About fibromyalgia

Efficacy of LLLT in Fibromyalgia Patients

2010-03-20T01:46:00.000+02:00

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of low level laser therapy (LLLT) in fibromyalgia patients.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-four fibromyalgia patients were randomly assigned to LLLT (n=16) and placebo laser groups (n=16). Outcome measures included number of tender points (NTP), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), morning stiffness, global improvement as reported on a verbal scale (VSGI), and total myalgia score. Clinical evaluations were performed before, immediately after, and six months after the treatment.

Results: In the LLLT group, significant improvement was observed in clinical parameters at the end of the treatment (p<0.01). On the other hand, significant improvements were observed only in the number of tender points and morning stiffness in the placebo group (p<0.05). In comparing the groups, significant improvements were detected in scores of FIQ, VSGI, and total myalgia in the active laser group (p<0.05). The clinical evaluations performed after six months demonstrated improvements in the clinical parameters only in the LLLT group (p<0.05). When the groups were compared with each other, significant improvements were found in the LLLT group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Our results suggest that LLLT has both short- and long-term effectiveness in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Keywords Fibromyalgia, low level laser therapy, and placebo

[Via http://pltcsb.wordpress.com]

Managing Fibromyalgia

2010-03-18T01:39:00.000+02:00

Exercise and therapy

“There is a way” to find some Relief for some of your symptoms.

The principles of treating fibromyalgia for you is to do exercises and to stretch and mobilize tight, sore muscles.

You may not want to exercise if you are already in pain and feel tired. Low-impact aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, biking, and swimming or water aerobics are excellent for you. Exercising on a regular basis, such as every other day, and gradually increase to reach a better level of comfort. Some people can greatly reduce their symptoms with exercise.

Gently stretch your muscles and move your joints through a range of motion daily and before and after aerobic exercise. Physical therapy may be helpful and could include a checklist such as: heat, ice, massage, whirlpool, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation to help control pain. Physical therapists may design a specific exercise program to improve posture, flexibility, and fitness.

Hope this Fibromyalgia Checklist will help you.

Remember with Fibromyalgia everyone’s body is different and may have different symptoms. So what might be right for one may not be right for someone else. Some people have over come Fibromyalgia.

My site has 3 places where “there is a way” to get relief for Fibromyalgia. The first one is our favorite. One of these may be just what you need to get relief from some of your Problems. Please check out these different options. Your Body will Thank you!

http://www.thereisaway.ws/Fibromyalgia

[Via http://dlbauman.wordpress.com]

Have You Touched Your Toes Lately?

2010-03-16T16:52:00.000+02:00

During your Egoscue session the therapist may ask…

Question: Can you touch your toes?

My Answer was Always: No. It seemed I was 6 inches away and there was no hope.

My Original Reasons Why This Answer was a “NO”: Hamstrings are too tight

This week we added a new sequence to my menu. Thank you Pete for creating this new sequence of e-cises. During the e-cise I felt lots of different muscles working, especially in my right hip flexors and even SI joint. I was not completely comfortable but not in any pain.

Then the question was asked again after the new sequence… Can you touch your toes? I was just about to say “No” and then my hands were on my toes.

I think fireworks when off!! Or at least in my head. Now I have created my NEW theory on the “Real” reason for me to have not touched my toes before. My answer now is not that my hamstrings are too tight, because the e-cises didn’t even have me engage or do any resistance to my hamstrings. Granted the hamstrings might be tight but thats not the source of the problem. So I know my hamstrings are the same as they were when I started. BUT my hips were not capable of rotating forward to allow the position. The light went off in my head…its all about my hips.

My self discover is the one thing that keeps me coming back for more Egoscue. The therapist just asked the right questions and I feel like I truly came up with my own diagnosis!!

[Via http://palmbeachegoscue.wordpress.com]

Hoisting the plague flag

2010-03-14T09:49:00.000+02:00

I’ve finally succumbed to the flu. And I’d been doing so well–I’ve had lots of nasty colds and sinus infections over the past few years, but I haven’t had anything this severe since about 2006. That was when a mysterious lung infection triggered the onset of Graves’ Disease and rendered me pretty incapable for the best part of a year. Fortunately, I’m in better shape now–I don’t smoke, I’m not underweight any more–so I’m hoping I won’t run the risk of any complications this time around.

Although my asthma hasn’t been a major problem for years, it does tend to flare up when I get sick like this. I always worry when my chest gets involved–I had bronchitis multiple times at university, and every time I find myself coughing I remember the time I had whooping cough in my late childhood and how it went on FOREVER. I’m keeping my inhaler close to the bed just in case.

My poor partner has it too–she came down with it the day after I did, although she doesn’t seem to have been knocked about quite so badly (thankfully). She is a bit more robust than I am, lucky thing. I’ve been comparing my symptoms with hers so I can work out whether the headache and the stiff neck muscles are a result of the flu, or part of my usual fibromyalgia woes. It’s hard to tell–I’ve been having daily headaches and neck pain for a while–but my partner says that this is also part of the flu.

We’ve both spent the weekend sitting in bed, armed with Strepsils, Sudafed, a metric fuckton of codeine, audiobooks (for when the light gets too much) and our laptops. I don’t think either of us will be going in to work tomorrow.

This is daft, but I’m a bit insulted by the cheek of the flu, bothering me at a time like this. I’ve got fibromyalgia, an autoimmune thyroid disease, asthma, and I’m mental. To make matters worse, I currently have my period. Isn’t that enough? Where’s my exemption on medical grounds? Help! Help! I’m being oppressed!

If this post makes no sense, please blame the fever. It’s not as bad as it was on Friday, but it’s still pretty annoying.

Anyway, I really should go and have a shower (my hair, omg it is foul), but it’s a bit daunting. The thought of the water hitting me makes me wince, and even with a shower chair, I’m not sure I have the spoons right now…

[Via http://jeneli.wordpress.com]

Day 4 after 1st half of mercury removal

2010-03-14T01:48:00.000+02:00

Hey folks,

Hope everyone is having a good day! The right half of my mouth is almost back to where it was before having 5 “amalgam” fillings (which all contain mercury) removed. I think that’s pretty good recovery time considering all of my health issues– TMJ, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue to naame a few.

Once again would like to thank Dr. Devening and his staff for making me as comfortable as possible. I found out his e-mail address. It’s www.downeydevening.com

Check it out, I learned how to do a link! All you have to do is click on it & it will take you to the web site — neat!

My ceramic crock pot arrived. It’s much bigger than my last one. I got a 6 quart because I didn’t know what size the last one was — it must have been a 4 quart! Oh well, I guess I can cook more at one time & have more servings to put in the freezer (refer back to my older post about how to feed your family when you have FMS/CFS/TMJ).

I don’t know if I can blog every day — life has flown by since my entry on March 11. I won a game of pool against my son & my roommate, cooked supper and now I’m wiped out. Wonder if the dishes would magically wash themselves tonight?

Much Love & Many Blessings!

Karla Setchel

www.KarlaSetchel.com

[Via http://karlasetchel.wordpress.com]

Another Type of Suicide

2010-03-11T01:09:00.000+02:00

Which came first; the chicken or the egg? Why do people want to put the cart before the horse? Hi. My name is Steven and I am a morbidly obese forty year old man who suffers from Fibromyalgia. As I am writing this I am finishing a 350 calorie bag of Cheez-its and I can’t seem to stop myself. I am 6’4” tall, weigh 368 pounds and can’t seem to do a single thing to stop the path I am heading down, like trying to fall up the downward spiral.

How does the chicken/egg and cart/horse analogies have to do with morbid obesity, unhealthy eating habits and “suicide” of any type? It will make sense if you read on.

All of my doctors agree on only one thing, I need to lose weight. The best way to this is to exercise and have a healthy diet. Duh, right? Well let’s look at me and who I am to understand something about me. First and foremost, if you tell me I have to do something or that I can’t do something and I will go to all efforts to prove you wrong. One of the reasons I am morbidly obese is because I wanted to prove to everyone that I could eat as much as I wanted, what I wanted and when I wanted. I took this to the point that I have been my current weight for the last ten years, give or take 10 lbs.

I am the way I am because I spent much of my childhood being bullied, not just in school, but also in the realm of family as well. I was bullied by my step-alcoholic (father-figure) and all seven of his brothers and sisters, save one. His nieces and nephews also bullied me. I had a very strong willed woman as a mother. I was also bullied in school. After I graduated high school I really took on my own identity, which included a fuck-em all attitude. I wasn’t going to take it any longer. Admittedly, this really wasn’t the best attitude to have, especially since I joined the Navy a month after graduation. I got into some legal trouble as a result of my rebellious attitude, but seemed to never get in enough trouble to be serious.

While I was in the Navy, I gained a few pounds, 30 to be exact. I was 6’4” tall and 230 lbs and the Navy labeled me morbidly obese then. I shed enough weight to get through my four years, with an honorable discharge (don’t ask me how, because I don’t know) and I made the biggest mistake of my life, I moved back to my hometown. I could have moved anywhere in the world, but I moved back to the blue collar shithole I was raised in. I do not have any type of issue with blue collar workers, non-what-so-ever. I am blue collar at heart, but I do have an issue with the blue collar shithole I grew up in.

My life went downhill from there, two marriages, two divorces and two bankruptcies. All the time my family is telling me what I have to do, when I have to do it and why. So what did I do? The complete opposite is what I have done. At this point in my life, it isn’t a choice any more. I can’t choose to do the opposite of the opposite. Sometimes I feel like the driver a Toyota, accelerating out of control, it is no longer my choice and I am just along for the ride regardless of how hard I try.

So I have my doctors telling me I have to lose weight. Can you guess what is happening? Yup… I am packing pounds on. I have my family telling me I have to get outside more. Can you guess what is happening? Yup… I am becoming more and more of a shut in. I have programmed myself well haven’t I. To the point that I no longer have control over my own motivations.

So I tell my doctors that I would love to get out and exercise, but the pain is too much, and that is the truth and not an exaggeration. My doctors won’t give me anything for the pain other than a mild muscle relaxant. So I don’t get out and exercise and to top that off my diet consists of a lot of sugars, carbohydrates and starch, therefore I am not losing weight. Whenever I try to cut any one of those things out of my diet it is like quitting chewing tobacco. I know because I also chew. I know, disgusting… but at least I am not exposing others to cigarette smoke. I keep my carcinogens to myself. After taking some time to think about this, I believe that I have subconsciously programmed myself to commit suicide, a different kind of suicide. So with the constant pain and inability to exercise why should have decent diet? Why should quit chewing? What’s the point? That is what my brain asks me when I try to eat right. If I can’t fix it all, why fix any of it?

I have withdrawn from society, family, career and life in general. I do run a local photography club, but outside of that I don’t have friends that I go do things with, and even if I did I would probably withdraw from them over time. My family is for the most part estranged from me, to the point that my mom is probably going to move away, since I was the only reason she was hanging around.

I have lost all of my friends, outside of a one or two, and I have all but lost my relationships with all of my family. This, along with the Fibromyalgia, abuses in the past and constant failures in business, marriage and career has greatly added to my deep depression. I have suicidal thoughts all the time, I have since I was in high school. While most people and doctors do not believe that this is normal thought behavior, my only response when that say this is, “This is and has been my normal for as long as I can remember.”

I may chew, over eat and maintain a lethargic lifestyle because deep down inside I am ready to die and I am doing everything possible to make it happen as soon as possible outside of grabbing a gun, rope or a bottle of pills. But how long before that happens? I don’t know. Right now the only thing preventing me from going that route is my fear of hell. See I truly believe that the 10 commandments spell out what can and will send a person to hell. If I were to kill myself, I would not be able to ask for forgiveness of the killing, because you can’t ask for and receive forgiveness for a sin before it is committed and therefore would go to hell. I know the logic might seem a little, or a lot, off, but it the way my logic works.

I do want to get healthier. I want to be a better husband, father, employee, photographer, etc. I want to be able to do more with my photography. I want to be able do more outside of my home. I have asked for help from my doctors in helping with pain management so I could exercise more, but alas they won’t help with pain management. They want me to lose the weight and that will help with the pain. And I argue that I need to get pain controlled to be able to exercise because the pain to too much. So there we have it, they want to put the cart before the horse and I want the chicken before the egg and I want it now; instant gratification. Either way I am in a downward spiral that probably isn’t going to end well for me, my wife or my children.

So where does one go from here? For me it is doing everything wrong, because everyone is telling what I have to do. It is a different kind of suicide.

[Via http://amanwithfibro.wordpress.com]

Mercury fillings removal has begun/began?

2010-03-09T17:33:00.000+02:00

Hi folks,

Writing with mixed emotions today. I’m leaving in an hour for a 45 minute ride to Lexington to have half of the mercury fillings in my teeth removed and replaced by composite — which I’ve already been tested for to make sure that I’m not allergic to. I’m glad to finally be getting the mercury out, but who likes getting dental work done?! My roommate is driving me because I still can’t comfortably drive more than about 10 minutes at a time YET (my “positive” word). I go back in 3 weeks to have the other half removed because I had 9 fillings in all & that is too many to do at one time.

When I get better at this blogging thing (and have less fibro-fog), I will be able to put the little “widgets” in that make it possible for you to click on a word & learn more info about it. Like DAMS, which is an association that helps people be aware of the medical dangers of mercury fillings — the silver looking ones.

If you have “silver” fillings in your teeth, you have mercury in your mouth & every time you eat, drink or grind your teeth, you’re releasing a little mercury vapor into your body. According to my Dr., no amount of mercury is safe, so I’m having it removed. You have to go to a dentits who specializes in “safe mercury removal”. They have special machines & procedures. You can find a listing in your area if you google DAMS (the association — I feel like I’m cursing every time I type or say that LOL ).

I’ve already missed over 11 years of my life due to fibromyalgia & chronic fatigue, more than that if you count the number of days I was bed ridden from TMJ caused migraines. I’m ready to get healthy & enjoy life!

If you can’t find something that I’ve referred to, make a comment & I will get back to you as soon as possible. I promise I will get more proficient at this in the next few weeks (or months!).

Much Love & Many Blessings!

Karla Setchel

www.KarlaSetchel.com

[Via http://karlasetchel.wordpress.com]

Fireworks going off in my head

2010-03-09T01:27:00.000+02:00

Sorry Everyone,

I had intended on getting at least one good post out of myself, but I have accepted that it just won’t happen today . Maybe tomorrow I will write my Pulitzer winning post? (I am SOOOO kidding y’all! If you can’t laugh at yourself, WHO can you laugh at?)

This migraine is kicking my butt… and it has really taken hold of my jaw and neck… I am going to have to pay my chiropractor a visit tomorrow morning and ask him for some help…. Each time I move my right shoulder, I get fireworks going off in my head and neck… it is just going from bad to worse, and it’s time to stop fighting and just sit with it until I can get some help from my AMAZING chiro! You know you are in bad shape when you would GLADLY have your chiropractor manually stretch and release trigger points INSIDE your mouth than be given a trip to the spa… that is where I am at right now…. OUCH!!! I will exchange a really GOOD hurt over this hurt any day!

I am still holding up okay, but this is 4 days straight now, and I am starting to lose steam….. There is only so much we can do on our own before we have to reach outside ourselves.. I have tried everything.. stretching, heat, ice, baths, showers, dietary changes, yoga, deep breathing, doing the hokey pokey… I put my right foot in and I did shake it all about, it didn’t work. I swear, is there something I am missing?

Do you find that once a certain part of your body acts up, it sets off a chain reaction? This all started with a sore back and shoulder, then my back pain went away, and it was ALL in my shoulder…. then it moved quickly into my neck… and now I honestly can’t say where one starts and another ends… everything is SOOO tight and twisted… blah… And on top of my nerve pain, and “normal” pain, I think I might go loony tunes soon!! (I promise, if I go anywhere, I will invite y’all along with me!)

Sorry to all who was expecting some sort of togetherness today on my part but it ain’t gonna happen. I feel badly because the past few days I have not been blogging the way I normally do… I just need to get myself in order, and then I will be back to my fun-loving sore self – instead of my crankypants desperate self

So I am off to lay down AGAIN with another ice pack, heating pad, book, and a prayer…. I need for this migraine to GO AWAY!!!!! There, I told it!! Do you think it will listen?!?

Hugs and my love to all of you… thanks for letting my rant a little… sometimes it is good medicine.

**If you are reading this anywhere other than www.gracefulagony.wordpress.com it is because this post has been stolen. Please click on the link provided to return to the site of origin

[Via http://gracefulagony.wordpress.com]

Erik Dalton and Bodywork and Neck Pain

2010-03-02T17:26:00.000+02:00

Erik Dalton, Ph.D., the owner of the Freedom from Pain Institute® which is devoted to the research and treatment of chronic pain conditions.

Researchers tell us that for every inch that the head shifts forward of the shoulders, weight is increased by 10 pounds. Consequently, a 12 pound head held forward 3 inches forces the cervical extensors (semispinalis, splenii, longissimus, upper traps, etc.) to isometrically restrain 42 pounds against the unrelenting force of gravity. And we can’t imagine why so many clients/patients present with degenerative disc disease, head pain and TMJ.

Forward Head Postures resulting from improper sleeping positions, driving stress, computer neck, whiplash, and improper breathing habits leads to muscle strain, disc herniations, arthritis, pinched nerves and instability. Decreasing health can result from stretching of the spinal cord. According to Erik Dalton, major cause of head, neck, jaw and shoulder pain is due to poor posture including fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, temporomandibular joint dysfunction and chronic fatigue syndromes.

The extra pressure imposed on the neck from altered posture flattens the normal curve of the cervical spine resulting in abnormal strain of muscles, ligaments, fascia and bones. According to the respected Spine Journal, 2006; 6:591-694, forward head carriage produces accelerated degeneration of intervertebral joints resulting in degenerative joint disease (cervical osteoarthritis) and osteoporosis.

The consequence of poor posture goes far beyond just looking awkward. In fact, according to the January 1994 issue of the American Journal of Pain Management, posture and function are related in that poor posture is apparent in clients/patients with chronic pain-related conditions including low back pain, neck related headaches, and stress-related illnesses.

Posture influences, and moderates every function from breathing to hormonal production. Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, pulse and lung capacity are among the functions most easily impacted by poor posture. According to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter Vol. 18, #3, March 2000, the effects of long term forward neck posture leads to “long term muscle strain, disc herniations and pinched nerves.”

When spinal tissues are made to endure prolonged compression, they deform and undergo a remodeling that can become permanent. Correcting poor neck posture is key to stopping and reversing decay and degenerative disc disease and pain from headaches, rib dysfunction and Dowager’s Humps…but it takes time and a ongoing effort using modalities such as Myoskeletal Alignment(R) to correct the damage caused by faulty neck posture.

[Via http://erikdaltonarticles.wordpress.com]

Fibromyalgia Fight Like A Girl T-Shirts, Gifts, And Merchandise

2010-03-02T01:02:00.000+02:00

Fight Like A Girl 6.3 Fibromyalgia by awarenessgifts Fibromyalgia warriors, claim your empowerment over it and promote fibromyalgia awareness with Fight Like A Girl t-shirts and gifts featuring a simple layout and purple graffiti-style fibromyalgia awareness ribbon. This popular design is brought to you exclusively by Awareness Gift Boutique At Zazzle.

[Via http://fightlikeagirlshirts.wordpress.com]

A belated meme

2010-02-27T01:48:00.000+02:00

Invisible Illness Week was over a long time ago, and I totally missed it due to not being aware of it at all.

But that’s no reason to miss out on an exciting MEME.

1. The illness I live with is: I have fibromyalgia, along with a rather severe case of Graves’ Disease which has not gone into remission despite medication. I also have a mental illness which has not yet been formally diagnosed by my current psychiatrist, although my record notes major depression with bipolar symptoms, and an adjustment disorder on top of that. Also psoriasis–although this might actually be dyshidrotic eczema, I can’t be bothered to see yet another specialist to confirm this.

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2007 for the psoriasis, although that was done by a GP. 2008 for the Graves’ Disease, 2009 for the fibromyalgia, and I really have no idea about the mental illness as this is the first time I’ve sought out and stuck with treatment for it.

3. But I had symptoms since: 2000 or thereabouts for the mental stuff, and 2006 for the Graves’ Disease. Reading back over journal entries from that time is a bizarre experience because all the symptoms are so clear. The dizzy spells, the inability to walk more than a few metres without dizziness and needing to sit down, the swollen legs and knee problems, the heat intolerance, the total apathy about everything (including my civil partnership, which horrifies me now).

That was also when the unpleasant skin condition kicked in and covered both my hands and feet with tiny weeping vesicles and red, flaky skin. I wore socks all the time to hide my feet, and hid my hands under long sleeves. It did a number on my fingernails, as well. I don’t want to go into the impact that had on my self-confidence and personal life, but let’s just say some things never really recovered.

And February 2009 was when the fibromyalgia first flared up, although at the time I was paranoid about lupus.

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: coming to terms with what ‘incurable’ and ‘chronic’ actually mean. I haven’t managed that yet. I’m not ok with having to work part-time. I’m also not okay with the thought of being on medication for life. But I will be okay with this in time. Acceptance is a work-in-progress, I guess.

5. Most people assume: That I’m perfectly healthy. I looked sick back in 2006–the photos from that time are horrific. I’ve put on a lot of weight since then so don’t look quite so much like a bug-eyed corpse.

6. The hardest part about mornings are: Getting out of bed and getting to work. The fibromyalgia causes bad morning stiffness, especially in my hands and ankles, and it takes about 2 hours to ease into my body for the day. Sometimes the train journey to work triggers muscle spasms, headaches, and sensory overload, so by the time I actually limp into work I just want to turn around and go back to bed.

7. My favorite medical TV show is: I don’t actually watch any. I was never particularly hooked on House, and I’ve never seen Grey’s Anatomy. I did used to watch Casualty with my mum, though.

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: the wheat-filled heat bags that Raph made for me. The collapsible walking stick that fits in my watermelon bag when I don’t need to use it. Bandages to take the pressure off my joints from time to time.

9. The hardest part about nights are: Getting to sleep. I have a big pink body-length pillow that I curl around, which helps with my knee, ankle and hip problems. My anxiety can be pretty bad in the night as well.

10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) It varies, but I don’t actually take that many pills any more. When I was first diagnosed with GD, I was on nine pills a day (100mg of PTU 3 times a day, and 3 beta-blockers to bring my blood pressure down). Now I’m on 50mg of PTU 3 times a day, and don’t need the beta-blockers any more. I do take 50mg of Pristiq in the mornings (it used to be amitriptyline, but that really isn’t safe for me). I also take Valium and sometimes Seroquel as needed. The Valium is rubbish for anxiety, but it helps with my jaw and facial pain because it’s a mild muscle relaxant. I also take OTC and prescription painkillers as needed, but I save the prescription painkillers for breakthrough pain. Sometimes even 60mg of codeine isn’t quite enough, though. Oh well.

