How Often Do You Shower?

[erickamcc0523]

I almost didn't want to post this, and actually I have held off for a few weeks, since the fact that I take a shower at most is every other day makes me feel like a lazy bum... Anyways, like I said, I shower at most every other day, and there have been times that, especially if I'm extra symptomatic or if I've been having a lot of pain from dislocating and subluxing joints, it's been a week in between showers. I do "scuzz off" (as my mom says)... ie, I'll do a sponge bath, in between, but it is so frustrating, and somewhat depressing, that I can't take them every day... I used to sometimes take one twice a day (I WAS in marching band at the time).

So... how frequently does everyone here shower?

[TheLivingDead]

that *****. showers usually make me feel better.

[DizzyMe]

Hi, I shower mostly in the evening incase the next day is a bad one! I also tend to have less symptoms in the evening so it makes sense to do it then.

Melanie.x

[Kyler]

My son started sitting down in the shower several months ago - he says it has nothing to do with POTS but his legs turn super barney purple every time he showers. Last night he almost passed out in the shower and now he says that he is scared to shower again.

I can see why you would want to skip it when possible - It seems very taxing on the body of a dysautonomia sufferer.

[brownsea]

i havent showered in ages!!! urgh.

i bathe each night. when i was really poorly i would bed bathe, and i couldnt wait to have a bath. literally the first bath i had was in wash out, as i couldnt sit up for long. now im able to bath for around half an hour which i love, i still have to remember to not have the water too hot, otherwise i feel ill.

i used to shower twice a day when i was well, especially in the summer. i miss showers, but one day.....

[Elfie]

I can't skip showering, no matter how it makes me feel. I generally have to see the general public everyday and if I don't shower it gets scary! I go through periods of weeks where I have uncontrolled sweating where I will drench my bed and clothes everyday, even if I am cold. My hair has gotten really thin and within like six hours I can slick it back with its own oil. I also have very strong-smelling hair and body odor, like a guy. So, I shower everyday and then still end up looking dirty and being stinky! No fun, but I can't manage showering more than once a day. So, to be honest, when there is one of these threads about how people feel gross about only showering once every other every third day I don't think you are gross, I envy you!!!! If I skip a day I can't put my head on my furniture because I leave oil stains!

[potsgirl]

Well, I guess I'm 'odd man out' too, Ericka. Unless you're doing something that works up a sweat, or your hair tends to get greasy easily, I don't think there's a reason to shower every day unless it really makes you feel better.

If I'm just around the house, which I usually am, I shower (or bathe) about 4-5 days a week. I also only wash my hair twice a week, as it uses up so much of my energy. I think as a culture we're much more concerned about a daily shower/hair wash than many other cultures are. It certainly doesn't hurt to skip a day here and there, especially if it really zaps your energy.

Cheers,

Jana

[Rene S.]

Hi Ericka,

You are not alone. Before being sick, I used to shower at least once a day and maybe a bubble bath at night. Now, especially since my procedure last week, I'm lucky if it's every other day. I have baby fine hair and it should probably be washed, but I find myself not caring so much because I know that the showering alone will send me back to bed in no time. Funny, I was the one who always had to have a full face of makeup. Now, forget it. Just takes too much out of me.

Besides, I've read that it's actually better not to shower everyday. It helps your skin maintain it's natural moisture when you're not stripping it away by showering. So it seems like we'll all just be scuzballs together! LOL.

Hope you are feeling better!

Rene

[daisy]

I try to shower every day but if I'm not feeling well, the hair goes up in a ponytail and that's that. I usually shower later in the day or evening because like others I seem to feel better then. A shower chair helps for the times I need to sit down. Also, I try not to take really hot showers because heat is NOT my friend and I wash my hair without my arms being way over my head because that aggravates things as well. It's an adventure!! Don't feel bad though if you can't every day. If you're not out running marathons or digging ditches, you're probably not getting too dirty anyway!!

[blueskies1234]

I can't 'shower', but I do take a bath almost every day. I wash my hair at least a few times a week, but not every day. I feel like I will faint if I stand in the shower for more than a minute or two.

[yogini]

My son started sitting down in the shower several months ago - he says it has nothing to do with POTS but his legs turn super barney purple every time he showers. Last night he almost passed out in the shower and now he says that he is scared to shower again.

I can see why you would want to skip it when possible - It seems very taxing on the body of a dysautonomia sufferer.

Actually POTS makes your legs turn purple. That's pooling. Many people sit down. Some people get a shower chair. I can now stand, but I used to just sit on the floor of my tub. I have one of those massage showerheads that you can hold in your hand. It also helps to take showers with water that isn't too hot. I hate showering at night but I did that for a few years b/c I would get so tired after showering. Now I mostly take them in the morning/during the day.

[Noreen]

Erika-

My showering schedule is right on par with yours. However, during a particular bad spell recently I ended up going for 2 weeks without a shower because I couldn't get someone to be nearby. It is now something planned as it can drain energy for the day depending on oh so many factors. As someone else mentioned, I also sit in the shower and use a handheld shower wand.

