When disorders collide

I tend to go with the view that fibromyalgia is the body’s response to stress (both emotional and physical), because it’s what makes the most sense in my case. I was diagnosed this past July, but had been symptomatic for a good few months prior to that. All things considered, I was diagnosed remarkably quickly–I’ve heard some horror stories from other fibro patients–so I can count myself lucky for this.

My symptoms first started to show at a time when the medication I was taking for Graves’ Disease and the resultant high blood pressure and anaemia was finally starting to take effect, so you can imagine there were quite a few changes going on in my body.

Graves’ Disease did a real number on me, to put it bluntly. It was diagnosed in August 2008, after an immigration panel doctor noticed my swollen thyroid, but I’d had symptoms since January 2006. The trouble is that the symptoms were all so random that I never got properly checked out. I put everything down to a lung infection that had knocked me for six back in 2006, and everything else down to stress and the generally unhealthy student lifestyle that I’d been living.

During the time I went undiagnosed, I had: Weight loss (I’m almost 5 foot 9, but at one point my weight went down to about 7 stone), thinning hair, seriously high blood pressure causing my hands to shake and my legs to wobble, heat intolerance (which may not sound like much, but actually it was pretty horrific when a perfectly mild spring day felt like a furnace from hell), the inability to walk more than five feet without having to sit down, dizzy spells, joint pain, swollen legs, and rather severe muscle wastage.

I also had a pretty unpleasant flare of psoriasis, which covered my entire hands and the soles of my feet for about a year. It comes back from time to time, but has never been that severe since.

I look back at photos of myself from 2006 and I look seriously unwell. My face was so gaunt that my eyes are practically popping out of my head (although fortunately, I haven’t had the eye involvement that can occur with Graves’ Disease–thank God, I have enough issues with my ugly mug without turning into Pop-Eye) and my hair was thin and awful.

I guess I never thought that there could be a real problem because after the first flare up of the sickness (lasting about eight months) things seemed to subside. I stopped experiencing dizzy spells whenever I tried to walk further than the end of the street, and I pretty much wrote everything else off as just me being out of shape.

I went from being able to walk six miles a day to being unable to climb a flight of stairs because my leg muscles just… disappeared. And yet I put it down to being a bit out of shape, not stopping to think that the reason I was a bit out of shape was because I’d suddenly found myself unable to walk without dizziness and unable to climb stairs, for pity’s sake!

I didn’t get my leg muscles back until about February 2009 and I was so damn happy about it. I could do things! I could go for long pretentious walks in the park with my camera! I never had been lazy, I’d just been SICK!

And then, at the end of February, I had my first major fibromyalgia flare. Since then I’ve either been:

a) a completely symptom-free WALKING KING (seriously, I love these days)

b) moderately sore but able to walk without mobility aids

c) in need of my stick due to leg/back problems

d) getting carried home from work by my considerate managers after my back starts to spasm so badly I can’t walk

e) not even getting out of bed, thanks.

So it comes and goes. Much like my mental problems, actually. I would prefer it if I could synchronise them (if I could be depressed whilst in physical pain because then I could just get them both out of the way at the same time, and if I could be pain-free whilst hypomanic, that would be excellent) because I’ve had some ridiculous moments where I’ve been mentally bouncing off the walls…

…whilst bedridden. During a particularly unpleasant mental episode, no less. Picture your maiden aunt lying in her sickbed whilst burning up with restless rage, screaming at the fucking thunderstorm to just bloody well TRY frying her with lightning, and trying to punch the walls, and you’ve got it.

“Good god,” said my coworker, when I described it, “it sounds like something out of The Exorcist.”

Well, you’ve got to laugh, haven’t you… until you remember you’ve got costochondritis and it hurts too sodding much.

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

Health before Wealth

Recently I was talking to my mom about the newest thing I’m thinking of trying. It’s suppose to balance the pH of your water, along with add electrolytes and minerals. (see link) She asked, “How can you afford to take all of these things?”

The truth is, financially I can’t really. I’m stretched as thin as a butterfly’s wing. These are hard, economical times.

On the flipside, can I afford to NOT keep trying new therapies in hope that remission will soon be giving me a high five at my doorstep? Sure I’m feeling great in a sense that I’m completely functional with RA. But as long as I’m not in complete remission, there’s still damage being done. I’m thinking long term. It’s the same as keeping up on your teeth cleaning. If you don’t, you could end up with some serious tooth decay, along with heart conditions and toxins invading your body. What kind of damage is happening to my hands long term? And there’s no guarantee with conventional drugs either that you can skip out on the deformities. Just clue into a recent post and you’ll see that hand deformity is just like the disease itself in that it varies from person to person. So you have to do your best to get inflammation under control no matter what you’re taking. Even if you’re taking DMARD’s and Biologics, you have to consider that eating right and exercising would be a wise, helpful choice since these medications can raise cancer risks, among other things. Our bodies are long term investments.

From time to time expense comes up as a topic in my RA support group. The idea of going organic, buying fresh food vs packaged, and taking supplements that can improve overall health seems too expensive to some. Most people embrace the burden of the extra costs, but a few need encouragement that long term, investing in the right foods and supplements will save money. This is particularly tough when a lot of us, including myself are living paycheck to paycheck. What you pay now at the grocery mart will help determine the costs of your future medical bills. Just like I am spending money on supplements, rather than movies or haircuts, I’m figuring that the money I spend now could make for a less expensive health bill in the future. Not only that, but the better I feel and the more that I can do, the better chance I have at making more money in the future, simply because I’ll be able to keep up a career and hopefully advance in that career.

So my motto is, when you’re trying to decide what to eat for lunch and your choice is a hamburger on the doller menu or that organic salad with grilled, free range chicken that were raised without antibiotics….. choose the latter. Because in my opinion, you’re going to be paying for your health in one way or another.

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

How I treat Fibromyalgia, an overview.

I usually don’t discuss how I treat fibromyalgia unless I see you in the office or talk with you on the phone, because what I do is a pretty unique combination of things I have learned from some amazing doctors, patients, and from research.  The knowledge I have, and my approach to the treatment of fibromyalgia is part of the value in my care.  The thing is I really don’t mind sharing an overview with you though, because if you are suffering with fibromyalgia you need to know how we are different.  My approach to treating fibromyalgia is a thick combination of many different techniques, clinical experiences and research.  With that said, I’ve been fortunate to learn and be mentored by excellent teachers, and for that I’m very thankful.  Without great teachers, I wouldn’t be able to provide you with this information.