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: should really make an appointment for my hydrotherapy instead of being a lazy cow. I’m not actually on anything for fibro other than painkillers at the moment due to psychiatric difficulties, and I have high hopes for hydrotherapy. However, I don’t really hold with alternative treatments when it comes to certain kinds of mental illnesses. Yoga isn’t going to cure cancer, and I don’t think it can cure non-situational depression, either.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: something that wasn’t painful, and I would cut off my own foot before I chose a mental illness. That being said, I kind of have issues with the concepts of ‘invisible’ and ‘visible’ illnesses — who’s doing the looking, here? And what are they looking for?

13. Regarding working and career: Things could be better. Mental illness kind of ruined my plans back when I was a teenager, anyway. I was supposed to aim for Cambridge, but I kind of dropped out of everything instead. When I finally got to university, I only scraped through because of the Disability Support Unit–and I kick myself now for not asking for more accommodations. Things would have been very different had I known how to manage my illness back then, but I really, really didn’t have a clue.

14. People would be surprised to know: that I used to think fibromyalgia was just what lazy sods on the internet had. And now I’ve got it and can confirm IT’S TRUE! that I am deeply ashamed of my previous assumptions and am aware that karma is a bitch. Also, when I’m not actively depressed, I am quite a cheerful person. Really. This surprises me as well.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: That I will need medication for the rest of my life and could die if I don’t take it. Not to sound melodramatic or anything, but if you don’t treat Graves’ Disease you run the risk of dying from thyroid storm, or a stroke, or from heart failure. My blood pressure was so high for so long I sometimes worry I’ve done permanent damage to my heart. Also, the whole ‘chronic pain’ thing for fibromyalgia, and the ‘mentally unstable’ thing can be a bit overwhelming. I’ve been reading a lot of disability-related websites and activist blogs, though, and they’ve been incredibly helpful and enlightening. It’s a bit odd, coming to terms with the realisation that you are actually a bit disabled, but in a way it’s almost empowering to accept that identity. Hard, but empowering. I can’t really explain it very well.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: I have no idea. I have no particular desire to climb Mount Everest, or run a marathon or anything like that. I suppose I have surprised myself by taking a call-centre job. I have phases of severe anxiety about the telephone. And then phases of being the most confident, talkative person in the world ever.

17. The commercials about my illness: I don’t own a TV and I’ve never seen a commercial about illness in any case. I know they have drug commercials in America, though. The thought of someone advertising fibromyalgia seems quite funny. Muscle spasms! Joint aches! Get it whilst it’s painful! Comes with the bonus ability to predict changes in the weather!

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Pretentious walks with my camera, and gardening. I just haven’t felt well enough (mentally or physically) to do anything for the past few months.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: I gave up smoking in 2007, just before my diagnoses started rolling in, but I did it (in part) because I knew I was sick and had done irreparable damage to my body.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: I’m actually getting some audiobooks so I don’t have to hurt my hands holding a book, or hurt my eyes AND hands using the computer to read e-books. I haven’t had anyone read me a story since I broke my forearm as a child, so it should be an interesting experience.

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Sort out the garden. Clean the entire house from top to bottom. Have some ~quality time~ with my partner that doesn’t involve painkillers, wincing or having my limbs bandaged (and not in a kinky mummification way, you perverts).

22. My illness has taught me: That the priority seats on trains are actually there for people like me, as I can’t stand up on a rattling train for half an hour without really hurting myself. Also, FWD is a very useful website, and Amanda Palmer is really fucking annoying.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: “Oh, I have depression too! But I don’t want to take anti-depressants, so I just snap out of it when I’m sad by thinking positive thoughts/getting regular exercise/doing yoga!”

This pisses me off for two reasons.

The first: fuck you very much for the implication that I’m weaker than you for having to take medication. Thanks for trivialising what I go through. It’s not like I feel like a useless malingering twat who just needs to pull herself together every single day, or anything.

The second: way too many people call themselves depressed when in fact they’re just reacting to unpleasant life events. Sorry, it’s NORMAL to feel dreadful from time to time, especially when faced with life stress like bereavement, job loss, etc. And the fact that you can just ’snap out of it’ like that makes me think that maybe, just MAYBE, your depression is not particularly severe. Your experiences with situational depression are not the same as my experiences with major depression, derealisation, and occasional hallucinations.

I actually get situational depression as well, but that’s a different story.

24. But I love it when people: perform startling acts of niceness. Like the guy in the Post Office who helped me pick up all my parcels, then helped me to my feet & opened the door for me when I was struggling with my stick and general shakiness. Was nice of him not to mug me and kick me in the head.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: “Men must endure their going hence, even as their coming hither / Ripeness is all” – Oh, King Lear. Awesome play of miserable grimness. I LOVE IT. In a Stoic, gritted-teeth kind of way.

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Incurable doesn’t mean untreatable. Educate yourself. Get a second opinion if you aren’t happy with your doctors. Also, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS. Get HR on your side. Get the Disability Support Services onside if you are at university. Do not fuck things up the way I did.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: How amazingly supportive my partner is, and how crucial that kind of support is for anyone ill. I mean, I didn’t expect R to ditch me or anything. But there are a lot of horror stories out there and I’m glad I lucked out in the relationship stakes.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: My old manager erased several of my sickdays from the register. Completely. So I didn’t lose any sick time, and didn’t lose any pay. She was lovely. One of my other managers drove me home when my back started to spasm so badly I couldn’t walk. That was nice too. I miss that job.

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I just wanted to do a meme, sorry. Invisible Illness week happened in September, so I’m kind of behind the times here. But, MEME.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: doubtful anyone actually got this far, to be honest.

And that took forever to write. I am off to have tea & toast and catch up on Burn Notice and Survivors now.

posted by jeneli.

[Via http://jeneli.wordpress.com]

San Diego Personal Training Business and State of the Economy update

2010-02-23T01:00:00.000+02:00

Its been a while since I have blogged, and all for a good reason. Business has picked up for Somagenesis.com Not so much in the sense of pure physical fitness training, but specifically for special populations clientelle with orthopedic, neuromuscular or rehabilitative needs. Afterall this is our niche’ in the San Diego fitness industry. My strong medical background and knowledge of orthopedic and neuromuscular anomalies, enables me to competently help individuals improve their quality of life through pain amelioration, muscular re-education and gait improvement. Since January 1 2010 we have acquired 9 new clients to our exisiting portfolio of 36 dedicated clients. I am working with conditions such as Prenatal conditioning, Fibromyalgia, spinal arachnoiditis, Epstein Barr, relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis, Post ankle arthroplasty, Post Hip resurfacing, Post total knee replacement, and Post lumbar discectomy.

Moreover, I have noticed that a select group of San Diego personal trainers are seeing less clients than there were two years ago. I have been told than many have dramatically reduced their rates to either keep or acquire clients. Also, I have discussed this situation with several personal training directors working at San Diego’s big box gyms. Memberships are down by 40% and personal training revenues also following suit. This is unusual for this time of the year! But given a 10% unemployment figure here in San Diego, this is probably par.

My recommendation for fellow fitness trainers is to ramp up your marketing, take advantage of your down town and study other facets within the fitness industry and create a niche for yourself. I believe like the large blue chip companies here in San Diego, only the strong will survive. Like Qualcomm, who is constantly re creating the wheel, with reserve dollars, you need to do the same!

[Via http://rivak61.wordpress.com]

I Begin.......

2010-02-18T17:44:00.000+02:00

Today is an “ok” kind of day. I got the kids off to school, wrote my “Dear John” letter, and chatted on the phone. Sounds fun so far?

I’m hoping my positivity don’t change into negativity. I hope to help someone and hope that someone will help me namely the Rheumatologist. The doctor is good, but my rheumatoid arthritis sucks! Yes, I said it! It sucks! The pain in my wrists, fingers, joints, knees, and ankles hurt like someone is hitting me with a sledgehammer. On top of that I have Fibromyalgia. Yeah, me! All over body pain. Medicine and exercise isn’t working, but I comply anyways. If I don’t move around I will end up paralyzed. I don’t think so. I’m in my early 40’s and have no time for the pain. I wish I could burn it in the fire pit were I burned a few pieces of clothes from an ex-friend. Til’ later I’ll suffer and try not to be so blah, blah, blah.

[Via http://annemyblog.wordpress.com]

Support

2010-02-18T01:26:00.000+02:00

Yesterday, I went to my first ever Fibromyalgia Support Group. I had been looking for a group for years and although there were a couple of hospital based groups that sounded okay and I did find 1 support friend through another half-hearted attempt at a group, it is only now that I’ve found a group that has a plethora of active members.

The Upsides:

Everyone in the group knew exactly what I was going through. They understood the sleep issues, the pain issues and finding a doctor issues. It was so much fun being able to talk about medicines, treatment plans and symptoms without someone going “What is that?” or “I have no idea how you feel,” or “Why would you try that medications?”

I noticed that almost half the group relied on walking sticks and about 75% of the group was overweight thanks to their fibromyalgia symptoms OR because of their various medications. Us fat girls all agreed on one thing – we didn’t start out this fat!!! One woman who was diagnosed was an avid cyclist, cycling up to 14 miles per day!

Every women was very accomplished in her own right. Many were working mothers with families to support, or retired working moms. One woman was an ER nurse (formerly), one woman worked in Real Estate (formerly) one in finances (formerly).

Once our conversation really got going, we did a great deal of chatting about remedies, the ridiculous side-effects of Lyrica, why we aren’t always crazy (although we are sometimes depressed).

In general, it felt great to be part of a we.

The Downsides:

Almost everyone was older than me. Although fibromyalgia does affect older women more often (or older women are diagnosed) I know there are young gals like myself out there (under 40 crowd) that also suffer from fibromyalgia. However, there is a benefit to this too, which is that each woman had a number of experiences that I could learn from. But, along with fibromyalgia came other issues that sometimes come with age that I couldn’t quite understand. But what an insight! I realized that it is okay to say yes to walking sticks if I need it and not to be so darned embarrassed. And not to be embarrassed by using those little motorized cars in the grocery stores and even (as one woman recounted) at places like Disneyland. Where I had viewed this for so long as being a weakness – the women using these tools assured me that it makes for a much more enjoyable holiday with family and for a more upbeat shopper than the morose person I usually am in grocery stores.

But because the women were a bit older, I felt hesitant to ask them to exchange phone numbers for those days when I really needed someone to come over to help me out. I have read stories and blogs online of girlfriends with fibro that will care for one anothers kids or household while the other is stuck in bed. I don’t have these crazy days as much anymore thanks to a lot of reframing my state of mind, pain pills (thank you Lord!…and my doctor), and other pain management techniques and medicines, but about once a month I am pretty close to a nervous break down because of my intense pain.

Those are usually the days I call my husband in desperation to come home from work, or just tell him that I really can’t get out of bed.

And, as many of these gals are past the child that needs you at home stage – the meetings are during the day and are often at locations that are not the kid friendliest. So, I’ve got to get on finding that occasional daytime babysitter, bring him with me occasionally, or just have my husband resign to come home for a two-hour lunch (which will eat his vacation time) so I can go for a lunch with these gals once per month.

I imagine that once I get to know them, I will be able to get over my timid nature and ask for a few numbers for those emergency days when I just need a helping hand or an ear to listen.

I encourage anyone with fibromyalgia to seek out a support group – and for us young gals to start talking to our more mature and experienced counterparts. Believe me, it has helped me more than I ever realized! I feel energized, excited and just plain relieved to find people like myself in person. This may just end up replacing my talk therapy.

[Via http://fibrowise.wordpress.com]

Chronic Pain, The Huffington Post, and Comments Elsewhere

2010-02-16T17:13:00.000+02:00

gracefulagony posted two interesting links: a HuffingtonPost article written by a doctor experiencing chronic pain for the first time. The doctor used a mix of traditional and non-traditional therapies to deal with his cancer-caused pain. His hypothesis that people in chronic pain are “situational narcissists” caused a stir when posted to a fibromyalgia community live journal site. I’m curious about the:

I have also used an interesting technology for pain and anxiety management called The New Reality, Personal Achievement Device wich [sic] uses a combination of audio and visual stimulus to relive pain and control anxiety.

mentioned in Dr. Lipsenthal’s article. What exactly is this device? What does it do?

Any thoughts, reactions, or comments?

[Via http://phylor.wordpress.com]

Child abuse linked to adult pain related disorders

2010-02-13T17:18:00.000+02:00

According to the researchers, their study and others have found stress caused by abuse can alter children’s brains, making them more likely to develop chronic pain from such conditions as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis and arthritis.

“Stressful events in childhood, such as abuse, can alter the body’s stress response permanently and predispose to a wide variety of medical and psychiatric conditions in adulthood,” said the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Gretchen E. Tietjen, professor and chairwoman of neurology and director of the Headache Treatment and Research Program at the University of Toledo Medical Center in Ohio.

It is not uncommon, she said, for people who’ve been abused to have a variety of debilitating conditions, including migraine.

“The linking of these comorbidities may be through abuse-mediated brain changes occurring early in life,” Tietjen said. “Understanding the physiology of abuse’s effects on the brain over the life span may lead to prevention or more effective treatment of migraine and associated conditions.”

She was quick to note, however, that not all abused children develop migraines and not everyone who suffers from migraines or any other chronic painful condition was abused.

But those with a history of abuse “are more likely to have the worst cases of migraine,” she said. “They are the ones most likely to have a lot of the other pain conditions.”

The findings are reported in the January 2010 issue of Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain.

For the study, Tietjen’s group collected data on 1,348 people with migraines who were seen at 11 outpatient headache centers. About 58% reported being physically, sexually or emotionally abused or physically or emotionally neglected during childhood. Also, 61% reported having at least one painful condition other than migraine.

Those who had been abused or neglected as children were significantly more likely to suffer from other chronic pain conditions than were people who had not been abused as children, the researchers found.

“Childhood abuse, especially emotional abuse and neglect, is very common in the population of persons seeking help for headache,” Tietjen said. “Childhood abuse is linked to high frequency of headache in adults, and to headache-related disability. Persons with migraine who have been abused are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and from chronic stress-related pain conditions.”

The researchers noted that different types of abuse appeared to result in different conditions. For example, physical abuse was linked with arthritis, whereas emotional abuse was associated with irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and arthritis, Tietjen said.

Physical neglect was linked to an increased likelihood of irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, interstitial cystitis and arthritis.

Women who suffered physical abuse or neglect as children were also more likely to have endometriosis and uterine fibroids. Emotional abuse was linked to both conditions as well, but emotional neglect was associated with uterine fibroids alone, the study found.

Dr. Walter Lambert, an associate professor and medical director of the child protection team at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said that “adverse childhood events have significant long-term health risks in adulthood.”

“It does not surprise me that people who reported emotional abuses would have more chronic headaches and migraines,” he added.

Lambert also agreed that stress in childhood can change pathways in the brain, with neglect being the worst. Children can take only so much stress before it begins to affect their growing brain, he explained.

“As human beings,” Lambert said, “we need nurturing — both physical nurturing and emotional nurturing — to flourish.” Society needs to find ways to promote nurturing and stable environments for children to prevent maltreatment, he added.

[Via http://weareallsurvivors.wordpress.com]

Hard to keep going foreward when I'm not getting anywhere

2010-02-13T01:25:00.000+02:00

No answers at the doctor today. Just sincere apologies that there isn’t anything he can really do because my insurance doesn’t cover anything and fibromyalgia is still being researched. I explained how I feel this is ruining my life, the headaches, the fatigue, the anxiety the depression. That I’m having trouble working swing shift because I get tired so easily. Plus…switching from AM schedule taking care of Claire..to weekend schedule on swing shift has not bee easy for me lately. I want to quit because I’m so tired and haven’t been getting ANY homework done. Yet, I know we need the money and I have just giving up. I’ve found some other jobs to apply for, but I’m worried that I won’t be able to handle the long hours or a demanding job. What job isn’t demanding? I feel rather lost and alone, I expected to be better after this last surgery and I was doing ok for a while. Why all of a sudden does this come on? I’ve likely had it for years, but was it the stress I went through living in Eugene? I don’t know what to think and I don’t know what to do.

I beleive I’ve tried it before and it gave me side effects, but I’m going to try and take a low dose of some seizure medication (Nerotin?) that is supposed to work neurologically. I went to a pain specialist about 7 years ago in LA and they put me on it (or at least I think that’s what they gave me)…it gave me severe insomnia. Yet for lack of any better options I will give it a try again. Nothing else is going to be approved and if they can’t find any other conditions then I’m pretty much screwed and left with fibromyalgia.

At first I thought I was ok with another diagnosis, but now I’m not so sure I am. I’m angry. I don’t want to live this way. I want to do the things I want to do, I don’t want “taken care of” and I don’t want to be weak, tired, have headaches and constant pain. Am I getting an option in this matter…no. I’m not a hypochondriac, it’s not a mental disease, I’m not crazy, these things are real and my doctor believes me. Yet, there is nothing to be done.

I’m anxious about how people will view me with another chronic illness that will never go away. I in fact don’t even want to tell anyone. Yes, I’m sort of announcing it to the world on my blog, but hey…no one reads this.

It’s really hard to keep going right now.

[Via http://moderatelyinconclusive.wordpress.com]

Blood test results

2010-02-11T01:39:00.000+02:00

My ESR is high and my platelets are elevated. So there’s definitely some inflammation present, even though my rheumatoid factor was normal. My CRP is also within normal range (although higher than it was last time, not sure if that means anything though). I’m surprised at the amount of relief I feel–it’s sort of validating, in a way. It means that this isn’t all in my head.

The doctor agrees that the swelling in my fingers, knuckles, ankles and lower back is most likely synovitis. Although my fingers feel all sausagey, my ankle joints are the worst–it’s not just a fluid build up there, the soft tissue is also inflamed and boggy. She was quite surprised when I told her that the rheumatologist had never actually explained what was going on with the swelling. The joint pain with the associated swelling was the primary reason I ended up at the rheumatologist’s last year, only to come away with a fibromyalgia diagnosis when all my blood tests came back normal.

Now I wonder whether he wrote me off too quickly–I mean, I DO believe I have fibro, but the symptoms specifically associated with FMS were never my primary concern. I don’t just have the ‘vague aches and pains’ the rheumatologist seems to think are my main concern–the FMS problems are on top of everything else, if that makes sense. My pain is very joint-specific, and I never really got a definite answer as to why that was the case. So I’m taking my partner with me when I go back to the rheumatologist’s next week. She’s better at describing my symptoms than I am because I’m very forgetful and tend to minimise things when I’m actually dealing with doctors.

Aaand in other news, my GP has set up my Team Care Arrangement, so I just need to make an appointment for hydrotherapy now. Lovely warm water, and nice helpful physiotherapists who are used to dealing with chronic illnesses.

posted by jeneli.

[Via http://jeneli.wordpress.com]

Hot and Cold Therapy for Fibromyalgia Pain

2010-01-30T17:07:00.000+02:00

Good day! Is it just me or does anybody else with fibromyalgia ever feel like you are on a rollercoaster? I have learned quite a few pain management strategies over the years as an Occupational Therapist and have had many opportunities to put them into practice in managing my fibromyalgia for the past 10 yrs. I can go for a period of time managing my fibromyalgia symptoms quite well and then “bam” I feel like a mack truck hit me. For instance like this past weekend I know I have been working many hours recently in a new chaotic environment, eating more sugary junk and then add some extra family stressors. I was feeling more painful all over with increasing daily headaches but was caught off guard with a screaming headache that escalated and increased the domino body pain effect during the middle of the night on my weekend with guests sleeping over. After using cold gel wraps, taking aspirin and biding my time, the pain began to ease to a manageable level. My body was sending me a wake up call that I had once again been using to much adrenaline for everyday living. I took the time to listen and took an extra nap and went to do the elliptical machine at the gym while watching a motivating and life giving program. I took time to pray and give it all back to the Lord. In the end I felt much better with increased energy. Now if I could just consistently remember to practice Isaiah 40: 31 “They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint,” (NAB). I would truly feel better and have more energy. As I get older I realize there is so much wisdom in God’s word. My prayer for you today is that, you would stop to smell the roses, wait upon the Lord and be renewed in strength and energy and know His peace for that is where real pain and stress management takes place.

Please take the opportunity to visit our website at LivingLifeUnlimitedLLC.com to check out the awesome Elasto-gel packs that can be used for hot and/or cold therapy. These are not your typical hot and cold packs. They are soothing and great for pain relief. They provide pain relief for tight aching muscles, painful joints and headaches. Take caution if you have sensation impairments. As always it is recommended you first check with your doctor before starting a new treatment. Ease your fibromyalgia pain today with a soothing Elasto-gel product.

Have a blessed week.

Chris Antolin

[Via http://llullc.wordpress.com]

Reviving My Wild Streak

2010-01-28T01:45:00.000+02:00

With all the crazy things that have happened in my life over the past two and a half years, my life has been a whirlwind of problems and emotional baggage I’ve still been trying to sort out. I usually don’t notice this between Calculus problems and washing dishes, but some days I have the rare moments when everything becomes clear and I can see how much I’ve changed, usually the for the worse; today I had one of those moments.

My boyfriend, after being laid off from Midway Games, and then a 6-month stint at a financial company (which made him miserable), he is finally back to doing what he loves: working in the video game industry. At Midway, he was in a group that kept relatively normal hours, so his current job was my first exposure to the insane hours that most people in video games work. I was pretty lonely already, being home with the cats all day, my friends still in school, but these hours have brought me to a new level of misery and loneliness than before. I’ve been going crazy, making demands of him that he be home on time at least one night out of the week, and being mad at him when he ends up having to stay late. And then today, when I was venting to my mother on the phone, it occurred to me “where did all this come from?”

I could just say that it’s my trust issues or abandonment issues causing internal turmoil, but that doesn’t quite sit with me over this issue. My boyfriend is the only man in my life I’ve never had to worry about losing (except death) and I know he’s not trying to deceive me, but is optimistic about when he’ll get out of work. So what is causing all the pain I feel?

I’ve realized that during all the horrible luck and illnesses I’ve had that I’ve become too attached to him. I used to be such an independent, care-free person, and now after years of needing his compassion and care for survival, I’ve forgotten how to live without it. I’ve decided to break away a bit from him, start doing some of my own things again, being more of my own person.

I feel in some way, this will bring us back to where we should be. When we first started dating and I had my plans of being a writer (now on hold while I sort out brain fog), in that time before my life had been tossed around, I remember thinking we had the perfect relationship because we could both be separate and together. It was the perfect relationship for both of our careers and it was the perfect relationship for the wild-independent me that needed both distance and intimacy.

Starting tomorrow I’m going to try to go out and explore the world, try new things, meet new people, and hopefully recover that small part of me that got left behind. This is going to be difficult since fibromyalgia does it’s fair share of keeping me feeling sick and indoors, but there is also the small hope of diminishing the spell fibro has cast over my life by slowly reclaiming the pieces of my myself it stole.

