IMAK gloves and Fast Freeze Roll-on

[jaiser]

Thought I'd share my recent experience with these two products.  I know somewhere there are threads about them, but I'm just gonna lump it together for ease of finding.

I know everyone responds differently, but these are pretty affordable as things go, so they may be worth a try.

IMAK gloves:  These don't seem to be available at stores (at least not near me) but I ordered them at CVS.com.  They are incredible!  For 12 bucks, you get one pair of these black/gray cotton/spandex gloves.  They're kinda fingerless from about the second joint forward.  They offer some extra warmth as well as gentle compression.  For me, the hand pain is usually dull ache with the occasional sharp twinge.  But the most common is the feeling like my hands are on fire (neuropathy, I guess).  These gloves actually help calm that down; not totally in some cases, but in others yeah. 

Fast Freeze:  This is a roll-on topical pain reliever whose active ingredients are camphor and menthol.  It does smell like it, too, for a while.  However, it provides an immediate and very cold sensation that slowly warms.  I find it helps with my shoulder and neck pain.  To some extent, it provides relief; in other ways, it's like it replaces the pain with the cold/hot sensation.  Either way, it's nicer than the dull ache that makes me wanna peel off my skin and remove my muscles.     I ordered it from the company website.

In any case, the grand total with shipping on these two products was less than $35 and that was a decent price for even temporary relief.  I hope this might help others.

[looneylane]

Sounds good Jaiser.

[foxgrove]

Sounds like a plan brother..  Thanks for the ideas.

[countryboy]

Gee, the gloves sounds great.  At least it wouldn't make you feel like you were a little kid again trying to pee with mittens on.      I have heard that they help with arthritis pain also.

[jaiser]

You're welcome, guys!  They are actually sold as arthritis gloves, but they do help my hands. 

at peeing with mittens on!  Yeah, that's taking a bit o' getting used to, countryboy.  So far, no accidents!   

[looneylane]

I can relate to that being from the Yukon and all had to pee a lot with mittens on..otherwise I might have gotten frozen together in places that can be awkward when you need help.

[jaiser]

Yikes!    

[looneylane]

You know it's cold when your pee shatters when it hits the ground......

[WolfSoul]

I use the Imak gloves too. Ordered them from the same place. They work great and I can still type at work with them.

[jaiser]

@Looneylane:  Holy crap!    I'm obviously spoiled by milder weather as I can't even begin to imagine that!

@WolfSoul:  I love the gloves.  Typing, writing, all my usual activities are fine with them.  I haven't worn them at work yet.  *Most* of the time, my hands aren't too bad, except early mornings and at night.  Today though, I could use 'em.  This is really a topic for another thread, but do your employers know about your fibro?  I'm getting to the stage where I'm thinking it's time to "come out" with it, but am a bit fearful of the reaction.

[looneylane]

It hit minus fifty C one time and we would spit in the air to see it hit the ground! We would taek a glass of hot water throw it in the air only to see it turn to snow and ice in the air. Kind of miss it snow days were just an excuse to go play in the cold.

[jaiser]

I have to admit, that would be cool to see! 

[WolfSoul]

@WolfSoul:  I love the gloves.  Typing, writing, all my usual activities are fine with them.  I haven't worn them at work yet.  *Most* of the time, my hands aren't too bad, except early mornings and at night.  Today though, I could use 'em.  This is really a topic for another thread, but do your employers know about your fibro?  I'm getting to the stage where I'm thinking it's time to "come out" with it, but am a bit fearful of the reaction.

I have two pair now. One for work and another for at home. My arms will randomly fall asleep and go numb. I hate it when that wakes me up. Wearing the gloves helps to reduce that.

Yep, they are aware at work. I went on FMLA intermittent leave, but it got to the point where I was missing 2-3 days a week, so starting this week I am going on Reduced Schedule. I'm taking every Wednesday off.  Talk to your doctor, ask him to fill out the FMLA forms (you get them from your employer's HR Dept). Then, legally, they can't really do anything if they do know. You do not have to tell your supervisor or co-workers anything. Though it might help you if your supervisor is aware. I know I have been extremely lucky where I work. If you want to talk more, feel freel to PM me.

[tojo]

How is the stitching around the fingers where the glove stops? I have had some gloves but they always started coming apart rather quickly and then were worthless for the most part. That is why I went to the full length glove.

[jaiser]

@WolfSoul:  I'm planning on ordering another pair or two myself.  They help so much and I'm forgetful sometimes on lugging things back and forth to work if I'm not wearing them (big surprise, I know, right! lol).
Thanks for the advice on telling work. I have a "long" consult appointment with my doc (30+mins as opposed to the 15min usual) on the 31st about possible treatment changes.  I'm lucky, cuz she's pretty cool about the fact that I'm a pushy, well-researched patient.      Hopefully, that'll help.  I work for a very small company (10 people) so FMLA doesn't cover us.  It requires there be at least 50 employees for at least 20 weeks in the last calendar year.  My immediate co-worker is very understanding and I might start with him.  It's quite possible that they'll be OK with everything, I do have an excellent record (so far, anyway...).  We're at a 20% labor/salary reduction (I have every Fri/Sat/Sun off) for the rest of the year.  That helps a lot, but there are days (like every one so far this week) when I'm so close to overwhelmed with exhaustion and pain that it's all I can do to hang on til 5pm. 

I tend to be really cautious about revealing too much at work and I'm probably being too cautious now.  If things steadily decline, though, I'm eventually going to have to tell them.  And if it gets to the point that I can't work at all anymore, they'll have to know (obviously) but especially for short- and long-term disability and my SSDI app.  It's just scary, I guess.  I'm so used to my fibro being manageable that this "downturn" is just freaking me out a bit.  Plus I'm responsible for my retired mom (her SS is very low) and the idea of a more limited income is a bit scary, too.  Thanks for the offer of a PM chat.  I may take you up on that later.

@tojo:  The stitching is fine so far.  It's only been a short time though.  I had to clip off some stray threads here n there, but nothing major.