Doctor's Advice on the vest

[Dider11]

Just wondering if I could get some input from any of the doctors on this site or anyone that can give me a straight answer for that matter.

-Exactly how tight does the compression vest need to be to allow for proper healing? For instance, as of right now my chest has no range of motion and everything seems nicely compacted- is this the only thing that really matters? (i.e. does a tighter vest yield better results?)
 
Mine seems to be moderately tight but can feel it getting a bit looser as the healing progresses. Is this normal?

Thanks for any input

[don_joe]

Just wondering if I could get some input from any of the doctors on this site or anyone that can give me a straight answer for that matter.

-Exactly how tight does the compression vest need to be to allow for proper healing? For instance, as of right now my chest has no range of motion and everything seems nicely compacted- is this the only thing that really matters? (i.e. does a tighter vest yield better results?)
 
Mine seems to be moderately tight but can feel it getting a bit looser as the healing progresses. Is this normal?

Thanks for any input

My PS told me to put the vest in the washing machine and then in the dryer everyday. It then becomes as tight as day 1 or even tighter. I'm 10 days post-op now.

Hope this helps...

ps: god do I hate this thing...I can't wait to be done with it and throw it in the fire

[Dider11]

seriously man, i'm feelin the same way, i literally tthought to myself the other day i should burn this when its all over, thanks for the advice though.

The tag on my vest says hand wash only....think it will be bad to put 'er in the wash? DId you use cold or hot water?

[don_joe]

seriously man, i'm feelin the same way, i literally tthought to myself the other day i should burn this when its all over, thanks for the advice though.

The tag on my vest says hand wash only....think it will be bad to put 'er in the wash? DId you use cold or hot water?

I've used cold and warm water. I did not notice a difference. The nurse told me to wash it everyday but I can't see a label on it that says whether it is machine washable or not. So I don't know about yours. I have never seen other vests so I can't tell whether they are all made of the same material or not. You should probably call your PS nurse about this...

Then I put it in the dryer. Another advice: use fabric softener and not a cheap one. It will make the vest smoother on your skin and probably less itchy.   

[Dider11]

Thanks man, I washed it today in cold water and it fits much better. I'm gonna try and do it twice a week.

Hey how long were you instructed to wear your vest for?

[cecly]

I bought two of them, and hand washed them with no fragrance powder (seems to settle the itchyness that you might experience) and put it on the line and alternated. Worked a treat when I was wearing it.

[Dider11]

Where did you purchase the 2nd one cecly?


I do appreciate the responses guys as you are a big help, but if there are any Doctors that wouldn't mind putting in their 2 cents I would really like to hear from you

Thanks