[Via http://sententiaviridae.wordpress.com]

Super Size Post...by Lisa Harmon

2010-01-14T17:28:00.000+02:00

“I have ARRIVED…” Kenai, 2 yrs old

Kenai is a habitually stoic sort of fellow. Recognizing what he wants or feels is more often than not a subtle affair. Slight changes in ear position, the pitch of a whine, the length of a sigh is about all the explanation you get. You have to be paying attention and you have to know him. Well. However, there are times… In this pic here he had been trotting around playing in the other room, then suddenly the unmistakable thunder of Kenai on a mission was heard (from afar) and he vaulted into that position. “I am HERE and I want OUT to play!” It would seem indoors was not satisfactory. He’s had his playtimes early in the morning while the ground is still frozen, in an attempt to avoid the melt-mud. By dark yesterday the snow was about half gone, and now we have a butt buster skating rink that once was a driveway! Slippery! “Brown” doesn’t have to pay much mind to such things as terrain, endowed with immense snowshoes for paws, complete with claws to dig in if needed. His more narrow footed, clawless, and balance challenged human is another story… I skirted the garage to the “potty patch” this morning–snow pack is easier walking than sheet ice. Hence, we did not have our play time right away in the morning. I was hoping for a little softening of the slush. Only problem: the living room toy box simply would not do anymore. My subtle, quiet natured brown bear was in an overt mood. Being amazingly slow to become insistant, when Kenai does get in a mood about something, I usually give him what he’s after. So long as he’s not ill-tempered about it, anyway. Wonky Kenai is the fault of me and the fibro/fatigue: I’ve neglected the exercise and interaction too long. Usually 2-3 days is all the laying about he can take. He has a remarkably patient disposition, so when he’s gotten in a mood, it’s been a long time building. out we went. He wanted some seriously intense exercise. Nothing was supposed to interfere with our games I discovered, including the camera. When I pulled it out of the pocket he gave me a look. “Are you at it with that camera again! Give it a rest and play with me!” I was hoping to get maybe one really fabulous pic of him, but he refused to co-operate. Anytime the camera went into position, he flashed me the look, complete with donkey ears. Still hoping for a snappy shot, I had the bright idea of picking up something he could chase. That usually brings out the boy wrinkles and expectant bright eyes. Donkey ears is what I got. “QUIT with the camera already!” He was plenty happy to chase the magnolia seed pod, but he was not interested in posing, not in the least. If you’ve ever wondered what manly annoyance looks like in a self-possessed Great Dane, well here you go: Guess that’s the closest I’ll get to Kenai’s Picture of the Week today; the sight of an indignant snort. I put the camera away and started to play. But his snorty attitude got a little snotty, and he started swatting at me instead of running around. Hum. We had a flashback to adolescence for a moment, when he thunked me with his chest and walloped my sorest leg with a good hard swat. He knew it was too hard, too, and gave me a look of “what ya gonna do about that”. You can tell when they do it on purpose. Just for that, I left him in the kennel. I walked away, all the way into the house, yippee yip apologies unresponded too. Oh I was coming in to get BB for a romp, but Kenai didn’t know that. I always tell him I’m going to bring BB out, and he waits patiently without yipping. All he knew was he got rangey and I left him all alone for it. He hates to be alone, btw, so that “punishment” counted big time. I asked Mom to let her boy out when she got the chance, and went back to find an ever so happy to see you boy. Beebs was out the door shortly, and the Brothers Grin had themselves great gobs of run-with-me, circling the kennel. I’ll go in and out of the kennel, moving back and forth according to who’s not playing hard enough to wear themselves out. We three had a good time, and their happy meters were all pegged when it was time to go inside. *** You can see Beebs is looking better than a couple months ago, but he’s lost a bit of weight the past couple weeks. Both boys have me pinned between a rock and a hard place about their diet. The rock: they need enormous amounts of food to gain and hold weight, roughly 8-10 cups of calorically dense Eagle Pack a day. The large amount has a tendency to put enough undigested carbs in their guts to be a breeding ground for “bad” bacteria and yeast. Intractable diarrhea follows. The hard place: they may not be digesting some nutrients well enough, but they over absorb minerals like giants are prone to do. If I give them enough food to gain muscle, it makes their bones and joints hurt, putting them at risk for skeletal problems. If you are a veterinary nutritionist or work for a dog food company, would you explain our plight at work, and tell the boss I’m not above begging for help? This is not an uncommon situation with giant breeds who have malabsorption issues. These two just seem to be extra difficult. We’ve been struggling with the malabsorption for almost 2 years, and confounded every vet we’ve seen. I would love to have a dog food company develop a high calorie, low carb, low macro mineral kibble! That would solve the problem, wouldn’t it? Something with an absurdly low calcium/phosphorus content, with nearly no grains/startches, so they could have 10 cups without bacterial overgrowths or risks to their bones and joints. We need someone both brilliant and pugnacious to come up with a food for the Brothers. Know anyone? *** Before I forget again (who me?), I wanted to paste in a comment by Jenny from the Wobbler’s page: I just wanted to let you know that I am starting a facebook group as an offshoot

from the yahoo NeuroDogs group. Please join us to discuss wobblers treatments

and recoveries and to share your stories. So much for so many to learn from! Now

we can be found under the Neurodogs name on both yahoo and facebook. Those sites would be a great thing to check out if you’ve got a dog with Wobblers or other neurological issues. Wobbler’s is a disabling, and potentially life threatening disease, caused by deformities in the cervical spine. Big time hard to treat for many dogs. I thank God my experience with it was limited to a mild case in my late brother’s dog. It can be a devastating diagnosis, as response to treatment varies from dramatic improvement to even worsening symptoms. My heart goes out to anyone whose beloved pup is afflicted with Wobblers. So as not to end on a sad note, here is 24/7 BB in all his glory: (who else can be relied on at all times for a good chuckle?) If you can’t laugh at that, there’s something profoundly wrong with you!! He and I have a new game: thunk a chunk. I was walking along with him the other day, and my boot inadvertantly hit a patch of snow from underneath. Some of it sprayed, having been a very dry sort of snow. But one chunk held together and went rolling. Ka-Swat!! BB squished it, then started watching my feet for another chunk to thunk. If I’m standing still kicking at snow, thunk a chunk is a variation of whack-a-mole. But if I’m moving around, it’s an even better chance for chase. Ever the opportunist, he’s become a downright pest anytime my foot gets near the white stuff! If I’m not kicking it, he’s licking it and eating the stationary chunks. I have created a monster! Oh but it’s so much fun…

[Via http://greatdaneservicedog.wordpress.com]

long time no weird

2010-01-14T09:32:00.000+02:00

Well Hi!

I haven’t popped in to write for such a long time…

After Christmas I was too busy having the best holiday ever! And unfortunately didn’t get a chance to write about how great I was feeling. I had my bestest, longest run of good health I can remember for a long time with just a bit of fatigue now and then. It really helped to have Trusty about and we spent a wonderful week together with all three princesses. I miss them, especially cooking meals with trusty at night and tucking all the girlies in to bed with hugs n kisses before flomping in front of a movie together with a glass of wine:) just like a real life family.

Now I’m emerging from the shittiest week of shitty health that I can remember for a long time. I have been so exhausted and hurty all over. I hate feeling like this and watching the days drift by me, not being able to do the things i want or need to do. I have had the deepest foggiest spootiest brain fog and spend the days sleeping, crying, feeling all alonesome and wishing this crap would end. I think I am starting to come out the other end today (eww, sounds like my disease just digested me and shat me out, feels like it too) I can think and write a bit, did a little bit of cleaning in between naps though my body is still hurting and aching like I have flu or something. I have snotted a lot and put loved ones through the wringer once again, the people who stick by me deserve medals, i tell ya!

Hope to write more soon when I’m back to ‘normal’

m:)

[Via http://littleweirdy.wordpress.com]

The Placebo Effect: Do We Care Why it Works, as Long as it Does?

2010-01-07T16:59:00.000+02:00

Placebo (definition) – any dummy medical treatment; originally, a medicinal preparation having no specific pharmacological activity against the patient’s illness or complaint given solely for the psychophysiological effects of the treatment; more recently, a dummy treatment administered to the control group in a controlled clinical trial in order that the specific and nonspecific effects of the experimental treatment can be distinguished.

Placebo Effect – any effect that seems to be a consequence of taking a placebo, the change is usually beneficial and is assumed to result from the person’s faith in the treatment or preconceptions about what the substance was supposed to do.

I have a question for you. If you have migraines 3 times a week and start taking feverfew capsules to prevent them, do you REALLY care whether the reduction is caused by the feverfew or the placebo effect if you start only having one a month? If it works, does it matter WHY it works?

Isn’t feeling better, having less pain, a good thing no matter what the cause is? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and doing a lot of research on different types of “Alternative Medicine.” Since I don’t have access to prescription medications any more, I’ve been looking for other ways to treat my fibromyalgia symptoms; trying things like herbs, aromatherapy, stress reduction, etc.; and I’ve found some things that help me.

So here I am, going along my merry way; drinking catnip tea to help me sleep, and ginger tea to reduce my pain and inflammation, adding nutmeg to my food to reduce my depression; and someone says, “You know, that stuff only helps because you BELIEVE it does, not because there’s anything in it that does any good. It’s all the PLACEBO EFFECT.” Hmmm, that made me stop and think.

I’ve done my reading, checked on possible side effects and interactions between the things I put into and on my body, checked the research when I could find some, and tried tiny amounts to see how my body would react before I added something new. (By the way, if herbs don’t have any therapeutic effects or active ingredients, why is there so much information available on possible side effects and interactions? Even the National Institute on Health has a section for herbs now.) I’ve experimented, and these things make me feel better. Do I really care whether they make me feel better because they’re providing an active ingredient that biochemically reacts with my body or because I THINK they’ll make me feel better? No, I don’t think I do, but the question brought up some other interesting questions.

(NOTE: This is just an example. I am not suggesting that you replace your blood pressure medication with celery.)

If I eat celery to reduce my blood pressure, and my blood pressure drops by 10 points, does that 10 point reduction have less of an effect on my health if it’s caused by the placebo effect rather than by a biochemical reaction? Does a 10 point reduction that’s caused by taking a prescription medication reduce the stress on my heart more than a 10 point reduction caused because I THINK the celery will reduce my blood pressure?

If I drink a cup of catnip tea before bed because I think it will help me rest better and wake up with more energy, does it matter whether it works because of a biochemical interaction with my body or the placebo effect when I DO wake up feeling more rested and energetic?

I don’t think it does. I think that the effect is much more important than the reason behind the effect, and if drinking catnip tea makes me feel more rested and energetic; or eating celery reduces my blood pressure, I don’t really care WHY it does it. (Besides, I’ve never woken up with a medication hangover from drinking tea, or gotten woozy from eating a vegetable, and I surely have from taking medications.)

So what do you think? Does it make a difference why you feel better, as long as you do?

(None of the information/opinion provided in this post is intended as medical advice. If you are interested in trying alternative therapies, you should consult a qualified practitioner.)

[Via http://wendyburnett.wordpress.com]

Soaring With God

2010-01-05T17:12:00.000+02:00

“Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

In the past few years, I have developed an interest in birds. God used birds to help me through my own “empty nest,” and I have found that bird watching is something I can do despite my physical limitations.

One of the things I appreciate most about birds is their ability to soar and glide so effortlessly. At times they seem to fly simply for the pleasure of it, and they are beautiful and entertaining to watch.

With my new interest in birds, this verse has become even more meaningful to me now than in the past. I have struggled with depression for many years – sometimes for legitimate reasons and other times for no known reason at all. On my most intense days of depression, the heaviness is overwhelming and all I can do is to trust God, knowing that these feelings will pass and are not based on the truths of His Word.

In those moments, I need to remind myself that God can lift me up out of the heaviness and into the heights, soaring just like my birds. That may be difficult to believe when the depression or pain is so intense, yet every word of God proves true. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in me (Ephesians 1:19-20). That power can bring me out of the depths of despair and into the heights of renewed energy and hope.

My body may not be swift, agile, and graceful like the birds, but my spirit can be lifted as God renews my strength. When I see birds flying in the sky, I take heart and remember that I too can soar, for I have a God who performs miracles (Psalm 77:14).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that your Spirit lives within me, raising me to new heights of endurance and perseverance, and bringing joy and peace in the process. Carry me on your wings today. Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bronlynn Spindler is a wife and mother of three grown daughters and lives in Fredericksburg, VA. God’s grace and strength give her the ability to deal with chronic back pain, depression, headaches, and fibromyalgia. You may view her blog of devotionals at www.aplaceofsprings57.blogspot.com and

contact her at spindler@….

[Via http://chronicillnesspaindevotionals.wordpress.com]

The fibro strikes back

2010-01-02T01:12:00.000+02:00

I’m currently a physical wreck, brought on by the recent period of hypomania I just went through. It only lasted four-five days before I managed to knock it on the head with dear old Seroquel, but it was more of a severe episode than usual and kind of noticeable to people around me.

For a couple of days I completely forgot to take my medication–all of it. Even the thyroid pills and the birth control which I take to suppress my INCREDIBLY PAINFUL AND LENGTHY PERIODS. Needless to say, this worries me a bit because my thyroid is still swollen so it really wouldn’t take much to set it off again. Also, annoyingly, I’m on the rag and it HURTS.

An even more annoying development was the awful crawly feeling I had over my entire body that lasted several days and had me convinced that I was infested with fleas. That was deeply unpleasant, to say the least.

The lack of sleep and total loss of appetite, whilst completely unnoticed by me at the time, did bad things to my body. By about 11pm on New Year’s Eve rolled round, I had really bad chest pains, my heart was racing, and I felt as though I could barely breathe. I remember looking at myself in the mirror and thinking ‘If I don’t sleep tonight, I’m going to die.’

Cue the Seroquel, and close to fifteen hours of completely unrefreshing drug-induced sleep. That’s the downside of Seroquel, for me. It knocks me out, but it doesn’t seem to take me into healing!mode when I sleep and consequently I’m in a pretty shitty fibro flare and have been since I woke up yesterday.

Back is spasmy, knees are killing, tendons in my hands and ankles are Not Happy Jan, nerve pain everywhere, but particularly in the tender points at my elbows and knees–they’re always the worst. My right shoulder feels like it’s been pierced by a spear, and as for the rest of me, well, I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. However, I no longer feel like I’m about to drop dead from a heart attack, so I suppose that’s something.

I spent yesterday in bed reading, as I was too sore and too sedated to do anything else. I am contemplating a trip into the city today to buy another book, but I will be taking my awesome collapsible cherry cane with me because it’s more than likely that my back and hips will start to protest if I do too much walking. They’re protesting now, alas.

Apart from all that, though, I’m in a good mood, which is nice. But it’s more than likely that my mood is going to start to go UP & UP & UP again. I can feel it starting to lift right now, and I can tell that despite the aches & pains & the painkiller fog I’ll have trouble sleeping tonight, so I think I’ll be knocking myself out at about 9pm tonight to see if I can nip it in the bud.

I hurt too damn much to risk a repeat of the past couple of days.

[Via http://jeneli.wordpress.com]

Cold

2009-12-31T01:31:00.000+02:00

It’s cold out. It’s not as cold inside but that is probably because I have my heating turned up to a ridiculous level. It’s my little present to myself.

I also managed to spend $500 today on a maintenance check on my car. It surprised me a bit as I guess I was assuming it was covered in the warranty. But it wasn’t. So I forked out the bucks. I may be a sucker. I don’t know.

I have wasted tons of time in the last few weeks watching episodes of QI on YouTube in 10 minutes chunks. I’m at the last few available episodes. It’s felt like a real waste in many ways as I should be planning my syllabus and if I’ve going to be sitting at the computer, I should be getting that down. But instead I am watching QI and playing a stupid game online. Alas! It’s no longer Mah Jongg because the website has changed the pictures on the tiles and I don’t like the new ones. That, my friends, is how hardcore I am.

I’ve gone to see a chiropractor a few times (on recommendation of my previous massage therapist). Apparently my hip was injured in the car accident. That seems better but he’s now trying to help my fibromyalgia. He uses a microcurrent which I don’t completely understand but which I’m willing to give a go for a few times.

Just to keep you from worrying about what you might need to skim through, I am not going to post anything about the Christmas holiday. I am also not going to post anything about how I’m going to use the New Year as a chance to get myself together finally. Why bother either of us with that?

[Via http://splitwindow.wordpress.com]

Down syndrome on the upswing

2009-12-29T17:32:00.000+02:00

FEATURED SEARCH: chromosome disorders

Prepare for a growing focus on caring for adults with Down syndrome, as the implications of the following study strike a chord with researchers. A cross-sectional study of 10 live-birth registries in the US shows that the incidence of Down syndrome is increasing for a number of reasons (predominantly among non-Hispanic whites). Time for new evidence-based information on the care of heart problems and quality of life issues for adults living with Down syndrome, the authors say.

RESULT: Prevalence of Down Syndrome Among Children and Adolescents in 10 Regions of the United States

Pediatrics | Dec 1, 2009

A study from the UK reaches a similar conclusion: Despite widespread screening, the incidence of Down syndrome is increasing, partly for demographic reasons. “Even with future improvements in screening,” the authors predict, “a large numberof births with Down’s syndrome are still likely, and thatmonitoring of the numbers of babies born with Down’s syndromeis essential to ensure adequate provision for their needs.”

RESULT: Trends in Down’s syndrome live births and antenatal diagnoses in England and Wales from 1989 to 2008: analysis of data from the National Down Syndrome Cytogenetic Register

British Medical Journal | Oct 26, 2009

____________________________________________________________

Fibromyalgia Info.

2009-12-29T09:18:00.000+02:00

I’ve been doing some reading and internet surfing and discovered a few things I didn’t know about Fibromyalgia, which are very interesting. It would seem the current thinking is now that Fibro is caused by trauma to the Central Nervous System (CNS) which could be for example a knock on the head, a neck injury, a virus or severe stress. Now that there are much more precise imaging techniques (qEEG, fMRI, PET scans etc) for looking at the brain they have found abnormalities there in people with Fibro. There is a technique called brain mapping where a qEEG(quantitative Electroencaphalogram) is used to map abnormal activity in the brain, this information is then used to apply the most appropriate treatments.

Here are some links to what I found if you’re interested-

http://www.ei-resource.org/articles/fibromyalgia-articles/fibromyalgia-pain-isnt-all-in-patients-heads-new-brain-study-finds/

http://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900%2808%2900650-0/abstract

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_brain.html

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0005224

www.fmpartnership.org/documents/Post-Traumatic_FM2.doc

[Via http://zhelan.wordpress.com]

The Ugly Side of Karma

2009-12-27T01:05:00.000+02:00

Do you know the feeling when some thought, usually a guilty and bad one, creeps into your mind but you’re not ready to accept it yet? It flits in and out and by the time you are ready to accept the thought, grab it, and call it your own, you’ve pretty much learned the lesson you needed to learn. The lesson may be learned at that very second, but for me, it’s usually not owned until it has been written and most probably read.

Our whole Christmas vacation in Aruba was first discussed over a year and a half ago. Times were tough, I had been very sick with numerous illnesses, one after another, for over a year and a half. Our marriage had been in trouble the whole summer. My husband and I were miserable both together and alone and I felt betrayed. The key factor that used to hold us together was trust, but I felt that trust was broken. Verbally. At that time, I remember vividly asking my mother “if this all works out and we can make it through together, do you mind if the four of us go away together over Christmas break?” Knowing what we all were going through, and the fact that the children were very upset, she reassured me that it would be fine: “You definitely deserve it! “

That was then, a year ago. After getting through the summer and my husband and I working our problems out, again, I asked my mother if it was still ok. “Yes, she said, definitely.” What I had forgotten to do and this was totally my mistake was share these plans with my sister which was my fault. We talked and I apologized and she was gracious.

Going to Aruba had been a yearly discussion since my seventeen year old son had been invited a multitude of times to stay with his best friend at his best friend’s grandmother’s house in Aruba. Huge house. Ok, mansion. We had never seen it but all of my son’s other friends had been there with their families. Tim was not able to go several times because we all had plans and, I didn’t want Tim to be away without us at Christmas. It just never felt right.

The tradition of Christmas with a Jewish family is an unusual one. My parents raised us with no religion, other than culturally Jewish, but we celebrated Christmas. When I was very small I remember having a Christmas tree, ornaments; Santa Claus, reindeer, the stuff that dreams are made of. The only real tradition in our family was that we spent it together. It wasn’t easy all the time. People would fight, or act immature, gift-giving and receiving became an angry or sullen event at times, my sister would think we gave too much or not enough but the 4 cousins were together and that, at the time, seemed enough.

It seemed to be enough until 8 years ago when 6 days after Christmas on New Year’s Eve, my dad passed away. It was also the day before my parent’s wedding anniversary on New Year’s Day. After that, nothing was the same, ever. Christmas for me, and probably others was absolutely depressing and horrible. I wanted to move Christmas to my house but apparently there was no leg room for any other alternative. In my which, in my estimation that was a mistake.

Once my sister and her children went on a cruise paid by our mother but in the end, my mother and brother in law decided not to go. My family stayed behind to be with our mom on Christmas, we didn’t want her to be alone. Surprisingly, she was furious at our decision. It was another one of the countless, “we want to be thoughtful and be with you actions” that always seems to blow up in my face and I become the evil one. Part of my life back then. Part of my life when I accepted it. Not anymore. It was a pattern and I tried to crush it with every bone in my body. Progress.

The Fessler, then Fessler-Bernsein, then Fessler-Friedmann Christmas tradition in our family, is that we have store-bought, refrigerated cinnamon rolls that come in a tube with a container of vanilla icing; the best part. This has been a tradition since my sister and I were children and we finally passed down the tradition of icing the cinnamon buns down to our children many years ago. We also had scrambled eggs and bacon, hard rolls that now have turned to bagels and presents; too many presents or too few, name in a hat, no way. Just for the children? My sister and I were jealous, after all, we were children too. But not having the sound of the Christmas bell ringing in the holiday by my father was key. One can’t replicate a tradition if a big part of the tradition is not alive anymore. But so it went….until this year.

This brings us to the present when we were scheduling our flights, the four of us, to go to Aruba. The grumbling started gaining momentum and soon my mother was hysterical trying to make us cancel it at the last moment and :guilting” us beyond belief. It wasn’t fair to anyone but when feelings are hurt, fairness flies quickly out the window along with the early morning singing dove.

So, we are here in Aruba, having a lovely time, entitled to have a good time after my health problems, our marital problems and now my husband’s unemployment status. We had paid for the trips many months ago and we decided we did not want to cancel; it had already been paid for. Our son, Tim, is staying with his friend Aaron in his grandmother’s mansion and Jillian, Dan and I are staying at the Marriott and enjoying ourselves immensely. The sun is hot, the breeze is beautiful and the water, my most beloved element, is light blue and sparking. Everything is great here. Except it isn’t.

I miss Tim. I actually am a little upset, sic, hurt, that Tim wants nothing to do with us. Kind of like my mom probably feels about me. These are the lessons we are born to learn the hard way.Tim is probably doing all sorts of things I probably don’t want to know about living in the Bachelor Pad with Aaron, aka “the pool house.” He stopped by unannounced once with his friend to say hello because his friend’s dad gave them a mini-lecture on how it would be nice to see your family on Christmas Day.

