Did you ever hear someone say how amazing their support stockings are? How sexy they look? And what great colours they come in? NO? That’s because they are terrible. Truly awful. They are thick, they are hot and itchy, the colours are monumentally ugly (how did they get black wrong?)
If you have the calf length ones you cannot wear a reasonable length of skirt (unless its really long,) if you have the thigh length ones, you cannot wear them without an industrial strength suspender belt. (If you have ever tried them with a flimsy one, I hope you fared better than I did.) The models in the pictures obviously have never walked in the thigh length ones otherwise the picture would show them round their ankles. If you live in the UK, you cannot get any of the decent colours on prescription and don’t get me started on how horrific it is if you are a man. My hat goes off to you chaps.
Despite all of the above they are actually good at what they do (did I really write that?) I refused to wear mine when I had my first DVT and PE, (I was 23 years old and vain). I now realize that the epic damage to the circulation in my legs could have been dramatically avoided, if I had worn them, but you live and learn. I wear them religiously now and its taken a few years but they have worked. My advice would be, if they tell you to wear them, pull them on and wear them with pride.
Compression stockings can be really tough to put on. Especially when they are new. If you are not so mobile there is a fabulously simple aid to help you put them on. The ActiGlide made by Activa is a clever little invention which aids the process of putting them on. If you don’t want to fork out for an ActiGlide you can achieve a similar effect with a plastic bag. Slide it over your foot, put the stocking on over the top, them pull it out of the end. Hey Presto! (A nifty trick a Midwife showed me when I had my son). It really does work, but if you are not very mobile or are incapacitated an ActiGlide is an easier option. A friend, relative or other half can also be a real help, (to do it for you.)
I am writing this from the UK, and our main brand seems to be Activa, or sometimes Scholl, feel free to share your experiences of your stockings I will happily post them on here. Who knows we may even be able to get a support group for Trauma at having to wear the passion killers!
Diary of a Clotaholic 
I wear Mediven class three.the class three black thigh length open toe comes with its own belt to hold it up! I was first given the Mediven by a lovely woman who does the ordering for the hospital. My GP tried to palm me off with Activa but they are useless at staying up. So I begged for the Mediven, yes i admit i begged but when you have to wear something as grotesque as those things they need to be staying where they’re supposed to be! I also have flesh coloured thigh length ones with little rubber grips that keep it up on your leg. I was told by a nurse that your stockings should be changed every three to four months as they need to retain their ‘tightness’ ‘compression’ to work. Also it is my vascular surgeon who decides which class. Hope this helps. And yes i feel your pain. They are so rubbish to wear, especially in Summer x
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Hi Claire
Thanks for your comment, I will definitely be discussing Mediven with my doctor, if begging is required I will also beg. I admit a friend of mine had varicose veins removed and she had something like what you have described, she was strikingly descriptive about “The Belt”. I asked around at the hospital and doctors whether they knew of such contraptions, (basically “the belt”, as suspender belts are neither use nor ornament with thigh length compression stockings as I have found to my detriment). I received blank stares and even after some research the hospital came back with a “no idea, sorry” so now I have a name to approach them with I am extremely grateful. Good point about the changing three to four months as well, I was told that I was “not” to order any more than one pair every six months and I must hand wash them, as they are expensive. I admit I am devil for laddering them though and they have to order them for me whether they like it or not. No one has ever discussed the class with me though. Thank you, you have given me some food for thought, I think I will revisit this topic, very shortly with some hopefully good advice for people. Best Wishes Bex
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