Fibro Solutions – Part 2 – How to shower without getting tired

Apologies for the near-three month gap in the Fibromyalgia solutions series. A lot has come up in this time and it has been a miracle to even just sit and write for a few minutes a day. During this time, I realized something – that it was not normal to feel tired and worn out after a shower. Apparently it is not and that is how the shower-fibromyalgia conundrum was born!

Since I’d been feeling that way for 8 years, I just assumed everyone had it in varying degrees. When I mentioned this to a friend, she looked at me like I was hallucinating. It hit me that I hadn’t realized how much my fibro had permeated my life and how I had not really accepted it, for there were no adapting mechanisms.

So I have been trying out a few things, based on personal trial and error and learning from my fellow spoonies online. We are such a supportive group and I’m so proud of that!

Lesson 1: Shower only when needed.

Now, this might seem obvious to you but it really is not, if you think about it. I was raised in a household where you showered every morning, weekday or weekend. I also lived in a hot place, so there is that. Now, however, I live in a cold hell six months of the year, so sticking by this old rule was doing me more harm than good. Shower-fibromyalgia is a conundrum that I now have to play as a game rather than just following my old “rule”.

Lesson 2: Choose your time wisely.

If you, like me, get way too tired to do anything after a shower, then don’t shower before you have to go out! Try to get it out of your mind that you have to take a shower before getting out or at a certain time of the day. Don’t do it too close to bed time either if you have temperature balancing issues. If you have a schedule that allows it, try an hour or two breakfast.

Lesson 3: Get the shower aids you need.

A shower stool (or built in shower seat, you can get cheap ones easily), a hand rail, rubber duckies to prevent slippage  – anything you need to keep yourself steady.

Lesson 4: Prepare properly.

Before you get into the shower, make sure all your clothes are laid out properly. Have a good bathrobe (preferably a soft one – I have learned it the hard way) and hang it ready to slip into when you get out of the shower. A towel just won’t cut it. People with fibromyalgia have difficulties adjusting to sudden change in temperatures. This is why when we get from hot to cold suddenly, we get so fatigued. Run the water for a minute before stepping in, so that you are not shivering. Again, don’t forget to play the shower-fibromyalgia game.

Lesson 5: Moderate the heat

I used to LOVE hot showers. It helped my muscles relax. The trouble was they relaxed far too much, when I was trying to get my ass (and my brain to wake up). It brought my blood pressure down too low. So now I stick to whatever temperature my husband has left it on because he is a sensible man. 😊

Lesson 6: Get dressed steadily but quickly

Often, I have found myself sitting on my bed for more than half an hour in my robe just not doing anything, because I couldn’t do anything. The trouble was this only made me more tired, not rested really. On the other hand, rushing to get dressed didn’t help either. So I get dressed steadily but without any dilly dallying. Then, I sit for a few minutes to rest, while I re-think my shower-fibromyalgia game.

Lesson 7: Water and food

Have some water before and after you shower. This will keep you from feeling depleted. As for food, you really need to see what works for you. Your blood pressure is supposed drop slightly after you eat so for me combining these two activities right after each other is tricky. So I usually take a shower about 2 hours after eating and 40 minutes before the next meal. I keep a small snack in hand if I feel very weak or dizzy after a shower.

Lesson 8: A sponge bath

Now, I have no idea why I waited this long to get to sponge baths (I haven’t tried baby wipes yet but might give unscented ones a go). I just fill a small tub with warm water (okay my husband does), put it on a chair, sit on another chair opposite to it and the whole thing is done in 5 minutes. Always make sure you use clean towels, a good moisturizing cream after (unscented, if you – like me – have smell intolerance) and clean your face separately. This is the best score in my shower-fibromyalgia game.

Lesson 9: Hair

This should be a whole other post! I used to have long hair and I loved it. I couldn’t wash it regularly without a flare up and it just ended up causing me more pain with the tangling and headaches. I decided to chop it off all last year and it was the best decision ever! I can now wash my hair twice a week in a good week or at least once in a bad week. There is always dry shampoo otherwise! I do take a homeopathic remedy called Antim Crud before I wash my hair. My father used to give it to me when I was a child and it still works!

Lesson 10: Acceptance

Last, but not the least, we have to accept that this is our reality. It took me the better part of 8 years to even accept that showering was a problem and actually had to be part of my pacing plan and not an absolute thing to be done every day. For the first month of trying sponge bath, I felt like someone who is in recovery after a surgery. I then realized that I may not have been in surgery but I am in constant recovery, after all! That is the hardest part – letting go of things as they were or should be or should have been and accepting what is. This is easier said than done, of course! I should know it. 😊

Do let me know how you get on with the shower-fibromyalgia conundrum!