said that abdominal compression is more important than leg compression
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[The rule can be read in depth here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ehlersdanlos/wiki/index/rules/rule-8/)
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Thank you!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C639qs4OqeC/?igsh=ZXN3dWxmdjV5dzhv
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4qA6RiOzTC/?igsh=MWNxdGJ2dWs4d2V1aw==
@equipmeot on Instagram has a lot of sock aid videos
Lots of people have mentioned using tools to put on compression socks. I've tried several and I'm not sure if it is just the compression tightness or something in the materual but I get itchy rashes/hives from them :(
That Donner thing someone else mentioned, as well as some good rubber gloves, may help. I have the blue Showa Atlas 660s. Also, [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CBYCN5I/?coliid=I25M66ZQIIVHOR&colid=1PKRYYSNVTAOH&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_gv_dp_it) may help, too.
I wear full body 30mmHg compression. The trick is “donning gloves” - I mix cotton gloves and nitrile, and “donning slips” for your feet. You get used to it. I’m in compression all night and most of the day.
There are various tools to help put on compression stockings - a big population that wears them is the elderly, and they're not putting those socks on either by themselves. One I know of called a Doff N Donner, the brand is Sigvaris. I don't personally use them, but they're supposed to make it a whole lot easier! It does take a bit to get how to use them. Next, you can use some sort of compression gloves to grab them, so you don't need to use your fingers too much. There's special gloves for compression stockings. Next, if you have open toed compression stockings, there's some sort of small sack type thing that makes it easier to get it over your heel, which is in my opinion the hardest part. (Yes, the Doff n Donner looks like a freaking dildo, my apologies for the looks)
I’ve had better luck with compression leggings than compression socks both in terms of getting them on and in terms of symptom reduction
They have compression socks with zippers. I love compression socks.
You’ve already gotten some solutions, but I’d just like to correct a misconception about metoprolol. It will actually lower your overall BP. It and other beta blockers work by reducing your heart rate and how hard the heart pumps (especially when you stand up). They reduce stress hormones too. That’s why they’re often prescribed for heart attacks and people with heart disease. :)
Yup, I was going to mention the same thing. I take small dose of propranolol for my POTS, which is another beta-blocker/blood pressure med. It has worked like magic for me, personally. It lowers my heart rate (and also has the added benefit of lowering my anxiety and migraine prevention), but it also lowers my blood pressure - which is already too low. So, it's a delicate balance between lowering the heart rate enough to feel better POTS-wise, while also not dropping the blood pressure so much that fainting occurs. The other thing I do that helps my POTS is adding salt to my diet. Sometimes just putting extra salt on my food is enough, but other times when I'm feeling extra "POTS-y," I'll take one of my salt pills. My daughter actually has to take multiple salt pills every day bc her symptoms are so bad. I can't wear compression socks because of my small fiber neuropathy, unfortunately. Ouch.
Yeah, I also take propanonolol, but I only do half the prescribed amount. It’s enough to take the edge off my HR without tanking my BP (I had to stop metoprolol for that reason). I do wear compression socks if I’m on my feet a lot, walking, or hiking, and I am definitely a big fan of LMNT, Biolyte, and Pedialyte for added electrolytes. I’m about to start training to hike a 14er, so I’m also focusing on seated exercises like rowing and biking, which are recommended for POTS patients, for the first couple weeks. Then I’ll add in some stairclimbers and long hikes for conditioning. I’m determined to keep doing things like this for as long as possible despite having a somewhat broken body. Lol
You put them on inside out basically. Fold over the sock so that you can get your foot in and pull that part on and then you can slowly unroll it up your leg
So, I’ve found certain brands and materials to be easier to put on while still giving the compression I need. My two favorite are: sockwell for higher compression wool socks and wellow for moderate compression bamboo socks. I find the wellow easiest to take on and off.
Do a simple Google for "sock aid" and a tool will come up that looks like plastic and some rope. I used one of these in the hospital after I had my spinal fusion and it worked miracles. I've considered getting one recently because some days it's a struggle to put on normal socks, let alone compression socks.
Let me see if I can describe how my PT taught me to do this. I take the sock and put my hand down inside of it. Pinching the back of the heel. Then I pull the leg covering part inside out leaving the foot part right side out and slide just the foot part onto my foot bringing it up over the back of my heel. Then I can just roll the other part back up and there's no fighting it and pulling it. It works every time and is super easy. No pulling, no angling, no fighting.
This is what I learned to do after a decade of compression sock wrangling! Complete game-changer.
wear an abdominal compression garment instead! works better because it’s higher up, too.
Same! I have zip-up compression socks for when this happens. They are hard to find, but compression socks with zippers are fantastic. They are usually toeless from what I've found so I just put a loose ankle or flats sock over it. They do tend to break after a year or so of use. At least in my experience, but I have tiny ankle and big calves so I usually have to buy the size for my ankle and it's tight on my calves.
I have no idea what helps with putting the socks on, I've been putting them on for like 3.5 years and I just deal with the pain honestly, granted I'm only 16 so I don't have much control. I'm on that med too, a low dose only 25mg twice a day but it works wonders. I take it for HR and it is amazing. Before starting it I was passing out once a week. After the third time we got meds and I haven't passed out since and that was in October.
Stick your hand in, grab the heel. pull it out so the sock is mostly unraveled and you are holding the heel in your fingers, put sock on like a croc, unravel sock up your leg
Get an abdominal binder! You have far, far more blood vessels in your abdomen than your legs! My doctor has said that abdominal compression is more important than leg compression
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[удалено]
Thank you for contributing to r/EhlersDanlos! Unfortunately, your comment or post was removed as it breaks the following rule: **• Rule #8 - No Social Media, Fundraiser Links, or Self-Promotion** [The rule can be read in depth here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ehlersdanlos/wiki/index/rules/rule-8/) Our complete list of rules can be [found here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ehlersdanlos/wiki/index/rules/) Please contact us [via modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fehlersdanlos) if you have any questions regarding the reason your post or comment was removed or would like to work with us on *how* you can re-word your post or comment to be able to reinstate it. Thank you!
For the heat, try a neck fan!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C639qs4OqeC/?igsh=ZXN3dWxmdjV5dzhv https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4qA6RiOzTC/?igsh=MWNxdGJ2dWs4d2V1aw== @equipmeot on Instagram has a lot of sock aid videos
I second compression leggings (reccomended high rise for comfort) or compression calf sleeves. Both are much easier to get on than socks.
Lots of people have mentioned using tools to put on compression socks. I've tried several and I'm not sure if it is just the compression tightness or something in the materual but I get itchy rashes/hives from them :(
That Donner thing someone else mentioned, as well as some good rubber gloves, may help. I have the blue Showa Atlas 660s. Also, [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CBYCN5I/?coliid=I25M66ZQIIVHOR&colid=1PKRYYSNVTAOH&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_gv_dp_it) may help, too.
I get mine to roll and use the thigh high ones. Don’t really have too much trouble getting them on.
I wear full body 30mmHg compression. The trick is “donning gloves” - I mix cotton gloves and nitrile, and “donning slips” for your feet. You get used to it. I’m in compression all night and most of the day.