One thing you will discover as you learn more about fibromyalgia, is that there are probably 50 different hypotheses for its cause.  I encourage you, when presented with one of these “causes”, that you always ask why.  Always continually ask why until you are at the root cause, not just another symptom or side effect of a deeper underlying problem.  I encourage you to go through this line of questioning, knowing that currently, there is not a definitive answer to the cause of fibromyalgia.  I believe, as do many other doctors, researchers, and people with fibromyalgia,  that the cause  is stress.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Stress in the form of chemical, physical and emotional stressors, that disrupt your body’s normal physiology/function. Once you have come to the conclusion that stress is at the root of your problem (and I firmly believe it is), your plan should be, to figure out how to address the stressors in your life, and treat your symptoms without creating more problems as a result of the treatment, as some medications can do.

I’ve got a plan to help you begin tackling this problem, and to help you remove this stress from your life. I use all natural,  drug free, treatments including neurologically based therapies to help you significantly reduce your stress for good.  The plan consists of in office care, and out of office lifestyle changes that are extremely important to the speed of your recovery.  So here’s the plan…

1) REMOVE

• Remove all possible, toxic chemical stressors. (food, cosmetics, house hold chemicals, environmental, etc)
• Remove all possible physical stressors. (ergonomic, postural/biomechanical, excess body weight, etc)
• Remove all possible emotional stressors. (financial, relationships, address emotional trauma from the past, work related, etc)

2) REPAIR

• Begin a neurologically based treatment program to focus on improving how your brain and nervous system function.
• Replace toxic chemical stressors in your environment, with safe nontoxic ones.
• Normalize metabolic/chemical/hormonal imbalances within your body through temporary nutritional supplementation.
• Eat a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods (organic if possible).
• Begin an appropriate exercise program.
• Correct any postural/biomechanical/ergonomic imbalances causing excess strain and stress on your muscles and ligaments.
• Get your finances in order, end or strengthen stressful personal relationships, address work related problems, seek professional assistance for past emotional trauma)
• etc…

3) Maintain

• Maintain the progress and changes you have implemented.
• Use the principles here, to guide you in the future with respect to limiting stress in your life.
• Keep your biomechanical/postural stressors limited through regular traction and bodywork sessions
• Don’t stop learning, and give back to others by sharing your knowledge.

That’s basically the overview of how my program and treatments are designed to help patients with fibromyalgia.  This approach is also successful at treating other conditions because it focuses on reducing the cause of so many of our health problems, STRESS.

If you have fibromyalgia our treatment may be able to help you.  Dr. Shook is available for complimentary phone consultations to see if you could benefit from our care.  If you would like to schedule an appointment or if you have any questions, just give us a call at (828) 324-0800, or email Dr. Shook at drshook@alliancechiropracticcenter.com.  You can also visit us at www.ncfibroclinic.com.

1. Wood PB. 2004. Stress and dopamine: implications for the pathophysiology of chronic widespread pain. Med Hypotheses. 62(3):420-4.

2. Martinez-Lavin M. 2004. Fibromyalgia as a sympathetically maintained pain syndrome. Curr Pain Headache Rep. Oct;8(5):385-9.

3. Martinez-Lavin M, Solano C. 2009. Dorsal root ganglia, sodium channels, and fibromyalgia sympathetic pain. Med Hypotheses. Jan;72(1):64-6.

4. Martinez-Lavin M, Vidal M, Barbosa RE, Pineda C, Casanova JM, Nava A. 2002. Norepinephrine-evoked pain in fibromyalgia. A randomized pilot study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2002;3:2.

5. Martinez-Lavin M. 2007. Biology and therapy of fibromyalgia. Stress, the stress response system, and fibromyalgia. Arthritis Res Ther. 9(4):216.

6. Martínez-Lavín M. 2001. Is fibromyalgia a generalized reflex sympathetic dystrophy? Clin Exp Rheumatol. Jan-Feb;19(1):1-3.

7. Cohen H, Neumann L, Alhosshle A, Kotler M, Abu-Shakra M, Buskila D. 2001. Abnormal sympathovagal balance in men with fibromyalgia. J Rheumatol. Mar;28(3):581-9.

8. Martínez-Lavín M, Hermosillo AG, Mendoza C, Ortiz R, Cajigas JC, Pineda C, Nava A, Vallejo M. 1997. Orthostatic sympathetic derangement in subjects with fibromyalgia. J Rheumatol. Apr;24(4):714-8.

9. Arias M. 2008. Is fibromyalgia a neurological disease? Neurologia. Nov;23(9):593-601.

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The Jellybean Dinner

Last night my children and I had dinner together upstairs in our bedroom. My husband was off to Western Mass. to bring our lovey dog to his parents for Camp Callie.  Usually,  If we go away our sensitive dog, Callie, either stays at home and our neighbors and friends come in to feed her and walk her but this time the grandparents wanted to have the dog and take care of her. She loves them.

My son was in an absolutely celebratory mood, a Junior in High School, he also works every day after school, with the exception of “off limits Fridays.”  he came home happy, haven gotten a Christmas bonus from our lovely neighbors and he was thrilled. As a mom, I of course was thrilled for him. In addition to money they also gave him a huge selection of jelly bellies and a box of chocolate for the family.  Quite a lovely and thoughtful gift from his employers (our neighbors!)

I gave Tim money to get dinner for us and he went to his favorite place, Villarina’s, to gt some wraps for Jillian and for me. I can’t begin to express the love and fun that was at the meal as the three of us crowded around my bed and ate and talked. We were excited becauae we were going away for a few daysto Aruba, something that Tim had been looking forward to and had not been able to go for years. Our moods were bright with the promise of tomorrow and without the more formal seating of the kitchen table.

For pre-D, (pre-dessert)  Tim opened up his box of assorted jelly beans and started tasting them and of course, threw some to Jillian and to me. There was  laughter and joy and warmth I hadn’t felt in a long, long time. I felt like i hadn’t had this opportunity to just be with the kids for a long time. After all, I had been sick for almost two years. The jellybean dinner was the payoff. The opportunity to be with my two teenagers as we laughed, and teased each other and caught up on some old memories. This was worth more than any expensive dinner I could have gone too. This was living; this is what I meant to do.

