Silly? Extravagant? or Profoundly simple?

[GinaD]

So . . . the opthamologist who guessed I had APS BEFORE I had strokes and had asked my GP to test me for cardiolipin antibodies (my GP threw his written request into the trash while saying " these hot shots straight from medical school. They think they're so smart.")

ANYWAY -- this opthamologist began joking with me at my last eye exam appointment that if I really wanted a hot tub on our patio he would write me a prescription for one if I thought that would help me convince my husband.

I laughed, showed it to my husband, we laughed together, then I threw it out.

BUT -- a year and a lot of muscle and joint pain later:

Is he right? Is a daily soak in the hot tub a real live, authentic, pays-for-itself-in-saved-medical-bills treatment for sticky blood?

It makes sense, doesn't it, that a nice full body soak in hot, bubbly relaxing water is bound to improve circulation and break up proto clots.

But before I start acting like a spoiled brat and seriously ask my husband if we can make a $5K outlay for a hot tub I thought I'd float (ha ha) this idea by the group.

Anybody else have positive results from hot tub therapy?

[MaryF Administrator]

Hi there, I have a double sized therapy bath due to my combination of 5 conditions... it certainly makes me more comfortable, we also have a hot tub in the woods, home made one, it is a bit heavy on labour to get it going... so the children do it once in a while, then we all hop in. My husband likes to leave me there if I have been particularly frightful! MaryF

[GinaD]

I may have my husband read that last line of your post so he could see a personal stake in this. Thanks.

[taffydaffy]

I am living in the wrong Country x

[kathyD64]

go for it through my own experience post boozy night out and several nurses and doctors deciding to go in my friends hot tub late at night was great for muscle ache from a heavy night on the dance floor and as long as you are well hydrated and its not to hot then brill

my friends hot tub was too hot for me so i ended up with a banging headache that with alcohol in my system (those were the good old days when a late night was a late one and my inrs stayed within range despite a few glasses of vino!)

and perhaps if hubby get on your nerves on a particular day more than usual you could leave him in it up the hill xxx

[GinaD]

I suppose I could use the hot tub at the fitness club in the next town on alternating days and see if I can document a correlation between soaks and less pain days --but unless I find a hypnotist I could not rule out a placebo, I-want-my-own-hot-tub effect.

See,I'm trying, or at least going through the motions of trying, to be objective.

[kathyD64]

for me a hot showers always work - cheaper option but i doubt not as effective as a hot tub x

[Rhian21]

I sometimes have 3 baths a day..its the only thing to ease my pain and warm up my freezing body on some days..and hot water bottles are so under-rated..could not live without my Walter hot water bottle !