Help, I think I need a wheelchair as getting around is very difficult and painful. I feel scared at the thought of having one. Advice pls.

[Bumblebee]

[Hidden]

hi looka t the end of the day if a wheelchair wiill help you then you must get one , have you got a stick or crutches ? if not it may be worth having those 1st t o se if it helps rather than go straight for a wheelchair als o i worry i would become reliant on it then my muscles would give up comlpetely and i would lose any muscle strenghth and tone i did have ,

i have got a stick i do use it on occasion but try not to have it all the time as i dont want to go out and start panicking that i havent got my stick but it really is down to you and how you are coping etc only you ca really answer that but do try to manage as long as you can but if you have come to that point then a wheelchair is what you need again just get up daily and judge is it a stick/crutch day or wheelchair day love to you diddle xxxx

[buzzing033]

hi bumble, i am a chair user now, i started living as a recluse as i couldnt get very far without getting tired and unsteady legs. after around six months of not socialising i knew i had to do something and so i got my first chair which i totally hated having to use initially as i felt stared at and realised just how rude some people can be. ive had my chair (i have a power one too now) for nearly 3 years now, which has given me quality of life back,i had forgotten how great it was to be able to get out and about. i dont use it indoors and on very short walks and rely on my stick for the short distance. beware though as like diddle has commented you do loose muscle strength.

i suppose you have to ask yourself what quality of life do you have at the moment and just how far can you manage to walk either aided or unaided, and what difference would a chair make to you right now.

i hope this has helped you to try and make a decision, you have to weigh up the pros and cons to what is best for you and your mobility problem. take care debbie x

[buzzing033 in reply to buzzing033]

you can get help from your area wheelchair services,your occupational therapist can recommend you for this and it is decided through financial capabilities weather you will qualify for one with them. you will also be assessed by them. x

[nadine1974]

the red cross will lend you a wheelchair for as long as you need one, they do ask for small donation.

if you want anything motorised and you are capable of walking at all, even if its only 3 steps you will have to buy one yourself or rent one from THP (the hand partnership..countywide) xx

[Hidden]

my wheelchair came last week Ive put it away for now but sometime this week Im bringing it out and going to sit in it, Ill do it in my own time, I still feel devastated I need one, but I know its a means to an end, I hope you ll also come to terms with needing one, hugs and love

[gypsycrafter]

Hi Bumblebee. I am a chair user, but I started with a mobility scooter for the longer journeys and even now I try to do some on foot like round the supermarket. A small boot scooter will come apart and go in the boot of your car and is small enough to use in most shops. i think it can be used on some busses too. Mine was 1,200 and does 17 miles on a battery life. it is also the furthest travelling boot scooter. lloyds pharmacy group do one ant 300-400. worth looking into and more useful than a wheelchair. you also dont feel so "disabled". hope you manage to get sorted. it all depends on your finances, but with a bigger scooter you can use motorbility. xxxx

[amanda38]

hiya i too havebeen facing the same dilemma and have found my depression get worse but this staying inside is killing me and destroying the person i used to be so i am sort of coming to terms with it xx everyone has given great ideas. i think i will be looking into the lloyds pharmacy one. My daughter works part-time in a chemist that does mobility stuff shes going to have a look at their catalogues for me. hope u manage to get something sorted too x

gentle (((hugs))) xxx

[dizzyduck]

I totally empathise with you. I hace a hwellchair, the hospital custom made it for me as I am very short. However, even after having the fitting and testing it out on the hospital grounds, I still could not bring myself to go out in it, I just felt so OLD, I was 28 at the time.

When I did pluck up the courage , with the support of my 8year old daughter and my husband. We were in a shop when someone we new saw us, they completely ignored me and spoke over my head saying 'OH MY GOD what's happened to her?' how people treat disabled people is abismal, no wonder we are lacking self asteem to use a wheelchair, which we need to overcome, just to keep a little bit of dignity and independance.

[Bumblebee]

Thank you so much everyone, there was so few characters I could not write all my fears down - you have all covered every single one of them. Today was a good day and I went shopping, it was a nice slow pace and did everything i planned to do and thoroughly enjoyed myself- except I was so tired and in a lot of pain that I had to go to bed as soon as I got home. Luckily I have a husband that sometimes understands and he made us a meal once I was back in the land of the living again. Its now 1.40am and wide awake, still in pain (meds not working - as done too much!!!! I was out for hour n half, n sat on bench for 20 mins of it). I do have stick and crutches but as pain is in wrists and hands and arms too they become part of the problem :/ Anyway back to positive I got out in the beautiful sunshine, enjoyed looking round a few shops and met up with a friend, there will be other times but I would like more hence the wheelchair query.

Thank you to all of you and dizzy I know what you mean about people talking over you as it was done to my dad!

[Abbeystead]

Have just answered a similar blog on here. Have been offered one by my GP but he (my husband) said he wouldn't push me in one - so there's my answer.Dont go out at all these days because the Fibro and other things are going worse so have now developed Agoraphobia and couldn't go out my myself as I get panic attacks. Admit I would be a bit strange at first but sure I would get used to it, but he is adamant so what is one to do? Anyway spend most of my time in bed these days.