Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy

SleepingUgly · Post by **SleepingUgly** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:48 pm

DoriC wrote:SU, if you're not doing anything next week I'd love you to come and stay with me! How about it?? Lunch is on me!

Ha! I wish I could!

M.D.Hosehead · Post by **M.D.Hosehead** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:14 pm

Thanks for your post, davidfreeis. I was unaware of much of that information.

DoriC · Post by **DoriC** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:26 pm

Rx4fun wrote:After numerous sinus surgery procedures over 3 years, they finally found that I had Osteo Mylitis, or infection of the bone in the sinus bone in my skull. Life threatening. I went to Pres-St. Lukes in Denver for Hyperbaric treatment, much as described elsewhere. The benefit of going to the large facility is that the chamber is about 12 feet around with door locks on the end so they could wheel people on Gurneys right in. I sat in a chair and read while inhaling oxygen through a mouth / nose mask. I spent 4 hours per day, except Sundays, inside. I had weekly sinus surgery to clean out infection. It worked!!! I am alive due to Hyperbaric.

A few comments. In recent years the hyperbaric industry has grown. They are now placing smaller, coffin like units in smaller facilities. The benefit of going to the big hospitals is that their chambers are much more comfortable. If your husband has ear clearing problems, as your doctor to put in ear tubes...like they do for babies. A ENT doc can spray your ear in his office and insert them in a few minutes. In about a year they naturally come out. Thirty days of going up and down by 3 Atmospheres can be very painful. You can even be ok for awhile and then, you can't clear your ears.
Hope this was helpful. Drop me a note if you have any questions.

Bill

Hi Bill, I'm so happy to hear you had a successful outcome with HBOT and am hoping for the same for my husband. Mike told me after the fact that the Dr sprayed something in his ears and cleaned them but did not insert anything. The Dr had already left the unit and the techs were busy with other patients so I'll find out Monday just what was done.

Muse-Inc · Post by **Muse-Inc** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 8:47 pm

Aw, Dori, more 'fun' in life's journey Best wishes to both of you as you traverse this challenge! HBOT seems like an ideal treatment for certain conditions. Take care Dori, of yourself and Mike.

deltadave · Post by **deltadave** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 3:04 am

M.D.Hosehead wrote:Thanks for your post, davidfreeis. I was unaware of much of that information.

While I certainly sympathize with Mr. Freels (apparently, he is pushing for the use of HBO in CP because of a family member) I think his argument would get a lot more traction if were accurate.

For instance, while the cost of oxygen is low to operate a tube (more like $12 in my neck of the woods), you also need a 160K chamber, a 500K liquid oxygen system, a facility and a staff, and Medicare reimbursement is only about 500 bucks per 2 hour dive.

Certainly, if the UHMS were out to make money, they'd approve it for everything out there (there's all kinds of off-label stuff, like Lyme Disease and TBI).

That said, the big U.S. Army TBI study shows great promise and may open many of the doors that Mr. Freels feels are presently closed.

Wefolfmen · Post by **Wefolfmen** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 11:40 am

Thanks for ones marvelous posting!

M.D.Hosehead · Post by **M.D.Hosehead** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 1:31 pm

Yes, DD, it was clear he was grinding an ax. However, it seems to me that his point, that awareness and use of HBOT is less than ideal, is valid. Consider how long it took Mike's doctors to use it for a condition in which evidence for efficacy is strong. And Mike's son is a physician.

DoriC · Post by **DoriC** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:30 pm

Truthfully, this treatment was recommended to us several months ago when this last wound was not healing, although never when he's had previous abscesses and delayed healing. My son did discuss HBOT with our surgeon early on but we would have had to go to Philadelphia or NYC for pre-op testing and approval and make living arrangements for a month or more with no guarantees. My son was willing to arrange that for us but neither of us was physically or emotionally able to undertake that step. So now that it's doable at our local hospital although it's still a grueling schedule, we're trying to be hopeful that it will work for Mike. He's such a trouper and deserves some relief. Thanks for your interest and concern, it's really appreciated.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:22 pm

DoriC wrote: He's such a trouper and deserves some relief.

So are you, Dori. You deserve relief too.
Hope you had a nice time with your daughter and granddaughter. Also - Blackspinner's suggestion - spa or massage - was brilliant.

deltadave · Post by **deltadave** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:53 am

DoriC wrote:Truthfully, this treatment was recommended to us several months ago when this last wound was not healing, although never when he's had previous abscesses and delayed healing.

Dori, I have a question about that.

Is the intent of the HBO salvo to address bone involvement (osteomyelitis) or the wound itself?

DoriC · Post by **DoriC** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:59 pm

Dave, after seeing your post I asked that very question separately of both the Doctor and Nurse/Director of the program and they both said this treatment is aimed at both wound healing and the underlying osteomyelitis to prevent recurrence. I hope the "man upstairs" heard them! At this point I would have been happy just to have the wound heal for now even though Mike said he wouldn't undergo another surgery if an abscess were to occur again? I was also told that this treatment may go on longer than 20 treatments as long as it shows some progress at that point so Medicare will allow recertification for another 20 treatments. If they can't show any improvement then the treatment will be considered a failure and Medicare will not pay for further treatment. My son says we can get around that but I'm hoping it won't be necessary.

redjoe · Post by **redjoe** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:09 pm

Praying for success, Dori.

SleepingUgly · Post by **SleepingUgly** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:44 pm

I'm hoping it continues to go well!

tattooyu · Post by **tattooyu** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 6:01 pm

All the best to you, Dori, and Mike! Glad it's going fairly well. I'd love to have lunch with you, but it's a tad far.

deltadave · Post by **deltadave** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:53 am

DoriC wrote:I was also told that this treatment may go on longer than 20 treatments as long as it shows some progress at that point so Medicare will allow recertification for another 20 treatments. If they can't show any improvement then the treatment will be considered a failure and Medicare will not pay for further treatment. My son says we can get around that but I'm hoping it won't be necessary.

Yeah, that osteo can sure be pesky!

Is Mike receiving concurrent antibiotic therapy?

Is his nutrition optimized?

What brand and model HBO chamber are they using?

Since we've got quite awhile to go, do you think we can make this TDCOTBILOTMOAT?

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