I was home, with both children with me, not stressed, and full of fun. for a : holiday wish, you just can’t get better than this: a memory of fun, closeness,love and warmth and yes, at least 50 different flavors of jelly beans. Happy Holidays to all!

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

Stabilized Molecules Rocking Wellness Industry-Rocking My World

Stabilized Molecules Rocking Wellness Industry

Rocking My World

They said it could not be done…..stabilizing Reactive Molecules? Many of the country’s finest University Research Departments looked very carefully at the incredible discovery.

One by one they said “That’s Impossible! It cannot be done!

After 16 years of research… and 17 Patents

These same scientists said

HOW DID THEY DO THAT?

When I heard this I had to try it…here’s why:

Though not a scientist myself, I consider myself very qualified to speak about the personal evaluation of  wellness products. Being a patient of traditional western medical treatment, I can also speak on what years of medication can do to a body. Many of these products for which I was told would do me great good, only let down time and time again.  I had success with a couple, usually the ones on the cutting edge. But for the most part, many products I found were alike in what they promised, what they contained, and what they delivered. I will say that I was drawn to the Network marketing Industry out of a real necessity to earn an income from home. Secondly I found that some of these products worked on others, but not on me. I guess I am a very tough case. You can imagine how disappointing that would be over time, especially when trying to build a business as well.

In 1992 after a two year ordeal of not knowing what was wrong with me, I was tagged (what I know now as a misdiagnoses) with a “clinical diagnoses” of Multiple Sclerosis. Numerous tests, scans, and MRI’s ruled out Lupus, Lyme Disease, Parkinson’s, and a Brain Tumor but did find  minimal scars on my brain and spinal cord. At that time there was no such thing as Chronic Fatigue syndrome, Epstein Barr Virus, or Fibromyalgia.. In my quest to get well, it became apparent that I had to empower myself to manage my pain, or I would be hopelessly chained to pain meds for life.

I have been prescribed so much medication that I dare say it has wrecked my liver. Much of the medication has been given to help with the pain. But others have been given to counteract the side effects of the original medication, which caused depression, sleeplessness, skin rashes, or weight gain.

I have lived with terrible constipation and such a slow digestive process that I have felt like a walking toxic waste dump. Unless I used a product with natural fiber, and ingredients like cascara sagrada, senna, slippery elm etc, I would be ‘stopped up, eliminating only once to twice a week.. The more constipated I was, the more toxic I felt. This is where I put together the connection to migraine headaches. Mind you this is purely my own personal diagnoses of myself. I have been to so many doctors, and they have not done a much better job except keeping me on drugs. I began to experience chronic migraine headaches about the same time I was on the most medication and was so constipated. I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out that INTERNAL POLLUTION levels in my body have always been very high.

The most wonderful thing I have ever found to keep my system hydrated, alkalized and oxygenated is kangen water. I learned that fibromyalgia was nothing more than an extreme symptom of acidity, and once the acidity was gone, the symptoms would subside, and they did, (the fibromyalgia)

Migraines and constipation have been more complicated, and I think it’s because of all the medication I have been on for so long. I knew that to get off the medication and clean my system at the CELLULAR LEVEL, would require a miraculous product to come into my life. As I learned about acidity and alkalinity I felt I was really on to something , and my cells had a fighting chance of being released from being submerged in years and years of internal pollution.

It’s like a fish tank. We feed our fish, they poop….and poop…and if we don’t change the water what happens? We walk in one day an nemo is floating on the top of the tank! We don’t give nemo a pill if he gets sick right? We change the internal pollution!!

Along those same lines I learned about a body of science that has been studied very intensely in the last 7 or 8 years called Redox Signaling. You can look it up, but the simple explanation is that our cells are basically little packets of salt water, with a complex communication system within them. Scientists figured out a way to actually suspend the  REACTIVE MOLECULES in a salt water solution, so it is shelf stable. That is what many scientists said could not be done!

When I started on this reactive molecule product, ASEA, the first thing I noticed was increased elimination. I went from twice a week, to twice a day! That is unheard of for my body. The big deal for me is that all the toxicity is moving out of my body! Secondly, I am having fewer and fewer headaches and at some point soon, I am confident they will be gone entirely* I have NEVER been MORE HOPEFUL about a product for my health or for the health of those I care about. ASEA will change the Wellness Industry, not for what it is…but more for what it is not!! We don’t need another Juice!

Get Ready to be very excited..You can go to http://www.aseabreakthrough.com if you can’t wait!

The following is a complete explanation of the technology, and the exciting Story of ASEA!

Stabilized Reactive Molecules A New Scientific Break Through That Can Dramatically Improve Your Health & Athletic Performance For the first time scientists have been able to form balanced reactive molecules outside the body. It has taken 16 years of research and many millions of dollars to make this major breakthrough in the field of natural health supplements.

Interestingly, ASEA is not a vitamin, mineral, antioxidant, juice or energy drink, yet it dramatically improves the efficacy of all of these in the body.

This exciting scientific breakthrough can have a direct impact on improving your health and significantly increasing your athletic performance!

Reactive Molecules & Anti-oxidants

Anti-oxidants protect us from free radical damage and aging. However, anti-oxidants cannot function properly in our bodies without balanced reactive molecules to trigger them.

As we age the cells in our body produce fewer and fewer reactive molecules. This is one reason why as we grow older it takes longer to heal from an injury or recover from an illness. Our body needs to maintain a proper chemical balance of these reactive molecules at all times in order to sustain optimum health.

Fortunately, there is now a safe, natural way to supplement the body’s production of balanced reactive molecules. A revolutionary new health supplement has been developed as a result of this scientific research. The product is called Asea. It comes in liquid form and is easily assimilated by the body. There is no other natural health supplement like it in the world!

Health Benefits of Asea

Asea mirrors the balanced reactive molecules that are produced naturally by our bodies. This revolutionary new product can benefit your health and athletic performance in the following ways:

• ASEA stimulates the production of anti-oxidants. This product turns on and activates the anti-oxidants in our body and can make them 500% more effective.
• Asea has zero levels of toxicity.
• VO2 Max Test results, showed that participants had an average increase of 12% in their ventilatory threshold, lower average heart rate and less soreness and fatigue after a workout.
• Accelerates the body’s production of its own antioxidants such as gluthathione, SOD and catalase.

