Too ill to bathe but feel disgusting

[Danceinthenight]

I don’t have a shower. I asked for one because I get flare ups for at least 1-2 weeks of the month. That was in August last year and I haven’t heard anything back, but I will chase it up. I only have a bath. I haven’t had one in over a week, almost 2. I feel disgusting and my hair is oily. If I have a bath I risk fainting. I don’t have dry shampoo. I don’t know what to do.

I suspect the OP doesn’t have someone with her. Otherwise she would have gone for one of the solutions already mentioned.

Bring ill and on your own is hard.
Being chronically ill and on your own is harder, simply because you can’t ask every single week if friend can let you use their shower, help wash your hair etc….

What is about a bath that risks fainting but a shower won't?

If you can get into the bath safely then there a a few options.

My partner fitted a mixer tap with shower attachment and put up a rail you don’t need a plumber to do this, I needed one due to son needing one due to disability, it was v straightforward. If you ask the council they likely could put a wet room in, my neighbours got this but you need ot etc to come in and assess you. It takes time to set up then time again for them to actually come in to put it in if you are approved. I had thought about asking for my son, but I don’t want a wet room as I like my bath so we manage fine with the taps/shower setup.

I think it’s standing up from sitting in warm, hot water. Change in blood pressure.

OP have you tried asking for an occupational therapy home visit and assessment? I think my friend’s was arranged by her GP practice and she had all sorts of aids delivered and fitted. She rented her house and that didn’t seem to affect things being fitted.

Would your risk of fainting in the bath be significantly less if you made it a lot less hot than usual? Sorry if that’s a stupid suggestion.
Are you fairly mobile? Lots of the suggestions above are really good.
Failing any of those could you order some dry shampoo on Amazon prime? It would be with you by tomorrow if you really can’t risk a quick cooler shallowish bath with a jug.

I washed at the sink most days as a child and teen . Use a stool or chair if you can not stand for long or work your way over your body over a few days if you don’t feel well enough to do it all at once . My hair was also washed at the kitchen sink using a measuring jug to help soak my hair and then rinse off the shampoo .

Im sorry you are in this position OP .

Number of possibilities:

(I am disabled)

Buy a plastic shower attachment that goes over taps like this:

https://www.lionshome.co.uk/home-improvements-bathroom-taps/push-on-shower-attachment-for/

They just push over.

Braid your hair while you are sorting yourself out it'll feel less awful.

Amazon and Tesco and many many other places deliver dry shampoo and you can also get body wipes

If you can get some warm ish water into a washing up bowl of a bucket you can lie on a towel or two (not on carpet, on a tile or Lino floor) and give yourself a sponge wash. Also works for hair.

You can wash hair over the sink, and if you can fill the sink you can also use that for a sponge wash if you can sit on something on the bathroom - maybe this:

https://www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/drive-devilbiss-bath-stool-with-rotating-seat-12004swivkdr?skwcid=AL!15853!3!!!!x!!&gaddsource=1&gbraid=0AAAAADSoLZm-FGTM5smNjV0nIauFUYOi&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6o6coq-ahwMVn5lQBh3Etw4bEAQYAiABEgKU--D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I can’t risk going into the bath if I already feel faint because of the risk of drowning. The heat then further exasperates the feeling. A shower is less risky

Thanks everyone btw