Ouch. Kind of like my mom probably feels about my family and I. These are the lessons we are born to learn the hard way. What is happening to me is what happened to my mother, albeit with her blessing. I do mind that my son is acting invisible, a little arrogant, and very much cool and distant. The irony is not lost on me. His age, 17, is not lost on me We gave him permission to go and to have fun, not fully thinking that he would, to the extent of not even sending an e-mail or picking up the local phone to say hello. It burns and it stings and I feel like a complete idiot. What did I THINK would happen? Well, actually, not this.

We try to teach our children good lessons, life lessons. What have we taught our son about this trip? Yes, we felt he was owed this vacation, yes, my mother said we should go, yes, we love it here in all it’s beauty…….but the truth of the matter is at this moment, I feel like I want to cry. I want to cry as my disappointment as a mom and begrudgingly as a daughter who now feels just the tiniest of guilt.

The Christmas tradition in our family, which is the most traditional thing we do, is that we have store-bought, refrigerated cinnamon rolls that come in a tube. This has been a tradition since my sister and I were children and we have passed down the tradition now to our children who now frost the cinanmon buns. It really isn’t anything much, the store buns are the same every year, every year we fight about how crispy the bacon should be or how many presents we should buy. But, we’re together and while I love being on vacation, anyplace warm, watching the four cousin battling over which cinnamon bun to ice and how much wouldn’t be so very bad. We learn from these experiences. Whatever goes around, comes around, the very definition of karma.

[Via http://hibernationnow.wordpress.com]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2009-12-26T01:26:00.000+02:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

ME AND ALL OF MINE WISH YOU AND ALL OF YOURS A VERY BLESSED AND JOYOUS CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY! WE HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE HAVING AS MUCH FUN AS WE ARE HAVING! SO UNTIL OUR PATHS CROSS AGAIN WALK WITH SUNSHINE IN EVERY STEP AND JOY IN YOUR HEART……. LILA

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE READING THIS POST AND YOU ARE NOT ON THE WEB SITE “LILA LOST IN THE FIBRO FOG….” THEN WHAT YOU ARE READING HAS BEEN STOLEN AND IS BEING USED WITHOUT MY AUTHORITY AND I HOPE YOU WILL COME TO MY WEB SITE BLOG AT WORDPRESS http://www.lilabyrdakabirdlady.wordpress.com

[Via http://lilabyrdakabirdladybyday.wordpress.com]

I feel like a failure

2009-12-19T01:45:00.000+02:00

I did not want to admit this to myself or anyone else…but I am seriously sick

I am humongously swollen from head to toe. I feel sick and feverish. I feel like I weigh a bazillion pounds. Any strength I gained after the IVIg is gone and I’m worse off than before it. My head hurts. My guts hurt. My skin is creepy all over. The worst part is shortness of breath. Every little movement starts me gasping All my joints hurt. All my muscles hurt. Even with my o2 cranked up to 4, I still feel like I am suffocating.

I have no clue what is wrong. I need to call the doc. Tonight is the last straw. I am not coping well.

Like I said, I feel like a failure….as if it’s my fault that I am not better. While listening to scripture studies on BYU TV, something made me aware of the hopelessness about my health. I realized I was holding my muscles more rigid than I ought to. The more it hurts to breathe, the more I try to avoid it. I was unconsciously sort of holding my breath. That surely can’t be helping things.

IVIg was going to be what made me better. I’m feeling very discouraged right now.

[Via http://wendyusuallywanders.wordpress.com]

Fibromyalgia? Can Chiropractic Help?

2009-12-15T17:36:00.000+02:00

Background: Let’s back up a step. Patients with “fibromyalgia” may have also heard the following diagnoses from doctors when describing their pain as their condition worsened:

its your age
its in your head
its genetic
or a blanket statement such as “you are a woman/man/tall/short/fat/skinny/allergic/hypochondriac/sensitive to weather ” etc. etc.

These are statements that our health care providers might throw out when they don’t know what to do. For fibromyalgia there is still no cure.

Derivation: from fibro-, fibrous tissue, Gk. myo-, muscle, Gk. algos-, pain, meaning muscle and connective tissue pain i.e. ligaments and tendons (the things that hold together bones and attach muscle to bone). We would expect to feel it if we were lumberjacks, or ditch diggers… until our bodies adapted to it. And there’s the key – our body’s are supposed to adapt to use, even lack of use. But some don’t and we have pain.

Chronic Pain – NOT!: We don’t accept that condition in our office. There has to be a reason for patients to suffer. I have jackhammer operators that do not have fibromyalgia and inactive patients that do have it. It does not add up.

Secondary conditions: There is a long list of conditions that have been connected with fibromyalgia including joint stiffness, sleep disturbance, even depression. Now there is a “fibromyalgia syndrome” which includes these conditions added to the pain.

Our approach Part A: Firstly, I discount the diagnosis. I don’t care what the doctor’s have said, patients should not suffer an incurable condition expecting a lifetime of pain and its sequaelae:

because they hurt, they don’t move as much
because they hurt, they get depressed
because they hurt, they get fat
because they hurt, and don’t move, and get fat, they don’t sleep as wel
or have normal bowel function
or have side effects from pain medication
or a host of other things that would happen to ANY of us if we hurt, did not move as much, took meds, gained weight and got depressed.

Our approach Part B: Chiropractic care, nutrition, movement and hope. Patients get better and the condition goes away. Chiropractic 101 still works and the body heals.

[Via http://millerfamilychiropractic.wordpress.com]

Mind Over Matter - Health, Thinking Positively & the Mind-Body Connection! - Ashley Boynes, Community Development Director, WPA Chapter

2009-12-12T01:14:00.000+02:00

When dealing with chronic illness like arthritis, especially when you are in pain, it can be hard to maintain a positive attitude. Sometimes, with certain diagnoses, it may seem impossible to find hope or remain optimistic. However, as we’ve mentioned in past blogs, “Food For Thought: The Power of Positive Thinking”, and “ “Turning Negatives Into Positives”, thinking positively, even in a negative situation, can not only make you feel better emotionally, but can also benefit your physical health!

In fact, there have been studies that show that positive people are more healthy than negative people, and there have also been studies that supposedly prove that the “mind over matter” theory truly exists. Can our thoughts heal?

No doctor will write you a prescription for a dose of laughter or a bottle of smiles, but, most will recommend practicing an overall lifestyle of wellness — and this includes thinking positively, and doing things that make you happy — especially since depression is often a comorbidity with diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and/or fibromyalgia. In some cases, the cause is physiological – some autoimmune diseases cause an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain; in other cases, the cause is emotional – patients may feel down and depressed about their diseases. (This is why we think that having support from loved ones — whether in person or via an online community, is so important!)

It may sound like baloney to some of you. I know when I am having a “bad” day, that it is easy to scoff at people who tell me to “stay positive” and “keep smiling” — I tell you, it’s easier said than done! That being said, I do know that there is, however, validity in their points. After all, no one wants to be around a Debbie Downer all the time, and being happy does make you feel so much better…if not physically, than at least emotionally and spiritually! Today I woke up feeling badly - it seemed that all of my physical ails were bothering me at once. I had a can’t-face-the-world, “how can I keep living like this”, BUMMER kind of morning. However, as I sipped my tea, dog snoring at my feet, birds chirping in the other room, doing work I love, in a beautiful home in all of it’s holiday bliss, knowing that I have a wonderful support system of friends, family, and loved ones – I felt supremely blessed, health issues aside. In fact, reveling in all that was GOOD, thinking about the many wonderful things and people in my life, doing a job that I love that at times helps others, made my health issues a NON-issue. Sometimes, all it takes is to look at things from a different perspective! Instead of moping around, dwelling on your sickness and wondering “why me”, take a step back and wonder, why NOT you? Bad things happen to all of us. You can handle it!

The good news is, there are many medical treatment options out there that you can try, whether traditional or naturopathic. There is a whole world of nutritious food, and helpful websites, and positive people to help you keep pushing on! They say that you can heal yourself with your thoughts, so why not give it a try?

You may be wondering who “they” are. Here are just a few examples that I’d like to share – before I begin, I’m not saying that a positive attitude will “cure” you. Being optimistic, in almost all cases, is not going to allow you to give up your meds or never set foot in a doctor’s office again, but, it will make you happier in general, which could potentially lead to better health, and will definitely lead to a better overall outlook. Besides, they say that positivity and happy thoughts are good for the human collective conscience as a whole. And isn’t THAT a worthy goal?

Here’s who “they” are…

* Louise Hay - Louise Hay, author of “You Can Heal Your Life” and “You Can Heal Your Body”, among many other books, is one of the pioneers of the mind-body link, and claims that she healed her cancer through the power of positive thought and “thinking it away.” Through “affirmations”, she convinced herself that she was not sick…and she, somehow, was cured! In fact, she believes that there are MENTAL causes for PHYSICAL ailments. Regardless of what you believe, her story is an inspirational one!

* Deepak Chopra - Deepak Chopra encourages overall well-being through physical and emotional wellness, spiritual health, and guided meditation. He is a world-renowned leader in the field of mind-body healing, and has held world leaders and international celebrities among his clientele. He has authored more than 55 books and believes that we hold the key to our own well-being. He is certified as a traditional MD but is more engaged in “alternative” medical practices. He encourages a clean lifestyle in all ways and is known for his theories on shared human consciousness and positive thinking starting with one’s self.

* Marilyn Mandala Schlitz - Marilyn Sclitz, PhD, is at the forefront of Noetic Science, a new field that has been brought to light in the book, the Da Vinci Code. Marilyn, who heads up IONS, has “pioneered clinical and field-based research in the area of human transformation and healing.” She has authored books on “mind-body medicine” and has helped to perform scientific experiments on healing and is bridging the gap between medicine and spirituality. Schlitz is “a leader in the area of consciousness research. She has conducted basic science research on the powers of the mind, including remote viewing, mind over matter, and distant intention and healing. She has engaged in clinical studies of consciousness healing and is currently completing a National Institutes of Health (NIH, part of the Department of Health) sponsored study looking at the power of compassionate intention on wound healing in woman undergoing reconstructive surgery.”

Whether you “believe” any of this or not, it is compelling information to take a look at! It doesn’t matter what religion, faith, or creed you practice, if any….it is about using your mind and soul to aid in healing your body. We are not encouraging or pushing any viewpoint, but just putting it out there…

I look at it this way — it couldn’t hurt! With the holidays approaching, there is no better time to think positive and to get in the “jolly” spirit! Why not start today with leading your health into a positive direction? I’m going to!

Let me know your thoughts – how does being positive/optimistic help you? Have you ever “healed” an ailment through thoughts or know anyone for whom these types of things have worked? I know people who have been healed in a near-fatal situation by an Indian stone, people who have willed cancer to leave their system, and (this is just in my case, not preaching to anyone!) have seen prayer work wonders. I know from personal experience that trying to be happy in light of it all is the best weapon against disease! After all, being negative and dwelling on it isn’t going to help matters much – so making a conscious effort to stay optimistic, hopeful, and positive cannot hurt! It can only help. Why not give it a try? You can think yourself healthy!

Thanks for reading, and be well! And please, stay tuned for my next entry in Ashley’s Journey to Wellness.

PS: ‘Tis the Season! Feeling generous and want to give a gift to help spread arthritis awareness and eventually find a cure? This holiday season, why not donate to the Arthritis Foundation of Western PA? There are many ways that you can help! Check out our many ways to give this holiday season…

Stop down at our Jingle Bell Run/Walk 5K tomorrow, December 12th, and sign up to walk/run, or, enjoy the Holly Hour and donate tips to the AFWPA! Info can be found here: http://jbrprgh.kintera.org

You can donate while you tweet! So easy! Not to mention, you can give in low increments! Visit www.twonate.com and use AFWPA as the charity code! Here is our profile.

Another way to give…WITHOUT spending a dime? Be sure to use www.GoodSearch.com as your search engine and set “Arthritis Foundation of Western Pennsylvania” as the charity that you “GoodSearch” for. Also, this holiday season, you can do the same as you finish up shopping online – use www.GoodShop.com - every search and every purchase benefits our chapter at no extra cost to you!

We have a Cause on Facebook, too. You can “Join” or cause or “Donate” here to Help Spread Arthritis Awareness – click here!

Our friends at WHIRL Magazine also featured us in their Charity WHIRL 31 Days of Giving special: check it out HERE.

Last but not least, you can always visit our chapter homepage at http://westernpennsylvania.arthritis.org for information on how to donate online or how to take part in a United Way payroll giving campaign to benefit the Arthritis Foundation of Western PA. Feel free to call us or mail us a pledge if it suits your fancy, too!

We know times are tough, but we appreciate any help that you — or Santa — can give us this holiday season! To learn about some of arthritis research initiatives we’ve contributed to, click HERE — let’s move together to find a cure for arthritis! Together, we can make a difference!

Thanks,

-Ashley Boynes

Community Development Director

Western Pennsylvania Chapter

voted, “Best Blogger in Pittsburgh!”

[Via http://arthritisfoundationwpa.wordpress.com]

Therapeutic Benefits of Cold Laser Therapy for Pain Management

2009-12-10T00:56:00.000+02:00

The Non-Pharmacological Therapy for Chronic Pain

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can provide proven pain relief, usually within 6-8 treatment sessions.
This non-invasive procedure, which also is called advanced cold laser therapy, utilizes the latest technology and is FDA-approved for the treatment of many types of chronic and acute pain, including back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and sports injuries to name a few.
In many cases, pain and inflammation are improved after the very first treatment.
Light energy from low level lasers penetrates deep into musculoskeletal tissue (e.g., muscles, joints, bones) to:

1. Relieve pain

2. Reduce swelling and inflammation

3. Promote tissue repair and healing

4. Improve blood supply (circulation)

5. Stimulate the immune system

[Via http://pltcsb.wordpress.com]

Happy Holidays! No Batteries Needed

2009-12-05T17:16:00.000+02:00

Great blog from Egoscue Santa Monica about getting away from technology and getting your body back to functioning properly. These are some great parts:

No Batteries Required

Technology can be a wonderful thing. Advances allow us to save time & energy while increasing conveniences in every-day life. We’re able to share emails like this at the click of a button. With that said, however, it is important to remember that there are many things in life that technologies cannot replace.

…

Your body has basic requirements for maintaining health and eliminating pain. Movement is one of those requirements. (Think “Move it or lose it”).

Read This Blog : Happy Holidays! No Batteries Needed

[Via http://palmbeachegoscue.wordpress.com]

a very genuine moment...alone

2009-11-29T08:57:00.000+02:00

It is very early Sunday. Then it will be Monday, then it will be Tuesday. Obvious statements right? Well yeah, but the point of them is how long those days will seem to me. I know this because of how long the last two weeks have been for me…ever since I heard the word “lymphoma” from a highly respected specialist in his field. Once those words echoed through my brain a bit, time has almost stood still. I’ve been stuck in fear of a couple tests, a surgery and then (now) who only knows what is yet to come. I’ve been reading, trying to learn the how, why and “what if’s?” I’ve had all the talks with my mom and my boyfriend. Nothing is confirmed, luckily so…but in my head for these moments…the not knowing is close enough to a “temporary cancer sentence.”

For now, I can’t catch a moment of peace lost in forgetting…because of the massive wound on my neck (healing; yet still very bruised, swollen and painful stitches) of the dissection/biopsy. I get ready to take a bath, and look in the mirror, and within minutes I have a stream of tears falling down my face. I see these masses still left to deal with, no matter the outcome. I see the drama of a phone call coming in on Tuesday afternoon confirming my worst thoughts…and once again, being left all alone. Although my mom has been amazing, she either doesn’t fully grasp how scared I am and how much pain I am in…or she’s just trying to not baby me too much so I don’t think the worst. Either way, it’s not having a positive effect on me. I just end up in my room, alone, sad, scared, more scared than I’ve ever been, feeling rejected, annoying, in the way…and did I mention…ALONE!!!!

I have the worst luck with Holidays at the end of the year. Seems someone always dies or something horrible happens. It’s made it almost impossible for me to look forward to this time of year. But I still do. Sure I want some presents. But I also want to see the expressions on my mom and Pedro’s face as they see the thought I put into their gifts. I look forward to all the lights, the snow, the smell of the snow…the feel of the snow. Snow makes me happy!!! One of the few things, pure as it is that does make happy. I’m the same way with water (except when it leaks into our basement of course.)

I’m scared of money, chemo, radiation, losing my hair, my dignity, left with a neck full of scars. It’s not like I don’t have enough skin drama to last 10 lifetimes already. I’m scared of getting better just when we run out of money and then having to leave our home. I’m scared of what if this potential cancer is really small lumps broken off from a larger mass in my abdomen. That’s kinda the way lymph node cancer can work. What if I’m going to die??? What if I want to die?? What if I’m done???

True. The word cancer is not a known issue yet. But for me; it’s my life, it’s my neck, and I don’t know what the hell is wrong…but something IS seriously wrong with the way I’ve been feeling lately!!! I don’t smoke. I never smoked; all but a little stoner stent in my mid to late 20’s. I’m 35 now. I hate that my mom still smokes. I understand her nerves and the addiction. But it’s like risking my life all over again. Even if I get a clean-ish bill of health this time…what about next time??? I have a very weakened immune-system. This is something she and I need to understand does come with some very serious risks. Sadly I am more likely/prone to catching certain illnesses…and that does include, cancer.

My throat still hurts so bad from that breathing tube used during the surgery…as does my lower lip still too…OUCH!! It feels like sandpaper about 75% of the time. Now with the heat being on so high, it makes the air dryer and makes my throat hurt even more. My neck looks so much worse than the picture I posted a couple days ago. It’s all purple/yellow now. It’s also so much bigger. Luckily the last bandage has not fallen off yet, because I’m not really ready to see what’s underneath yet. It hurts to lay comfortably. It hurts to turn my head in certain ways. It hurts when I sit still and do fucking nothing!! But just like my Fibromyalgia…I’m expected to bounce right back. My feeling are very hurt by some of this. Everything with me in the last two-three full years has been full of fucking hurt!!!

With Fibromyalgia generally comes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. CFS is fairly self-explanatory; sometimes you’d almost rather die than get out of bed and function because of the insane fatigue. But even b4 the surgery, I felt much, much worse recently. I’ve literally not done anything fun or casual in the last many months. I’ve been to doctors and hospitals and that’s all. I went to the Apple store twice to get my new phone (which I needed) and the AppleCare for my laptop. And during both those instances, by the time I got back to the car….I could barely breath, I was so sore and dizzy…I felt scared, shaken and again….ALONE!!!!

So take me now, with all the above…add in the vicodin (that is seriously needed for this kind of pain) and I’m utterly useless!! I’ve managed to do a few things. I wrapped another present this weekend. I made some tea and toast for my mom. I’ve taken care of my animals. I’ve kept up with basic grooming. Other than that…I’ve just been sleeping. The more I sleep…the closer I come to the countdown of the phone call from the Otolaryngologist. His news will determine so much of the Kimberly I will remain or that I will become…good or bad.

If it’s not cancer, and I can painfully still have the remainder of these lumps removed…I’d actually almost be semi-satisfied. I do want them gone, so my head looks more…normal!! So I have hope that after the healing of that, I could get back to doing some regular things again and having some of my depression lifted. But, if it’s the other kind of phone call…I will most likely stumble to the floor and not do anything for myself anymore…because what is the point?? I’ve had too many illnesses. First my skin, then my mind, then my body…and now my body even more so. I feel so sick. I’m in so much pain. I’m so scared and I don’t think I can take much more of this.

My mom and boyfriend need to work during the days. They need to sleep at night. And they need some chill time to themselves in the evening. I understand that (to some degree…or I really try to.) But where does that leave me?? It leaves me…ALONE!!!

…and these are the genuine FEARS twirling around my brain at a non-stop speed…that nobody seems to understand ;c/

[Via http://kimberlysawczuk.com]

Does fibromyalgia “get better” with age? (Alert: Whining ahead)

2009-11-29T00:56:00.000+02:00

I’ve encountered this statement a few times since being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1992. Finally, at age 63, I think I’m qualified to offer an opinion upon it:

No, unlike a fine wine or a teething puppy, fibromyalgia does not get better with age.

It might seem that way, because some things that do change with age may lessen one’s concern about symptoms, or even ameliorate them.

As we grow older, we expect to have memory lapses, aches and pains, and reduced energy and strength. The person with fibromyalgia has a head start on all of these, believe me! But with advancing years, these symptoms seem a bit less unreasonable—or perhaps I should say unseasonable—even though I am still more tired, forgetful, etc., than an otherwise healthy person of my age ought to be.

Starting several years ago other people about my age began assuring me that my symptoms were “normal” for this stage of life, they had them too. Their intentions were benign, but I don’t like to hear this; not because I am clinging to the distinction of my disease, being “sick” but not “old”, but because I feel that the impairments of fm have been different. [It also echoes the remarks so familiar to people with fm or cfs or other chronic conditions, “Oh, you’re really tired/achy? Yes, I’ve had that too, just get some extra rest, you’ll feel better.”]

I was 35 when an injury caused the continuous pain and disturbed sleep that gradually turned into fibromyalgia by age 40 or so. During that time I went from having an unusually good memory, to the reverse. What did I do yesterday? Did I eat lunch today? What did I do this morning? Often I can’t answer such questions without some sort of reminder. Sometimes even with a reminder I have no recollection whatsoever of very recent events, and everything beyond a few days ago is gone or vague. Some days I grope for words—for a particular word, or to be able to put my thoughts into words at all. For a person who used to remember where on the page a certain passage of a book was to be found, or the details of bibliographic citations years after checking them, this sudden decline was, and remains, a severe assault upon my sense of who I am. And rightly or wrongly I think the daze that so frequently envelops me is not typical for a 63-year-old. Maybe at 85 I’ll feel it is age-appropriate. Until then, dammit, I’ll feel ticked off and robbed. Join the club, eh?

Still, inevitably over time one grows less sensitive to diminished abilities, and the limitations are less at odds with one’s lowered expectations.

As for symptoms seeming to decrease with age, I think this is a result of getting better at coping and self-pacing. I’ve learned to avoid things that aggravate the fm, such as late nights, loud or crowded places, being on my feet too long, and overexertion (whether it be in duration or in type of activity). I’m less of a perfectionist, I have a combination of medication and mental techniques to help me get to sleep most nights, and I feel okay about saying “I need to go lie down and rest for a while”. It’s following the naval maxim of “maintain a steady strain”.

The danger with all of this—lowered expectations, avoidance of stressors—is that it becomes a downward spiral. And age provides a reassuring excuse. Of course I’m doing less than I did last year, I’m getting older.

I keep pushing myself mentally, with challenging reading and dogged efforts to learn new things. Even though most of what I read today will be gone from my mind tomorrow, I tell myself that the effort may keep the neural connexions from deteriorating as we know they do with lack of use. Blogging has become a good motivator, encouraging me to do some writing, and follow research interests to produce and finish short pieces.

