Fear of the shower...

[Thinkimjob]

I loathe showers. It has become an utter ordeal, just to get clean. Yes, I have a bath chair, yes, I have non slip mats, yes I have hand rails.

The daily ritual just fills me with dread. It's not just the chance of slipping over, although that worries me.

My legs start rattling as soon as I sit down and turn the water on.

It's the hour it takes to recover from all the undressing, washing, drying, getting dressed again. And then you have to hang up the towel.

Shaving legs and armpits, washing hair in general, slippery soap -aarrgghhh.

I'm avoiding a shower right now in fact. The old sponge bath is looking very good these days.

What do you do?

[Mamabug]

... The old sponge bath is looking very good these days.

That sounds like a good strategy.

For me, with MS, two things seem to be going on.

1. First, my abilities are declining. There are fewer things that I do that I feel truly competent at.
2. Second, I experience anxiety and stress. For me, there is sort of a dual connection between stress and MS.
   • Stress affects my MS. For example, when I experience stress, it can trigger an MS flare.
   • MS affects my stress. I tend to experience stress and anxiety at greater levels at things that used to be "normal" stressors. They feel less "normal" now, and more difficult to cope with.

One possible coping mechanism, to deal with that stress and anxiety, that I use sometimes, is to try to manage stress. There are all kinds of stress management techniques online if you google it.
But, actually, what is MORE helpful for me than stress management is stress prevention. And, it sounds like you've already figured that out.

Because showering is stressful for you, you are avoiding showers and choosing sponge baths instead.

I, actually, was going to suggest that, before I had finished reading your post. I think that's an excellent option, and you may not require another solution. You might just need a pat on the back for figuring it out by yourself.

So, here it is. Pat, pat.

But, humor aside. There might be additional great ideas out there. So, peeps -- share!

~ Faith

[HobbitHead]

I understand your frustration.

1. This one is important. Let's start a revolution where no woman has to shave her darn legs anymore. Seriously, how many hours of our lives do we need to give up on that tedious task?

2. What is wrong with the occasional sponge bath? You aren't running around like pepe lepew with fumes wafting from you? Then you are good in my book.

3. Do what all of the hip young chicks are doing and use dry shampoo. Saves the showering and the dry time.

Today I got out of the shower and was almost instantly dripping with sweat. Made me wonder why I even bothered. Have I mentioned that I hate summer?

[rdmc]

It's the hour it takes to recover from all the undressing, washing, drying, getting dressed again. And then you have to hang up the towel.

Shaving legs and armpits, washing hair in general, slippery soap -aarrgghhh.

I'm avoiding a shower right now in fact. The old sponge bath is looking very good these days.

What do you do?

This describes my experience too. It's the energy that is zapped from me that makes me want to avoid a shower. I have to strategically plan them so I have time to rest up before I have to go somewhere.

Plus knowing it's going to exhaust my energy, I have to literally will myself to get in there and take a shower. I am the queen of procrastination when it comes to this issue.

Years ago I started a thread about folks, like me, who had SAS (shower avoidance syndrome.) It was pages long, so I think we're not alone.

I had surgery back in March, and because I had had trouble with the incision the last time I had the surgery (pump surgery)...this time he stapled the incision, put this huge bandage over the incision, and stapled the bandage on...he was making sure it wasn't coming off. But they told me I must not get it wet, and having it on my abdomen, I couldn't find a way to guarantee that, so I resorted to sponge baths, and washing my hair in the sink. It worked, I felt clean, the incision didn't get wet, and I wasn't worn out after the "clean up."

Hope you find a "method" that works for you.

P.S. I haven't shaved my legs in the shower for years. I bought an electric shaver for women and I don't shave my legs during the shower ordeal.

[MarkLavelle]

1. This one is important. Let's start a revolution where no woman has to shave her darn legs anymore.

I was just gonna suggest that think should give up the shaving, but I'm OK with a full-fledged revolution, too.

[502E79]

T,

I now approach everything with:

"...I get to..." and not "...I have to..."

It allows me a sense of gratitude, which grants some clarity to plan what is necessary to accomplish the task at hand and I simply dismiss time altogether.

Amazingly when the task is done, I'm sometimes ready for another, and sometimes, yes ... a snoozzzzzze....

Jer

[onlyairfare]

I am not afraid of the shower, but I do have to fit it into my morning just right.

I get up two hours before I have to leave for work, and I take my Provigil right after I turn off the alarm clock. I "wake up" for half an hour - maybe read the paper, go online, get a quick breakfast.

Then I take as short a shower as possible, using lukewarm water since hot water will exhaust me. I don't shave my legs - my hair is light colored and doesn't show under the stockings I have to wear to work anyway. But if I did have to shave, I'd follow the electric razor idea, not shaving in the shower.

