Compression socks or hose question

You really need medical input because there are lots of reason, some very serious, why you might have swelling. And you can still have problems with no or min swelling. And you do need to have some tests done. This is not an area for self-diagnosis or the internet. My wife uses 20/30, panty hose stype, Rx, at about $90 pair. Her chief complaint is that they can be hot but after a day of walking her legs feel great. I have used both thigh high and knee high. In the long run the thigh high feel better at the end of day. Last year I had veins removed (actually closed) in both legs. Tying to get by with knee high but not as effective. The compression is 20/30 but high compression is not always the best. Depends on your medical conditions.

Definitely check with your health care provider for recommendations and advice. Unless they recommend it I would not go with thigh high as they are a pain in the neck to get on! If they recommend or are OK with you wearing them ask if they have a preference as to whether they should be open or closed toe as well as getting a knee high vs thigh high opinion. To me the open toes slip around but with the closed toes you need to make sure you put them on with some slack at the end. If it is recommended that you wear them, practice putting them on a couple of times before your travel day. There is nothing worse than trying to get ready to leave for the airport and fighting with having to figure out how to get the hose on to be comfortable.

Last May my husband had a heart valve repair surgery . After 3 months recovery he was feeling wonderful and we booked the RS Eastern Europe trip (was fabulous) for Sep-oct. it was recommended that he (we both did) wear compression socks of 15-20 pressure, knee high for the flight. Also and almost more importantly, it was suggested that we use the blow up foot cushion to elevate your feet during the flight. Since we were not in first class :(, we used the cushion and it was really good! Very comfy and relaxing for your legs. I would recommend the cushion to all travellers and of course check with your Dr. on the other. I personally will wear the low compression socks on all flights now.

As others have said, consult your doctor before you buy or wear any kind of compression socks or stockings. You might also ask the doc about how your salt intake might affect the swelling. We certainly see more of it even at home after eating out. We mostly sit in our LaZBoys with our feet up which keeps the swelling down, but I can certainly see an increase in swelling when I sit at my desk for a long period of time.

Per our doctor's orders, both my husband and I wear knee high compression socks. We do the moderate support compression. We wear them in many situations, not just on the plane. They are a great help with circulation and we find them wonderful for long days walking and standing on our feet. Probably a little-known fact is that they were originally designed for athletes to improve their circulation and performance,

My husband wears ordinary plain ones similar to these. The Travel Sox and some other brands work well for him. I prefer more fun ones like these. I've tried many brands, and the Sockwell's work best for me. We prefer fabrics that will breathe.

I'd definitely be suspicious of someone telling you to get that high level of compression, especially if you have never worn any kind of compression sock or stocking before. For other health reasons, I haven't worn stocking or leggings or tights or anything like that for at least 20 years, so socks are my only option.

Advocatecare,

As others have mentioned, you most definitely should consult with your doctor about which, if any, compression hose you need.

My mom has a heart condition & her cardiologist did not recommend compression hose for her, however he advised her to get up every 60 minutes or so to walk up & down the aisles of the plane.

I don't know if it is available in North America but in France I purchased a machine to put on compression socks.

It is a lovely shade of blue, made of tubular steel (might be a bit of a faff on a plane but pops neatly in my boot; basically you load the sock on it, pull up the slack until the shin to toe is tight, then just step into it and pull up the machine which unrolls the sock right onto the leg. It gives back a lot of breakfast time in the morning.

My wife has problems with her legs swelling while we travel, and she does wear knee high compression hose on long flights.

She's got a prescription for Lasix that minimizes swelling, however it has her running to the bathroom for a 12 hours. She takes the pills prior to our flying.

We just have to be variable in our schedule to allow time to deal with her problem.

I do wear the sox, but... I basically wear the type I use to recover from my long runs. My big problem is that my toes swell and get uncomfortable. This helps some, but they still swell.

http://www.cepcompression.com/progressive-run-socks-2-0.html

This is the link to the type I wear

Thank you all for the replies and info. I ordered a pair of Sockwell compression socks from Amazon when I got home, along with a pair of trouser sock type compression socks. I got them late yesterday. I am trying out the Sockwell pair today but am also going to speak with my doctor. I can feel the support in my ankles already. Feels like a foot massage:)

Judy, do you have a link to the inflatable foot rest?

Talked with my doctors office today and he is fine with me trying out the compression socks I got from Amazon. I'll try them for the next few days and if I'm not sure, he will write a script. But he did not have any major concerns about the swelling from travel last week. Of course, he said get up and move on the flight, stay hydrated, legs elevated when I can. I'm guessing I noticed the swelling more from some extra pounds I've acquired over the past year. Maybe all the walking in Europe will help take some of those off!! Thanks for all of your feedback on this issue. So far, I've had a pair of Sockwell compression socks on all day and they feel really good!

Sorry for the late reply regarding the foot rest cushion. I couldn't find the area on the forum where this question originated. Anyway, I bought the cushion in a luggage store that carried all sorts of travel items. I also think I saw it online on thenWalmart sight. There is a website listed on the pkg. I think it is
www.Go-travel products.com
Good luck!

It's good you consulted your doctor.

Really watch the salt. I remember one trip that I don't know what got into us, but we had a delay so we bought some Potato chips and low and behold by the time we got to San Francisco we both had swollen ankles and we don't have any health issues. There is so much more salt in food when you travel anyway.

Is there any difference between a script a doc writes for compression socks and some you can just get from the internet. Mine prescribed 15 pressure.

Lulu, I did not get a script from my doctor; he told me buying OTC was fine for me and 15-20mm of pressure seem to be all that is sold without a script. One of the best purchases I made in my pre-trip planning were the Sockwell brand Merino wool blend compression knee socks. I got two pair of those (different styles), and one pair of ankle length socks. I also bought a pair of trouser socks that were compression socks (different brand name) but they didn't even come close to the comfort, support and quality of the Sockwell brand. I got them all delivered straight to my home via Amazon & I wore them everyday on our trip!! One of my best buys and I would not have had a clue if it wasn't for all my RS Forums reading!!

Judy, funny story about the salt. I didn't add salt to foods when we travelled. I didn't want it and I was sure there was already enough sodium without it. However, on our 10-hour flight to the U.S. from Frankfurt, EVERY meal or snack they gave us was crazy loaded with salt!! We had a bag of olives with one snack; a pastrami & cheese sandwich with lunch; and several other items that made me wonder if they wanted us all to swell to keep the airplane at 36,000 feet ;). It took this entire week for all my foot, ankle area to completely deflate. Wow!

I think it's normal for feet to swell on planes. I've often observed that presumably seasoned travelers take off their shoes immediately when settling into their seats. Avoiding salt and liquids is not a good idea. Dehydration can be a real problem in the air, which is why it's recommended to abstain from caffeine and alcohol, both of which can dehydrate your body. Salty foods would encourage you to drink more, which may be why they're offered.

A few years ago a friend lent me a pair of compression socks for a long-haul flight. They were great, helped keep swelling down and generally my legs felt better as they seem to promote circulation. I also discovered that they were good at keeping me warm later in the trip in freezing temps.