More Health Benefits of Asea…

• Natural body detoxification
• Fortifies and protects your cells
• Reduces body inflammation
• Helps the cells achieve their natural healthy balance
• It empowers the cells at the molecular level

Many athletes are setting new personal bests and are reporting a marked decrease in recovery time after a heavy workout by taking Asea on a regular basis.

The product is not available in health food stores or at your local supermarket. This new super supplement is exclusive to the Asea Corporation and its independent distributors.

How Does Asea Work?

ATP is the body’s natural source of energy and is produced by mitochondria (rod shaped organelles within each cell). The mitochondria produce two sets of reactive molecules. The first group of reactive molecules activates the anti-oxidants in our bodies. Without these reactive molecules the anti-oxidants are powerless to act.

The second set of reactive molecules is referred to as immune system communicators. These reactive molecules communicate with and signal the immune system to respond to active threats to each cell or groups of cells.

These two sets of reactive molecules need to be in proper balance one with the other in order to be effective. When these reactive molecules are in balance they help the immune system and the cells of the body to communicate clearly with one another.

Reactive Molecules and Autoimmune Disease

In the last twenty years there has been a dramatic increase in the incidence of auto-immune diseases. Auto-immune disease occurs when the cells in the body do not communicate with each other.

When the immune system is called on by the body to deal with toxins and if there is poor cellular communication it may attack the good cells as well as the harmful ones. This is what happens inside the body to those individuals who suffer from psoriasis, for example. The immune system is attacking the body. This is an indication that the body is suffering from a lack of balanced reactive molecules.

* Please note that the statements made here, and information provided in this article has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Nothing stated here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with your physician or other health-care professional and should in no case be construed as individual medical advice. The testimonials on this blog are individual cases and do not guarantee that you will get the same results

For more information: Go to http://www.AseaBreakthrough.com

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

One of Those Days

“Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” (Psalm 54:5 NIV)

I’m having one of those days. You know the kind. A day where there are multiple pain sites on my body, some of them severe enough to slow me down. A day where between the pain and fatigue, I realize I’m just not up to par and I can feel my plans for the day slipping away into the realm of “not possible.” What to do?

One thing we all can always do and my first step today is to give thanks. I’m thankful I don’t have as many days like this as I used to in the past. I’m thankful my physical situation isn’t worse. Truly.

I know of someone facing back surgery, a pastor friend in pain with a kidney stone, a friend just diagnosed with bone marrow cancer and another one waiting for a liver transplant. We all know others in pain. While their pain doesn’t minimize ours, it’s important we not get too inward even if we’re hurting. It helps when we pray for others.

After securing a thankful heart, we can walk in faith. We can choose to believe the Lord is actually our help, meaning He will help us accomplish all we need to do. This is the time to exercise faith for the To Do list. I have a lot on that list this week and I can’t afford to lose a day, but I’m not going to worry. Instead, I ask the Lord for help and then choose to believe everything that needs to get done will get done.

And let’s trust Him. As we meditate on the verse above and even speak it out loud, we will build our trust. The Lord is the One who sustains us. He is with us and we can rest in His sustaining power.

Praise the Lord! Whatever happens or doesn’t happen today, we can rejoice not only in His strength, but also in the fact He extends that strength to us.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your help and grace available to us today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erica Faraone lives in Whitefish, MT with her husband, Scott, and their three teenagers. Erica has Fibromyalgia, high blood pressure and inappropriate sinus tachycardia. She has also dealt with infertility, migraines, TMJ and depression, but she gives God glory for much improved health. The Lord is her strength and her song! Connect with Erica at http://ericafa

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

Fibro Flare

I’m currently in the midst of a fibromyalgia flare up.  My neck, shoulders and back are seized up and very sore, my hands and ankles are sore and I’m, to be frank, absolutely knackered.  Sleep doesn’t help and it’s frustrating to wake up more tired than I was when I went to sleep.  I even know why I’m in this state, it’s because a few days ago I was high and totally overdid it.  Instead of pacing myself I scampered about town up and down hills, knowing at the back of my mind that “I shouldn’t be doing this” and that I was hurting but I did it anyway.  My rebellious streak was a mile wide that day!  Now I’m suffering the consequences.  Still a part of me thinks “it’s not fair” and that why should I not do “normal” things when I’m feeling good?  Because I feel like S*** for many days afterwards that’s why!  The moral of the story….take it easy!!

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

A TIME TO REFLECT AND GIVE THANKS....

It once again has been a few days since I was last able to post. We have been having quite a bit of rain and that almost always increases my level of pain. Even now I’m finding it hard to find a comfortable position while posting.The dreaded fibro fog is ever-present and makes it very hard to focus….so I may ramble back and forth… but I hope the auto-proofreading program will save my backside…lol… we shall see.  So with all my down time I got bored of looking for faces in the plaster on the ceiling and started thinking about the up coming holidays and reflected on all that I am thankful for in my life. First and for most I’m thankful for my children. They may be grown but, they are always going to be my children and I still worry about them. I recently could have lost my oldest as he was held hostage at gun point for over an hour by a bank robber. He works for a bank and they still haven’t found the man and his accomplices. He still has police protection a round the clock. I am very grateful to still have him safe and sound. My youngest will most likely be deployed to Afghanistan after he completes his training. I am grateful he is still here. So many will have to make it through this holiday season with out the ones they love. No mater what is going on in my life I will always remember what I do have when others are doing with out. Now let me look a little more at the things I’m thankful for….. this very minute ever so thankful for my craftmatic adjustable bed WITH the built-in massage…..oooh soooo thankful! Also for being able to find others who know what it is like living with chronic illness. I’m indeed grateful for all my extended family with whom I no longer associate, as I am now the black sheep since I won’t let them run my life….. yes I’m grateful. Now I have nice stress free peaceful holidays. I share my holidays with my children and friends! People that I like and who may not have family or not able to get home to their families and would other wise be alone this Thanksgiving. What a novel thought! Now, don’t get me wrong I do love my extended family…. I just don’t like a few of them very much and the ones I do….. I call and talk with them later when all the others go back home…lol…. which leads me to something else….. interstate highways and better gas prices and high airfare costs. Why you might ask? Well, them out-of-state extended family needs to drive and that eats into the length of time they stay and I can call and talk to the ones I like even sooner. I use to start cooking a day ahead of time…. well really just cooked around the clock for a day or two. Then due to my fibro cut back on some of the made from scratch foods and breads/deserts. Then changed to buying a cooked turkey and made from scratch other foods again. BUT now I’m grateful for Piccadilly Restaurants because they make home-made Thanksgiving dinner….. fully cooked turkey and all the trimmings! Yes we all do miss my home cooking {I’m not shy…lol… I am a darn good cook and will pass down my recipes} but are able to enjoy our meal all the more since I’m not in so much pain due to over doing it just to fix a meal. After all it’s not really the food…. it’s the “meal”… the breaking of bread together… THAT’S what Thanksgiving is all about….. being grateful. Taking time to reflect on all we have and the very fact that here in the US we have the freedom to make choices about the path we take …… now that is something for which I am grateful! May you and yours be blessed with joy, peace and health as you travel your own path. Take time to reflect on your blessing and find comfort in your heart and soul until our paths cross again…… Lila

