I’m learning from research and support groups, that there are several categories of things we want to do in order to manage a life with Lipedema: Manage pain, improve lymphatic flow, get emotional support, help your body deal with lipedema, and reduce inflammation. As you can imagine, there are a lot of activities to make this all happen in concert, also while taking care of family and work, and who knows what else.
Sleeping is a big issue for me. And we can’t do any of The Things without a good night’s rest. I toss and turn all night because whatever part of my body touches the bed from the waist down, hurts after a few minutes. A lot of the Lippy Ladies in my groups are recommending the use of a wedge in the bed to prop my knees on. It turns out, you can also use a wedge for a lap desk, a head propper upper (is that a word?), or put it between legs to separate them. It also turns out that a wedge is a heck of a lot cheaper than one of those fancy elevating beds that may or may not be the right thing.
Amerisleep.com says that back sleepers can place a wedge pillow under the knees to relieve pressure on the lower back and help muscles fully relax. Lifting the legs during sleep increases blood circulation, preventing the legs and feet from swelling and varicose veins from forming. For those with heart disease and other serious medical issues, improved circulation also promotes healing and recovery. It sounds to me like this might help reduce inflammation, similar to the Legs on the Wall pose I use after travelling.
The Two Most Famous Physical Therapists on the Internet have a neat little video about Lymphedema (which I also have) and a few products that help. They talk a little bit about using a wedge. I love these guys so much – they’re just fun and kind of laid back, that I thought it’d be fun to share with you all too.
So I head off to Amazon and see a big range of wedge pillows with a big range of prices. I’m picking this one to start with for two reasons: It’s cheap, and it has more than a thousand positive reviews. When it comes in, I’ll share my thoughts after a few nights of trying it.
This includes paid ads. As an Amazon associate, I receive commissions on sales.