Then I recover from my shower for a while - breakfast if I didn't already eat, computer and email time. By now the Provigil is kicking in good, so I can dress, pack a lunch, check that my backpack/briefcase has what I need for the day, and head out the door to work.

[AnneLouise]

It takes me an hour to shower, seriously, and another twenty minutes for a nap. The days of jumping in and out of the shower are long gone.

I use an electric razor, now. I tend to let the hair grow till I can't stand it anymore. I mostly sit down in the shower, and I don't wash my hair every day. A sponge bath is a good idea. I mean, really, how dirty and sweaty can we be?

But as daunting as they seem, I push myself to take a shower. It gives a sense of accomplishment. Especially if I do nothing else. "At least I got a shower."

[Diamond57]

Pooped ordeal

OMG!!!!! That's exactly how I feel. It's a two hour production and I have long hair. I decided I'm going to buy an electric shaver to speed things up when I can afford to. Sometimes I have even gone to showering every other day and I'm the cleanest person on the planet. It's just like house work. I can only do so much at a time.

Sending my sincere thoughts to all of you!

Susie Q

[DebbieB]

Think,

As you can see, you are not alone. It's a production for me as well, and one that I seriously dread.

I don't wash my hair daily, that's something that I negotiated a long time ago. The additional time needed to do so, along with the blow drying/heat and styling I just can't do it daily. I now have shampooing down to every three days and use dry shampoo in between if needed. (another tip if your hair tends to be oily is to take a little bit of baby powder in your hands (just a little bit) and rub your hands together, and then rub your hands through your roots - works great, and is much cheaper than dry shampoo).

Like many other posters, I often have to rest/lay down after the shower. This requires great planning and time management and I often struggle to get the schedule down.

I've tried different times of day (morning vs. before bed), I don't know if one is better than the other.

I've just recently started waxing my legs myself, using the was strips you can buy in the drug store. Definitely lasts much longer than shaving (10 days - 2 weeks easy) & is something I can do myself while sitting. A box of these wax strips costs about $8 and is good for about 3 waxings.

I look forward to other posters and their tips...this is definitely an issue for many of us.

Debbie

[MSW1963]

My personal theory about 'stress' is that a lot of what MSers are confronted with as our abilities decline is the primitive part of the brain that either learns? or knows? the danger some mundane activities expose us to and begins to resist the repeated exposure to 'dangerous' activity. For example, activity like showering or bathing, the preasure of grocery shopping when fatigued and the cubbords are bare, attending to personal hygiene for the up comming doc appointment, etc.

It's the MSers flavor of the 'fight or flight' instinct we were born with. The major difference is that the MS version of flight or flight is triggered by otherwise normal physical or cognitive demands we can no longer achieve, then the 'stress' gets triggered.

[onlyairfare]

My stylist knows I want "wash & wear" hair - I do not have time or energy for complex blowing dry and styling - so she cuts it in an easy to maintain style.

I use a backpack even though it may look "less professional" because it is easier for me to balance with both hands free, compared to carrying a briefcase. And mostly I keep my backpack stocked and ready to go at all times, so it's not much of a chore in the mornings when I am leaving for work.

[Thinkimjob]

MSW1963, that is the most brilliant post

I'd never thought of it like that. When most basic but necessary tasks have become really quite hard, it makes sense to try to avoid them.
And when you can't, the stress adds to the fun.

The number of times I've sat in a car outside a shop wrestling with "do I need it today, or could I last a bit longer" so I don't have to endure getting out of the car, getting into the shop, getting to the counter, standing, waiting, then going back carrying a massively heavy loaf of bread.

[Fed Up]

Same here; it isn't that I dread the shower..it is the fatigue and exhaustion..after it. Using a chair and doing it sitting..seems to help.

Wash my hair once a week; about to get a wash and wear hairstyle. My hair was falling out so quickly 5 years ago, I quit getting it cut; just to have the 'feeling' of having some hair. Nothing left to razor; at that time.

Now, the armpit hair grows and I loathe having to shave, I'll go to the electric one, on the previous advice. My hair is growing and my legs remain bare; at least, I am thankful for that.

Before I knew i had MS, in 2011 I became so fatigue and weak after a shower and had to start lying down on my bed, wet. Finally, started getting wise to it and putting the towels down, before the shower.

Still, I dread it. Mostly, because the bottom of my bath tub and the floor are on different levels and i fear falling out of the shower. Giving into MS and about to have a bathroom remodeled; just wondering if I need to make it w/c accessible..meh, I'll go to assisted living then.

Taking a dry shower does interest me, if we have dry shampoo; why not dry shower..no water and less likely to fall! I already have fake knees, so no thank you for a fake hip! Being careful and thankful, at least I don't have to shave the legs..it is hard enough to have a day of being flexible enough to trim the toenails.

Thinkimjob..you have lots of company with your fear; my fear of stinking is worse than my fear of showering!!fed

[DebbieB]

I agree, brilliant post MSW.