PS: NOW ALL YOU SPOONERS OUT THERE…. DON’T OVER DO IT AND PUT YOURSELF INTO AGONY… “DELEGATE” IS THE KEY TO HOLIDAY SURVIVAL! SO PACE YOURSELF IT HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN….LOL… :}

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.lilabyrdakabirdladybyday.wordpress.com

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

Better Than Medical Marijuana

Facts

For generations in China, the herb known as jiaogulan has also been referred to as xiancao the ‘immortality herb.’ There is much truth to this honorary name, as is demonstrated by the recent discovery of longevity pockets in the small southern provinces of Guangxi and Guizhou where jiaogulan is used regularly as a tonic. In some of these remote mountain villages, an extraordinary number of people were found to be living very long lives in robust good health, with many reported to be living well beyond 100!

Jiaogulan is in current clinical use in Asia for the treatment, prevention or management of an astounding 54 diseases, conditions, and syndromes. No other herb has demonstrated such versatility in its applications.

In China, jiaogulan is believed to slow down the aging process, and it is said that those who drink it daily look younger than their years. Scientific studies have shown that jiaogulan’s exceptionally high antioxidant power is responsible for this effect.

Jiaogulan has been shown to have a similar effect to drugs such as Viagra® by helping to relax arteries to increase blood flow. Leading scientists have stated that jiaogulan may work far better in this regard than arginine or any other natural sexual enhancement supplement. The mechanism of action nitric oxide release is also of great benefit to the cardiovascular system, and it has a profound effect on fighting inflammation as well.

Jiaogulan is the premier member of an elite class of plants called adaptogens. These rare herbs help the body to adapt to all forms of stress and imbalance. Chinese scientists have found that jiaogulan exerts a unique two-way action on the central nervous system, calming the nerves when they are irritated and gently energizing them when they are depressed.

Three decades of scientific research have suggested 54 powerful reasons to drink a jiaogulan tonic every day:

Get saponin power!

Find balance with the premier adaptogen.

Protect yourself from stress.

Protect your vital organs.

Balance hormone levels.

Help normalize cortisol levels.

Protect against side effects of corticosteroids.

Fight chronic fatigue.

Protect against adrenal fatigue.

Increase your antioxidant protection.

Decrease free-radical damage.

Extend your life.

Look younger.

Protect against senility.

Protect vital cell membranes.

Increase cellular energy levels.

Protect your brain.

Improve your mental health without drugs.

Increase stamina and endurance.

Feel more alert.

Get better sleep.

Restore youthful mental function.

Improve your memory.

Improve athletic performance.

Fight pain.

Maintain electrolyte balance.

Enhance libido and sexual function.

Reduce blood sugar levels and manage diabetes.

Increase insulin sensitivity.

Achieve your ideal weight.

Lower your cholesterol.

Improve your blood lipids.

Protect against arterial plaque (atherosclerosis).

Strengthen your heart.

Normalize your blood pressure.

Prevent heart attacks.

Prevent dangerous blood clots.

Protect against stroke.

Prevent cancer.

Inhibit tumor and cancer cell growth.

Kill active cancer cells.

Protect your DNA.

Enhance overall immunity.

Strengthen your resistance.

Protect your immune system during chemotherapy or radiation.

Protect against toxic side effects of drugs and chemicals.

Fight inflammation and arthritis.

Protect against stomach ulcers.

Protect against gallstones.

Improve digestive function.

Treat liver damage and hepatitis.

Detoxify your body.

Prevent and treat chronic bronchitis.

Get other wide-ranging benefits.

Please visit http://JiaogulanSite.Info for more information and ordering

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

Flupirtine: New Help for Fibromyalgia, FTD?

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I bought a small quantity of flupirtine tablets from Germany. I wanted to see if it would help some of my pain that my usual opiates (fentanyl, methadone, hydromorphone) do not touch.  One type of intractable pain resembles Fibromyalgia (FM), an all-over achy pain, particularly deep in the joints, that comes and goes.  When it comes, it stays for hours or sometimes days.  It never just starts and then goes away.  I don’t know if it’s actually FM, or just another facet of my RSD.

Flupirtine maleate is a centrally acting, non-opioid analgesic that has been available in Europe for years.  It was used for lower back pain and post-surgical pain, and then for pain, generally.

Here’s the really important thing.  It also has CNS neuroprotective properties.   This is leading to its possible use for treating CNS neurodegenerative syndromes such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, including cognition in CJD.  It might be useful for FTD treatment, too.  Flupirtine is currently undergoing FDA trials for treating Fibromyalgia.  It is also known in Europe as Katadolon and Trancolong.  It is not available in the USA, as it is not FDA approved.

Typical dosage for adults is 100mg three or four times a day, half that for children.  I’m not sure about long-term use or side-effects, yet.  Most of the information is hidden behind registration walls, and I haven’t had time to do all the registrations.

Here is what happened with my first dose:

• 3:00 pm — fibromyalgia-like pain starts
• 3:25 pm — took 100mg flupirtine by mouth
• 4:45 pm — I realize the fibromyalgia-like pain is gone
• 4:55 pm — bad headache in upper right forehead
• 5:30 pm — took 1500mg acetaminophen and a short nap, and the headache’s gone

I think the headache is a side-effect of the flupirtine.  The location is exactly where I get a headache and feel electric sensations when I have flare-ups of FTD symptoms.  I doubt that’s a coincidence.  And headaches were reported as side-effects in a good article on flupirtine’s half-life for young, elderly, and renally-impaired patients.

