Chronic pain/illness/disability related fatigue and showering habits.

[ChillingWithMySnowmies]

For those of you who suffer with any type of illness or disability that affects your energy levels, when do you shower?

I'm finding if i do in the morning, it's using up ALL my spoons and wiping me out for hours, so means if i have plans for the day, i have to shower the day before.

However, if i leave it until the evening, I'm often tired and struggle to get through even more, then have to wait for my hair to dry before i can sleep, or not wash my hair and do that separately the next morning... which feels like a PITA.

I'm struggling to find something that works for me and my available energy.

before bed

hair - I tie it up and sleep with it wet. Probably not great. Or I wash it around 4 and dry it then. Later on too tired as you say and morning, no chance!

Hairdryer or a short cut so it dries quickly?

I've had a hip replacement, on two sticks. Showering, getting into clothes, shoes, making the bed in the morning, wipes me out. Husband struggles to understand.

I've had a rotten cold so missed 2 morning showers. Second evening straight after dinner I went for a shower, put nightie dressing gown on and sat down. Was so much easier than struggling into day clothes. I also have a shower stool so can sit down another treat.

I usually shower in the afternoon. I work out of the house 10-2 and get really hot while I’m there, so shower when I get home to refresh myself and relax for a couple of hours after work. Then if I have to work again later I’m feeling a bit more alive. Some days if I’m not going out to work I will skip a shower altogether. Will have a pits and bits wash instead.

sorry for the stupid questions :

Do you have to shower every day?

I had an operation last year and wasn’t allowed shower for a while and even though I thought it would be awful. I managed without one once got the hang of it. I absolutely wasn’t doing major workouts or anything sweaty so I got away with it.
(I was also surprised how much energy it took up to have the shower once I was allowed to shower again.)

What about a bath? Would that be any easier?

I have lupus and other painful autoimmune issues. I do still shower every morning and wash my hair every day otherwise personally I just feel awful - that may be because I’m more sweaty than a lot of people! I tend to split my day into chunks though. I don’t work (long term / ongoing PIP) and have a shower and then sit for a while, then do something else, then sit for a while. Etc etc.

i'm battling with arthritis in my spine and hips, and use crutches. i have a shower stool, but i'm struggling with adjusting to showering sitting down, so i stubbornly try and get through most of it stood up and only sit if i get wobbly/light headed.. which is common.

I don't shower every day, i simply don't have the ability pain or energy wise, i'm aware it isn't fantastic, but I do wash daily.

i save the showers for the days i'm going out/doing things with other people.

I can't bath, i can't get back out of them!

I use a shower stool, it makes it so much easier, stop making a rod for your own back. No wonder you find it exhausting.

I have stenosis in my spine, now one arthritic hip. Get the stool. Our next house improvements the bathroom. The bath is coming out and a walk in shower with a built-in seat going in. My son has put one in, he's permanently injured from sports injuries. It's blooming lovely.

I find my current lifestyle, I really don’t need to wash as frequently. I shower and wash hair at the local spa complex, then use the pool, steam and sauna. Rinse then go home.

Shower after tea, then dry wrapped up on the sofa.

Our next shower is going to be walk in with a shelf seat. Might have a steamer in there too. Regarding energy, when my levels are low (auto immune flares) I just go without a shower and survive with cleansing wipes for a face, pits and bits wash, but if I absolutely have to shower then yes it’s a plastic stool if I need to sit and I usually do it after dinner. If I shower at night, in the summer I will just towel dry it then go to bed with a towel on the pillow. I wake up with super soft hair! In the winter I blast it with a hairdryer, which does mean it’s a bit of a crispy mess, but I have it tied back pretty much all the time anyway. Note, also our next shower will have tiles that can be washed with normal household cleaning products. Current ones are some kind of stone with princess level demands for cleaning.

I don't have a disability, but showering makes my blood pressure drop, this is worse in the morning and it wipes me out. So I shower at night, our shower has a built in tiled seat, so I sit. I have a big towelling hoodie thing which I pull straight on afterwards instead of making the effort to dry myself. I go to bed with wet hair and just damp it down in the morning.

I just ordered wipes, no rinse shower gel and a no rinse shampoo cap from Fresh Wipes. Mainly to see if my washing-resistant child will use them, but I since had an accident so will be using them myself!

40+ years of fibro, I always shower at night. I usually time it for a few hours before bed, make sure the house is warm and get into soft comfy pj's and rest on the sofa until my hair is almost dry before finishing with the hairdryer, I find if I use the hairdryer my hair doesn't get oily and limp so fast. I don't shower every day because it can wipe me out completely.

I’ve got Cjtonic Fatigur. One bath every 4 days otherwise l crash. I hate it.

Following surgery I wasn't allowed a shower for two weeks. Those wipes were amazing as a temporary measure.

I have been physically disabled for the last 20 years. I would be absolutely shattered if I showered every day, so I have a strip wash five days a week, and shower twice a week (usually in the morning), washing my hair at the same time. Would that work for you?

It's not just the shower but limping around to pull out day clothes, shoes. Struggling into trousers, socks, shoes. Sitting at the dressing table to moisturise, make up do hair. Then hang up towels on radiator, all while using two sticks and a grabber.

Wheres at night after dinner it's shower, nightie, dressing gown and done 👍

I have stage 4 can c er and am on a maintenance dose of immunotherapy which is keeping the cancer stable . I have limited energy , if I'm extra tired I use an old fashioned shower cap and just shower as I find it's the hair washing and drying is the hard bit . I only shower every other day and find it better mid morning after I've been up a couple of hours . I wash my hair separately when it needs it every third day . I do feel much better after a shower and always pamper a bit with body butter etc.

I started using a shower cap too they're useful

Shower at night then if it's easier for you.

The trousers I wear regularly are hung over the banister as otherwise I would struggle to put them in and take them out of the wardrobe. For the same reason, the tops I wear regularly are put on hangers and hung on the outside of the wardrobe. These are obviously all changed seasonally. Do you have a gadget to help with putting on your socks? Sock aid?

If you are really struggling, you can ask for an assessment from Adult Social Care regarding a care package. This is means-tested though, so you may have to pay all or part of the cost. You can have a Personal Budget, so you can actually employ your own Personal Assistant (PA). This means you don't have to rely on random agency workers.

I am very lucky in that my biggest issue has been waiting for new hips. They've done one. Unfortunately the other one chose to go kaput at the same time. So on list for that. I'm 🙏 that after surgery, lots of physio that it will just be a spinal issue again.

The OT people have been lovely, delivery of equipment has been sporadic and bit by bit but I finally got a grab handle for the shower and front door. Yesterday my rubber front step turned up when it was found somewhere else in the warehouse. Three months late.

Not trying to make my life harder, having showered stood up for 35 years, the adjustment to working out how to do it sat down is a learning curve, especially when my hips and pelvis dont have the flexibility to get in the positions I used to get in when washing in the bath! 😂

I think the easiest I found it was in a hotel accessible bathroom as that was a proper set up.

I do have plans to have my bathroom done so I can have a proper walk in shower.. atm im trying to make do with the shower that is over my bath!

For the days where you want to feel clean ready to be out of the house for appointments, meeting friends, etc - maybe try some of the “no water” products like these:

https://nilaqua.co.uk

Then save your energy for real shower/hair wash for days when you don’t have other energy-sapping commitments.

Am sorry you’re in this situation, chronic illness impacts so many aspects of normal everyday life.