How often to shower and how??

Options
24

Replies

  • witcherkar
    witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
    Options
    Please no judgement...okay I'll explain a little better. I have a tracheostemy due to tracheal stenosis. Basically january of 2015, I tried to kill myself by overdosing on pills. Before i am judged on that, i was at a point in my life that I hated myself. I cut myself. I cried everyday. I stopped caring. I was abused and ignored alot of my life. I was raped at 16. Before my fiance, i hadnf been hugged or touched by another human in a loving way since age 12. I was last on everyone's list. All through school i was made fun of, ignored, called names, had things thrown at me, no friends, being used all the time. I felt worthless and like i was burden and i deserved to die. I am people pleaser. Enough people told me i should die for years. I finally couldnt hold on any longer...when people drive you to a point of feeling like death is the only way to be happy theres a problem. Theres so much more i can say but your just strangers...Please dont hate on me... im still trying to recover. I started seeing a psychiatrist and I have bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder. Anyway, my fiance called 911 when I started hallucinating due to the overdose and was screaming for him. I was in the shower and he didn't know what I did. Well I was intubated for 10 days in a coma, not knowing if I would make it. Afterwards I developed the stenosis due to the ventilator. Well I have been in and out of the hospital a minimum of once a month since then and sometimes more. I have been in medically induced comas 6 times since January of 2015. I am fat. I haven't been able to exercise because I can't breathe. They put in the trach so I always have an open airway and my throat will stop closing up. I have to lose weight to be able to have open chest tracheal reconstruction surgery. I have to get to at least 200 pounds... so because of my breathing, I can't walk more than 10 minutes because I feel like I'm suffocating and my oxygen drops to high 80's. Since I am fat too thay makes it harder. So I need to break it up. I have always sweated alot. So I'll be almost drenched after that ten minutes. I feel really tired after walking just that so I have to aait hours to build up enough strength to do it again. I am on disability right now trying to get all this healed and on with my life. I am only 20... I have hidradenitis, a skin condition, and if I don't keep my skin clean and free of sweat and dirt, it will flare up badly then I won't be able to walk at all and it could get infected. Plus, If I go out in public in between my walks for whatever reason let it be a doctor appt, the library, a store, etc. I don't want to smell bad. People already stare at me and judge me for being fat and having a trach. I just wanted to know what other people do on showering and sweating alot... thank you.
  • witcherkar
    witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
    Options
    jemhh wrote: »
    witcherkar wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    How do you have time to exercise enough to be shower worthy 5 or 6 times a day?

    What do you mean?

    I mean what exercise are you doing at what intensity and for how long? I may split my walking up throughout the day but I don't get sweaty or dirty enough each time to take a shower.

    I walk for about ten minutes going about 4-5 mph. I'm drenched in sweat after and can't breathe. Can barely say one word.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    edited April 2016
    Options
    Wetcoaster wrote: »
    Personally I think the worse place to talk about serious problems is an Internet forum. You will get lots opinions from people who have no education or expertise on anything.

    This. Since you have several medical conditions, it seems you should talk about this with your doctor.
  • amyk0202
    amyk0202 Posts: 667 Member
    Options
    You could try no rinse body wash: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_10?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=rinseless+body+wash&sprefix=rinseless+body+wash,aps,750

    You just dilute some in a sink of water, dip your washcloth & wipe down & you're good. There are rinseless shampoos too. I've tried the Aloe Vesta body wash & shampoo as a body wash. It worked well, but the smell was definitely very "hospital soap" smelling to me. I did not try it as a shampoo.
  • beachgal0626
    beachgal0626 Posts: 1,912 Member
    Options
    Best wishes to you, witcherkar. And I agree with SueSueDio above -- you ARE deserving of life and all good things it has to offer. Hang in there and stay focused on your goals!
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Options
    Hang in there sweetie, you are doing good! Hugs
  • thereshegoesagain
    thereshegoesagain Posts: 1,056 Member
    Options
    Keep on trying, don't let others get you down. Blessings to you. ♡
  • ACSL3
    ACSL3 Posts: 623 Member
    Options
    I'm sorry to hear about your earlier life and I'm glad to hear that you are on the road to recovery! I wish you nothing but the best.

    You should talk with your doctor about this since you're a unique situation. One of the things I leaned is that I only need to use soap in the places on the body that have more oil glands - basically arm pits and groin. Since sweat is water soluble you don't need to use soap, just water and it'll wash off. I wash my hair every other day and only use soap if I've been really active and only in those two areas. I also switched to regular bar soap and threw out my poof thing that I used with body wash. Those are too harsh on your skin. That's what I've learned from a dermatologist. BUT since you are a special case I would run it past your doctor! You may need to add places to use soap. :smile:

    I also second the wipes - find whatever brand is best for your skin. I used them all the time in the field when I couldn't shower. I also have deodorant both at home and work in case I need it so I don't have to carry it around
  • Bbeliever215
    Bbeliever215 Posts: 234 Member
    edited April 2016
    Options
    I wish you the best! Honestly, after the first real shower you can just rinse in lukewarm water after each work out. You won't smell at all. Also non scented baby wipes can help if you're short on time.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    Options
    If you have a medical condition with your skin then you should address the question of how often to shower or cleanse your skin to your medical team.
    I recently heard about a product called AO+ mist from Mother Dirt that was being recommended for autistic kids who didn't like to shower much. I haven't personally used it so I can't say if it is effective. With your skin problem I don't know if it would be okay to try.
  • beautifulsparkles
    beautifulsparkles Posts: 314 Member
    Options
    Did some of the replies on here get deleted? I'm surprised, because a lot of stuff usually flies under the radar, like I feel like people get away with being really mean to each other on here most of the time, or wording things in an unpleasant, unneccessary way.
  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    Options
    Did some of the replies on here get deleted? I'm surprised, because a lot of stuff usually flies under the radar, like I feel like people get away with being really mean to each other on here most of the time, or wording things in an unpleasant, unneccessary way.

    Yeah some were deleted & I definitely agree with you.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    edited April 2016
    Options
    Sorry to hear your sorry story. Well done for getting active!

    Have you asked your partner if you stink after exercising? He/she might not notice anything.
  • amynicole4104
    amynicole4104 Posts: 26 Member
    Options
    witcherkar wrote: »
    I know this might be a weird question. I am the type of person that likes to shower before bed because my fiance works night and sometimes when he gets off, I will wake up and we will do sexual things. Then go to sleep.and wake up again in the morning to have coffee and exercise and shower again. Well I exercise about 5 or 6 times a day. I don't have time to get in the shower after every time. Plus I would dry out and Crack really badly. So how do I clean up and get sweat off me and smell good without showering 7 times a day???

    Maybe a wash cloth with plain water and some good smelling lotion? That's what I do if I don't want to shower. I have sensitive skin and can't take three showers a day :)
    Good for you for getting your workouts in no matter how often. I admire you and wish you luck in your journey!