Showering In The Morning...my Most Hated Activity

[university student]

I have had pots for 10 years, I have tried all kinds of medications but am currently just taking midodrine well maintaining a high sodium diet. Mornings have always been difficult for me, waking up for work is tough, I certainly don't bounce out of bed. I try to shower at night when possible but sometimes it inevitably comes to showering in the morning. Some days are fine, others, like table are horrible.

I was starting to wash the conditioner out of my hair when I got overwhelming sense of over heating, very dizzy and nausious, I knew if I didn't stop right away I was going to collapse so I hit the shower off and just sat down for 5 mins (partly dry heaving) I then caught a chill and my husband found me and held me up so I could finish showering and then I tried to continue getting ready for work but I was so dizzy, I knew I could never blow dry and get myself ready feeling like this. He helped me into bed and I slept for another 5 hours and still dizzy and drained all day.

Does this happen to anyone else? Any tips..besides the obvious shower at night?

[Tobiano]

Sorry you had a rough morning. I agree with showering at night... but I know that this isn't always possible. Things that I have found helpful are using warm water (instead of hot) and putting my compression stockings on right away after. Also, you could try a shower chair to see if sitting helps.

[Bigskyfam]

I try to at night

[Bigskyfam]

Also drinking a lot of water prior to. Throw open a window or fan, water not to hot, try to not lean back. That gets me every time

[Wmtate]

Something that helps me,it is like priming a pump! Before getting in shower, I lay down on bed with feet up for 2 mins and then walk a few steps. I do that about four or five times and the more I seem to do it, the more my pressure seems to build up. I then can get in shower

[xRobin]

When I shower the blood pools in my feet and they get really red. So, I wear rubber shoes in the shower and walk in place every so often to keep things circulating. It's probably not super safe but I have a grab bar just in case. Also, at the end of the shower I put the water on cold on my feet for about 20 seconds. That helps. Then after you get out walk around a little.

[TCP]

I think that anything that can alter the body temp is going to cause problems. I try to shower/bathe in body temp water not too hot or cool. I also take it steady but aim to get out as soon as possible. Some time resting after is vital. Avoid heat at all costs and watch when bending the head forwards as this can make you dizzy. I tend to reduce the temp of the water a little to cool my body down before I get out and if I get dizzy i lie down until it passes.

[kayjay]

I have have fine straight hair and totally hear you on the morning shower thing. I do have a bit of a solution. My husband installed a shower head with a hose so I can wash my hair seated. I used to have a shower seat but it was ugly, bulky, and generally annoying.

A few weeks ago I bought a Rubbermaid stool at Target. It was with the cleaning products. It suits my needs perfectly. I also got a shower rack thingy (sorry don't know what to call it). I hung it over the part of the shower that turns it on. (Again so sorry for my lack of "good" words).

I'm able to sit on my stool which is almost cute and has a non slip type top. I use the sprayer and have my products at eye level (seated). Easy peasy. Wish I had figured it out sooner. It can't hold water or grow mold.

I also dry my hair seated. If you want to know what specifically I'm using send me a private email. I can look everything up on amazon so you can see what I mean.

I've also been known to skip the shower opting for a bath instead with dry shampoo and an updo.

[blueskies]

I think that anything that can alter the body temp is going to cause problems. I try to shower/bathe in body temp water not too hot or cool. I also take it steady but aim to get out as soon as possible. Some time resting after is vital. Avoid heat at all costs and watch when bending the head forwards as this can make you dizzy. I tend to reduce the temp of the water a little to cool my body down before I get out and if I get dizzy i lie down until it passes.

My method of taking a shower is much like TCP's. If I keep it short I can shower standing up (but no closing eyes or bending back when I shampoo or I'm going to fall -- obviously dangerous). I used to have to shower sitting on the one of those kiddy steps little children use when needing to step up to the toilet. I also used to use a hose shower head every time. Now, as long as I keep my shower short, I'm good to shower more normally. It's a rare occurance when I can have a bath. They make me nauseous and dizzy unless they are very cool which means I have to have a quick one or I'll get too cool. I used to love long soaks in the bath but that was many, many years ago.

