Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Veterans: A Personal Recovery Story

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy or HBOT made a huge difference in my life. Seven years ago, my life changed in an instant. What followed were years of dizziness, brain fog, and a lingering list of health struggles. If you or someone you love is living with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), I want you to know something simple. You are not alone, and there are paths forward. In this article, I share some of my experiences.

For nearly two years, I lived with stroke symptoms. My blood pressure was high and my pulse was at an all-time low. I was in a constant state of dizziness. The brain fog was so heavy that I could barely function most days. My memory began slipping away. Sleep was non-existent, and depression crept in and took hold.

Doctors didn’t know where to start. About a year and a half later, I ended up in the ICU. The tests were obvious. I was having a stroke.

I enjoyed a long career as a respected professional. As a high-performer, few, if anything, prevented me from achieving successful outcomes. Once injured, incompetent management suddenly considered me an inconvenience instead of a loyal person needing help. When I asked for assistance, they sought to destroy my excellent reputation. One supervisor made false claims and even hinted at suicide. That crossed a red line I could not accept. I gave one day’s notice and retired.

In retirement, I left the organization, and poor managers no longer had to worry about stepping up to help their people. I was on my own. Daily struggles included dizziness, uncertainty, and fear of what the future held. The medical community moved slowly, with tests scheduled four to six months out, then more tests after that. Real therapy never showed up.

I often think about a man I once worked with years earlier. He returned home from war carrying PTSD. The organization told him, “It’s okay if you have PTSD, just don’t have it here.” That thinking helps no one. It only adds pain on top of pain.

Recently, I learned about a veteran’s organization that helps people with TBI and PTSD to get Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, known as HBOT. I applied for a grant, hopeful but unsure. To my relief, they approved my application, and I began a series of 40 sessions. People call the sessions “Dives” because the therapy involves a 100% oxygen environment and a pressurized chamber.

I noticed the changes much sooner than I expected. By the end of the 40 sessions, the dizziness that once followed me for seven years faded.

Has the dizziness disappeared completely? No. On my best days, I’m close to 90 percent of who I was before the injury. Most days, I’m around 80 percent. Compare that to the 50 to 60 percent where I lived for seven years; the difference is life-changing.

TBI and PTSD affect people more than most realize. I’ve met military veterans, government workers, and contractors who all carry injuries from their jobs in different ways. Experiencing these symptoms daily is not living. It is surviving.

Right now, grant programs for HBOT mostly serve veterans. That leaves many people out who need the same care. A small group of us is working to pass a bill that would allow others to receive treatment. With an election season underway, progress in Congress and the Senate is slow. Many focus on their own campaigns or political agendas. I understand how hard that is to hear when your struggle is happening today. I’m very much aware of the cost to you and your families when each day is a struggle.

You don’t need to wait for a bill to seek help. Here’s where to begin:

• Search for HBOT providers in your area, especially ones with hospital-grade chambers.Ask directly about their experience treating TBI and PTSD symptoms.
• Always ask about grant programs, even if none are advertised.
• If a hospital referral goes quiet, don’t give up. I never heard from mine. Hospitals with HBOT focus on wound care. Rather than repeatedly calling for an appointment, I found a private provider instead.
• Write your symptoms and how they change week to week. With memory struggles, this record can help you and your care team more than you’d expect.

This process offers no guarantee. But nothing gets better by not trying.

Here are some information resources for HBOT. I don’t include them to overload them with requests. I would check with your local providers first. Yet, the links below may be able to point you in the right direction.

I received the grant assistance through:

HOW Foundation

The HBOT provider I used is:

Charlottesville Hyperbarics 

This article does not intend to substitute advice from a licensed doctor or mental health provider. Please talk with a physician about your symptoms and care. I still live with some effects of my injury. HBOT has been the single most helpful part of my recovery. I hope it can be part of yours too.

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