Bonnie, I am sorry to hear about your experience in the multi-person tank. My experience at Virginia Mason in Seattle was very different.

They have a newer, larger facility now, but the tank I was in had room for six. One was a nurse, paramedic, or other trained staff member. We wore masks, but they were very light weight. The entire tank was filled with pressurized air, O2 was delivered through the mask to minimize fire hazard.

I am very claustrophobic, so a one-person chamber wouldn't have worked for me. As it was, the room was big enough because we all joked, played cards, shared war stories, etc. Yes, it took 2 hours a day for 35 days... but the results were amazing.

I'd had six surgeries trying to close a fistula, essentially an opening through my cheek that just wouldn't heal. Five weeks into the HBO I had surgery #7. The fistula healed, done deal.

Also, I had awful dry mouth and couldn't enjoy food, even though I had reached a point where I was able to eat. After the HBO, my remaining salivary glands kicked into gear. My taste buds came back. Heaven!

Yes, my eyesight changed permanently. I'd had Lasik, now I wear glasses. Fair trade for the taste buds and salivary glands. And my tongue turned a healthy pink... and my gums looked normal again.

Yes, the half-day thing was a hassle. I had to drive 20 minutes, take a 35 minute ferry ride, climb 16 blocks from the waterfront to Capitol Hill (my choice), wait for the dive time, play 2 hours of pinochle/rummy/whatever, climb down the hill and make my way home. OK, more than half a day. But I looked for the upside, used the opportunity to get fit, read, meet some fellow travelers, heal.

My last HBO treatment was in 11/04. The results for me were very fast (if you call 7 weeks fast) and very positive. My only regret is that I had to move to Washington from California to get HBO. My docs at UC Irvine didn't have a tank, so they didn't have HBO docs beating them over the head to send them patients, showing them the data, talking up the results. I might have avoided 6 surgeries and recovered a lot faster if I'd started the HBO a year earlier.

Ken
Live strong. Laugh often.

Markus:

Hows the HBO going?

Well !!
the oxygene treatment is over. In summary: although this was getting to be a nuisance as far a time was concerned it was otherwise not difficult at all quite contrary is was a breeze compared to everything else. I wished I had done this much earlier however!
Over all my mouth feels a lot more "normal" and has healed much better (there was an area/seam that was problematic). There is no more bleeding when I brush my teeth. Some of this may simply be due to the time this took..... it is difficult to put you finger on it. Nevertheless, I feel it was worth it. It does however "rob" you of a half a day for 6 weeks.
I developed the following routine: Stay up until very late and do whatever work/play then sleep for 4-5h get up and drive to the facility. Have a dive for 2.5h and sleep! They will wake you up 2 times, most annoying. Then get up again and go to work until late ..... and repeat 30 times or so.
This turned out to be extremely relaxing I was one of the few people who had a lower BP AFTER the treatment.
Also, I never had any issues with vision changes.

Markus

Glad to hear this is over and you can return to your "normal" life. Next time dive with the traditional water surround venue, it's much more rewarding.

My husband had them--in the big "tank" with others. They can probably give you something for that claustophobic feeling if needed; my husband had to have Ativan when he did his radiation treatments in the "mask." The h. treatments did help. Healing was a long time coming but he is fine now.

Markus:

Thank you very much for you info on the HBO treatments. Im glad to hear its finished for you. Prior to the HBO dives did you have any problems at all with your jaws? If you did, has it improved?

Since my surgery, my jaw has trismus so bad, it hurts everyday. Im seeing my oral surgeon next week who is the one to set up my HBO treatments. Im hoping for a miracle, that he can either fix my jaw or the HBO will.

Christine,
I was put on HBO relatively late. I had a yeast infection at a seam/pocket from the part. glossectomy. Ie. something that was not healing well and I also had bleeding gums.
I did not have problems with trismus. After HBO there is no more bleeding and everything is nicely healed up. I just had a checkup with the RO on Friday, our next "date" is in half a year.

HBO is supposed to stimulate healing and the formation of new blood vessels. The will supply the tissue (and bone) with needed oxygene. (The x rays are very good at killing your capillaries and the danger is that tissue becomes necrotic).
I do not know how HBO will help with trismus, healing and rebuilding blood vessels may help... what does your surgeon say?

Best

Markus

Markus:

Unfortunately HBO wont work as I had hoped. Im always searching for a miracle cure which doesnt exist. For now I must first heal up from my surgery and do physical therapy for trismus. Then I will be able to do the HBO before my extensive dental work. I appreciate your help. Best of luck with your continued progress.

HBO treatments did nothing for me as well. I did 20 dives prior to wisdom tooth extraction followed by 10 and developed ORN and Trismus as well. This has been going on now for 5 months. I will be seeing my Oral Surgeon next week to find out the next planned activity/surgery. I can only open my mouth 5mm at the present time. The ORN is my biggest concern as I had earlier surgery for it in one area but there now is more.

Bill D.

Today I did my first HBO dive, my fingers are crossed it will help me.

After I had such a difficult time recovering from surgery in April, I finally went to my family doc who suggested HBO. I was very surprised he recommended it. My family doc thinks it will help me to heal up and also with alot of other health issues.
I may end up doing it again down the road for my dental issues, but for now Im not concerned with that.

To anyone who has done HBO......
Did you ears crackle when coming up from the dive?

I know hearing and vision problems are something to watch for, so I am curious. Thanks to you guys, I impressed the tech with my knowledge of HBO.