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Is your provider discussing hbo therapy with you?

3K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  justpassingby 
#1 ·
Greetings,

I'm posting this as somebody who has met many unfortunate diabetics with limb amputations who were never given the option of hyperbaric oxygen therapy prior to surgery. Many providers fail to offer this option to their patients and remain skeptical of HBO therapy despite the research, evidence, and proven results. In my humble opinion, patients should at least be given this option if/when their wound progresses to a severe enough point. It is inexcusible for surgeons to continue to amputate limbs without ever having even given patients this option. I want to arm you (the patients) with the following information...

1.) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is appropriate for any diabetic ulcer that is graded 3 or higher on the "Wagner Scale". This means that the doctor documented that "abscess", "gangrene", or "osteomyelitis" is present in the wound. Patient's often struggle with these kind of wounds for months or years before amputation.
2.) Many health insurance companies (including Medicare) will actually pay for this therapy. That should tell you something right there.
3.)When used early and aggressively, this therapy can mean the difference between amputation and limb salvage.
4.) HBO therapy, in and of itself, is not a "magic cure" for diabetic ulcers. It is imporant that other treatment measures such as debridement, antibiotics, and aggressive wound care remain in place during the therapy. When therapy is used with other measures it can be quite effective.
5.) HBO therapy cannot fix black (dead) tissue. It can, however, stop the tissue death process and save all other viable tissue.
6.) HBO therapy requires at least marginal blood supply to the wound for it to be effective.

Many of the people I've met whom have been successfully treated with HBO therapy have themselves or their family/friends to thank. Often these people had to advocate for the therapy themselves as it was never offered to them as an option by their physician. It is my hope that many of you will never have a diabetic ulcer that progresses to this point, but be aware of this option if you ever develop one. The sooner this therapy is implemented, the better the results. Don't be afraid to question your doctors. Some physicians are huge advocates of HBO while many others choose to ignore it.

-Thanks
-justpassingby
 
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#3 · (Edited)
The HBO therapy I prefer is provided by my cable company LOL.

Good luck selling your therapy, my body and my doctor insist that I use insulin so I avoid the diabetic ulcer complication you describe. I have never had need to ask my doc about HBO therapy but will add it to my list of questions on my next visit :)
 
#4 ·
Last May my mother in law fell off a porch and scattered her left knee and her right ankle. She underwent a 6 hour surgery to repair both. The Dr told her then she probably wouldn't be walking for at least a year. After her 30 day rehab at a nursing home in Mississippi we bought a used mini van and made the trip from Texas to go pick her up in June last year. When she got here she started physical therapy and was doing pretty good except her incision on her right foot it soon got infected. She had a couple Drs tell her she may lose that foot but her ortho dr sent her to a wound care clinic to have this HBO treatment done. She had to do like 40 treatments of it and the clinic is 35 miles from my house. She has both Medicaid and Medicare and the treatments were paid for. You get in this oxygen chamber for like 2 hours a day it is pure oxygen. Her foot started looking a normal pink color after the treatment. She got pretty dizzy one day while in the chamber. The nurse gave her a drink and a snack and asked if she was diabetic. She said no they had tested her several times thinking that's y her foot wasn't healing. The nurse then told her to ask for a glucose intolerance test. Her next visit to the Dr they did the test and she IS diabetic but fasting numbers always normal. It did take the full 40 treatments to work but it did and now she is out of the wheelchair and walking without even a walker at 58 years old.
 
#5 ·
Wow, glad she is walking again. She must be quite a lady!
 
#7 ·
Thanks for your interest. In regards to your questions and comments...

I am not a diabetic but rather a provider. I'm glad to hear of positive personal experiences also. Everything I am telling you can be verified by looking this information up online or discussing with your insurance company. Many of you will hopefully never need this therapy, but keep it in mind should you ever be so unfortunate as to develop a worsening ulcer (or have a friend who does).

-justpassingby
 
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