I do realize that I'm able to be flexible each day as to when I take a shower. My best time is mostly afternoons. On more challenging pots days I wait until hubby is home. Who would have thought I'd have days when I needed to be sure that someone else was in the house just to have a shower.

blue

[amyksmith]

Hi -

I have a lot of trouble with showering and especially with washing my hair (arms over head worsening the general trouble). I have tried taking lukewarm showers but it's both unpleasant and not all that helpful. Finally I've given up and I just sit. I can't fit a shower chair in my shower (bathtub) but I bought a plastic stool and use a rubber matt in the bottom of the bath tub. I can handle a warm (not hot) shower and wash my hair providing I sit except for turning around back-front once.

As for drying my hair with a blow-dryer? Forget it. I don't. It's not worth the exhaustion it causes even if I sit while I do it. I bought one of those super-absorbant towels to get as much water out of my hair as possible and then it's air-dry. I know it's not very professional looking to show up at work with wet hair, but I'm on SSD at this point, so that's no longer an issue for me.

Good luck - Amy

[Goschi]

I seem to be not at all "typical" as far as showering is concerned. I always shower in the morning - this is the time of day, when I still have the most energy. My energy gets less with every time being upright in the course of the day, thus I would never be able to shower in the evening. In addition, I don't have troubles raising my arms over the head in the shower. In fact, I even "like" to raise my arms in general, as there seems to be strong blood pooling in them, when I let them hang down along my body...

[Querier]

• Showering and drying my hair is my most hated activity also. I shower at night but not every night. I just sponge bathe when I'm too tired. I always have to rest after showering before I can dry my hair. I've always told the doctors how hard it is for me to raise my arms and do anything but they didn't think it was anything.

[galatea]

I get very hot red feet with a lot of blood pooling which stays for ages after my shower, but I discovered a great technique: before getting out of the shower put your feet under freezing water; the blood vessels constrict and it feels so much better!

I have a tub which I fill so I can use it whenever my feet are getting hot with blood pooling.

[Querier]

Galatea,

My feet do that too. It seems worse if I've been up and I'm feeling really tired. When I shower my feet turn very dark purple and my toenails are almost black. I never tried the cold tub but I will now. Seems that when I am tired and I can't sleep my feet get really hot too. I will try the cold water for this too,

Marina

[galatea]

Marina, so do you get the blood pooling when you lie down at night? If so, you’re the first other person I’ve heard about who also has this! I always have to sleep with the cold tub next to me as I get it after about an hour of being in bed – which seems contradictory to pots, and no doctor has even been able to explain.

[IceLizard]

My feet become very hot as well. During warm or hot weather my feet and hands turn red and become uncomfortably hot. I can't wear closed shoes during warm weather for this reason. I like to take cool baths or put my feet on cool linoleum floors. I am thinking of making "cooling gloves" so that the palms of my hands can be cooled when I become overheated. I have a cooling vest, but it only cools my trunk and not my extremities which still feel hot.

I don't take showers anymore, just warm or cool baths depending on whether I feel cold or hot. When I did take showers I used a shower seat that is made for elderly or disabled people.

[spinner]

I trained myself to take a cold or lukewarm shower.

Basically you don't stand under the stream, you wash one area at a time

no problems

[Querier]

Galatea, I'm not sure that it's blood pooling when I lie down. Maybe it's something else. I've even slept with my feet propped up on 3 pillows and they are still hot. I bought some slippers that have pockets for cold packs and that helps for about 30 minutes and then the cold packs are warm. Must be some sort of autonomic thing. I've had problems with my body temperature too. Very annoying. I wish we could find the pill that could fix this!!

[TCP]

Most diabetics with neuropathy get intense burning in the legs or feet at night when lying down. This can be true of many people who get neuopathy. When mine first started it wad worse when lying down, but now it eases at night when prone. Not sure why.