Electric blanket

[happydog]

My family want to give me an electric mattress cover/underblanket for mothers day. They came up with this idea because I seem to have cold feet often now. I think they are not allowed for diabetics, but my husband suggested that provided it is just used for warming the bed and then switched off it might be alright. He has found one with all sorts of controls. Does anyone here know if they can be used? 🙂

 

[Cat1964]

I would assume if its only for heating he bed it wouldn't do any harm if you're switching it off before you get into bed. My daughters stuck what to get me, so far we've thought about earrings.🙂

 

[AlisonM]

I wouldn't be without mine. It's great for keeping the tootsies warm and easing aches and pains. I admit, I use my hot water bottle more though as it takes longer for my feet to defrost than the rest of me and I can get overheated using the blanket. It doesn't have any fancy controls though, perhaps they would make all the difference.

 

[LeeLee]

I wouldn't be without mine. It's great for keeping the tootsies warm and easing aches and pains. I admit, I use my hot water bottle more though as it takes longer for my feet to defrost than the rest of me and I can get overheated using the blanket. It doesn't have any fancy controls though, perhaps they would make all the difference.

I don't have one, for exactly the same reason as Alison. Once I'm in bed I get very warm, and I can kick a hot water bottle out (sorry hottie) once I've warmed through. I might be tempted by one that can just heat the foot end.

 

[robofski]

I think the reason they are not recommend for diabetics is because of the potential for lack of sensitivity and therefore the potential to burn yourself. I think if you use it as your suggesting to warm the bed there shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't do without mine!

 

[Cat1964]

Wishing I had one just now. I have been freezing all day, heating is on in the house but I can't heat up. My hands and feet are like ice brrrrr!!

 

[Northerner]

I couldn't be without mine! I got this one, it has 6 settings on, heats up quickly and you can leave it on setting 1 if you want (a very small amount!) warmth through the night. They have all sorts of safeguards on them these days, so nothing to worry about - mine is even washable! 🙂

I used to have a much cheaper one but it took ages to heat up and was the size of a postage stamp, so make sure you get a decent sized one - check the measurements.

 

[happydog]

Thank you all for your replies. I think one controllable electric blanket will arrive here on Mothers Day. My family are very kind and thoughtful and I appreciate their care. 🙂

 

[Cat1964]

Thank you all for your replies. I think one controllable electric blanket will arrive here on Mothers Day. My family are very kind and thoughtful and I appreciate their care. 🙂

Hope you'll be happy and cosy on Mothers Day

 

[trophywench]

Lovely pressie, I like a warm bed, I've had two husbands so far (consecutive not concurrent, don't worry) and both of them like getting into a cold bed.

They say you have an inbuilt habit of going for the same type of bloke don't they ......

I think basically you are OK whilst you are sleeping with someone else who has all their feeling intact and their wits about them - let them stick their feet down the bed first - if they don't screech like a scalded cat, you know you'll be OK!

 

[Dory]

I think the reason they are not recommend for diabetics is because of the potential for lack of sensitivity and therefore the potential to burn yourself. I think if you use it as your suggesting to warm the bed there shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't do without mine!

yup that is indeed the reason diabetics are not, as a 'population', recommended to use hot water bottles, leccy blankets or even those great little hand warmers. your feet and hands are the first to lose normal circulation (as that's where the capillaries are the smallest) so there is the assumption (incorrectly IMO) that all diabetics are bound to lose feeling in their bodies due to the excess sugar in the blood knackering the capillaries permanently thus won't feel things getting too hot. Which I think is ridiculous - a sweeping statement that the health guideliness need to change quick sharpish me thinks! It's like the whole 'diabetics cannot dive because diabetes cause hypos is seconds which render you unconscious': yes, but that's a worst case scenario and if you've never experienced them then why should you paint yourself with that brush? (thankfully a few years ago guidelines on diving with diabetes were changed!)

So my advice is, providing you get your feet looked at and sensitivty tested routinely and have no problems with sensation anywhere in your body, go for it 🙂

 

[Northerner]

Really, it's just companies covering themselves, although they are excluding quite a large market in doing so! 😱

On my diabetes education course I was told diabetics are advised to wear seamless socks also, although there is an alternative...

 

[Dory]

you should get paid for your dittys northerner!

🙂

 

[Vicsetter]

I've got one that has separate foot and body areas and also dual control (one side for me and one for the wife) with 9 settings for each area.