Noreen

[futurehope]

Since my skin is so dried out from Winter, I shower either every other day or twice/week. The hair gets washed in the shower twice/week. More than that and I'm dried out. I do "bathe" with a wash cloth every day that I am not showering.

[ByteMe58]

No showers anymore for me. I take a bath everyday with my wifes help. We use a hand held shower massage head, and a 5 minute time limit.

Once she gets the water going, I have to run in there and she washes my hair and my back while I do everything else. It saves time that way.

Even sitting in the shower causes my lower legs and feet to start pooling and getting dark. If the water is too hot, my veins will start popping out of my ankles.

It's better than my 22 days in the hospital with only a sponge bath.

Frank

[MightyMouse]

Depends on how I'm feeling, but I certainly don't take a shower every single day all the time... There are plenty of times when I have to skip a day b/c I feel so awful I just can't.

[flop]

When I am relatively well I like to have a cool shower every morning. I can't have a bath very often as even with tepid water I feel really drained and usually sweat like crazy afterwards which messes up the reason for having a bath in the first place!

During my recent hospital stay I did enjoy having several baths using their special bath chair hoist. Being slowly lifted out of the water in a sitting position rather than having to stand up was fantastic!

Since escaping from hospital I have only managed 1 shower - urgh I know! My wonderful cheat factor is feminine hygiene wipes. I use one all over to get off sweat and antiperspirant before having a wash with a flannel. The wipes seem to help me feel much fresher especially under my arms.

Hairwashing really drains me so I just don't do it myself anymore. About once a week I go to the hairdresser for a blowdry (cheaper than paying for a carer to help ne at home). My hair looks fine for a few days then I give it a boost with some dry shampoo spray or tie it in a ponytail.

Flop

[Brye]

Daily thanks to my fancy blue shower chair!!

Brye

[McBlonde]

Hi, I'm new here. My endocrinologist just dx'd me with POTS. I also have orthostatic hypotention.

I just can't believe all of the symptoms that I have that I had absolutely no idea were symptoms of a disease.

I just had to jump in on this thread because I thought I was the only one! Now I know why. When I got out of the shower yesterday I didn't feel well so my daughter took my HR and BP. My heartrate was 170 and my BP was so low that it wouldn't register.

[stacdliw]

I don't have POTS, but I have severe exercise intolerance and become extremely out of breath whenever I bathe. Bathing and washing my hair can really really get me out breath, so I try to delay washing my hair as long as I can, about 5 days. I've tried taking showers, but I guess the warm water, plus the movement of washing the body is too much activity because I almost passed out in the shower once, so I only take baths now. I try to take a bath every other day, but I hate to admit it, if I'm nauseous with my gastroparesis too, I might just get a quick wash off in the sink!

[potsgirl]

Flop~

I do the same thing when I'm particularly fatigued - go to my hair stylist for a wash and blow dry. It's wonderful, and is well worth the $20 a week!

[erik]

2+ times a day if dating. Reciprocal of that if not. Usually not. (And a $10 haircut every few months if not dating

[erickamcc0523]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one! And I'm kicking myself for waiting so long for posting this thread. I should have known you all would be great with this question!

[mountain girl]

I try to shower every day, but there are days where I just wash up at the sink if I am feeling too tired. Thank goodness after two years with pots, I usually feel good enough to shower every day. For me showers were easier than bathes, and make the water not too warm. The other key for me was try not to stay in too long, the warm water and humidity in the bathroom can make one feel worse.

[StacyRN]

Ericka, I couldn't believe it when I read your post! I am so glad I'm not the only one!!! My friends all think it's hilarious what POTS has done to me, because I would NEVER go a day without showering, my whole life! if I could help it! But since POTS hit hard last September, I shower twice a week at the MOST! Many weeks only ONCE! Aaaaaaaaaggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I even have a shower chair, which helps immensely, but the hot water still gets me. Before the shower chair, I would stagger out after a minute and have to lie down on the bathroom floor naked (lovely picture, sorry!) until the blood flowed back into my head with a whooshing sound in my ears... then it was a struggle to get back in to rinse the shampoo out... sitting down of course...

Now that I have the chair, it helps me get through the entire process without the near-fainting episodes, but it's MISERABLE! So I avoid it like the plague...

My heart rate goes up to the 170s, and BP won't read, and I have to lie down afterwards for the rest of the day because it wipes me out so badly...

so I usually shower Sat. night before church on Sun., and then, if I have to go into town the rest of the week I put on a hat! I don't work right now, so that helps, and I avoid social situations with anyone who doesn't know me well, and that's pretty much how I handle things these days...

It amazes me, after such an active life before, that the simple act of taking a shower, which I SO took for granted, can be such a traumatic event now!!!

Thanks for your post, it helped me feel less alone!

Stacy

[erikainorlando]

I am learning to let myself off the hook. I usually shower everyday but sometimes I just can't. The hair is the worst@@@!!! Ponytail time!!! I pull this stupid hair up a lot!!!

AND lots of folks tell me I lookl prettier that way anyway! Go figure.