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ClayBrooks

Updated 11mo ago

Should I Get a Wheelchair? Exploring the Pros and Cons

Should I get a wheelchair? and do I need one? and am I aloud to use one? So I have Chronic fatigue really badly and regularly find a small trip to the shops 5 mins from my house for an hour knocks me out for three days and often in the way back i get supper dizzy and weal, i have collapsed because of this. Don't get me wrong I can stand and i can do everything but I can't do much. Should I use a wheelchair for bigger trips, like family holidays and large shopping trips? am I aloud? my dad doesn't think its necessary but my.mum is all for it, she thinks my dad just doesn't want to admit his 18 year old is chronically and ill and can't do much more than sleep for 12-24 hours, sit in bed and read or whatch TV/youtube and struggles to get downstairs.

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RyeRyeBread

1y

chronic fatigue or ME/CFS?
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RyeRyeBread

1y

also, yes. lol if it would help you, use it 👏
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ClayBrooks

1y

CFS which was brought on by chronic pain and other physical medical illness.
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spookyspoonie

1y

If a wheelchair would improve your quality of life (& it sounds like it would) then you have every right to use one. My father also does not want to accept that I am disabled, but I have to prioritize reducing pain/fainting/getting hurt more than I have to prioritize his blissful denial stage
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Penguin1

1y

I went through the exact same thought process but my partner convinced me and it has been the best decision of my life. Before, I couldn't go anywhere on my own, couldn't do anything that required a lot of walking like shopping or days out. Now I have independence because I am able to go out by my self with my wheelchair and I'm actually able to go out and do things. I get the whole "am I allowed to use one" thing because it's a hidden disability and "I can walk sometimes" but the reality is csf/me is a really debilitating condition especially when paired with chronic pain. So if it will help you and your quality of life then you should definitely take the leap. Mobility aids are scary especially as the stop hiding the disability and the way people interact with you will be different in a chair but I think the pros have outweighed the cons tenfold :)
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Brainiac5

1y

That last bit is how my dad used to feel back when mine started. It's only cause of covud and him being home all the time he actually saw the extend of how bad I was.
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Karrieanne73

1y

I not to long ago had to come to the decision that I needed a mobility scooter. I can walk small amounts using my walking stick but found out while shopping that even leaning on the cart ( which used to work) that I thought I was going to die. But I was being stubborn and didn’t want to admit that my diseases had taken that much from my body .. then there’s that stigmatism of people seeing you and making fun of you on a scooter 🛴 I struggled a lot before I came to the decision to just ride it and not care what anyone else thought. It gives me freedom to be able to get around places I normally wouldn’t , before my back would hurt or I’d get to tired ( I have cfs too) I even decked my scooter out to match my personality and dressed her in Minnie Mouse stuff… if ya gotta ride it ya might as well own it 😊… so my opinion for you is YES just do it for you so you can be happy and be able to do some stuff and not just have to sit and watch YouTube lol

The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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