Does Anyone Here Use Or Have Been Told To Use A Wheelchair Because Of Their Pots

[jonathanireland]

Hey everyone hope all is well.

I am just wondering if anyone here uses a wheelchair for their POTS Symptoms or have they been "prescribed" the use of one?

Thanks for all the help.

Jonathan From Ireland. :-)

[Ashelton80]

I rented one on a month to month basis. Paying out of pocket.

[jonathanireland]

Thats though! would you not ask your doctor to prescribe you one if you feel your quality of life would benifit from it??????

[Angelika_23]

Hi Jonathan,

One of my doctors did not want to prescribe one because he said it would make me lazy and not try to be up and about as much as I could.

I do have one, a different doctor prescribed it for me. I only use it rarely, like when I am in a bad exacerbation or I am having testing and I know I'll be wiped out afterward. I also have a walker. I only use the walker occasionally, when I am in a lesser exacerbation. It has a seat on it so I can sit when I get tired. I will also take that when I have to walk a distance.

Like everything else, it just depends on how much your doctor "listens" to you.

Angela

[potsgirl]

My doctor prescribed one for me, and I got it at no expense. It's for those times when I'm in a really bad phase and can't get outside the house without one. So, it's definitely worth asking your doctor about and seeing if you can get a script. I had mine in two days! I hardly use it, but it's there when I really need it.

Cheers,

Jana

[jonathanireland]

I suggested the possibility of a wheelchair to my partner who basically laughed in my face, probably because iv been ok for the last while only having a few minor flare ups but nothing causing a syncope event. but what i was trying to explain to him is that i want to plan for the future flare up's be ready ya know. anyways il just have to get on with it. kinda disappointed now

[tilly]

Hey everyone hope all is well.

I am just wondering if anyone here uses a wheelchair for their POTS Symptoms or have they been "prescribed" the use of one?

Thanks for all the help.

Jonathan From Ireland. :-)

Hi it was a long time ago but there was a really good thread ongoin for wheelchairs , i think it was last year if you could find it , full of lots of interesting thougts on this subject, What i would say is , if you think one would help you and you need to use it from time to time then why not!.. i don't know about getting it prescribed though, I bouhgt one and on occations it is invaluable to me, but i am restricted anyway with me mobility ....

I hope you can find the old thread , i'v had a look for it but did not find it i think it was started by Staci? not exactly sure about that ,

tilly.

[potsgirl]

Hi Jonathan~

You have to be responsible for your own health. This is not your partner's decision, but YOURS. I know several people who have gotten a script from their doctors for a wheelchair to be used when they just can't manage on their own, during flare-ups or just for everyday needs. You need to stay as active as possible, but when you need a wheelchair, it'll be there for you. Better than fainting in the middle of shopping.

Take care,

Jana

[Brye]

Yes. I had a prescription for one from my doctor who encouraged me to get one. I could have used it especially at night when I was half asleep to get to the bathrooom. My problem after further eval was it did'n"t fit through the door. I wish I still would have gotten one at the time though. It would have been fully covered at the time since I had met my deductable. I can think of some times it would have come in handy. It was also early in my diagnosis and I was having a hard enough time talking myself into the shower chair. I was having an age crisis I guess. I'm over that now for sure and would take one for sure now!!

Brye

[ByteMe58]

Wheelchairs are helpful. I refuse to use mine except when I have to wait in line somewhere. Which for me is only at the doctor's office. I only leave the house to go to relatives or doctors. This is important, get one that reclines, I cannot sit too long without my heart rate going over 100, so a regular chair is worthless.

I also got a wheelchair lift that connects to the trailer hitch on my Traverse so when my wife takes me someplace, I lay down in the back of the Traverse on an inflatable mattress and the wheelchair is outside and safe.

Here's something you may not know, most new cars have a benefit. For example, gmmobility.com reimbursed me in full for purchase and install of wheelchair carrier and the cover.

Frank

[sj75]

im assuming it works differently in different countries??

i bought my own but havnt had to use it yet thankfully. Its just there for when things really flare up, but i didnt realise drs could 'prescribe' wheelchairs. I thought in the uk you had to have an assessment for one by ? occupational therapists? can someone tell me more about how it works in the uk?x

[Noreen]

Wheelchairs are helpful. I refuse to use mine except when I have to wait in line somewhere. Which for me is only at the doctor's office. I only leave the house to go to relatives or doctors. This is important, get one that reclines, I cannot sit too long without my heart rate going over 100, so a regular chair is worthless.

Frank

Frank-

What wheelchair did you get? I am looking at a tilt in space wheelchair and am wondering what the difference is between that and a reclining chair.

tks,

noreen

[jonathanireland]

ya not really sure how it works over here in uk and ireland iv left a message for my pots doc to prescribe me one so shes on holiday untill oct 13th so i wont know until then

[friday7]

Hi Jonathan,

One of my doctors did not want to prescribe one because he said it would make me lazy and not try to be up and about as much as I could.

I do have one, a different doctor prescribed it for me. I only use it rarely, like when I am in a bad exacerbation or I am having testing and I know I'll be wiped out afterward. I also have a walker. I only use the walker occasionally, when I am in a lesser exacerbation. It has a seat on it so I can sit when I get tired. I will also take that when I have to walk a distance.

Like everything else, it just depends on how much your doctor "listens" to you.

Angela

Ugh that's frustrating isn't it? The doctors just assumes you'll be lazy about it. Most people would rather not have a wheel chair if they had a choice!

I had one prescribed for me when I first aws diagnosed. I could hardly get out then. I had to have my Mom push me and even then I got motion sickness. After that when I started feeling better. I kind of used it as a walker. I would push it and lean on it and then I would sit down when I felt ill. I then got a walker from my uncle that has a seat. That thing is great. I can walk around and yet I always have a seat just in case. I do such more more with it than I would without it . Oh Medicaid covered the cost of the wheelchair . It wasn' t the best but it served it's function.

[ByteMe58]

Noreen,

My wheelchair is made by Drive and it's backrest reclines and the legs lift. I have the tall version because I'm 6'4". It's comfortable and easy to operate. I googled the Tilt in Space models, they look very sturdy and a lot heavier too, but they don't look like they fold together which is something I need to hook into carrier on my trailer hitch.

Frank

[Noreen]

Noreen,

My wheelchair is made by Drive and it's backrest reclines and the legs lift. I have the tall version because I'm 6'4". It's comfortable and easy to operate. I googled the Tilt in Space models, they look very sturdy and a lot heavier too, but they don't look like they fold together which is something I need to hook into carrier on my trailer hitch.

Frank

Thanks Frank. I'll google Drive.\ to get more ideas.

noreen