PS.

I got the flupirtine from goldpharma.com, an internet pharmacy in Germany.  You have to fill out a brief medical history for a doctor to review to get the prescription.  The process was very fast, it only took a few minutes from submitting the history to get the prescription, and they shipped it the next day.  We got it in about a week.  The flupirtine came in 400mg tablets, so Selchietracker got a pill cutter, cut the tablets in half and then cut those halves in half to get the 100mg individual doses.  He thought it was kind of neat that the box of “Trancolong” also had the name in braille.  Geek.

[Via http://iamdying.net]

Our Supreme Fixer

“Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” (Jer. 17:14NIV)

It’s raining leaves. Swirls of color drifting to the ground. Part of me enjoys this changing of the guard, this changing of the seasons. Part of me wants to take Elmer’s glue and paste everything back in place to hold off the coming winter.

I’ve been wanting to fix a lot of things lately. Not just the toilet that overflowed yesterday, but myself. Like the falling leaves, my body has been on a downward motion recently. More fatigue and more pain.

Thankfully, we have a Savior who understands. He came to fix us. Not necessarily to heal our physical bodies, although He does do that sometimes. He came to save us from ourselves, from sin, to reconcile us to Himself.

When I want the healing that just doesn’t come, I am reminded that in the most important way, I am healed. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17). I get not just a re-do, but a fresh beginning, with Him. I am spiritually healed.

He is our supreme fixer. No matter the season you are going through, He has a plan and a purpose for your life. He will take the falling parts of your life and mold them into a glorious tapestry. Some parts healed, others not.

Give it all to Him today. Let Him heal your brokenness.

Prayer: Father God, take our broken bodies and heal them according to what is best for Your glory and not our own. Give us the strength to hold up and thrive under great burdens. Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dana Kennedy is a survivor, encourager, wife and mother. She writes a devotional column for Glory and Strength e-magazine. Dana lives with postural orthostatic tachycardia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Her dream is to spread God’s hope through her life and words. She and her family make their home in Liberty, Missouri. Please contact Dana at dtearosee@earthlink.net

The Forgotten

Note: This post is NOT about gay men. This is one of my “deeper” posts so it’s longer. Read in sessions, but please read the entire post, because it’s a very important social issue that greatly affects me.

As a child, I always thought gay men were funny. My favorite movie was Too Wong Foo Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar (1995). I didn’t understand why men would dress as women, but at age 9 I figured it was just a comedic part as clowns dress up at birthday parties. Little did I know that it represented a lifestyle. Fast forward to age 18 and you’ll find an Atlanta college student dating a DL brother who was a tad wobbly, and threw what I like to call “bitch fits,” but was still my world. After we broke up, I heard rumors he was hangin tight with the OUT and proud but I defended him (even though I wouldn’t be surprised). Five years later he came out to me. Surprise Surprise. I wasn’t shocked a bit. We became BFF’s.

Yea, I know that sounds super odd but our relationship was very pure. No sex, No fondling, No french kisses. I guess those shoulda been signs right?! Either way it worked itself out. During our BFF tenure, I saw inside the world of a gay man. A world where men become depressed because they constantly pray, asking God to “take away the gay.” Other men feel the urges, but aren’t ready to confront it so they sneak around like that Kill Bill chick watching her prey. The last bunch makes a conscious decision to own it. They are OUT and proud.

The funny think about people is, we want them to act how we think they should act. Homosexual simply means that you want to find love in a same sex relationship. Nothing more. Yet, if a homosexual black man who still acts like a MAN is OUT and proud….we don’t accept it in our minds. Those type of men don’t even come to mind when we think “gay.” When we vote on issues affecting homosexuals we do so with images of men with tiny shorts, smiles, and jazz hands flying through our heads.

[i promise this post isn't about gay men but i need to build it properly]

When any sort of legislature is passed that positively affects the LBGT community, it is done with….well images of Richard Simmons on a rope swing. Yet, if any legislature that blocks civil rights of the LBGT community it seems to be done with images of the Too Wong Foo pose in mind.

Never do we picture a John McCain type when we picture members of the LGBT community. In fact, people say: “Why can’t [they] be discreet. Why do [they] have to be so vocal? I’m not against gays, but Why can’t they be like that quiet gay couple down the street who keep to themselves and don’t go prancing around?”

It is apparent human nature to discriminate against only that which we can see AND makes us uncomfortable. Thus, it is the product of human nature to pass legislature revolving around those who fit the description of the apparent group being discriminated against (i.e the Richard Simmons & Too Wong Foo’s of the world). As a result, a percentage of the group being discriminated against, yet not belonging to the APPARENT group being discriminating against end up being discriminated against twice. Now that’s some bubble gum bullshit.

Let me put it into context for you: On the same night, two houses, each inhabited by a member of the LGT community, is vandalized. Both homes receive a paintball beating, are teepee’d, egged, and get hate messages spray painted on their garage doors. The only differing factor is the lifestyle of the household member.

Household #1 consists of two “Fraiser” like men. They are refined, love to attend operas, and host wine tasting parties. Household #2 is made up of 3 friends: A flamboyant male hair stylist, a female impersonator, and a stereotypical stud.

• Which incident takes precedence on the 10 o’clock news?
• Which household will generate the most press and will provoke more raw emotion?
• Which family unit will generate a twitter trend topic?
• Which story will the women on The View spend more time discussing?
• Whose picture will get shown?

HOUSEHOLD #2….duhhh!!

What do you see?

It’s not rocket science. This is the symbol that typically denotes an area is reserved for the physically handicapped or disabled. You already knew that though. Our brains have been conditioned to associate a wheelchair with being disabled. Not just when looking for a good parking spot, but also when looking at people. A physically disabled person is someone in a wheelchair, with a cane or is missing a body part. A mentally disabled person is a person that has mental retardation or down syndrome. Pretty easy to spot.

Then there’s me.

I have fibromyalgia (www.fmaware.org). I am physically disabled, but not visibly disabled. While I may not require the same accommodations as a visibly disabled individual, by law, it is still required that you accommodate me in some way shape or form. So what’s the problem….

You tell me.

This disconnect seems to be based on the concept of truth. Since many of my symptoms are not visible and are not predictable as to when or on what level they will affect me, I am left with the burden of proof that they actually exist. Suddenly I’m fighting an invisible war where no one has the balls to come out and say…your lying. Instead I am told: “We cannot accommodate you because….”