Physical exertion is harder because the pain and fatigue always increase, sometimes severely. When I was working a fairly physical job, I came up with this description for how I felt when I got up in the morning: “as if I’d been forced to run up a mountain, and then kicked and rolled all the way back down”. The chronic fatigue and pain in muscles and joints have been dialed back now that I’m not on my feet all day lifting, bending, carrying, etc., but they’re still there. I’m struggling to stay on a program of walking about 45 minutes every other day, motivated by a recent blood-test result that was in the pre-diabetic range. Some days I don’t want to expend a big part of the day’s energy for walking, or I feel worse than usual. There are no rewards of feeling noticeably better, but if I take the dog and my camera I will enjoy the walk itself.

Being off of methadone has made a big difference mentally and physically. It’s been two years last month, and I think I’m still improving. I couldn’t have walked for 45 minutes before that. Drugs that don’t help just weigh you down, and methadone does a lot more harm than most. (earlier post about getting off methadone)

So, in some ways I really am feeling better. But it’s not due to aging.

Note for logophiliacs

After I put the word “whining” in the header, I encountered what would have been a good alternative if it weren’t quite so obscure. It has such appropriate associated meanings. I may whine and twine, but I’m trying not to dwine.

Twining

A minor lexicographical result of the devastating floods in Cumbria last week has been the appearance in at least two UK national newspapers of the dialect word twine, to complain or whine (“Cumbrians are a unique breed. They say what they see. They are hands-on people. They will twine and moan but then they will just get on with it.” — Metro, 23 November). It was at one time widely known throughout Scotland and the north of England. By way of another of its senses, to be fretful, ailing or sickly, it may be connected with dwine, another dialect word, to pine or waste away, which is from an ancient Scandinavian source. from Michael Quinion’s World Wide Words, # 667, 28 November 2009.

Photo by author.

[Via http://nosleepingdogs.wordpress.com]

What day is it

2009-11-17T17:26:00.000+02:00

Today started well enough as I actually got up before 8am and took my son to school, doesn’t sound like anything special to anyone else but when you can’t get into any kind of routine it’s an acheivment.

There is quite a bit of pressure on me just now as I’m usually the one who makes the money to get us all by Christmas and the new year, maybe that’s why I’m sleeping more than usual just now.

I didn’t get much work done this morning but it felt good just even putting the pc on turning on the radio to my favourite station and it felt as normal.

But come 12 o’clock my energy gave way and the fatigue set in or realism, you see having fibromyalgia isn’t a career choice it’s something that just hits you and throws your life into semi chaos.

Can’t Christmas wait for another year…..

Top Tips to Relieve Back Pain and Fibromyalgia (Fibrositis).

2009-11-17T09:30:00.000+02:00

There is much speculation about fibromyalgia, with some doctors refusing to acknowledge this painful condition, often the GP or physician will not offer adequate treatment or even refuse to treat the sufferer. However, those people who experience the painful muscle spasms and pain associated with this condition would try to convince you otherwise.

Fibromyalgia is usually stress-related, and can be brought on by damp and cold weather conditions, and usually affects people from middle age onwards. Sufferers are those who often have jobs which involve sitting for long periods of time,, such as at desks, or driving for long periods of time. The condition seems to affect people most who are of a nervous, emotional, or anxious disposition, or those suffering from excessive stress.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary in intensity, with aches, pains and tenderness usually felt along the spine and back, but can affect other parts of the body including shoulders, neck, chest, and knees. The after effects of this condition can make a sufferer feel completely exhausted, both physically and mentally, then at night getting no release as sleep will be restless, fitful, and very disturbed.

For the best treatment, aromatherapy massage with lavender, chamomile and rosemary can have a calming effect, both on body and mind. You can also use lavender oil in a warm bath to help relief stiffness and pain.

Symptoms of an attack can be reduced by taking Rescue Remedy flower essence. You can purchase this in liquid extract form in small bottles, or in pastille form. These remedies are available from good health food stores and high street chemists. Keep some in your bag or pocket if you suffer frequent attacks.

Partaking in some stress relieving activities or exercise can be most beneficial for helping to improve the long-term health of fibromyalgia sufferers. Try taking up regular walking in the fresh air each lunchtime for a bit of stress-relief, and to stretch out your muscles. Especially good for people with office or desk jobs!

Most leisure centre pools have early bird sessions, and you may find you can fit in a swim before work. Or if you have to be at work early, see if the pool runs evening swim sessions you could join after work. This would be great for winding down after a stressful day at work, and can often help you sleep soundly too.

Ever wanted to learn to dance? There is nothing better than learning a new dance, plus gaining all the health benefits of regular exercise along the way. Dance classes are also a great way of making new friends, who can also help you de-stress extend your social circles and put your troubles into perspective.

Check at your local community college to see what adult evening classes they run. You may find taking up a new sport or hobby can greatly relieve your stress, and could even lead to new work opportunities that you may not have considered before. Lots of people have changed careers as a result of learning a new skill or craft at adult education classes.

MNewbold is a prolific writer who loves to write about family matters, health and fitness, food and nutrition, alternative therapies, and general well-being.

For a comprehensive guide to manage your back pain by a team of experts in back pain and care, visit http://www.backpaincompendium.com or www.expertbackpain.weebly.com

Thoughts on fibromyalgia

2009-11-14T17:26:00.000+02:00

The more I read about fibromyalgia the sadder I am to realize many people believe it is purely psychological. Saying we don’t know the physical cause so there is none is like saying we know everything about medicine. Not true! We are always learning news things and have more to learn. Also, if you were in pain all the …time and couldn’t do the things you used to you would inevitably make you a little depressed about the situation. Being upset that you’re sick is not the same as being sick because you’re upset.

Upcoming Free Workshops

2009-11-10T17:47:00.000+02:00

Tuesday, November 3: Tuesday, November 17

FREE WEIGHT LOSS WORKSHOP

Time: 7:30 PM

Five secrets to permanent weight loss. Learn why diets don’t work, why eating fat doesn’t make you fat, what hormone is out of control in your body, how to reduce chance of breast cancer by 70%, how to regain energy and vitality, what exercise program you should be on, and much, much more.

Cost: Free

Tuesday, December 1 : Tuesday, December 15

WORKSHOP ON DIGESTION

Time: 7:30 PM

Learn how the digestive system works and natural approaches to improve the health of the digestive system.

Acid Reflux, Hiatal Hernias, Ulcers, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis and Crohns Disease are just a few of the digestive disorders that affect over 61 million Americans each year.

Cost: Free

All Seminars listed above are held at the Princeton Club Community Room at 14999 W Beloit Rd, New Berlin WI 53151

Me , Who I Am

2009-11-05T01:24:00.000+02:00

I live a pretty hectic life, I am first and foremost a single mum and that is not usually something I share straight up but , I see this journal as a semi blog and they are a part of me, so any man that wants to accept me as a true sub/slave needs to realize I come as a ready made package of 3. My lads are just the best thing I could hold in life. They are gorgeous human beings and they come first in my life.

Secondly I work full time, this keeps me busy , but I have like so many Australian’s a mortgage to pay and kids to put through private education.

*Whispers* : I’m not a breeder slave

Because I have Multiple Sclerosis(MS) and Fibromyalgia(FMS) I cannot “breed” anymore kids, I am although happy with what I have got.

Living with MS and FMS is hard, but what is harder is living with MS and FMS and being a single mother with 2 full of energy young boys.

I am not bound to a wheelchair, but I live with chronic severe pain, because although MS and FMS is treatable it is not curable.

These disease are disabling, but I am not disabled. I am still a very independent woman , I still can surf most days. AND I can still crack a smile from ear to ear. Because despite the cards that have been played, my deck is only getting stronger each day, and I am enjoying it so much more. Life is wonderful.

Fibromyalgia for those who do not know means “Fibro” refers to the fascia or connective tissue, “my” to muscle, and “algia” to pain. Literally FMS means pain in the muscles and tissue.

Multiply Sclerosis or MS is a central nervous system disease. When the protective sheath (myelin) around the nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord becomes damaged, causing random patches called plaques or lesions. These patches distort and interrupt the messages that are sent along these nerves. ‘Sclerosis’ means scar and the disease is labelled ‘multiple’ because the damage usually occurs at a number of points.

So above all of this , I still can’t see why I can’t enjoy my life. I always seem to say to other people, Remember there is always someone fighting a bigger battle then you! and I believe that even in my situation. MS and FMS I would not wish on my greatest enemy , but I am so glad I have both because now I can educate the rest of the world about these diseases.

Awareness is a good thing in my books.

Do You Have "Fibro Fog?"

2009-11-03T01:15:00.000+02:00

The Problem:

Do you know someone who has fibromyalgia? Have you ever noticed, or heard them complain about problems with their memory? If so, they may have what has been called “fibro fog.” You see, in the left temporal lobe of the brain is the area responsible for memory, it is called the hippocampus. In people with fibromyalgia, this area of the brain is not working normally. In most cases, these people have high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in their blood. Cortisol is released from the adrenal glands which are on top of your kidneys. Cortisol is an essential hormone for life, but when it’s levels are high for long periods of time, (as often seen in fibromyalgia patients) it is TOXIC to the brain. It causes neural degeneration, (wasting of the nervous tissue that makes op the brain) and as a result, you lose your ability to think and remember things.

So how do you lower cortisol levels and get the hippocampus working again?

The Solution:

To help improve memory and get the hippocampus working normally again, you need to take a neurological and metabolic approach. Neurologically, you need to “rebuild” the brain using neurological, brain based therapy (BBT). BBT works, because of recent breakthroughs in the understanding of how the brain works, called neuroplasticity. We offer brain based therapy in our office, and have had great success with fibromyalgia and other types of chronic pain using these treatments. Metabolically, we have to check blood sugar levels, adrenal function and thyroid function to make sure your chemistry is balanced. Labs, and salivary panels may need to be ordered, and can be done through our clinic or your primary care physician. We will analyze your lab results and determine if dietary, supplemental and lifestyle changes need to be made. Using this two-pronged approach, “fibro fog” and fibromyalgia can be treated with success.

Dancing away your pain!

2009-10-29T09:26:00.000+02:00

Get your grove on and dance your pain away!

Even imagined yourself belly dancing your pains away? Shaking your hips, flowing with the rhythm and to the beat of the drums, letting yourself dance the pain away!

Well, a recent research study done at the Federal University of São Paulo proves that by simply keeping active, you can improve your quality of life. They wanted to show that belly dancing could be an effective treatment for pain in fibromyalgia patients.

The entire study consisted of 80 females, ½ of which was a control group, ages 18-65. To qualify, all the participants’ course of treatment should of not changed in three years preceding the study.

All the dance students “ took one-hour belly dance classes twice a week for 16 weeks… Each class had a maximum of eight students. The classes were administered by a physiotherapist with eight years of experience in belly dance. Classes began with a warm-up exercise, followed by the predetermined movements for the day, choreography and a cool-down exercise. The participants received a compact disc with music and an exercise book with the history and movements proposed for the program. Beginning in the fourth week, a set sequence of movements in the form of choreography was established for memorization and training at home.” (via)

In order to measure the outcome of the dance program, all the dancers where asked how they felt at three different times during the program. They were questioned before they started, again at 16 weeks, and lastly at 32 weeks. The number of questions the dancers were asked gave the researchers an in depth view on the outcome of the study. Everything was examined in order to have a complete patient profile including; pain levels, physical functionality (aka the 6 minute walk test), and quality of life questionnaires. Some of the quality of life questionnaires included but not limited to the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, pain, functionality, vitality, mental and emotional states, social aspects, and self-image.

Now, not to bore you with all the facts and figures of all the results, here’s the jest of the study: GET MOVING! No, really folks, seriously the “control group” of dancers slowly progressed on all the quality of life tests. Having said that, an interesting thing happened with the fibromyalgia group of dancers; at the 16-week mark, on most of their testing perimeters, their functionality scales became slightly worse than from were they started. But, not giving up does pay off! By the end of the 32-week course, the functionality scales perimeters went dramatically up for the dancers with fibromyalgia.

What does this all mean? Remember when your Mom would tell you it’s going to get worse before it gets better? That statement is true for when you add an exercise program into your life. Remember to take little steps toward finding a path that is healthy for you. Don’t try to go do an all night dance-a-thon on your first week, but try walking for ten minutes in the morning. Just remember, don’t give up. Keep your body moving. Keep stretching and keep a positive outlook on life.

In my never ending search for more information, I found this great website/ blog on dancing for pain relief! Check it out here-> http://dancingwithpain.com

For more information on the clinical trial please see-> Effectiveness of Dance on Patients With Fibromyalgia

i hurt weird...

2009-10-29T00:49:00.000+02:00

One day I kept a journal of every symptom and every pain that I felt. It turned into quite a time consuming project and I discovered that the list of weirdyness that I have ‘learnt to live with’ is an extensive one. And when I say ‘learnt to live with’, what I really mean is ‘learnt to keep to myself’ No-one likes to hear moaning about aches and pains all day long, so I keep it to myself and to be honest I sometimes fear no-one would believe me anyway because some of the weirdyness is just plain, well, weird.

I ended up with quite a list of different types of pains that I experience on a daily basis and wondered if they were a typical representation of Fibromyalgia symptoms or just more mystery m weirdyness… i’m still learning.

I came across (and when i say came across i mean found, although it was rather exciting) this – The 7 types of Fibromyalgia pain and was astonished to find that our lists were very very similar!

The first three types of pain listed were the clinically defined (ie: your doctor will believe you have them)

Hyperalgesia – those wacky neurotransmitters amping up the pain reception in our brains
Allodynia – when the skin hurts to touch and mild pressure causes pain due to central nervous system sensitisation
Painful Paresthesia – unusual nerve sensations that can feel like crawling, tingling, burning, itching or numbness

The next four were of the authors creation, that is, she named the pains that ail her most. These too were so similar to the pains that I experience – I even had names for them In my head! and I could tell right away from her names the kind of pain she was describing.

knife in the voodoo doll – (i somewhat less creatively just thought of these as the stabbing pains) fairly self explanatory – it feels like someone is stabbing you in random places throughout the day. Sometimes they are using a knife, other times something very sharp and pointy, something hot, or a spear.
randomly roving pain – (i used to wonder ‘how can pain be contagious and spread throughout my body?) these pains just don’t make sense. Legs one minute, hands the next, butt, guts, head: they can show up anywhere anytime, unannounced and uninvited.
sparkler burns – (i think of these as ‘exploding nerve endings’ cause that’s what they feel like) small pin-pricks of pain that happen suddenly and last just a few seconds but can be quite intense. They are not on the inside like the other pains but feel to be right at my nerve endings.
rattled nerves – (it’s that mystery, spooty-symptom-award-winning thing I had no name for!!) this is when my body becomes physically and emotionally drained, with full on sensory overload. Noises are confusing and too loud, movement makes me nauseas and disoriented, my body aches all over and I want to sleep immediately, my nerves are on edge and small panic attacks strike causing my heart to race, light is unbearable and the only way to feel better is to rest immediately in a dark quiet room. It also helps to talk to someone who can calm me down, soothe my nerves and reassure me. At these times I find it really important to remind myself that this is something physical i’m dealing with -nerve endings and neurotransmitters fricking with my body – because it’s all too easy to think it’s a mental problem and start wondering if i’m going crazy, which in turn amps up the anxiety attack even further. sweet.

These things are so difficult to explain and yes i’m painfully (haha) aware of how whiny they sound but honestly all I can say is that they are both very REAL and very HURTY. I mostly keep to myself what I am feeling, unless it is interfering with my day. I try not to talk about the aches and pains and weirdy feelings but clever people will know something is going on despite my insistence that i am ‘fine’. Some people don’t understand and when I say ‘tired’ they think they know what i mean. When i say ‘hurt’ they think they know too, and when i say ‘i need to sit down’ they think i can wait and don’t understand that no good will come from me being upright if i’m having an attack of intense weirdyness. It’s okay, I don’t blame them for not understanding, it’s a rooted-up thing to try and explain and understand. It just saddens me that I’m alone in it. Alone with feelings that I can’t express, can’t fix and can’t expect anyone to have sympathy or make allowances for.

Pain updates:

After 3 weeks of taking a Magnesium&Calcium supplement each night, I stopped. Trusty is going to be so proud of my scientiffical speriment:) -I stopped taking it for two weeks to see what happened and here are my results (please keep in mind that i suffer brain fog, therefore i forgot that i stopped taking it, only to remember 10 days later causing an aha! moment of realisation;)

muscle cramping was back, worse than ever. I had random muscle cramping, some that even did damage to my muscles. Uterus, bowel, legs, arms, feet, hands, my neck had a spasm that it is still recovering from which strained my trapezius muscle on my left side.
insomnia also back with a vengeance. Sleep was very difficult to achieve. Very.

I’m back on my supplements now:) and can report a definite improvement. I am getting to sleep more easily though i still sleep lightly and startle easily and my sleep is often non-refreshing. The muscle pains have eased and though it may be coincidental and i realise magnesium is no cure, I really do believe it helps relieve the pain. Plus, magnesium baths are just so yummy:)

In other news, my trapezius is recovering:) though in a very bizarre way – as the muscle pain and cramping eases, the Allodynia pain intensifies and spreads. I am almost at the point now of phoning my doctor and begging for some neuro-transmitter-blocking-type-poison-medicine, it just hurts.that.much. My neck, shoulder, upper arm, back and front on my left side feel severely sunburnt and bruised. Like, severely. It hurts to touch and having my clothing rub against it is excruciating.

the end. m.

The Enemy Within - Background

2009-10-25T17:05:00.000+02:00

I have a long term illness. I have been ill for many years and didn’t know it. If you have patience for my story, please continue reading, otherwise here is your out. I would take it if I could, but I am stuck with it forever. But if you are brave and continue, don’t feel sorry for me. Celebrate, because each day is a gift.

Twelve years ago, I had a few of surgeries, one of which was called a “Bilateral Mitchell’s”. That is a fancy name for a bunionectomy. It hurt like hell, really didn’t fix the problem and it sure didn’t make my feet look pretty. But you live and learn that doctor’s really do not know everything… that is the reason that they practice medicine.

So in the succession of my devolving, I have found that I am latex intolerant. (I really don’t know what they put in that rubber, but it makes me bleed if left on me long enough. Same for band-aids. Come on! Really?) I am allergic to quite a few medications. I have Restless Leg Syndrome. I am Hypoglycemic. And the new one… Fibromyalgia. This is the one that is really bad news and I have obviously suffered with for many years and didn’t know it. And for you naysayers… it is REAL. I hope you never get it.

Rewind. Last Year I had really had enough of my feet hurting so badly that I felt like I couldn’t walk. I had to force myself to get up and face my day. The pain was affecting my hips and back because of the way I had to get moving. I went to an Orthopaedic doctor who got me fitted for orthotics. WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!! I won’t go here. That memory makes me angry and I get ugly. Anyway, They did what they could and finally sent me to a podiatrist. LOVE HIM! Dr. Taylor is the BEST!!! He listened and sent me to a pain management center to schedule a pain conduction test. This was a bad experience. Short of throwing me up against a wall and doing a body cavity check, they treated me like a common criminal. They wanted me to sign a contract signing me over to them. YES! I am NOT kidding! I ended up turning that guy in to the AMA and wrote him a letter telling him I didn’t need a drug dealer. Funny thing is… I never met him. His staff caused the whole problem. I immediately left that office and told Dr. Taylor that he needed to not send people to this guy. So Dr. Taylor sent me to Dr. Hasan, a Neurologist for this test.

I met Dr. Hasan and we discussed what was going on. He sent me for and MRI for lower lumbar and then we were going to meet back in a couple of weeks and have the conduction test. I took my husband with me and he went back in the room. (I don’t do pain very well, isn’t this ironic?) So, we sit there while Dr. Hasan explains to me that it really isn’t my feet that are my problem, although they are not nifty as far as feet go. The problem are a few bulging discs and quite a few Tarlov cysts, to which I am going to have to be sent tot a Neurosurgeon for possible removal. *GASP!* Then we get on with the conduction test. For those of you that don’t know what a conduction test is, it is a machine that kind of looks like a fancy battery and they stick cables in it and they put these little stickies on your and clamp the cables to you. Then the doctor plunges a HUGE needle into your muscle and turns on the juice from said machine to see how your nerves take it. Now… I want to remind everyone that I don’t do pain. I help my husbands hand, laid there, gritted my teeth and took it, while tears ran out the sides of my eyes. I never said a word. I never screamed out loud. And when the torture was over, the Dr. said, “I am proud of you. I didn’t think you’d be able to go through it.” His diagnosis was that he thought I had Fibromyalgia. He medicated me with Lyrica and then he then farmed me out to Dr. Katz at Emery Spine Center.

Dr. Katz. Not much to say about his bedside manner other than he is professional. That is fine by me because Dr. House types aren’t my cup of tea. Dr. Katz said that the cysts were inoperable. He also confirmed the Fibromyalgia verdict.He also told me to not look it up on the internet. He said there are a ton of crazy people out there spewing crap about this disease and all I need to know is that it is REAL and that it can be managed.

I then had to find a primary that I could trust to go along with my Endocrinologist, Neurologist, Neurosurgeon/Orthopaedist. I let my Endocrinologist do the honors and she picked Dr. Ghosh for me. He is AWESOME!!! So is on the same page as all of the other people with regards to me. I even had a flare up (I call them episodes) in his office and was he ever amazed at it. He was so astonished, he called his Rhematoid Dr. friend in to witness it. I have no shame. Come on in…. Enjoy me perform!

So here I am, months and month later. I have had my share of changing meds due to ever increasing dosages and not being able to handle the higher dosages or Drs. trying the latest greatest thing and me puking my brains out because well… I can’t tolerate the chemicals. I have even gone to the extreme of having facet joint injections in my lower back to try to eliminate some of this hell which is my life. Hello… didn’t work. I will never do that again. And now you are up to date as well… and this is the condensed version.

- Gigi

The End of a Short Trip; the Beginning of a Lifelong Odyssey

2009-10-20T16:42:00.000+02:00

This will be my last blog on the road before I arrive back in the States after a long day of travel tomorrow. Strangely, it doesn’t feel like the end at all, only an interlude before my next adventure. Travel is addictive and I am completely intoxicated. I think it will be a tough adjustment to go from weeks of new adventures, art, culture, music, and food to being back at home in my normal routine. I warn all my loved ones, I may experience a tough withdrawal!

I savored my last day in Vienna. A couple hours in the Kunstgeschichte (Art History) Museum, browsing the rooms full of Titians, Rubens, and Rembrandts. I was thrilled to find a room full of the Northern Flemish artist Peter Brueghel the Elder. He gives us a peek into the everyday life of Medieval Europe: the changing seasons, festivals, and daily life for the peasants. So much detail in every scene. Usually you find one or two Brueghels in a museum, so an entire room was a treat! I also discovered a room full of the Spanish artist Diego Velasquez. In my university days as an art history minor, I spent an entire term researching and writing about the portraiture of Velasquez. To see in person the very portraits I studied so intimately – let us just say the slides did not do them justice.

