In my never ending search to become my pre stroke me I’ve had this recommended to me by my naturopathic doctor. I read about it and my local MS treatment centre is 10 minutes away from me. The MS treatment centre is fantastic, so many therapies available which would help with stroke recovery as well. Why aren’t we made aware, almost like we are the forgotten sufferers.
I’m going to give it a whirl so will keep you posted IDC
Hi, I am very interested in finding out about this. I’m nearly 7 years post stroke and about 5 years ago someone mentioned to my husband about oxygen therapy and suggested that we look into it. Unfortunately we have never been able to find anyone who knows anything about it. Even my private Neuro Physiotherapist at the time made some enquiries on my behalf but couldn’t get any further information.
Thank you for sharing and I look forward to hearing how you get on.
Regards Sue
I’ve been looking for places that offer it, without success, for months. It transpires that the MS clinic is in the same business park where I used to work, Milton Park, Abingdon Oxfordshire. Small world 
I thought I would find out what my new favourite YouTuber has to say about this and she didn’t disappoint
Or the direct link is
https://youtu.be/0bGalVV97DU
For some reason I don’t get audio if I watch through the forum I only get audio if I go direct to YouTube
@clibbers1 This sounds wonderful if it works. What can you expect to pay for a course of treatment?
Please keep us posted. Would be jnterested to hear how you get on. There are some similarities between stroke & MS so sort of makes sense. It’s a shame we’re not informed about it even if we did have to pay.
Good luck.
The video recorded in 2019 suggested common prescription is for 40 sessions of 2 hours each at $250 a pop ¡!
You can buy your own chamber here
Rent one for £600 a month hrer (seems a better deal!)
I too have a local ms therapy - They don’t post pricing on the website though…
In fact the relates of people selling chambers and services
I don’t know, awaiting details from the clinic. It will make quite a hole into the money I got from my critical illness cover no doubt, but if it helps then I don’t care really. Can’t see my BUPA cover stumping up for this !!
@clibbers1 Good luck, I suppose insurance payments would only be forthcoming if you were referred by a doctor or consultant.
If anyone has an ms centre near them, assuming similar to the one in Bristol, they offer
One to one physio
Class physio
Acupuncture
Hypnosis (used to be offered in Bristol)
Lots of other supportive help, it was open to brain injuries, not just MS. A fairly reasonable membership fee and then much lower costs for all the support than you would find out in the private world.
Would definitely recommend seeing if one near you if it can help you.
The Bristol website here as an example. It was recommended via Bristol after stroke and they did a presentation as part of the support classes
Simply breathing oxygen at ordinary pressure through a mask is an arguably safer and more readily available therapy requiring only mask and cylinder and a certain amount of training. It would best be administered with supervision.
Hyperbaric oxygen implies the use of a type of decompression chamber.
It is used by divers to adjust to normal pressure after the extremes endured during a prolonged dive.
The gases can be adjusted and everything in the chamber has to be fireproof because of the risk oxygen under pressure can create.
Incidentally oxygen concentrated and under pressure is extremely poisonous and can cause convulsions and death.
This process has to be very carefully monitored by a skilled expert.
Although I have been inside such a chamber it was only to look around and I did not get to use one.
Oxygen toxicity is a condition resulting from the harmful effects of breathing molecular oxygen (O2) at increased partial pressures. Severe cases can result in cell damage and death, with effects most often seen in the central nervous system, lungs, and eyes. Historically, the central nervous system condition was called the Paul Bert effect, and the pulmonary condition the Lorrain Smith effect, after the researchers who pioneered the discoveries and descriptions in the late 19th century. Oxygen toxicity is a concern for underwater divers, those on high concentrations of supplemental oxygen, and those undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
"To sum up, it is logical to understand that HBOT therapy would be highly helpful in stroke recovery. However, it may be particularly helpful when given within a few hours of the stroke. However, very few studies have tested HBO use in that critical window period. "
Doesn’t seem that practical/realistic to me to have this in a few hours of a stroke.
There is also plenty of “may” entries in the article.
Hyperbaric chambers are available at short notice around the country.
They are the sort of facility that a diver accesses by being flown in by helicopter when suffering severe decompression sickness.
Air bubbles in the blood and nerve system cause blockages which urgently need to be relived before irretrievable damage occurs. This treatment needs to be administered speedily within hours.
Putting the diver back under pressure in a chamber squashes these bubbles down which allows blood flow to resume.
After a period of hours the bubbles clear and the pressure can be released allowing the diver to emerge from the chamber.
Although oxygen is administered the main object of the exercise is to open up areas blocked by bubbles.
The whole process is difficult and there is a real risk of misadventure.
Oxygen is administered regularly by medics and hospitals, also is self administered in some cases. As this does not involve pressure the risks are greatly reduced but it is good to realise that oxygen although necessary for life can, like many things taken in excess, be harmful.
5 month waiting list for this treatment, hopefully a sign that it works. There is a bigger treatment centre in Swindon but not sure if I can cope with the roundabouts 
Oh no. I couldn’t cope with those roundabouts pre stroke…no hope now
Details on the service offered in Bristol, I presume others will be the same.
In terms of costs, this is how much the oxygen therapy costs at the ms centre in Bristol.
You need to become a member which is £35 plus the costs shown
All of the costs in the centre are a fraction of what you might pay elsewhere. Neuro physiotherapy is for example £20-£30 for an appointment. £5 to use the gym. Also offers spasticity clinic, benefits advice service.
I don’t know how widespread these centres are but I suspect their existence is not widely known in the stroke community. I have been to the Bristol one for acupuncture. Really modern place, very friendly. The lady I saw for acupuncture had been trained in china, I was impressed by the questions she asked about my stroke.
Thank you, that’s really helpful. These centres seem just what would be helpful to us. I’m surprised it’s not been flagged up to stroke survivors. Actually, I’m not surprised, if ever a group of people have been left with little to no support, it is us
Heard from the Swindon MS centre and have made arrangements to go and have a look around next week. I was pleasantly surprised by the costs, £20 membership to use the neuro gym and £18 per session for the hyperbaric therapy. It is supposed to help with fatigue and brain fog which would be brilliant if it works.
That sounds great. Hope it goes well & be interested to hear how you get on x
