After an amazing night’s sleep I had another session in the oxygen chamber. I’ve been really impressed with the dedication of the staff at the MS Centre who give their time voluntarily to keep the centre going and it’s already made me think I’d like to help out if I can.
This time I wasn’t such a novice but was still a bit nervous. I don’t know the ropes yet and everyone else seems to know what they’re doing, but I’ve already made some friends and met some lovely people, not just with MS but other conditions too and they all swear they see huge benefits from the treatment.
Today the chamber was crammed with five people, which was a bit cramped, but I don’t find that the time drags at all. Each session lasts for approximately one hour and thirty minutes. About ten minutes at the start to get the chamber up to pressure, one hour breathing 100% pure oxygen and then another ten to fifteen minutes to de-pressurise. Some people have said they don’t enjoy it and that it seems like ages. Perhaps my natural ability to daydream and wander through life helps – and books are a big passion that I always feel very guilty indulging, so for an hour a few times a week I can sit back and read uninterrupted.
Uninterrupted, that is, apart from the fifteen minute check-ins with the chamber operator – we all have to give him the thumbs up so he knows we’re all OK and not having any difficulties breathing. Once the chamber is sealed and pressurised you can’t hear anything from outside and they can’t here you. There is an intercom bit it’s not great. The only discomfort is the ear popping – just like on an aeroplane. The feeling as they de-pressurise the chamber is pure bliss as the ears kind of relax, and pop, pop, pop back to normal.
I promise you some pictures of me in my rather flattering mask and a group of us inside the chamber while it’s in operation, but I keep leaving the camera in my bag. I had to buy my own mask, partly because all the masks the centre had were too large, but also, so I could check out properly that the mask didn’t contain any latex – one thing I have to avoid due to a serious allergy. The whole chamber and its hoses etc. are latex free so it’s completely safe.
Today was a particularly miserable day – it rained pretty much ALL day and I haven’t felt quite so refreshed after today’s treatment but it’s early days. I felt a bit of a fraud using the oxygen chamber with others who are quite clearly ill with MS, either struggling with dexterity, using sticks to walk or in a wheelchair. What must they think of me? I’ve just been honest and told them why I’m trying the treatment and everyone has been lovely. Keep smiling and think positive! I did get a compliment on how great my skin was looking today! Stay tuned for more from the oxygen chamber diaries.
So what do you think? Could oxygen therapy help? Have you ever tried it?
Hi Ruth –
Delighted to hear that your are keeping going with your treatment and will be very interested to hear whether it really does help with your allergies. As you probably know, we have done quite a bit on oxygen – both the Hyperbaric variety that you are trying and which is used by the Breathe for Life charity and the hydrogen peroxide method which I have used very successfully to help with my electrosensitivity. I have already put up a link for our ‘oxygen’ section to your blog so keep the posts going! And maybe you can give us a final report for the site when you have finished your course? How many treatments are you having, by the way?
Good luck! Michelle
See http://www.foodsmatter.com/natural_medicine_comp_therapies/oxygen_therapy/index_oxygen_therapy.html
Thanks Michelle – it was you who gave me the idea to try this out, and a strong link to MS and oxygen treatment in my family so I thought, why, well not! More news to follow after my next treatments.
will be interested to hear how the treatment goes for you. Is it still helping your sleep? and anything else positive or negative. Bob
Hi Bob. I’ve had a weeks holiday in Portugal so will be having another session soon… I’ll keep you posted.