tips on showering (heat, weakness, etc)

[wendya432]

I need some advice from some of you pros. I'm having a harder time with taking a shower and it is just getting worse. I think I need to change my routine, but can't quite figure out the best way.

Here are the problems: Heat!! Of course, taking a hot shower is a no no. But, I'm having a hard time just taking a warm shower. I still get the stupid heat induced pseudo-flare up that gives me double vision, muscle weakness, you know the drill. It seems simple, just don't take a hot shower. But, I can't take a cold shower. I have Raynaud's and if I get too cold it's painful. I have a very small window of being comfortable temperature wise.

Weakness! I have a hard time being on my feet for a long time. So days when I want to shave my legs, or just take a little longer than normal, I end up hardly being able to stand up afterwards. Not sure if this is in addition to the heat, or just made worse by the heat.

So what do you do? I've gone to taking a shower every other day, but I'm not really a fan of that. I thought maybe of having a shower seat? Not sure if that would help?

What do people do to deal with this?

[Temagami]

Sit on shower floor to do legs.
Bench is a great idea.
lean on wall opposite faucets with your forearms.
cooler shower but with a small electric heater running in the bathroom- turned on prior to the shower.

[MrsBones]

Here's what works for me:

1. Leave the bathroom door whenever possible, so it doesn't steam up.

2. Use a shower seat.

3. Install grab bars, either permanent ones or the temporary suction cup type.

4. Start the shower at your coolest comfortable level, then warm up to wash, then cool off. I usually wash my hair in the cooler water, add conditioner and wash, etc. Then use cooler water to rinse the conditioner. The cool rinse helps reduce the symptoms and sort of wakes me up again, so I'm not falling over when I get out.

[Cat Mom]

I dump my head over the side of the tub and use the hand held showerhead to wash my hair. Then have a bath to wash the rest of me. It's the only way I can "shower".

[Thinkimjob]

Ditto to all above. I seem to go better if I have a shower first thing in the morning when my energy levels are higher.

[fishead]

It took me a while to be able to do this, but I MAKE myself start out with a shower that is warm, not hot. I reward myself, at the end of the shower, by turning up the hot water. I then give myself 60 seconds max before I turn water off and get out of shower.

You could make your shower shorter, by washing your hair in a sink. For shaving, you can sit in a bathtub or (I do this), use an "epilady" instead of a razor. Also an electric razor would allow you to shave legs outside of shower.

[cosake]

Get a hand-held showerhead if you don't already have one. Then you can sit IN the tub and "shower", or shave your legs or wash your hair. You could also sit on the edge of the tub to shave. A hand-held showerhead gives you more options.

[lisa1014]

Get a shower seat! I got mine for under $30 at Walgreens and it helps you save energy and is much better for shaving legs!

I still get in the shower without the seat on days I feel good and don't need to shave my legs.

Bottom line you have to do what is best for you.

[Fed Up]

I am about to put in a shower stall in, to avoid the stepping UP, to get out. When I get too humid, I cannot lift my legs, very well. A seat, will be necessary, too. I end up, lying in bed on towels.

What I do is, take my shower, in the late evening, if at all possible. When it starts to cool down, outside. This time of year, is worse, for me. The steam, doesn't seem to get too bad, if the house and I am cooler. I am too fatigued in the morning, to take a shower, mostly.

The one thing I'd add is: Get a "shut-off" gizmo for the handheld shower faucet. The hand held is a must. You can buy a small $3 or 4 'shut-off' for it. And it is put at the end of the handle, between the hose, before the handheld, sprayer. And eazy to shut off.

I turn it off, when not in use. That keeps the bathroom, from steaming up, too much. It isn't in use, if I am shaving, washing my hair, soaping or doing things, that do not require the water to be on. hope this helps. fed up

[wendya432]

Thanks for all the advice! I think my parents have a shower seat stowed away somewhere. I may have to borrow it and see if it helps. (sad I need to borrow it from them before they even need it! Not sure why they even have it. lol)

The handheld showerhead I've thought about. Not sure if it would be helpful or not. My arms get very weak just using the hairdryer. Not sure if I could hold up the shower head the whole time.

I think I will try taking my shower a little cooler each day until I get to a comfortable temp that isn't too hot or too cold.

It's a pain this time of year. Our bathroom doesn't have a fan, and we rent, so we can't install one. So when it is hot and humid I can't open the window to help get rid of the steam. But I have been putting the A/C on and turning it down a touch when I take a shower so that I don't get the steam build up.

[fishead]

Thanks for all the advice! I think my parents have a shower seat stowed away somewhere. I may have to borrow it and see if it helps. (sad I need to borrow it from them before they even need it! Not sure why they even have it. lol)

The handheld showerhead I've thought about. Not sure if it would be helpful or not. My arms get very weak just using the hairdryer. Not sure if I could hold up the shower head the whole time.

I think I will try taking my shower a little cooler each day until I get to a comfortable temp that isn't too hot or too cold.

It's a pain this time of year. Our bathroom doesn't have a fan, and we rent, so we can't install one. So when it is hot and humid I can't open the window to help get rid of the steam. But I have been putting the A/C on and turning it down a touch when I take a shower so that I don't get the steam build up.

Could you get a little plastic fan and clip it in the bathroom??

[JennacydeL]

I AM HAPPY NOT TO BE THE ONLY ONE!

WOW! I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER A COUPLE OF YEARS. I AM FINE WHEN I GET IN THE SHOWER, AND BY THE TIME I'M DONE DRYING OFF I CAN BARELY WALK! I HAVE STARTED TAKING SHOWERS RIGHT BEFORE BED BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO LAST A FEW HOURS OR MORE.

I KNOW NOT TO TAKE A HOT SHOWER. WHEN I WAS DX'D, MY NEURO TOLD ME LUKEWARM OR COOLER SO I KNOW TO STAY COOL.

I AM HAPPY TO KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY. ANY IDEAS? THANKS FOR READING THIS AND I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU. IF YOU EVER HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN, OR HAVE SOME IDEAS, OR ANYTHING ON THE TOPIC, PLEASE POST

JENNA

[Kimba22]

I AM HAPPY TO KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY. ANY IDEAS?

Hi Jenna,

It happens because the heat causes a rise in the body's core temperature. Here's a link to the National MS Society explaining pseudo exacerbations (read green box at the right) - it should help you understand what is happening (click on pdf to read more): http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...ons/index.aspx

I hope this info helps!

Take care,

[Thinkimjob]

Other thing, get thoroughly wet, then turn the taps off. Do your lathering, shaving, shampooing, then turn them back on, and repeat as needed. I find the pounding water on my skin just as tiring as the heat.
Get a shower seat, and be careful sitting on the floor, unless you have rails and a solidly built shower. It is a surprisingly long way up, especilly when the floor's slippery, and your legs have decided to shut up shop.

[NYJenn]

Get a shower chair and install grab bars. Both are a must for me.

And don't think badly about using your parents' old shower chair--although I recommend getting a new one; they may have been improved since your parents bought theirs'--think of the seat as a luxury, not a crutch.