• Your symptoms are vague
• Your symptoms are varied and are disconnected
• I don’t understand what symptom x has to do with symptom y
• We need more details on exactly when and how you are affected

To put this into context, the people telling me these things are my school, Rockhurst University located at 1100 Rockhurst Rd, Kansas City, MO 64110(feel free to send letters of protest and/or outrage). I apologize that I was not struck with a simpler syndrome. I am truly sorry I inconvenienced the university by picking the most complicated illness from the list of sicknesses I was presented with. Apparently, I must have arrived late and all the good stuff was already gone. Straight Bullshit.

I find it amusing and highly perplexing that people with no medical training (PhD) are placed in a position of power to discredit those with at least 10 years of medical training and another couple of decades of medical practice under their belts (M.D.) Straight Bullshit.

I refuse to let anyone tell me that this situation would play out the exact same way if I was visibly disabled. Straight Bullshit.

If you could see that I was visibly in severe pain, my absences would be excused (instead of “explained”). I would get the accommodations I require. In essence, they would know what to do with me. Instead they don’t and they choose not to figure it out. Rockhurst University seems to find it easier to suggest I attend another school. One that is “Less traditional.”—an online university. They even went as far as to offer me information about this new school. This means they would rather loose an excellent student who will turn into a great alumni, just because they refuse to accommodate an illness they have never seen. Straight bullshit.

This is discrimination in its purest, yet least recognizable form. I am discriminated against because the laws protecting those with disabilities were not written with me in mind. I am the forgotten. In LBGT terms, I am the quiet gay couple that keeps to themselves, but still cannot marry and will not cause an outpouring of outrage if I am discriminated against. They are just as gay as I am disabled. They chose to be gay the same day you chose to be straight. I chose to be disabled the same day you chose to be born healthy. Yet we are two groups who are ignored simply because we aren’t OUT and proud. We are not the apparent group, therefore we have trouble getting people to bestow upon us the same attention as they do the visible group.

Where does this leave me?

If I am to receive my share of my due rights, I must fit the mold of a disabled person. I must whip out my leopard cane, strap a back brace on, and turn into a Flamboyantly Disabled Individual. Regardless of whether or not I actually need these flamboyant accessories, It seems I’ve got to take notes from the Richard Simmons of the world and be Flamingly Disabled. Maybe then…..they’ll notice me.

I am the forgotten.

Intro

I am Catherine, or catherinexcatastrophe (my other blog is catherinexcatastrophe.wordpress.com).  This is my wellness blog, where I’ll log all my health and well-being findings for you to ponder and maybe try out.

I care a lot about my health, but, like most of us, I don’t have the time to run miles every day or prepare fresh-cooked meals ALL THE TIME.  I’m a student looking for a “quick fix.”

Besides a student, I’m a singer, actress, and avid biker (among other things, such as activist, mediator, and go-to-man).  With my busy schedule, I figure I need to be healthy, right?  Easier said than done.

I’m embarking on a journey to better my health, one step at a time, which you can read about in my blog.  I’ll address a ton of topics, such as dyslexia and other learning disorders; Irlen’s syndrome (scotopic sensitivity); depression; anxiety; and other phsychological disorders; fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue; diet: what’s the best?; insomnia; autism; headaches; and more.

To start, I’d like to take a poll.  Please select whichever BEST describes you–it will help me a lot if you do this!

View This Poll
polling

Fit to Fat and Back Again or...

…How I lost My Mind and Decided to Reinvent Myself as a Fitness Instructor at the Age of 50 While Recovering From Fibromyalgia!

I find myself at the far end of middle age in nearly the worst shape of my life after having been sedentary for a couple of years. Pretty embarrassing, given I’ve been athletic and active for more than a couple of decades. This is a painfully honest look at how I got here, where I think I’m going, and where I eventually end up. It’s going to be an adventure, I hope you’ll come along for the ride!

Joe Greer

If I were to dress up as a doctor for Halloween, perhaps I’d be Greer and add wings on my back.  Greer is an absolute angel.  He doesn’t just serve people with insurance, but he also takes in people who have nothing to offer him.  His services awarded him a “2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom, for his 25 years of dedication, at a White House ceremony with President Obama.”

I wish a person like Greer didn’t surprise me that he even exists.  I mean, who heard of such a thing, a doctor who got into the business for the right reasons?  I’m shocked!!

I’d rather not be shocked.  I’d rather be shocked when people don’t help others.  I’d rather be shocked that a crime was committed on the street and there was one person who didn’t try and help.

It is comforting though that someone like Greer is out there, and that he is teaching.  Maybe just maybe the world CAN become a better place and that health care for all is right around the corner.  :)

It Isn't Easy Being Gigi

Ok… So we had our history lesson of me. Nice… Just what you wanted to know, huh? And you are probably asking why I would air my laundry out there about my health. I mean heck! I am violating my own HIPAA! You know, I am an educator. My name is Angela, it means messenger. No one knows what I will say next. But seriously, I am doing this because no one understands this disease, even the Drs. I have yet to go out and research it either. This has got to be the first time in my life that I have obeyed Drs. They tell me “No”, “You stay away from that Google search engine and that term Fibromyalgia.” I am getting a daily dose of hands on learning with this disease. To tell you the truth, I am scared. But you’ll never see it.

I love to laugh. I am sarcastic and love make others laugh. However, I have my game face on most of the time. There are only two people that see through my mask on a regular basis. But even they don’t understand. I don’t tell them all of it, anyone for that matter. It is inconceivable of how much pain I feel and I cannot put it into words. I am mentally in a perpetual screaming or crying match. Have you seen that painting “The Scream” by Edvard Munch? I can relate. Only God  knows how I stay sane. He must be carrying me throughout the day while I do what I gotta do. It is also very disgusting to whine, so I don’t. The meds take the edge off, but don’t eliminate everything. And there are side effects. To which you have to add another pill for that and then the process goes on and on. At my last appt. I told my Dr. I wanted off my meds. Yes… I know. Why would I knowingly put myself in full fledged pain? Because I have been in full fledged pain for 12 years without meds and my body functions worked normally. If you are not grasping my meaning, I am referring to the digestive area. It’s gone kaput.  Of course the Dr. disagreed with me and out me on a different medication. Joy!