The afternoon was for wandering and saying goodbye to Vienna. I stumbled across a park called the Augarten, hiding behind a wall in the Leopoldstadt neighborhood just north of the Ringstrasse. The park itself is brown and slumbering already for the winter, but it was still full of life as people jogged, biked, and walked their dogs through the avenues of evergreens. The big surprise is that over this tranquil scene looms two giant flakstürme, or flak towers, from World War 2. Huge monstrosities of concrete. Forlorn and menacing. They are now stripped of all their equipment and home to flocks of birds. Completely at odds with the entire mood of the park and a somber reminder of the not-so-distant horrors this city has experienced.

One last afternoon at my favorite coffeehouse (yes, I already have a favorite!), the Cafe Tirolerhof. One last melange. And then off into the sunset (or I suppose technically sunrise) on tomorrow’s flight back to reality. May I never recover from the seductiveness of travel.

Muscles Do Not Stretch. Huh? That’s Right, Muscles Do Not Stretch.

2009-10-18T07:55:00.000+02:00

It might feel like it, but that’s not what’s actually happening. A skeletal muscle is attached to a bone at both ends and always stays attached (unless something really bad happens). The overall design length remains roughly constant as it elongates and contracts.

If you bend at the waist to touch your toes and your hamstrings and butt are “stiff,” it is not that the muscles are shorter than they were last week. Here’s what’s happening: What we regard as stretching is an important aspect of the body’s fail-safe system that protects it from events that would restrict the ability to move. The muscles are telling us that they are approaching the limit of what they regard as normal motion, beyond which damage might be done.

Get Moving and Read the Rest of This Blog – Thanks Egoscue Orange County

If You Have Ever Had Fibro-Fog, You Will Get A Kick Out Of This!

2009-10-18T00:14:00.000+02:00

Fibro Fog Funnies -- Remember To Laugh

Two friends with fibromyalgia sat down for lunch.

One looked at the other and said, “Please don’t get mad at me. . . I know we’ve been friends for a long time, but I just can’t think of your name! I’ve thought and thought, but I can’t remember it. Please tell me what your name is.”

Her friend glared at her.

For at least three minutes she just stared with a blank expression.

Finally she said, “How soon do you need to know?”

http://restministries.com/?p=973

Understanding Egoscue Method Therapy (Synopsis)

2009-10-17T08:03:00.000+02:00

The Egoscue Method recognizes that fundamental anatomical, physiological and biomechanical principles govern the human musculoskeletal system. With only very rare exceptions, each person is born with certain core design characteristics that serve as a strong, resilient and efficient operational platform. By using a blueprint of this extraordinary platform as a guide, the goal of the Method is to eliminate disparities that can occur when injuries or negative lifestyle conditions affect the way the musculoskeletal system actually moves as opposed to its underlying structural parameters. By restoring muscular balance, skeletal alignment and the harmonious interplay of internal systems, the body takes a quantum leap in healing power, stamina and physical capability. The Egoscue Method is not a form of treatment that chases after short term, symptomatic relief. Rather, symptoms provide a common sense starting point, a working frame of reference based on each individual’s unique combination of strengths and limitations. Our primary objective applies to everyone we seek to help—to eliminate musculoskeletal system disparities and the resulting postural dysfunctions that interfere with pain-free living.

Read the Rest of Downtown San Diego’s Blog

Will Medical Marijuana come to North Carolina?

2009-10-06T15:59:00.000+02:00

Medical marijuana: Just what the doctor ordered for North Carolina?

Gaston Gazette

July 04, 2009 10:32 PM

Corey Friedman

Prescription painkillers made her retch. Muscle relaxants ravaged her liver. So Jean Marlowe put down her pills and rolled a joint.

“I tried marijuana, and in five minutes, my stomach stopped shaking for the first time in five years,” said Marlowe, who has used marijuana as medicine since a doctor recommended the drug in 1990. “It really does work.”

The founder and executive director of the North Carolina Cannabis Patients’ Network, Marlowe is asking state lawmakers to pass a bill legalizing medical marijuana use. The bill is currently in the House of Representatives’ Health Committee, and two of Gaston County’s three House delegates who serve on the committee have indicated they would likely vote against it.

House Bill 1380, the N.C. Medical Marijuana Act, would allow patients access to medical-grade cannabis with a signed statement from a physician. Growers and dispensaries would be licensed and regulated by the state Department of Health and Human Services.

“All of these people who have been kindly, caringly, lovingly sticking their necks out to grow a little bit of high-quality medication for patients could actually come forward and get a license and be legal,” Marlowe said.

North Carolina would become the 15th state to legalize medical marijuana and would see estimated annual tax revenues of $60 million within four years of the bill’s passage.

Reps. Wil Neumann and Pearl Burris Floyd said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would have to approve marijuana for medical use before they would consider writing an exception into the state’s cannabis ban.

“The FDA needs to make the determination of whether it has medical benefits or not,” Neumann said. “I would not favor it until the FDA comes out and wants it properly cultivated and harvested for medicinal properties.”

Marijuana faces a political minefield in the fight for federal recognition. The FDA discounted its potential medical application in a 2006 review, contradicting a 1999 study from the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine that found it “moderately well suited” for treating certain conditions.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration calls marijuana the nation’s most abused illicit drug and classifies it as a Schedule I controlled substance, indicating “no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.”

Floyd challenges those who support medical marijuana to seek FDA approval.

“It would be nearly impossible to regulate an illegal recreational drug even with a good doctor’s prescription,” she said in an e-mail. “If it is such a great idea and an untapped source of revenue, then it would meet the rigors of the FDA approval process.”

Rep. William A. Current said he is “skeptical” of medical marijuana but has not studied the issue enough to have an informed opinion.

“I just haven’t heard enough to reach any kind of decision on it, but from what I know, I would be hesitant to open this door unless we had really tight controls,” he said.

Current, a private-practice dentist, said he would rely more on medical and scientific evidence than personal feelings when deciding which way to vote.

“I think the medical community is going to have to step up on this issue and help make this decision,” he said. “People in political realms are not equipped to make these decisions without their guidance.”

Marijuana as medicine

Marijuana is “moderately well-suited for particular conditions” including nausea and vomiting from cancer patients’ chemotherapy and the rapid loss of body weight known as “wasting” in AIDS patients, according to the 1999 Institute of Medicine study, “Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base.”

Long lists of side effects accompany many prescription drugs, and overdosing can be fatal. Advocates say by comparison, cannabis offers a safe alternative to pharmaceuticals.

“There are no side effects that are harmful,” Marlowe said. “There has been over 5,000 years of documented medical use of cannabis, and not a single death has ever occurred.”

Marlowe said a user would have to smoke 1,500 pounds of marijuana in 15 minutes – a physical impossibility – to ingest a toxic dose.

“There is no such thing as a lethal dose,” she said.

Muscle relaxants can weaken patients by gnawing away at their muscle tissue, Marlowe said, but cannabis allows them to maintain their strength.

“Almost every one of the muscle relaxers helps with muscle spasms, but they also atrophy the muscle over a period of time,” she said. “One unique property of cannabis is it can stop smooth muscle spasms while maintaining the muscle mass.”

Marijuana increases users’ heart rates and may decrease blood pressure, according to a 2001 American Medical Association report. It can impair short-term memory, motor skills, reaction time and information processing skills. Chronic users can experience withdrawal symptoms, but doctors conclude that cannabis is less addictive than alcohol and tobacco products.

“Although some marijuana users develop dependence, they appear to be less likely to do so than users of alcohol and nicotine, and the abstinence syndrome is less severe,” the AMA states in Report Six of the Council on Scientific Affairs.

In the 2001 report, AMA doctors encouraged researchers to develop a smoke-free inhaled delivery system for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the primary psychoactive substance in marijuana.

“Like tobacco, chronic marijuana smoking is associated with lung damage, increased symptoms of chronic bronchitis, and possibly increased risk of lung cancer,” the report states.

Marlowe refutes the belief that marijuana is a gateway drug that leads users to try more harmful substances. She points to members of the N.C. Cannabis Patients’ Network who were formerly prescribed heavy-duty painkillers.

“Not only have none of them gone to hard drugs, they’ve all come off of narcotics,” she said. “Marijuana is not a gateway drug. The most recognizable, easiest gateway drug that most people run into is tobacco.”

A continuing crusade

An institute in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park processes and distributes medical marijuana to select participants in a nationwide federal study, according to the text of HB 1380. Meanwhile, the 386 patients of the N.C. Cannabis Patients’ Network cannot legally obtain the drug themselves.

“Our oldest patient is an 86-year-old World War II veteran who suffered nerve damage to his feet from the heavy packs he carried during the war,” Marlowe said. “Now he’s suffering, and he has to be considered a criminal.”

Marlowe, too, has been considered a criminal for her medical use of marijuana. The Mill Spring resident said she uses the drug to treat her numerous medical conditions, including muscular dystrophy, rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative disc disease.

She was arrested in 1998 when U.S. Customs agents intercepted a package of cannabis she ordered from a farm in Switzerland.

A judge sentenced her to six months on house arrest and two years of probation, but Marlowe was soon convicted of a probation violation because of her continued marijuana use.

She spent 10 months in a federal prison camp in West Virginia.

“It’s been a battle,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for 17 years.”

HB 1380’s future is uncertain. Health Committee members did not vote on the bill after a June 18 hearing, which included testimony from Marlowe and other NCCPN patients.

The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Earl Jones (D-Guilford), said he will seek a vote to move the bill out of committee without prejudice. The Health Committee would not vote on the bill’s merits, but majority approval would allow it to proceed to the House Finance Committee.

“It’s just one step closer to a full debate on the floor, and that’s what I really desire more than anything,” Jones said. “Every time the public hears more about this, many myths are dispelled, and we see an increase in support.”

Jones also filed a companion bill, HB 1383, which proposes a referendum on medical marijuana. The mechanism for licensing growers and dispensaries is identical to the one proposed in HB 1380.

“There are those who continue to feel some trepidation about it because it’s a political liability,” he said. “One option would be to allow the citizens of the state of North Carolina to vote on it.”

You can reach Corey Friedman at 704-869-1828.

MAKING INROADS

Since 1996, 14 states have passed laws allowing medical use of marijuana:

- Alaska

- California

- Colorado

- Hawaii

- Maine

- Maryland

- Michigan

- Montana

- Nevada

- New Mexico

- Oregon

- Rhode Island

- Vermont

- Washington

SOURCE: National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

Big win.

2009-10-03T16:20:00.000+02:00

Brownies! And not a moment too soon.

Went big shopping yesterday and got a bunch of different flours to try and make my own baking mix. Or at least mess around with baking gluten, corn and soy free. Before I tell you about the brownies, though, I’ve got to talk about shopping.

For the last 4+ years I’ve had months on end when driving the car was too much. I was in pain, on medication, brain fogged beyond stupid. And driving was painful, taxing and dangerous. Fast forward to yesterday when I took the van and went shopping; not one store but two! Had well thought out lists in my pocket for each store (shocking) and knew how to get from one place to another. (Since I’ve lived in Spokane my entire life, it was pretty confusing after I was diagnosed when I started having trouble figuring out how to go somewhere and/or getting all turned around and lost. Spokane is not Metropolis.)

Anyway…

I zipped through my shopping and arrived home to find Kevin fast asleep in a nap. So I brought in all the groceries. If you’ve never had fibromyalgia or some equally baffling syndrome-ish disease you probably can’t feel the import of that phrase. It was eight trips back and forth from the car to the kitchen. Oh yeah, I counted!! I was triumphant.

PLUS, you’ll never guess. It was a rainy day! I mean, come on…really? I felt like I finished the Fibromite Iron Man.

To reward myself for just being so damn cool, I made another attempt at brownies. I started with a recipe from Great Gluten-Free Baking by Louise Blair. I tweaked it for my own taste and ingredients. I think I’ve changed it enough to reprint it here without violating Ms Blair’s copyright privileges. If she sues me, I’ll let you know.

Nummy Nutty Brownies

3 oz unsweetened chocolate. I used plain baker’s chocolate which may or may not have been gluten free. I was desperate.
7 T butter or marg. I used Smart Balance which is soyish but vegan.
1 c organic brown sugar. I didn’t pack it down in the cup because even though I love brownies I don’t like them sickly sweet.
2 eggs, beaten. Sorry all my vegan readers.
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 c ground almonds (mmmmm…)
2 T brown rice flour
1 1/2 t sorghum flour
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 11 x 7 inch pan. (NB: I don’t think my pan was the right size so watch your cooking time.) After I buttered the pan, I dusted it with dutch cocoa instead of flour. I don’t know if it makes a difference but it made me feel all fancy!

Melt the chocolate (I used the microwave) and then the butter/marg. Stir that all smooth and pretty. Stir in the rest of the ingredients gently and lovingly.

Pour the batter into your pan and stick it in the oven for 30 minutes or until done. I read somewhere that with gluten-free brownies it’s better to err on the side of underdone and chewy rather than way done and crumbly.

Cool, cut and enjoy!

Chronic Pain and Intimacy

2009-09-30T16:07:00.000+02:00

It is true that chronic pain may take away a lot of things in life but the last thing to go hopefully is your intimacy sexual or otherwise with your partner. In the world of ther chronic pain sufferer the simple act of sleeping in the same bed, laying or sitting close on the couch can become a luxury. So the goal is to communicate and met in the middle. Know that anxiety may be on the forefront as the fear of any added pain or stress to be certain way can make things more on edge. So take it slow remember that you care about your partner and you are building trust. Try holding hands and looking into each others eyes. Also it will be important for your partner to be educated about your pain and how to be mindful of how to support you. So get started by getting those fears out of the way. Maybe you could each state one fear and the move forward. You might find that you both fear the same thing. Make it playful, sensual and safe,

How does your foot taste now?

2009-09-29T16:20:00.000+02:00

Two things are infinite:

the universe and human stupidity;

and I’m not sure about the universe.

~ Albert Einstein

Forgive me… I just feel the need to rant for a minute about the stupidity of people when it comes to dealing with chronic illness. I say stupidity instead of ignorance because there is a HUGE difference.

Ignorance is genuinely not knowing something. If you don’t know about something then it is your responsibility to seek knowledge and/or understanding before you speak about it or on behalf of it.

Stupidity is just speaking about something without the knowledge or caring to understand.

Sooo that being said to all you “normals” out there that have chosen to act stupidly in my presence when it comes to my illnesses and/or diseases, don’t. Just don’t say a damn word. You don’t know me, you don’t know my coping mechanisms, abilities, or tolerance levels.

Since I was a teen I was on the go from the time my feet hit the floor early in the morning until almost midnight. I went to high school, I worked since 14, volunteered as a tutor, AND took college classes.

I started nursing school in 2002 as a newly divorced mother of two kids. I worked, went to college, and took care of my kids. During the first year of college I had 3 major surgeries within 5 months all done on a Friday and I was back to class on Monday. I was also homeless at one point during that time.

NOW, talk to me about “staying determined”. Now, even with 3 diseases I constantly battle every minute of the day I am the Executive Director & Treasurer of a non-profit charity that on some days I have to run from my bed. Determined? Maybe not to some people, but I AM determined to make everyone who judges me for a second to feel as stupidly as you act.

The lesson here? Know what the hell you’re talking about before you question my determination and forgive me if I might wish for a break from the external forces that causes me so much pain from time to time. (Like the weather) I didn’t mean to disturb you!

Nordic Walking Poles Help Seniors Get Active at 2009 Senior EmPower Day

2009-09-26T15:52:00.000+02:00

REAL Nordic Walking Poles From WWW.SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System

The 2009 Senior EmPower Day provided seniors from across Northern Michigan the opportunity to test drive real Nordic Walking Poles from SKIWALKING.COM and the American Nordic Walking System, hear from a variety of informative speakers and learn from other event sponsors and exhibitors.

Nordic Walking definitely helped to get event participants out walking – including those that utilize canes and walkers. The most enthusiastic group tested the poles for about one-mile. Many climbed the steep hill above the parking lot and everyone was shocked at how the poles made climbing hills easier. When Nordic Walking poles are sized correctly and the right technique is used, the biomechanics are such that balance, stability, posture and gait are radically improved. The perfect length poles also help to radically reduce the stress to the shins, knees, hips and back.

Nordic Walking’s winning combination of improved posture, a unique 4-Wheel-Drive type action and shock absorbing benefits – helping many individuals to walk comfortably again. Nordic Walking Poles are helping individuals with balance issues, knee issues or new knees, hip issues or new hips, back issues (including those with rods in their back), weight issues, multiple sclerosis (MS), parkinson’s (PD), neuropathy, arthritis, bursitis, scoliosis, lumbar stenosis, fibromyalgia, post polio, osteoporosis, stroke recovery, cancer recovery and other limitations to walking. Nordic Walking poles are helping thousands of Americans get off the couch, successfully get outside, start walking safely and effectively launch much needed walking campaigns.

Here is what Mike told us after taking his new poles out for his first solo test drive: “Friday evening I walked nearly 2 miles with them WITHOUT PAIN! I was so, so pleased – just tickled me to death. Can’t say enough positive about them. Now I’m trying to find my pedometer, as I have made a covenant with myself regarding 10 miles per week. I am so looking forward to achieving it!”

Some of the participants commented that they had twist-locking poles at home and most reported problems with their twist-locking poles. They also commented on the comfort and effectiveness of the straps included with all of our SWIX and EXEL Nordic Walking Poles – patented by the Salomon Ski Company.

It is a hassle for me to travel with so many different sizes of quality one-piece poles, but they are safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap twist-lock and flip-lock poles from China. I have been receiving a record number of calls from Nordic Walking Instructors that report problems with their twist-lock poles and the embarrassment of trying to teach a class when their twist-locks don’t cooperate.

At SKIWALKING.COM and The American Nordic Walking System we carry 14 standard lengths of Nordic Walking Poles, plus we can do custom fitting for extra tall individuals – 6’ 7″ and above. One-piece poles prove to be safer, lighter and much more durable than cheap twist-lock or flip-lock adjustable length/telescoping/collapsible poles.

When looking for quality Nordic Walking Poles be sure to zero in on the correct length, look for poles with Salomon patented Nordic Walking Straps and avoid cheap twist-lock/flip-lock poles.

Walking with poles is the best!

fibromyalgia and my magic bike

2009-09-25T15:44:00.000+02:00

blogging about my magic bike, fibromyalgia, pain, the love of a dog and magical memories.

My first blog entry…

magic bike

My first blog, here or anywhere! It is a Monday, so I guess a good day to begin a blog.

I could talk about pain. I woke up in so much today that it was two hours later; after having taken my medication and drinking a few cups of coffee, that the shock hit me mentally and emotionally.

I was standing in my wooded yard having the coffee when I felt a burst of emotions and quickly came tears. It didn’t last long, but it was remembering the pain I’d felt when I woke up this morning that was the source of the outburst. Post-pain-shock or something.

I have fibromyalgia.

A Rheumatologist and fibromyalgia research doctor, whom I must say I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to meet, is the doctor who gave me my third or fourth, and I guess official diagnosis of fibromyalgia in 2006.

This doctor says that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which I have, is the same thing as fibromyalgia. He calls fibromyalgia (Central Sensitivity Syndrome,) CSS.

I believe anyone who truly has fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue knows pain as well as just about anyone. Certainly we are high on the list of people who know what it is like to endure severe pain — fatigue of the body and brain, and — to keep on going! Which takes me to another subject to write about: My Magic Bike.

I bought a magic bike. It’s magic because when I got on it I felt free. It reminded me of me. The me I have forgotten to keep up with.

I remembered what it had been like to ride my first ten-speed bicycle, which my dad gave me for my 13th birthday. I used to ride it for miles and miles. We lived in a small rural town with plenty of country roads to ride on.

That bike took me all sorts of places, rivers, communities I’d only heard about but mostly I rode where there were pastures and a few houses along side of the country roads. We didn’t wear helmets back then. I’d hold my hands up high and ride down curvy hills all the way like that. That was my freedom bike. Truly, my wheels.

My magic bike I have now was special from the time I thought about it in my head — but once I ordered it online is when the magic really began!

I made a list of things I needed for my magic bike while I waited for them to build it. Then I made a list of things I didn’t need. What would be the most unnecessary thing I wondered, that a bike shop has to offer. I suspected that the item might be the exact thing I wanted. I asked one of the young men working at the shop what he thought this item might be and he answered with just what I wanted: Pink and white handle-bar streamers!

The streamers seemed to be like a starter for the bike’s magic power, but it still needed something. I took it in for a check-up and knew pretty much what I wanted. A bell! I asked the young man where the bells were and of course they were beside the streamers! I found the coolest bell ever! A Jelly Bell I think it is called. I knew it was the right bell for my little magic bike!

My 25 year old son and I rode our bikes last night by the light of the moon, and–by the light of my little Flea LED light, which is totally awesome and I think brighter than the lights on my car!

“This is nice isn’t it Mom,” my son said as we rode along the quiet road, me on my magic bike and him on his regular but cool blue bike.

“Yeah… this is nice,” and I knew it was one of those special moments in time to remember.

I am grateful for the moment and now,

for my magical memory.

by dogkisses,

my first blog, original post on August 10th, 2009

Building a Support Network for Fibromyalgia

2009-09-25T07:27:00.000+02:00

If you are dealing with a long-term illness, you have seen MANY doctors over the years. After a while, that number narrows down to become a focused team of health care professionals. Your team might consist of the following; a general physician, a pain management specialist, a neurologist, an endocrinologist, an acupuncturist, a massage therapist, a physiologist, a physical therapist, and the list of “specialists ” could go on and on. Each of us builds our medical support team differently based upon our needs.

Using this same model of a support system, I have a team of friends to help me out. A support team of friends can help you through your toughest challenges. Just like with a medical support team, everyone’s support team is different, they can help you when you do not know how to help yourself. However, a friend support team’s roles are never set in stone. Friends can help you with a bit of laughter, when you need someone to hold your hand during medical procedures, when you need encouragement, when you need a shoulder to cry on, when you need someone to bounce ideas off-of, or just when you want companionship during a “flare-up”. An organized support team becomes an essential tool to help you stay positive, healthy, and on top of your pain.

Developing and managing a strong support system is not an easy task. There are many issues that come up which make it difficult for your friends, and even your family members to be part of your support system. There is a huge challenge of keeping everyone informed about your ever-changing health condition. This challenge is well worth it though, because the friend support system comes in handy when you need it the most!

Honesty between you and your supporters is a priority. You need to be able to tell your friends what you need from them. And in turn, they need to be able to say what they can and cannot do for you. The best advice I was ever given was never be afraid to say, “No, you can’t do something”, especially to a friend. Make a pact with your supporters that they will never agree to do something unless they really want to so it for you. They should never feel burdened by you, and you the same by them. That way when you call asking for help, you know they are truly helping you because they want to, not out of pity. It seems strange to ask this of you dearest friends. But, by making this pact, it seems to help rebuild your self-esteem, especially after that sixth late night “help” call.

