[Lumia_black]

I'm thinking I want to get my own wheelchair(not a power chair) just one of those slick, lightweight ones like the type Colors sells. It just seems to be more convenient than hobbling onto one of the store carts and since these days worrying about peeing my pants, I wouldn't care if I did it on my own chair. Plus I could put my supplies on my own chair, like in one of those chair packs.

Trouble is, they cost like 5,000 dollars, I cant afford that. I wrote to my insurance company, but not heard anything yet.

So...how can I get one of these? Medicaid? Should I make a craigslist add?

[BBS1951]

Originally Posted by Lumia_black

I'm thinking I want to get my own wheelchair(not a power chair) just one of those slick, lightweight ones like the type Colors sells. It just seems to be more convenient than hobbling onto one of the store carts and since these days worrying about peeing my pants, I wouldn't care if I did it on my own chair. Plus I could put my supplies on my own chair, like in one of those chair packs.

Trouble is, they cost like 5,000 dollars, I cant afford that. I wrote to my insurance company, but not heard anything yet.

So...how can I get one of these? Medicaid? Should I make a craigslist add?

Medical supply stores attached to pharmacies, or not, can tell you how to get one.

[msbluis]

If you are just now beginning to think you might need a wheelchair, you are possibly already weeks or months past actually needing one. Many of us have/had put it off longer than we should have. And I'll bet there's only one or two who might regret having purchased one when they did.

You are a wise person. A few months ago I wrote a column called "How to know when you need a wheelchair." It should be somewhere in the index under "Humor" if you want to look under that headline and I tried to use some humor to explain when is the proper time to get a wheelchair for you.

Shop around and if you aren't familiar with them, go to a pharmacy that sells medical equipment and let them help explain it to you. Then talk with your doctor, your friends and neighbors, whoever and look around online for the best price you can find where the size and weight of chair that has the features you want. Keep in mind if you're going to be moving to chair yourself in and out of the car it's going to need to be what's called a light weight chair or even a super lightweight, however the lighter weight the chair the more money it is typically seems to cost but it will be a good investment.
If you go on to need a power chair then having a good manual chair will be an excellent backup in case of repairs being needed to the power chair. A good manual chair will probably run you anywhere between 400 and 800 or 900 dollars depending on what your budget budget allows.
Good luck.

[SallyC]

If you are not quite ready for a powerchair, a scooter might do. I love my scooter
and it only cost me 700.00. It's small enough, that I can use it in the house.
I do have a bigger outdoor scooter and a lift in my van, for the bigger jobs.

Don't buy an expensive custom w-chair, until you know what you're going to
need, down the line. Take it from me, the need changes!!

[doydie]

Local MS society might have a wheel chair, I belong to several on line websites for my city. Consinment shops have them Goodwill, etc. CVS and WAlgreens even have transport chairs but they have no tired that you can move yourself.
Good luck. I like my scooter on the odd times I do use it. It jsut gives me more independence.

[NurseNancy]

i wonder if the MSAA organization might have something available and/or can give you some advice/information.

you might even be able to rent one somewhere to evaluate it's use.

[TheSleeper]

Take a look at the ads in Craigslist in your area, bought a folding Invacare manual wheelchair last year for a 100 bucks, it's like new. Flea markets and local news papers may have them from time to time also.

[kicker]

I am in a wheelchair (power) 24/7. I have only 1 usable leg and self-toilet with well-placed grab-bars. I did Canadian crutches, walker, and found mall walking exhausting so we purchased a wheel chair ($5000 sounds really expensive - My Invacare manual WC was like $300.00. My power chair was expensive because it has bells and whistles. I found being in a chair made a lot of things easier. I have less fatigue, zoom around, go places I hadn't been going to much.

Many insurance companies give a Durable Equipment allowance to cover chairs, hospital beds, etc. Your doctor needs to write a prescription for a chair if you want insurance help paying for it. I prefer picking my own rather than letting insurer providing things, too many bad experiences with inadequate stuff. It frees you up in many ways. It's a tool.

[Lumia_black]

Originally Posted by kicker

($5000 sounds really expensive - My Invacare manual WC was like $300.00.

Yes I looked at those at Walgreens today and with the pop off wheels, but very heavy. I drive and i'll need it to be lighter and smaller I think. Those cost more because they are made of Titanium and such.

I got this idea from seeing a young woman at Target(I was waiting in the parking lot for my sister) she pulled into the parking space and hobbled around to the back of her SUV and lifted out the chair then rode it into Target. Pretty sure she is an MSer to, but could be wrong. Anyway it looked like a good idea.

I'm taking the suggestions.

[Starznight]

I use a wheelchair on occasion, bought my own a while back when they had me in a cast for my ankles. I forget where I bought it though aside from it being an online site that wasn't Amazon. It is a manual wheelchair, weighs about 30lbs with all the parts. I took off the sides, and it has easily removable footrests, so it dropped the weight a bit from there.

I can get it in and out of the car with fairly easily using the larger back wheels to "roll" it along the bumper, which is less I have to lift and only have a hard time if some "Good Samaritan" decides I'm their good deed for the day. (Grabbing the chair before even asking if they can give me a hand and most of the time without any warning...OUCH)

A heavier chair can be manageable, still I would have loved to have bought a super light-weight one, but can't justify making the switch, right now.