Even though I've been wearing a prosthesis basically my entire life, it's still hard to verbalize sometimes the way a new component feels.  During the fitting appointment, the spotlight is on us.  Practitioners can fly in and out of the room making countless adjustments and wait anxiously for our feedback.  After too many adjustments in the same session, though, I personally find I just can't tell anymore.  Much like the eye doctor asking 'better one, better two', it all starts looking and feeling the same to me.  To avoid this, I like to:

• Limit the number of major adjustments in a single session with my prosthetist
• Walk, sit down, and get up several times in between adjustments
• Be specific when giving feedback ('it makes my stump hurt' is not specific)
• Understand that any new socket is going to feel weird at first
• Put extra lotion or ointment in the IT (ischial containment) area when I'm using a new socket for the first time (ask your prosthetist for recommendations on what to use)... this is for above knee amputees.
• Draw pictures (I'm not kidding) if I can't verbalize how and where it hurts
• Avoid frustration... chances are it won't be 100% right the first time
• Remember that people can't read my mind
• Beware of cure-alls.  No one component is going to be the answer for every amputee.  I try to avoid falling into the hype of new component until I have tried it for at least 12 hours.  By then my back, hips and thighs will be able to judge more objectively!