How to get a wheel chair?

[heartsandskulls]

I'm only 31 and I'm tired of my doctor saying things like "you look great!" and blah blah blah when over the past 4 years I have gone from being a pro-am sponsored race car driver to being bed ridden the majority of the day. I'm lucky if I don't get carded when buying cigarettes or alcohol because it wasn't until after my daughter was born that people stopped asking me if I was 15-16 years old. Most people ask if I'm the daughter of the guy friends I'm out with who are only in their mid 30's. I never have felt like the different neurologists that I've seen treat me like I'm 31. I finally stopped seeing my first neuro when he said "just think of it this way, now you just have to live like a normal person" when I had asked about my reflexes and cognitive function returning enough so that I could continue driving race cars. It was the king of "but you don't look sick" statements for me.

I'm at the point where I don't leave the house because by the time we get into the grocery store, I'm about to ask my boyfriend if he'll put me in the cart and push me around. Let alone go anywhere by myself because I'm worried I'll be too tired or my legs will hurt too badly to be able to drive myself home.

How do I get a wheel chair? I would be paying for it myself since I don't have insurance but I assume this is something that I should talk to my neuro about wanting? Will he tell me no? I started seeing a pain therapist after I got tired of them not willing to try anything but anti-depressants and anti-convulsants for the pain that I was dealing with. They'd say things like "if we try anything stronger, you'll have to be on it for the rest of your life".. Oh really?? That's different from any of the other medications because?? It's such a hard thing to ask him, I feel like it's worse than when I tried to bring up the problems in the bedroom with losing any kind of feeling and he just kind of stared at me. I'd mentioned viagara and how it was supposed to increase blood supply for even women and he kind of said something along the lines of "I think we have other issues that need to be address before we try something off label for such a minor thing". Oh, god forbid we use something "off label" to treat an MS symptom!! Let me go check the medicine cabinet and see how many standard prescriptions for MS are being used "off label"!

That turned into a rant. Sorry about that. I just want a wheel chair. Just something I can get myself around in when my legs don't feel like they're going to work. I don't want to have to fall face first onto the floor when trying to keep up with my 6'4" boyfriend when we're walking through the airport like on the way home from Disney. That was great. Thankfully he's used to it now and caught me about 6" from breaking my fall with my nose.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

[gymbuff]

Hi H&S

you don't say where you live so my advice may not apply to your particular situation. A number of years ago I rented a wheelchair while on holiday and when I got home after the holiday I rang my neuro who made an appointment with an occupational therapist in our local hospital and 5 days later I had a new wheelchair. I only use it when going shopping and stuff outside the house when distances are long. It made a huge difference to my life and my ability to get around independently.
I have since discovered that they are not terribly expensive but whatever the cost I would say that it is well worth it

Gymbuff

[KarenT]

I was able to purchase a Pride Celebrity X scooter off Ebay for a GREAT price. It was Pick up only but I lived 3 hrs away from the people that had it listed. Looks practically brand new but it needed new batteries which I knew when I bought it. I noticed many wheelchairs listed as well.
Another option would be to check your local newspapers and Craigslist. You also may be able to find a wheelchair at an estate sale.

[civickiller]

i searched google for, buying wheelchairs
imo, i would get a manual one if you can push yourself, helps to give your arms a workout. i can finally see a little bump about the size of a pimple of muscle on my arm. im very excited!!!

but i would at least get the butt cushion with the wheelchair

i would also go see a Upper Cervical Care Dr to if you can benefit from this kind of care

[heartsandskulls]

Have those of you that went out and got wheelchairs talked to your doctor about it? I didn't really mean "how to get a wheelchair" as in where to purchase one, but I meant more how those of you who have them brought it up with your doctors. Thank you!

[KarenT]

Have those of you that went out and got wheelchairs talked to your doctor about it? I didn't really mean "how to get a wheelchair" as in where to purchase one, but I meant more how those of you who have them brought it up with your doctors. Thank you!

I did not ask any doctor about purchasing the scooter. I have a Pride Celebrity X that I use when I am going to some place that requires a great deal of walking. I did not even consider asking the doctors. I just knew for me to keep doing the things I like to do I had to get something. We have cocker spaniels and we love showing them at AKC dogshows. Currently my 9 yr Grandson is showing in juniors and for me to keep up with him and to be able to take him to the shows I needed something to get me from point A to point B at the shows.

[civickiller]

the one reason why i talked to my dr about a wheelchair is because i wanted it covered by insurance. but the more notes the dr makes about your condition and how its affecting you, the easier it will be to get ssdi if you ever need it. hopefully you never need it.

my last relapse sent me to the dr's where he prescribed a wheelchair but more importantly with his notes about how bad i was, i got approved for ssdi first try. for those who know how hard it is especially at my age, 29.

majority of disability cases go before a judge to decide unless you only got certain diseases or your dr's notes saying how bad you are.

oh and you maybe thinking, oh im not that bad. well my only real symptom i was having was a weak right leg cause me to use a cane. one day had a relapse, 4 days later full body weakness needing a wheelchair.

[HarryZ]

When my wife was alive (had MS and passed away 4 years ago) we went through the wheel-chair purchase exercise 3 different times. My strong advice to you is to obtain the services of an Occupational Therapist who together with a wheel-chair provider, will give you by far the best results.

All wheel-chairs are NOT created equally and buying a second hand unit strictly because of the price, can end up causing you a lot of uncomfortable grief! Your requirements need to be assessed by professionals and that, in my opinion, is critical. If you end up spending a lot of time in a chair, you want it to be comfortable and practical.

You don't say where you live and the kind of assistance that you can get various from country to country. The OC will be able to help you in this area as well.

Best of luck.

Harry