Hi everyone! My name is Dawn, and I haven’t been on the site for a v long time. The only person I recognise from then is Anitra, partly because she lives relatively near to me.
I am interested to find out other people’s use of MS therapy centres. Is it regular, and how helpful does anyone find it? I live within a few miles of one, and would like to hear experiences of it. Thanks in advance for any replies! Dawn.
Hi
i have been using a centre for 12 years and go weekly.
it helps my energy levels and fatigue. This was evidenced when my centre was closed for 9 months due to a fire last year. I was constantly tired when not getting oxygen. It is now open again and my fatigue is controlled again. It helps keep me working full-time.
this could be a coincidence but I would say try it. There is not a lot to lose.
Neil
Hi Dawn.
I have been going to my local MS Therapy Centre for HBOT (Hyperbaric oxygen treatment) for about 5 years now. I think it helps, although tbh it’s not a huge improvement. My bladder seems better behaved and I sleep better when I’m having treatment. The oxygen isn’t do any harm so as Neil says ‘what’s to lose?’
However, the Centres are more than being about HBOT. They offer a range of therapies e.g. physio, yoga, reflexology to name but a few. They also provide places for people to meet and chat over a cup of tea/coffee.
I have a lot of time for the Centres, they are charities, operate on a shoe string and do a lot of good.
I would recommend popping along and seeing what your local one has to offer. Nothing ventured…
Anne
Hi i go to the one in portsmouth and enjoy my weekly trip there the treatments they offer are very good and the staff and people that go are all very friendly and its good to chat and have tea and cake . I do use the HBOC but i am not sure i feel much benefit but my husband seems to think it helps me the days after ,fatugue is not really my main problem but the people that do suffer say it helps them alot for a few days after.
Give them a ring and pop down and see what they have to offer certainly a warm welcome.
Take care .Katy
Hello, Dawn!
Nice to be remembered, and yes, I do remember talking to you too, but as Dawn - I didn’t recognize your screen-name of 'Spie.
Sorry, I can’t help re the MS Therapy Centre. Since it moved from it’s old location in Nailsea, or Clevedon, or wherever it was, it’s a lot closer to me than it used to be, but I still haven’t been.
It’s partly that it’s still not that accessible to me, as I don’t drive, and it’s not on a direct bus-route for me, without a walk. I’m sure that wouldn’t be insurmountable - the walk isn’t miles - but it’s just far enough to put me off unless I really, really wanted to go. If it was a high enough priority, I’m sure I’d have sussed the buses and done it by now, but the fact I haven’t indicates it’s not something I feel strongly drawn to at this point in my life.
That’s not a criticism of it - I just feel that if I’m going to make the effort to get out and do something, I’d sooner it NOT be MS related, for the moment. I’ve been attending Art History lectures, and hopefully will restart in Autumn. It’s got absolutely s*d all to do with MS (or anything I’ve studied or experienced before), and is lovely!
Tina
x
I suppose it depends on what you are looking to get out of the place. The physio classes were very good at my local centre, but there are lots of other therapies available to try if you wish
The people tend to be a friendly lot, so why not pop along and find out what’s on offer.
Thanks to all of you for your replies! Ah, Derek, remember being in contact with you too via lovely Linda! I’m hoping that going
to a centre will help to motivate me to get more exercise/do some of that socialising thing. I receive DLA money, and could
use it to get to and from by taxi, as I don’t drive. Ooh, reflexology too… I think I’ll give it a try. Dawn.
I use my local one for Aromatherapy massage at the moment. If I am honest it freaked me out the first time I went, the day after diagnosis because the other users that day had worse disability than me so it panicked me, was I looking at my future. I had a quiet word with myself to stop it and sat and chatted to some of the other users which made me relax. I now have a weekly Aromatherapy massage and stay for a chat with the other users over lunch. The one I use has a volunteer driver who picks up some of those who don’t drive, I do drive so don’t use that but it might be worth asking if you don’t.
Snowqueen x
Thanks Snowqueen, very useful to know. I’ll have a look into that too. Dawn.