There are a number of ways to establish your own support team. I name mine based on what function or situation I need from that friend. I write down in my journal the following functions and next to each, I write a couple of friends’ names. I write down a few names next to each function to insure I always have someone to call if I need them, and I never exhaust my resources.

Nurse Betty: a friend to hold your hand while they take yet another sample of blood

Pal MD: a friend to call to discuss health care choices

Iron man: physical help needed, remember not to over exert yourself

Class Clown: a good chuckle cures all ails!

Let it all hang out: vent or whine about this and that, call when things are tough

Gossip Gal: a pal to chat with when you just need a friend

This side up: Flare-up = level 10+, I call this friend when my pain gets so bad I do not know how or what to make it better.

Smell the roses: You have become a hermit. Cobwebs have grown around your front door. Call this friend and get out and about.

Positive reinforcement: Life is great! You are wonderful! Call this friend and everything will be better!

Look at the friend support team like a grocery list. I tend to have about 3-5 people at a time on my support team. Each friend’s (and/or family’s) role can change over time. Some friends hold multiple roles; others drift in or out of your support team. And some of your friends might not be able to be part of your support system, which is also perfectly ok.

Think about building your support team when you are not overly tired or in pain. Make notes on what qualities your friends have that help you out the most. For example, my mother is the person I call to “Let it all hang out”. Because she also has Fibromyalgia, I can vent to her about ongoing medical bills and medication conflicts.

How to keep a strong support team:

Just has we become exhausted of dealing with our illness; our friends also become tired of hearing about it. Learn to rotate your support team. Do not vent to the same friend all the time! There is more to life than blood tests and trigger point injections.

Rotate who you call each pain flare-up. If you call the same person each pain flare-up, eventually, that person will become exhausted of the flare-ups just as much as you.

Look outside your own circle of friends for venting or medical advice. There are plenty of online help groups where many patients are going through the same medical issues. Like face-to-face discussion; reach out and find a support group in your area. The National Fibromyalgia Association is a great resource to locate a group.

Educate your support team. Fibro- My –Al- gee-a what? Help others understand what you are going through by giving them resources to read at their own pace. Some people do not want to know everything, others have so many questions it is arduous. Here are some websites that help family and friends understand more about FM:

www.fmaware.org

Mayo Clinic

Keep them close:

Remember, you will need someone from your support team the most when you can think the least. Keep your support team’s contact information handy; put their contact information on speed dial, create a Facebook group, paint their Twitter accounts on your ceiling, whatever you need to do to help you find them the easiest way possible.

Good news this morning

2009-09-24T15:45:00.000+02:00

Yesterday I introduced a new food into my diet experiment…eggs. And guess what? No adverse effects this morning. Yeah, baby! So I think eggs are back in. This opens up a lot in the baking world. Maybe it was the egg replacer in the brownies that wrecked it.

When it comes to baked goods, hope springs eternal in the Mighty Fibromite’s life. Haha!

My cold is full blown with coughing and sinus and a sore throat. And I still feel 10 times better than I did before my diet started. Weird, huh?

I feel so lucky and I feel grateful.

Humpty Dumpty....

2009-09-23T23:21:00.000+02:00

had a great fall. Thats how I have felt for more than a week now so I really haven’t been around much. I am trying to find a happy medium at which I can get my homework done on time and done right, take care of my daughter and keep up a household of five people. The last week I have dragged myself out of bed, gotten my daughter off to school, cleaned (which consists of sweeping the floors, vacuuming floors, dishes, laundry, putting things away, cleaning bathrooms, making my bed, etc.) then trying to do homework. Not working, I end up so tired and sore I can’t concentrate and all I want to do is sleep, which is hard because I hurt.

So today I tried something new, I dragged myself out of bed, got my daughter off to school, poured my coffee, made my bed and started my homework and got it done! I did nothing else except dishes after supper. I still have to shower, and remember to find time for lunch(I forget to eat). So looks like the rest of the household is going to have to pitch in and help out some. With two of them in their 30’s i think thats a reasonable expectation!

Top 6 Reason to Take Time To Do Egoscue

2009-09-23T08:13:00.000+02:00

Top 6 Reasons When You NEED To Do Your Egoscue Menu:

#6

When you are so tired and all you want to do is sleep but each muscle is just so fidgety if you slept all you would do is toss and turn

#5

When you have sat all day without getting up to stretch your legs

#4

When you have done a hard work-out, or a day of lawn work, or 18-holes of golf, or any exercise

#3

When it seems your life just won’t get out of the way and taking twenty minutes seems so hard. But you find time to watch TV instead.

#2

When you are in PAIN… you know “the pain” where you think sitting still will just make it magically disappear

#1

Everyday!!! You are worth it to yourself

Do you have any other reasons? If so let us know

WHEN DRUG THERAPIES AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES DON'T WORK

2009-09-20T00:40:00.000+02:00

View This Poll

poll

You just bought yet another supplement. Two weeks down the road, you haven’t noticed any changes. The supplement is expensive and you’re tired of keeping your hopes up. Is it worth continuing? After all, shouldn’t it have done something by now?

When I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, one of the very first medications they give you is prednisone, a type of steroid, known as a corticosteroid. As with any steroid, this drug is very fast acting. Unfortunately, the drugs I tried after Prednisone took much, much longer to work. Methotrexate can take up to six months to work for some people, while for others it can work as early as one or two months. And then there are others who never experience any relief from Methotrexate after having been on it for many months.

So what do you really need to know when trying out a new drug, supplement or therapy? How do you know if you’ve given it enough time? Why is it that some people seem to do really well with supplements and claim they work, while others claim they don’t work at all? Why do some people have to try endless drug therapies before they finally reach the right one, while others might get relief right away?

Here are my thoughts on how to make any drug, supplement or therapy a success………

1. Research the drug, supplement or therapy.

Research, research and then research some more! It’s impossible to have a successful outcome from all drugs or therapies in terms of getting relief, but not wasting your time is success! I always have my favorite dependable sites like Mayoclinic for example that I depend on for information, but do be sure to also look at blogs, Wikipedia and ask people on support groups, as well as people you might personally know. It’s important to get a well rounded view on possible outcomes. Most people will be against experimentation. You’re not always going to get the kind of support you want, and that’s something to consider also. In the end remember, it’s your body and your decision, period.

2. Have realistic expectations.

If you have a chronic disease, the odds are against you, that you will find a drug or supplement that puts you in remission. Many people do go into remission, but many more don’t. There are different types of remission as well. Most people who achieve remission, achieve “drug induced remission” meaning that if they went off the drugs, their symptoms would come back full force. There is the rare person who achieves remission and can go off drugs without the return of symptoms. There are also different degrees of drug induced remission. You can be considered in remission and yet still have some symptoms of the disease. Most auto-immune diseases require “stacking” medication before symptoms of the disease are relieved. Keep that in mind when taking supplements. Although there are many supplements that can do amazing things, you will mot likely still have some symptoms of your disease if you are on only one supplement. Drugs and supplements both take time to work. Research how long it usually takes for something to work and consider adding on an extra month just in case your body takes longer than most. Remember that this is somewhat of a gamble. Even your doctor doesn’t know what drug will best suit you or how long it will take.

3. Understand “Hering’s Law”.

Natural Healing is based on “hering’s law” which in a nutshell means that people often re-visit previous symptoms temporarily. This is often when people quit their new supplement or medication, while re-visiting symptoms is often an indicator that you’re on the right track! Having side effects from a drug or supplement doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Any kind of detox will give you side effects simply because the toxins have to re-enter your blood stream and exit your body. This can cause lots of symptoms. Antibiotic therapy is also another therapy that people often stop because they suddenly get side effects. If people could just realize that this is often a sign that you’ve found the right medication for you, they could stay on the right track and reap the benefits right around the corner! On the flip side, side effects that are not normally a disease symptom, like vomiting or blurry vision, depending on your disease, could be a sign that the drug you’re taking is not the right drug for you. For people on drugs like methotrexate, side effects often become less severe over time, but this is not considered “Hering’s Law.” “Hering’s Law” is the re-visitation of old symptoms from the disease itself, not new side effects from the drug. If you are having severe side effects like vomiting or blurry vision and these are not normal symptoms of your disease, then you should consider talking with your doctor and possibly coming off of the drug.

Some pharmaceutical drugs don’t cause you to re-visit symptoms because they suppress the immune system. Suppressing the immune system, vs. emptying the body of toxins are two entirely different things. It’s important to realize that side effects are simply part of the healing process when it comes to a lot of supplements, alternative therapies and select drugs.

5. Don’t group all supplements or alternative medications into one lump sum.

Look at each one individually and it’s specific mechanics. This means that if one product doesn’t work for them, they often give up on all products even though they are all so vastly different. Again, research is key. It’s absolutely essential to understand how a supplement, drug or therapy works so that you’re not hindering the process. Some supplements or drugs require a special diet or other supplements in order for them to work. N-Acetyl Cysteine is one of them. It rids your body of toxic metals. But it’s important to take this supplement with extra Vitamin C among other things in order for it to work. Along with that, you have to supplement the metals that are important to your body, like zinc, iron and selenium because N-Acetyl Cysteine doesn’t have the capabilities of only selecting specific metals.

6. Try to take into account how complicated the body is, how much it changes from person to person and how if something doesn’t work for one person, it doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t work for you.

I feel it’s helpful to have a back up plan in case the drug, supplement or therapy doesn’t work. I also research like crazy to find out how long it takes to work for most people and at what dose. And if I’m purely running an experiment and I’m the ONLY one I know that’s taking the supplement then I give myself at least three months to feel its effects. Perhaps that’s not even long enough, but I know that with Vitamin E, for instance, it can take up to three months before you might notice a difference. So hang in there and give it plenty of time!

7. Natural healing needs the effort of the person to consider what they’re ingesting, whether it’s the wrong foods or medications that are inhibiting the supplement from working.

Again, research is key. When I finally took the leap and tried alternative therapies, the first thing I tried was Low Dose Naltexone. There was a growing buzz on the internet and in my support group that LDN was working for people with autoimmune diseases, particularly Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn’s. I convinced two other people on my support group to try LDN too. We couldn’t find anyone on the internet who had RA and was trying LDN and the only information we could find about it was on the LDN website. We had no idea how long it would take to work, or how well it could work. All we had were each other, and that was at least, something.

One of the women, we’ll call her Susy, started feeling a difference with LDN right away, while the another woman, we’ll call her Jennifer and I were waiting patiently for something to happen. At around two months, I noticed I could finally sleep on my sides again, something I hadn’t been able to do in over a year. It was a miracle. But Jennifer still hadn’t had any positive results with LDN. She had stopped taking Enbrel, and I had stopped taking methotrexate. So we were really dependent on LDN working. As time went on, she tightened up her diet and went through horrible flares. She almost gave up. Enbrel hadn’t worked for her, so she continued to hope that LDN would do something. After six months on LDN she started to finally reap the benefits. But why did it take so long? And why at the four month mark, did both of us start to experience more frequent flares? She eventually decided to try minocycline therapy while still taking LDN. We agreed that LDN was working for us, but we also felt that because we still had inflammation, we needed something more to get things under control. Four months later of Minocycline and LDN, and Jennifer is in remission. She no longer takes LDN or Minnocycline. She is a perfect example that some things are worth the wait.

I never took minocycline therapy and I have various reasons why. Instead I decided to try Serracor-NK, which was a recommendation from a neighbor. At first I was skeptical because so many other supplements I had tried didn’t work. Still, I was impressed with the case studies online and one in particular with an older woman with RA who took Serracor-NK. But after one month and no changes, not even any noticeable side effects and I started to wonder if my money was going down the drain. Knowing the supplement did not decrease the woman from the case studies’ ESR rate until the second month, I vowed to hang in there, determined that if I didn’t at least stick it out that long, I would always wonder if it could have worked. To my grateful surprise, at two months I did feel a difference, and at four months, I felt a tremendous difference. In fact, each day gets better and better!

In the end, listen to your body and do what you feel is right. You have to live in your own skin. You are the only person that knows you the way that you do. And don’t forget to share your successes with the rest of us!

One of those doctors...

2009-09-18T00:06:00.000+02:00

She said, you don’t need to go to one of those doctors do you? They prescribe those “funny” medications.

Are you feeling “better” today? You know, lighter or relieved? [the doctor told me to lose weight, exercise, get a divorce and find a new job yesterday]

After 17 years of checking myself into a hospital due to being suicidal, she still doesn’t understand.

After living with a chronically-depressed man for 45 years, she doesn’t understand…

or does she not want to see it?

It’s time to be transparent…

It Came In The Form Of A Waterfall......

2009-09-17T08:38:00.000+02:00

The old time worn saying that when it rains it pours….. couldn’t be more true on this past awful day. Yes, we have had some rain off and on …. out side that is…. but inside….. we had a waterfall…already feeling like crude due to the change of weather, but that wasn’t enough….ooohhh nnoo… not for me…. the upstairs bath had a pipe break and before I even knew it was broke I had a waterfall coming out of my ceiling into my dinning room so very close to the antique china hutch that took me months to lovingly restore and that was years ago… Lord knows now I could not do all that type of work on it again….too heavy for me to move so had to get help…. it is just such a mess and too worn out to deal with it….. but did what I could….. but the stress has now triggered my IBS that has been so quiet for so long…but now hitting me with a vengeance…. can’t sleep with this IBS cramping and back and forth….. have been posting with some of my “normie” friends to try and keep my mind off things as much as I can…. and works for awhile but not for very long…. these friends are great they do their best to understand and will worry if they don’t hear from me and respect when I’m just too tired or it is taking me awhile to recoup after a flair up or infection of some sort gets it’s hold on me and I have to rest…. I’ve been very lucky to have these friends when so many others just drifted away….. well this has been a bad day for me and I’m ready to close it out and hope that the new day will be better and hopefully our paths may cross again but not while I’m on my way to the “powder room” …lol…. :} … Lila

Low Serotonin and Fibromyalgia

2009-09-15T21:12:00.000+02:00

Although there are many possible causes of fibromyalgia, what can be certain is that all of the possible causes are a direct result of a cascade of disturbances and resulting malfunctions. Chronic fatigue, chemical sensitivity, fibromyalgia and many other so called “chronic diseases” are not different diseases, but the result of similar cellular malfunctions manifesting differently in different people because of different genes, diets, toxic exposures, lifestyles, beliefs, emotions and life experiences, in other words…stress!

So what is fibromyalgia and how can low serotonin be a common factor?

Fibromyalgia is recognized as a chronic condition that causes intense pain in various places around the body, including muscles, connective tissues and joints, as well as a host of other symptoms. At least ten million Americans, mostly women, suffer from it and research has shown that fibromyalgia is a condition that is unquestionably associated with low serotonin! Raising seratonin levels not only has a powerful muscle-relaxing effect, it can also powerfully stimulate our natural painkillers, the endorphins!

Now, of course, fibromyalgia can have other causes, too, including low thyroid, it usually responds very well to amino acid therapy. It must also be observed that low thyroid has been shown to be secondary to adrenal fatigue as cortisol blocks the conversion of T4 to T3, so when considering how to treat fibromyalgia it only makes sense that we observe the destructive nature of adrenal fatigue.

Increased cortisol to DHEA ratios, are a result of chronic stress. Chronic stress places the body in a sympathetic state, otherwise known as “fight or flight,” which further places increased demands on each and every system of the body, including the ability of the body to repair and restore musculoskeletal health. This vicious cycle, repeated day in and day out, creates inefficiency in the body, and nutrients that would have been used for one process are now doing the work for two.

Each one of us has a genetic potential when it comes to managing stress (nutritional, environmental, emotional, financial, physical, etc.) however, once we have met that genetic potential the body is no longer able to keep up with the demands placed on it. When this happens we become catabolic (tissue breakdown) while our anabolic (tissue build up) processes are suppressed. When we do not understand what stress is or how it affects us, it becomes obvious, as to how and why, so many are experiencing symptoms of chronic fatigue, musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction, sleep disturbances, gut and immune system dysfunction, fibromyalgia, etc.

Precious serotonin is synthesized in your body from tryptophan, an amino acid (protein building block) found in foods like turkey, beef and cheese. Tryptophan first converts to a substance called 5-HTP, which then converts directly into serotonin. This crucial three-step process can be short-circuited by a number of things. For example, if there is not enough tryptophan in your diet – a problem for many of us- your body cannot manufacture enough 5-HTP or serotonin.

Now that we know that few foods contain 5-HTP or serotonin themselves, maintaining a sufficient supply of tryptophan is where it can get tricky as our food supply is no longer what it once was. Tryptophan is found in high protein foods like turkey, beef, pork, dairy products, chicken and eggs; but in proportion to the other 21 amino acids that compose protein foods, it is the runt. In addition, what animals are being fed these days is magnifying the issue. Rather than the grasses and other plants that wild animals once grazed on, our modern stock-yard animals are now fed low-tryptophan grains like corn. This serves in fattening the animals in record time but the meat from these animals is much lower in tryptophan. To compound the problem, we humans have increased our consumption of low-tryptophan, grain-based carbohydrates like bread, pasta, corn, cookies, and so on, further diminishing our access to tryptophan!

As expressed earlier, there are several factors that can lead to fibromyalgia. Being able to identify and manage personal stressors and other factors that deplete serotonin, as well. Other factors that effect the hormonal pathways, either on your own or working together with your local CHEK Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach, you can then begin to identify your deficiencies and create a plan geared towards restoring optimal functions to all systems of the body.

www.eastwesthealing.com

Bowled over by great physio service!

2009-09-15T08:39:00.000+02:00

Not literally of course as being literally bowled over by physio would probably defeat the object really!

I haven’t got round to winging about it on here yet, but from the moment I woke up on the first day of my holiday I’ve been going through a flare (definitely a flare rather than a fizzle this time!) in my neck and shoulders. Last Tuesday morning I could barely move until the stiffness wore off and I had to use my TENS machine pretty much all day (which may explain why Kate-Kate the Sat Nav started speaking in tongues (mainly Polish) and hasn’t worked properly since, but that’s another story). It seemed to get a bit better through the holiday (oh, the power of relaxation), but on Sunday morning I woke up with a corker of a migraine, which I’m sure is caused by the neck and shoulder pain, as the two do tend to go together with me. I spent pretty much all Sunday in bed (or on sofa, having come down because I felt slightly better and then found I felt too ill to go back up to bed again), and thought I’d kicked it on Monday, only to have it come bounding back at lunch time. (Migraines do tend to linger, even when you’ve got rid of the main agonising headache part.)

So … this morning, in a fit of wild optimism (especially wild as I do actually have a booked appointment tomorrow), I phoned the physio department and asked if by any chance my physio had a cancellation or something and could see me today. ‘Can you get here for 11.30?’ said the receptionist, without even the usual grilling as to why I needed to see someone. You could have knocked me down with a feather!

Well for all my moans about the NHS, there’s little pockets they get really, really right, and my physio department (and indeed my physio) is definitely one of them! In fact she recommended a year’s supply of cake the other day … what a wonderful woman she is. (But that’s another story too!)

Almost to Liftoff!

2009-09-12T16:36:00.000+02:00

2 more days.

I am so excited, I cannot even think of a theme to write about in this post! I am having trouble sleeping, concentrating, doing basic chores like cooking and gardening. I think I’m mentally already in Europe.

I’m in the midst of last-minute tasks. Teaching my husband how to care for the garden and houseplants, packing and re-packing as I edit out items to make my backpack lighter, reassuring the cats who seem to know something’s up, and eating up all the food in the fridge that I know my husband won’t touch in the 5 weeks I’m gone. I even deep-cleaned the house yesterday, since this is realistically the last time it will be vacuumed in almost 2 months.

I feel good – my body is at its normal level of achiness, but nothing unbearable. I don’t even think I’m stressed – I feel like I’m on vacation already. Right now my biggest worry is whether I’m packing too many books for the flight. I feel confident and clear-headed. No fibro-fog!

This is my last post before I fly to Europe. To everyone who has encouraged me in the past year as I’ve prepared for this life-changing journey – THANK YOU!

I’ll see you in Venice!

[Via http://chronictraveler.wordpress.com]

Invisible Illness Awareness Week

2009-09-12T00:18:00.000+02:00

Invisible Illness Awareness Week September 14-20th.

96% of illnesses are invisible!! To read more visit www.invisibleillness.com

I thought I would do this even though I missed the deadline, after all what the heck!!

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Fibromyalgia, Diabetes and Arthritis, I can’t seem to do things in small numbers.

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year:I have been being diagnosed since 2002, Diabetes first followed by Fibromyalgia and then Arthritis.

3. But I had symptoms since: It seems like forever! I remember going to a Doctor in 1998 because of leg pain. Major leg pain. I was in accounting school and he told me it was from sitting in class and not being used to it for that length of time. I accepted it and dealt with it.

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Admitting I can’t do it all, and having to remove my super woman cape.

5. Most people assume: That I am just fine.

6. The hardest part about mornings are: Wanting to stay in bed when it hurts too much to and stumbling about once I am up until I get my bearings.

7. My favorite medical TV show is: I don’t have one, never have.

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My lap top, it goes where I go!

9. The hardest part about nights are: When I can’t sleep no matter what I do, and I am exhausted the next day!

10. Each day I take 8 pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) 8

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: Have yet to try any.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Invisible, I can sit and look just as normal as the next person.

13. Regarding working and career: I am not working at this time, I am in college majoring in web design.

14. People would be surprised to know: The level of frustration I can actually reach!!!!!

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: My limitations, I can’t run, I can’t go non-stop all day like I used to.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Improve! It was a lot of work! I went from using a walker to a cane to now just gimping along.

17. The commercials about my illness: Too unrealistic. Geta real person, not an actress, take off the make up and fancy clothes, bring out the sweats, mess up the hair and maybe some dark circles under the eyes.. Now thats more realistic!

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: redoing houses that is.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: My level of activity and learning to pace myself.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: The computer

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: After the initial shock that something was seriously wrong wore off I would spend the day with my kids and grandkids doing the things I normally can’t.

22. My illness has taught me: So much! I am not invincible, I do not judge others by appearance, I am more patient and compassionate and when some one needs to talk I really listen to what they are saying after finding out how it feels when people don’t listen and you really need to talk!

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: I was told I had no idea what pain is. This upset me more than anything else that has been said about my illnesses. I live with pain everyday and have long enough to forget what it feels like to know what not feeling pain is!

24. But I love it when people: Treat me like they would anyone else.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: There is always someone out there worse off than I am, and this is so true!

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Life is not over it is just changing!

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: How ignorant people can be, or unwilling to learn about the illnesses.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Talk to me on the phone all night when I was too sore to sleep’

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I hope people read and learn and become informed.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Exuberant!!!

Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com

[Via http://tallison65.wordpress.com]

Started two new classes this week!

