Wishing you the very very very best of luck
Let us know how you get on
Ciao
Simon
Wishing you the very very very best of luck
Let us know how you get on
Ciao
Simon
Well that was an experience. You go into a little submarine type capsule with 8 seats, it is quite small and there was someone else in there who wanted to chat. I didn’t want to chat, I was really quite nervous by then. You have a mask fitted and you are told what is going to happen. They warned about the noise that would start when the chamber compressed/decompressed and how to breath regularly. The most important thing is to equalise the pressure in your ears to avoid deafness and your head exploding (they didn’t say that obviously but I was getting more worried by the moment). Door was shut and we were off. It was noisy but the ear business was fine. After about 10 minutes we were at the correct levels and the noise stopped and then 50 minutes just breathing and chilling, You could read or use your mobile but I just concentrated on breathing. Then decompression took about 5 minutes and we were free. If you are in anyway claustrophobic this is not for you, you cannot ask to come out when you feel like it or you’ll end up with the bends !
On the plus side, I have gone 12 hours without needing a nap (a first since the stroke(. In that time, I have ridden my horse out on the roads with no wingman, done a bit of shopping and managed to answer quite a few questions when watching Tipping Point. That’s after one session so all in all I am well chuffed. Just waiting for Only Connect and Uni Challenge now, I knew my real brain was in there somewhere.
@clibbers1 sounds like it went ok for you. Really hope the benefits work long term for you.
You’re gathering a following as we all want hear the outcome of your sessions. So glad you have reaped some reward just from this first session and hope you experience more from your future sessions
It would be welcome news to hear of your improvements (fingers crossed) now a week has passed - I believe you will have had another five sessions?
Sounds like you share part of your week with us; Mastermind, Only connect and University challenge marks a Monday evening
Only doing one session a week as the MS centre is in Swindon which a) is a long way from us and b) is without doubt the worst place in the UK to drive and my husband has to take me. It’s a shame as my local centre is 5 minutes away but they have a waiting list.
I went this morning, still at a relatively low depth of 16 feet but for a full hour. As everyone I had been speaking to said that they would have hated being ‘shut in’, I was more uncomfortable than the first time. I should just ignore people and do my own thing. I breathed through the nervousness and again it was fine. Completely different results though, I was absolutely knackered after the treatment finished, but about an hour later you get a burst of energy. Whereas the first time I came out of the session, the energy kicked in straightaway. Going to start the 34 feet sessions next week so will update then.
My local MS therapy centre in Kent has these facilities too. I saw a physio there many years ago, when it first opened, but at the time it was very much MS centred. I have just looked at their website and they welcome people with other problems. I think I might give it a go. I’ve filled out the enquiry form and will go for a consultation. I’m also interested in acupuncture, which they do there, as well as hyperbaric treatment and hydrotherapy.
The centres are now known as neuro wellbeing centres rather than MS as they were originally known so I’m told. I think that most of the people there were stroke survivors, with one lady who had a badly broken arm that was proving difficult to heal. She did say that it was really a godsend to her. I guess it would also be helpful for cancer survivors as well as the standard treatment for that can be pretty brutal.
I tried acupuncture but was put off a bit when the therapist left one of the needles in my head. You would think they would count them back in again before you left but she was a bit of a chatterbox and I think she was distracted. I got a bit of a shock when I brushed my hair when I got home, the things we do for stroke recovery
It’s good to know we are being recognised at last. The last time I was there I felt a bit like I was there on sufferance and it was all to do with MS treatment. That was a bit galling because there was nothing of the equivalent for us stroke sufferers. The lady receptionist I spoke to on the phone yesterday was very helpful, so things are (hopefully) looking up at last (and if I have any acupuncture I’ll make sure they count their needles!).
I read a lot of good things about hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I hope you have the best of success with it.
By the way, if you’re locked in with little communication, how do they know if you happen to have a medical emergency/panic attack? Just curious.
Take good care of yourself.
You raise your hand and the person outside does something about it (hopefully !)
Okay! LOL I was just wondering…
May beautiful healing come your way.
All the best,
Matthew
I’m back to report on my 3rd session. Went down to 34 feet today, again for an hour. I had the submarine to myself so I played an audiobook which kept me very calm. There’s nothing like listening to an alternative history where the Nazis’ won the war to make you feel a bit smug that they didn’t. Again, afterwards I had heaps of energy, rode, managed a conversation with 8 other people over coffee and paid various online bills when I got home.
I liken the therapy to having your brain cleaned, yes it’s temporary but whilst the purer oxygen is in your system, you regain your faculties. I’m pushing my local centre for an approximate date that I can swap over, 2 or 3 treatments a week would make a huge difference I think, I could easily manage a 10 minute drive so it would give me the independence I’m desperately seeking.
Hope this helps anyone who is thinking of taking the plunge !! (see what I did there)
I saw what you did Glad it is all going well for you. Hopefully at some point the temporary improvement will become permanent or at least last much longer.
I hope everything goes well for you, keep us posted.
Thank you for this. I don’t have apnea but I could see the therapy would be really useful.
There is a phantom limb pain account on Instagram that links to interesting stuff too…
The ted talk isn’t (sic) informative except in that it shows people are becoming aware of the potential for technologies to aid in the treatment of neurological pain and thus there should be more research moving in that direction?
Sounds interesting. I agree we can get a bit neglected.
Curious to know how you get on.
With blessings
Val
How has hbot therapy gone
I finally managed to get an appointment at my local MS therapy centre yesterday and I’m booked in for Oxygen therapy and acupuncture on Monday afternoon. Interestingly, the admin lady I spoke with, says there is a big drive on at the moment, to publicise the availability of their services for for non-MS sufferers. She estimates that the amount of MS sufferers currently attending is only about 50%. The others have various other neurological problems mostly, with a few others being there for other pain-related conditions. It makes me wonder if, perhaps a change of title for these centres might be needed?