10 replies to this topic

[Rudy]

I guess this question it not for paras' or people who can weight shift.
As a high level quad I have a lot of problems with pressure sores,
even though I just purchased the PK cushion(alternating air pressure ). I still seem to only tolerate sitting for only three hours at a time. I tried many different cusions, but I only have skin and bone on my butt and so I dont think I will ever be up for ten hours again. I was hoping to avoid flap surgery.
Are any of you having similar problems?
How long do you sit up?

[qbounce]

Hi Rudy,
Sounds like you need to eat more protein . . . drink Ensure, eat more meat, eggs, etc. Get some cushion on your tush!!

I'm having problems staying up in the chair due to excess fatigue. Read my post here on the General Forum (floating around your post), "Are you laid up in bed?"

Cheers--

[Scribbler]

Well we're all different, even high tetra's. I'm C4/5 with no meat on my bum but I have full sensation; not always a good thing. I'm usually up in my chair by 8.30 am; at the latest. I stay up all day, and go to bed about 10.30 pm. I then sleep on my side and can usually manage through the night until 7 am, I then get turned on my other side, have a coffee and beakfast before getting up. I use a Roho matress and cushion, which I find very good.

I've been injured 50 years and never had a sore of any kind; I guess I'm just lucky, have good skin and circulation plus good care from my late wife and now my carers. I find a Digital camera great for checking the bits we cant see; I've got pics on my computer of various parts of my anatomy; its a good job no one can see. :-) (Prints are available for a small fee... :-)

I had a buddy like you, who couldn't sit for longer than 3 hours; I used to think he was paranoid about it as he never got a sore, he was just frightened of sitting for long. If you have a wife or partner get them to stand behind you. Fold your arms across your chest and they can lift you enough to ease the pressure of your bum. Get them to do this every hour. Try to increase your time up and check your bum each time. Just because your skin gets pink or red, it doesn't mean it will break down. As long as the redness wears off over night you should be fine, but only do what you feel confident doing, especially if you have scar tissue there.

As for eating more; it rarely goes to your bum, it goes to your belly and puts more weight on your bum, that's from my experience.

Good luck

[john S.]

I sit up for about 8 hours a day. My chair reclines and tilts in space, as should all quads' chairs. For 16 years I stayed up for 14 hours a day. Times change and we are all different. The Roho seat is about the standard. An alternating seat like a PK often tears the existing wound. A PK seat is great when there are no tears or sores. Get the Roho tall seat and remember, you want your butt sunk into it. It doesn't work if it is improperly inflated.

I have to take pain meds while I'm up and especially before returning to bed. Then again, I have a lot of other reasons to have pain. We are all different. If your chair doesn't recline and tilt in space, you need a talk with your doctor about prescribing one. You should keep an anti-biotic handy in case you get an infection. You know, shivering and loosing ability to communicate, loosing consciousnesses I'm sure you know what onset of a severe infection feels like. I like Cipro because I rarely get a staph infection You may get that type more often. Your doctor shouldn't mind you keeping a broad spectrum anti-biotic on hand.
I have only gotten sores when I had a crappy mattress in the bed. I've never had one I could blame on the chair. if you do have an open wound on your butt or back, you can get a Low Air Loss Mattress through Medicare. Alternating pressure surfaces help prevent wounds but they don't do diddly sqwat when a wound opens up. Low Air Loss surfaces are the only ones ever proven to promote healing of pressure ulcers.

If you have a clean wound that has no sign of infection, there are some very sophisticated treatments that can stimulate regranulation of new skin. These do not include wet to dry treatments. Those are a part of debrieding the wound, not closing it up.

Do you get Autonomic Dysreflexia from being in your chair? You may need to gradually build up your time in the chair each day..

I wish you the very best,

john

[dolly]

john S., on Jul 10 2008, 06:35 PM, said:

I sit up for about 8 hours a day. My chair reclines and tilts in space, as should all quads' chairs. For 16 years I stayed up for 14 hours a day. Times change and we are all different. The Roho seat is about the standard. An alternating seat like a PK often tears the existing wound. A PK seat is great when there are no tears or sores. Get the Roho tall seat and remember, you want your butt sunk into it. It doesn't work if it is improperly inflated.

I have to take pain meds while I'm up and especially before returning to bed. Then again, I have a lot of other reasons to have pain. We are all different. If your chair doesn't recline and tilt in space, you need a talk with your doctor about prescribing one. You should keep an anti-biotic handy in case you get an infection. You know, shivering and loosing ability to communicate, loosing consciousnesses I'm sure you know what onset of a severe infection feels like. I like Cipro because I rarely get a staph infection You may get that type more often. Your doctor shouldn't mind you keeping a broad spectrum anti-biotic on hand.
I have only gotten sores when I had a crappy mattress in the bed. I've never had one I could blame on the chair. if you do have an open wound on your butt or back, you can get a Low Air Loss Mattress through Medicare. Alternating pressure surfaces help prevent wounds but they don't do diddly sqwat when a wound opens up. Low Air Loss surfaces are the only ones ever proven to promote healing of pressure ulcers.

If you have a clean wound that has no sign of infection, there are some very sophisticated treatments that can stimulate regranulation of new skin. These do not include wet to dry treatments. Those are a part of debrieding the wound, not closing it up.

Do you get Autonomic Dysreflexia from being in your chair? You may need to gradually build up your time in the chair each day..

I wish you the very best,

john

hey john
wat do u mean ur chair tilts in space, ive never heard of that. is it an electric chair. i just use a titanium 14inch manual chair and jay active cushion so far no problems.

cheers

[Simon]

I am C4 quad, complete for 25 yrs. No sensation/movement below shoulders.
Always used ROHO with few problems and no sores. Sit up 10-14 hrs a day, it varies. My bottom isn't huge nor is it excessively skinny. I too have a power chair, the last 2 of which have had tilt and space and back rest recline. Tilt and space is when both the seat angle and back rest (whole seat essentially) tilts backwards to different angles you desire, thus altering pressure distribution. Back rest reline, is the back rest only, seat stays in position/angle.
Both v useful.

Simon

[dolly]

Ah I see cheers Simon

[eleanorigby]

dolly, on Jul 11 2008, 06:37 AM, said:

Ah I see cheers Simon

John made the comment that every quad should have a tilting chair, but I don't think he took into consideration the wide range of quads. I've used a manual and a Jay Xtreme cushion for years and have had no problems. You can probably adjust yourself and move around a lot, so tilting and all that is unecessary.

[qbounce]

Here here Eleanore and Dolly! I have a manual chair too, and do pressure lifts. I expect to be in my chair at LEAST 10 hours a day again soon!!

Also, Not all doctors allow you to just sit on antibiotic medications to take when YOU deem it necessary, especially a BROAD SPECTRUM?! This sounds a bit disconcerting to me, johns. The more antibiotics you take , the less you allow your body to fight infections on its own, and this could cause alot of problems in the future when your body builds up an immunity to these intibiotics.

Sure they're good to help heal open sores, staff infections, UTI's, but in my eyes, by perscription of each arising problem at a time.
Use them ONLY as perscribed and ONLY when a doctor perscribes it for a specific problem, Not just for a stubbed toe or shivering!! Hell, I shiver when I have to cath sometimes. Cheers

[allis53ca]

16 hours a day..7 days...no tilt....i manage

[quad]

Good for those who have managed.
I am a C3 complete no sensation below the shoulders and I have been for the past six years usually when I say in my chair I get positioned in the wheelchair before noon and I'm in it until later on that night sometimes the next morning yes it tilts so I can relieve pressure and I have the roho as well as they mentioned if you don't sink into it it's not working properly