2009-09-09T00:19:00.000+02:00

Bad timing, but unfortunately the school does not go by my schedule. Algebra 1b and Internet Concepts will be the new brain teasers. Algebra befuddles me, and I have to work, work, work just to get the general idea. I did pass Algebra 1a, barely and I mean barely, so there is a glimmer of hope for Algebra 1b. Now Internet Concepts has me so excited if I could dance I would be dancing on the table! by the end of this class I will have actually built a web page on my own, how cool is that!

One thing on my side is that my 7-year-old starts school tomorrow so my days can be more devoted to my homework. And hopefully school will tire her out some so we get more sleep at night. She has had me up several nights in a row for a drink or just to sit, so at 4am this morning I am so tired and so sore and it was time for a talk. She is 7 so the plan is a glass of water full of ice to keep cold (she does not have to wake me for a drink) If she wakes up instead of getting me up she is allowed to go sleep on the couch. She agreed to this and we will see how this works. We had the same talk later this morning just to make sure she was awake enough at 4am to get it all. I just hope that the alarm wakes me up at 6 am so I can get her off to school, I need a bullhorn most of the time, and with the little sleep I have had it may take more than that!

[Via http://tallison65.wordpress.com]

Pour Some Sugar on Me

2009-09-07T00:19:00.000+02:00

Sometimes, I think sugar is the devil. Trust me, I’ve got the pictures to prove it. Look how evil these coke products are. Can you believe that there is twelve spoons of sugar in a 12 oz. can of coke?

I have been eating a lot less of it lately, and I can notice a change in my body. I feel more energenic, which is weird, since sugar makes me super hyper. I’m sure some intelligent person can post a comment here to explain the whole science behind the sugar high verses the sugar crash, etc. I don’t feel the need to. All I know is that I crave it all the time, and it is hard as hell to say no to. I know it is addictive as hell. But because of my health being the way it is, I’m really trying hard not to have it as much. I know my family has noticed my cut back on home sweets, as I hear angry snarls and moans about M&M vending machine runs often.

After getting an email from a friend earlier this week, I thought it was pretty darn scary to see how much sugar is in some of the food I like to drink. Can you even imagine what is in our food? I adore my Snapple Iced Teas and after seeing that picture, I am not sure if I can ever drink one again.

Has anyone ever went completly sugar free? I’d never be able to do it, never, I’m way too addicted. I went of coke this past January, and I cheat like twice a month just to not fall off the wagon completly. I’m glad I went off diet soda completly at least. Seems like Aspertame is even worse for you. I wrote a post on that ages ago, which you can find in my categories if you desire …

I love it when people think that getting a smoothie is healthier than drinking a pop. Ummm, looks to me like they both are pretty bad.

Here are a few more scary ass sugar pictures to give you nightmares.

[Via http://thegirlfromtheghetto.wordpress.com]

On Spirituality.

2009-09-06T16:27:00.000+02:00

Seeking God is my top priority in life.

I’ve only begun doing it consistently in earnest recently.

The physical pain and mental anxiety I experienced from fibromyalgia, migraine, and various other ailments are what led me to it. I believe those problems arose in my life specifically so I could make this change.

Maybe I’m a cliche, but a mix of reading the Bible and Deepak Chopra books has helped quite a bit as well.

Maybe I don’t have a label to give myself (Christian, Buddhist, etc.), but I feel like I’ve been “born again” in my own way. Maybe I don’t profess faith in the virgin birth or the resurrection, but I feel like I am a “believer” of sorts and cannot help but feel happy about “my faith.” I want to celebrate, but haven’t yet decided how.

So what do I believe, exactly?

That God exists. That I am not separate from him/her/it. That the God of all major religions is the same God being viewed through different lenses. That people who speak of Spirit, the Universe, energy, Light, Lord, Mother-Father etc. are all talking about the same thing. That God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and loving.

That faith means knowing you are taken care of by God and do not have to worry about yourself. Knowing that even in the worst-feeling and worst-seeming situations, things are okay. Faith is shown by surrender. If you’re worrying, you aren’t having faith. If you’re trying to control the situation or predict the future, you aren’t having faith.

That the major opposites in play in this world are not good and evil, but love and fear. The most perfect love is God’s love, and it can remove all fear. How to make decisions? Look at your motivation. If it is fear, what you’re about to do is not in line with God.

That spiritual growth is like tending to a garden. You don’t pull a few weeds and become finished. It is a process that is never ending. You might have to pull those same weeds everyday for the rest of your life. You definitely need the on-going water and sunshine.

That the most important priority I can have is to seek God. It doesn’t matter if my To do list is 5 pages deep or if I have something scheduled right now or even if people are counting on me. God comes first, and I should be consciously connected before I partake in anything.

[Via http://elginjessica.wordpress.com]

Lick a Stick and Go Jump...by Lisa Harmon

2009-09-05T08:16:00.000+02:00

Kenai had another accupuncture appt Wednesday, and gave Dr R a glimpse at his panicky puppy mood: he was scared of the not quite shiny floor he’d walked on twice already, scared of the tech he’d been playing smoochies with Friday, and scared of the two kittens in the boarding window. Kittens? Not like they’re sabre tooth tigers, baby love… But he dutifully held still, for the most part, and by halfway through his puppypuncture, he was heavy lidded and half asleep on his feet. When we left to go pay he was determined to go back in the room for more! Once he gets used to the proceedure, I’ll be able to get pictures. The floor, techs, and kittens, btw, weren’t scary anymore, and he was looking for fun. One thing I need to do is find a way to get him more exercise. He’s getting back into that intense critter chase state again, and I’ve had to return to the gentle leader just to take him out for his after meal business. That is something I could go the rest of my life without. BB is still spaz pup after his puppy puncture session Tuesday, though he is less uncomfortable. Evidence: he puts more weight on the gimpy leg, and doesn’t worry as much about his back half being messed with. Thank heavens the weather has turned cool a month early, and oh my does it feel like a lovely fall is about to appear. The cool air makes a girl want to snuggle into a soft sweater and leave the windows open. The sumac is already turning red, and the dogwoods are starting to color too. Yummy. Our training time with Lisa Friday was buckets of fun. While he’s in this “intensity” state, ya can’t really train or practice in a formal way and expect it to stick. So we did it sideways. All play, yet the groundwork for later public work was being laid all the same. Lisa pulled out all kinds of new things (she really has cool stuff, he thinks); hula hoops, yoga mats, bright shiny cones, baby gates…Kenai didn’t like the noise the sand in the hula hoops made, so we got him to walk over them on the floor. You would think a dog used to our living room wouldn’t care! His hesitancy pointed out something else I’d missed in his puppy socialization: walking over and through obstacles. Being somewhat unsteady, I tend to remove things in my walking paths. That or just walk around them. So he learned to walk around with me. Problem comes when there isn’t room for his big butt and my bigger butt both! When one of us has to navigate an obstacle, he has a tendency to steer clear regardless of where that puts me. Often times in such a situation, he knows the “behind” word, but that puts his shoulders behind my behind and doesn’t allow me to use them for balance. There’s always going to be times when that’s unavoidable, like the anti-shoplifting tag detectors we have to walk through in stores. But boy can step over some stuff easier than me. See, he’s not a clutz and I am, at least I am now. Even as a puppy, Kenai was THE most perfectly well co-ordinated Dane puppy I’d ever seen. Not once did he trip over his own feet, and they were, ach-hum, substantial. They all do that, but not him. He never did the “crooked run” either, where the back end is going sideways while the front end was going forwards, until he could get all the parts working together. He was just like an adult, only smaller in proportion. For a short time anyway. Kids toys, curbs, and other small stuff he can learn to walk over now that this here gymnast turned balance challenged non-gymnast just stumbles over stuff. It’s not like he’s short and would have to jump. He could walk without picking his feet up much higher than normal. Latching onto whatever develops and running with it is Lisa’s greatest skill. She just goes with a dog’s flow. She decided to make an obstacle course of her training center, and it’s construction was well supervised. He loved the kitty tunnels, especially if you played peek through them: that’d get a big slapped-down play bow. I rolled the hula hoops around, and Lisa played peek through them too. If I’d been thinking, I would’ve suggested rolling the hula hoops while running with them. Anyone remember that game as a kid, running along with a hoop? Not that I’d do it, but I’d suggest it to Lisa… An empty plastic jar was fun to chase, until it chased him. Wee one ran home to momma and played his own peek: peek around me to see if its safe! Scaredy pup-o-mine. I got up and played keep away with it, then it was a big trophy for him to bat around. We got him to start walking through tight spaces, working on a bad habit he’d developed about a year ago: refusing elevators and bathroom stalls. Tight spaces don’t bother him here at home, but that’s all his recent lack of comfort in public. They didn’t bother him anywhere when he was little. Until you’ve had a service dog, or are close to someone who does, it is nearly impossible to think of all the “obstacles” and “pitfalls” to prepare a puppy for. I’m just amazed at the breadth of an SD program puppy raiser’s awareness. I read in a post about Talos (blog link to the right) getting a chance to play in an agility tunnel, and thought about him the moment we showed Kenai a tunnel. I’ve read other puppy raisers’ blogs and how they planned outings specifically so that the puppy would walk on concrete, grass, tile, vinyl, stainless steel, sand, gravel, laminate flooring, carpet…every conceivable surface texture. Then every conceivable sound, or person, or animal. Puppy raisers are amazing, well and beyond. I’ve raised pups all my life, but never for as difficult a working life as an SD, and I’ll tell ya I never once really thought about what surface we were walking on! I’m waxing lyrical, aren’t I? Sorry. Typically, Kenai wouldn’t take treats so we were forced to be creative. He is ga-ga for butter, so he got to lick a stick. I swear this dog belonged to Paula Dean in a past life. Then Lisa discovered the problem I’d been slammin up against all his life: he loses interest in toys and treats quickly. Even the toy on the rope he can chase like a maniac. What Kenai wants? To sniff, to shred a plastic bag or two, sniff a bit, check in with me if I move, sniff around this and that, play a game of keep away, sniff, get his rump rubs, and sniff some more. The nose. Behold the power of cheese? Not. With Kenai not caring about stuff on the floor, we decided to up the ante and make him work for his tailored-to-boy reward. He learned a new command, “go jump”! Much like herding a horse into a chute, if he could go around he would. But with just a bit of guiding towards it via his collar, or some luring, over he went without a second thought. He’s a pretty tolerant fellow, once his initial uncertainty is dealt with as a rule. The “go jump” wasn’t his idea of great gobs of fun, but he’d do it if I wanted. The reward part is great gobs of fun, though. True to form, Kenai didn’t care for a lick of butter after his “jump”, so he got a rump rub instead. He didn’t show Lisa his flamenco puppy dance but she did get a rise out of him. He-he funny butt! That was Kenai’s training session this week, and we all enjoyed it. Boy were we bushed when it was over, though, and headed home with the intention of getting a nap. BB was scheduled for his puppy puncture session, but Mom wasn’t going to take him, I discovered. She has a cold, worse than mine at the moment. But he really needs the pain relief and relaxation, so I bucked up and put him in the car. To tire out the nascar engine powering him, first stop was the puppy store. All over he trotted, everything he sniffed, everyone he tried to con into a game of some kind. The best adjective for BB is “irrepressible”. His sense of fun never quits. Neither does his pulling like a sled dog until he’s as lathered as a wore out cutting horse. He’s what you might call greenbroke. The call came before we left the store: the vet canceled to take her sick child home. Understandable but disappointing. Screaming legs or not, I decided to give Beebs plenty of an outing so he goes home tired. So up in the car he went, and off we go to the park. Now BB is still deeply disturbed by children, and what should be there but a few toddlers. Oy. Well, I take him out anyway and hurry to the open soccer field to let him indulge the nose awhile. Anytime kids started coming near us, I move on. This gave him a chance to see them, hear them, watch them but not have to interact. We went to the playground area not being used, and he smelled everything that didn’t fly away. Good boy. Smell the kids scents, and swipe the slobber off with a towel. (BB foams). He was tired enough after 15 mintes of walking that we actually started getting a loose leash, believe it or not. Good thing too, since I was ready to drop. I don’t trust him enough to let small children pet him yet. He might scare them with his sudden barking. Older kids he’s better with, but still not the little ones. Associations from my neice. Had it been Kenai, no problem–he’s very good about toddlers and lets them do pretty much anything. Not Beebs. Kids freak him out. With my legs shaking and losing control over my feet, I decided to take home chinese. Steak in the fridge or not, I wouldn’t be able to stay up long enough to cook. So BB got to wait in the car while I ordered, and we watched all kinds of stuff together while the order was being made. A man walked right past the car and no growl came. Good boy! See the nice old lady with the walker? What a good boy…its a busy parking lot, and he was too tired to fuss about anything. Yippee! Gotta tell ya, BB is the slobberiest foam slinging dog in creation. Wow. Cujo got nothing on him. It got bad enough I hit the AC to turn the car into an icebox. That slows down the slobber manufacturing. When ya have to wipe the inside of the windshield to see where you’re going, ya have to do something different! Both boys crashed hard, me right along with them. I’ll need the weekend to recover enough to cook those steaks, too. Ouch. Hopefully Mom’s cold will get better soon, and hopefully it won’t wipe me out as well, because BB woke up and wanted to play.

[Via http://greatdaneservicedog.wordpress.com]

Lucky & Loved

2009-09-04T16:17:00.000+02:00

“The world is not respectable;

it is mortal, tormented, confused, deluded forever;

but it is shot through with beauty, with love, with glints of courage and laughter;

and in these, the spirit blooms timidly and struggles to the light amid the thorns.”

~George Santayana~

What a busy week it has been. A struggle for sure but filled with so many rewards.

Yesterday I had a phone call regarding doing an internet radio show to promote my charity work!

The Crafters with Love Fan page hit 200 fans this morning.

@crafterslove on Twitter got 500 followers this morning

and I just got 3000 followers! WOW!

People are donating money, time, their talents, their Twitter streams & avatars.. It is simply overwhelming what people are doing to help my cause. Now I look back at a previous post I made about not being able to be a nurse (Read it here) and believe that I have my answer. Things like “Nick” and the boom that Crafters with Love has gotten in less than a week doesn’t just happen. It was handed to me … and I’m going to use my gifts & my tremendous love of people to do whatever I can to make it grow.

When I reflect over the past week alone, my head just spins in amazement that the wonderful things that have happened and the lovely people I’ve became friends with as a result. Truthfully.. my body isn’t dealing with it, but I feel SO blessed in this moment in time to be given such a wonderful opportunity to touch lives.

The world can be respectable and I’m seeing it each day. How lucky I am to know so many beautiful people!

[Via http://sassynurse.wordpress.com]

Latest breaking news

2009-09-03T16:25:00.000+02:00

I haven’t had the energy to write. Or even stay out of bed for any extended period of time. I finally got in to see a doctor and of course I’m titering off the narcotics. I think that’s what I wanted. I thought they were not helping as much as they were in the beginning. And now I”m on Paxil because for two weeks previous I’d been crying my eyes out over family problems…and I normally don’t cry unless it’s really bad. It’s NOT really bad it’s just my oldest daughter’s usual stunts. But still I was constantly crying and going further and further in a downward spiral. My social anxiety is at an all time high. Don’t think I’ll be making it to the support group meeting today. That sucks.

And now, for whatever reason all my energy has got up and walked out the door without me. Pretty weird and I don’t know why… it could be from titering off the opioids and titering on the Paxil (I’m no dummy I’m starting out at 5mgs on the Paxil!).

I started back up on all the vitamins and supplements that I tend to ignore when I don’t feel so bad. My husband told me I just need to get some exercise. Yeah…I’ll get right on that as soon as my energy decides to waltz back in the door!

So that’s my excuse…well, most of it. Hoping I get back to being me soon because this sucks. And blows. That’s a visual

[Via http://fibrochondriac.wordpress.com]

Seeking Inspiration

2009-09-02T15:48:00.000+02:00

Trials, temptations, disappointments;

all these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly.

They not only test the fiber of a character, but strengthen it.

Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy.

Every trial endured & weathered in the right spirit makes a soul

nobler & stronger than it was before.

~James Buckham~

Since last Friday I have been working my ass off putting together a specific charity cause for a guy that I’ve never met, who lives in Texas and has just REALLY had it bad. It’s one of those inspiring stories that touches your heart as soon as you read it and makes you realize that no matter what you’re going through.. someone always has it worse.

Read his story & about the cause here: Nick

I’m pleased with my efforts and it’s absolutely worth it! However, today.. I’m exhausted. I have struggled with sleep, nausea & fevers all week! Today, I’m resting in bed and plugging along with a few things for Nick’s cause. Everyone has been great helping me, it’s amazing the response I’ve gotten in such a short time. This confirms to me that I’m doing the right thing and it’s fantastic to see other people who believe in it too! Feeling this bad.. the natural tendency is to go into self-preservation mode and shut out the world. (EVERYONE) One small addition of stress will make things worse. I love people.. I love helping them.. I love listening to them & being there for them.. so I’m torn between my heart & my body. My body just wants me to lay here and stare at the wall all day but my heart has so many goals to accomplish & that battle in turn makes me feel a bit discouraged. So… instead of giving up on today and what I want to accomplish, I turned to my quote collection for inspiration to get me through. The quote above is what I came up with.. and between that and the out pouring of love & smiles I am receiving from my Twitter friends… I’m keeping up the fight.

No matter what.. someone always has it worse.

[Via http://sassynurse.wordpress.com]

34 y/o old chick...

2009-09-02T00:37:00.000+02:00

This is a picture taken today of my “junk drawer.” It is the top shelf of my computer stand.

This drawer has always been a place to put stuff b4 I actually put it away. Mail, coupons, paper-junk. It has also been a mini-lipgloss junkie stash for as long as I can remember. But today when I opened it, I just felt sad. This drawer used to have some Benadryl and maybe some cough drops, acne medicine and moisturizing eye drops. But now, now it’s full of meds that I have to take.

There was a brief time when I slightly enjoyed some of these meds; such as the pain killers and tranquilizers. But ever since the Fibromyalgia hit full force, and with the recent root-canal and all the allergic reaction *ickyness*…this drawer is full of crap. Too much garbage for a 34 year old to take, that’s for sure. I mean, I know I don’t feel well…I really, really don’t feel well!! I know the point of these medicines are to relax me, help me with pain and some of the MANY reactions to my horrible, horrible Fibromyalgia. Enough is enough already. I can’t believe I would ever utter the words…no more vicodin please!!!! This recent root-canal pain though is off the friggin’ charts, and left me with little to no choice. The pain never fully goes away, so I still cry like a baby here and there.

At least, yeah…I have a kick-ass stash of MAC Lipglass and LipBalms to cheer me up!!! That and my internet and Comsuckast ON Demand (when it fucking works.)

Things are really hard for me. I know I keep saying that. But it’s a little different now. Fucking around with my nerves when I have a central nervous system disorder that puts me in LOTS more pain.

Ummm, yeah….I’m fairly close to LOSING MY MIND WITH HOW SICK I FEEL ;c(

[Via http://kimberlysawczuk.com]

Facing my own Sx, Dx, and Tx

2009-09-01T16:05:00.000+02:00

When you live with a loved one who is grappling with one or more mental illness challenges, your own self care can take a back seat. When it is storm time you find yourself bustling about boarding up windows and bringing in the patio furniture. When the storm passes you are so relieved that you exhale and bask in the sun for a while.

But what happens when your loved one has received a thoughtful diagnosis (Dx), is getting adequate treatment (Tx), and is actually managing their symptoms (Sx) pretty darn well over all? What is your routine then? When your job as “storm trooper” (a phrase I just coined) is obsolete, how you redefine your place in the family and in your world?

I have noticed that in the last couple years of relative calm since my spouse’s Sx, Dx, and Tx are all managed pretty well that I have felt a little lost. What does that make me? A good spouse? Co-dependent or crazy? I don’t know, but I have figured out that I had my own depressive Sx that I have needed to seek Tx for. Symptoms like fatigue, chronic pain, lack of motivation, feeling overwhelmed. Does that mean I have depression… or fibromyalgia? It is all just words. I want to know what is wrong and how to make it better.

Will I ever be in a place to have more answers and fewer questions? Will I have more energy and less pain? Is there ever a magic solution? Well, that is one question I know the answer to… no.

I actually found a little article I liked on ways to reduce stress. I’m going to go read that again.

[Via http://journey2balance.wordpress.com]

NO LONGER ASHAMED OF THIS ILLNESS

2009-09-01T00:38:00.000+02:00

A diagnosis is burden enough without being burdened by secrecy and shame.” Jane Pauley

DAY 6: I refuse to be embarrassed by this illness anymore and I refuse to walk away from this illness in shame.

This chronic, ongoing, relentless illness has caused me much embarrassment. Most people understand the kind of illness when you are not well for a short period of time and you require rest and drugs or even surgery. They even understand the kind of illness that is progressively debilitating. However, even though I was basically bed-ridden for the first three years, I now generally function in the mornings in between setbacks. Occasionally, I make an even bigger step forward and I begin to socialize a little even though I must often cancel at the last minute. The problem is that I do not require a cast or even a cane; I have no bumps or bruises to look ill. Therefore, I become embarrassed when I admit that I am still ill since I know I will receive a flattering comment, “You look so well.” I even feel self-conscious that I may be at a restaurant or a concert and I feel like the acquaintance who sees me must be thinking, “How sick can she be?” But mostly, I am embarrassed because I am still ill after twelve years. Who is sick for twelve years??!!! Unfortunately, thousands of people suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia are sick for decades. Too often there are magazine articles read by the general public that attribute much of this illness to our Type A personality or a result of suppressing some deep emotions. Therefore, I am embarrassed to say what illness I have. I am embarrassed because most people think that my only symptom is fatigue and they often respond. “Oh I know what you mean. I’m so tired myself”. I am embarrassed because the illness sounds so manageable: ” You probably just need some rest, a little fresh air, some regular exercise and you will feel much better.” I am embarrassed because I continually meet people who tell me that they too have Fibromyalgia/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but they are working full time and generally maintain a “normal life”. I am embarrassed because too many people are being diagnosed with these illnesses since it is a catch all for a multitude of symptoms that can’t otherwise be diagnosed. That makes it very difficult for those of us who really have the whole gamut of symptoms. I’ve been thinking a lot lately how I often downplay the debilitating effects of my illness and how I quickly change the topic due to my embarrassment. And yet as I consider even the extent of my isolation and aloneness, I doubt whether many people could cope with just that one aspect of the illness let alone the symptoms that lead to that state. As part of my steps to optimum health, I refuse to be embarrassed any longer since I do have a disease that Timothy Kenny describes well in his book, Living With Chronic Fatigue: “We have a serious disorder that disrupts the immune system, degenerates muscle tissue, destroys normal metabolism, robs our memory and thinking abilities, and causes brain damage, among other things. This is real – it is not imagined.” I believe that with my doctor’s new treatment protocol for me I have a terrific opportunity to become well. However, I believe that shame does not help the healing process and I also refuse to leave behind this illness in shame and embarrassment.

[Via http://gaylejervis.wordpress.com]