“Topamax”, he says… “will allow your body to work normally and you’ll lose some weight. Some common side effects are tingling, short term memory loss, hot flashes with sweating… and you may forget what you are saying at times”

I said, “Jeez… so I am going to have a romance and not remember it?

For those of you that don’t know, Topamax is affectionately called the “stupid pill”. I feel stupider every day. Just sayin’.

- Gigi

The Joy of Comfortable Sex: A Guide for Couples with Back or Neck Pain by Dr. Pierre Angier

If you suffer from chronic pain, you are not alone. Over 50 million people in the United States suffer from persistent back or neck pain. It is no surprise that most of them report that their pain significantly affects their sex lives. If you are one of those 50 million, we can help. The Joy of Comfortable Sex: A Guide for Couples with Back or Neck Pain by Dr. Pierre Angier provides you with the resources you need to reduce or eliminate your pain and start leading a healthier, happier life.

In this book you will learn:

• Effective strategies to manage or eliminate your pain;
• Sexual techniques and positions to use even when you’re hurting;
• Alternatives to intercourse that you’ll both love;
• Communication skills that will help you become a great lover;
• Easy ways to keep sex interesting and fun.

The Joy of Comfortable Sex also includes special sections on fibromyalgia, TMJ, and non-surgical treatment options for herniated discs. Photos of stabilization exercises and illustrations of comfortable sex positions are placed throughout the book.

Order your copy today through Excelsior Books, LLC  (click here to add to shopping cart).  Enter coupon code blog10 to receive 10% off the book price.

Or ,if you prefer, click here to buy from Amazon.com .

Vitamin D Supplementation Can Reduce Neuropathy, Autoimmune Inflammation and Migraine Pain

Publication Date: June 2008

http://Pain-Topics.org/VitaminD

Neuropathy – A recently reported prospective study of 51 patients with type 2 diabetes and

associated chronic, painful neuropathy found that conservative vitamin D supplementation

(about 2000 IU/day) for 3 months resulted in nearly a 50% decrease in pain scores, with

symptoms improving from “distressing” to “mild” on average [Lee and Chen 2008]. There had

been an earlier case report of a patient with type 1 diabetes whose severe neuropathy had

confined her to a wheelchair. This patient’s aches and pains were resolved by high-dose vitamin

D supplementation, and she reportedly was able to walk unassisted within 4 weeks

[Prabhala et al. 2000].

You Are What You EAT: Terrorism In America

So, what would you call a group of people who knowingly introduce foods into the market place that are toxic and that lead to different health problems.  You know, things like cancer, auto-immune diseases, death?  What if a foreign country were to do this to the American food supply.  Would this be an act of war?  A terrorist act?

Why, then, is the fact that American companies have done this known as good business and commerce?  Profit, success, corporate progress?  Why isn’t it terrorism?

Oh, yeah.  Because the government sanctioned it.  Thank the EPA, the FDA, and our friends–you know, people like Donald Rumsfeld.

If you don’t know what I am talking about, it’s time you did some research on Aspartame, genetic engineering (Monsanto), Round-Up Ready food, BT food, BT cotton…don’t take my word for it.

Oh, and the next time you are about to take a bite to eat, or take a sip of some non-organic beverage, I hope you realize that you might as well be eating and drinking herbicides, pesticides, e-coli, and other choice ingredients, because you are.

The F word... Fibromyalgia

I have learned so much in the last 18 months. Things I could have gone a lifetime without learning… and quite frankly been okay. In the last 5 years I have been to the doctor off and on so many times I have lost count. I have felt stupid, crazy, frustrated… but for all of you out there who have gone through this experience, I don’t have to tell you. You already know. You have the F word too… FIBROMYALGIA.

Once you are diagnosed with the F word, you may feel like you are getting closure but it’s really only the beginning of your next F phase… FRUSTRATION. You thought you were getting out of that phase… but NO! At least not me. This, I have found out, is a medical condition that has no cure, no visible signs that you are not well and has not been 100% accepted by the medical field. WONDERFUL. “Welcome to the the F world people, hang on to your seats, this is going to be a rough ride!”

Whenever I see people who know I am not feeling well, I feel like I should look like shit so people will accept that I feel like shit. I should paint all of the places on my body that hurt a bright pink so that it will be obvious. Instead, my lucky ass, gets to be the one who can no longer finish the simplest sentences or remember what I was doing 5 minutes ago or even 5 seconds ago. Noone gets that brain fog has anything to do with the F word, people just think I’m stressed out, exhausted or just stupid. My foggy brain is a world I seem to live in 99% of my life these days… I can remember when I was smart. I can remember the days when I could actually train a room full of adults. Today, I’d have to play charades just to get through my first sentence presenting to a room full of first graders! So now you know my 3rd F word for today… FOGGY.

What I really hate? All the support groups that I went to online thinking there would be good ideas to help me feel better. What I found were too many online support groups with a bunch of sad people talking about how miserable they are…  in the end I got horribly depressed. Not to mention all those F’ING (my 4th F word for today) QUACKS trying to sell the miracle drugs that will cure us in 6 weeks or less!  Seriously… I’m in pain and in a brain fog… I AM NOT COMPLETELY STUPID!! These people have got to be stopped. I mean seriously… put the money towards research..

So what am I telling all this for? After taking 5 years to get diagnosed… 18 months after being diagnosed to finally get into a treatment program… that is 6 1/2 years of my life. That’s pure craziness! I am ready to take control and help others as well. Blogging seems to be the thing these days. I just wanted a place for me to share my journey with this crazy thing called Fibromyalgia.

This is my first blog and I hope it helps others. I am here to learn, share and network. I hope you share with me as well…

Thank you for reading!

Some excellent sources of information:

What is Fibromyalgia: http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/whatisfibromyalgia/u/Fibromyalgia.htm

National Fibromyalgia Association

WebMd: Fibromyalgia

Foot Detox Baths -Study Reveals Decreased Aluminum and Arsenic

Many advertisements for ionic foot baths and foot detox pads claim dramatic reductions in metal and organic toxins, although most do not validate their claims, with any test results.

Some detox foot pad manufacturers publicize graphs, indicating dramatic reductions in hair mineral concentrations of toxic metals, including mercury, lead and cadmium.  Florida Detox and Wellness Institute performed before and after hair mineral testing on someone who used 30 bamboo vinegar detox footpads, in 3 months.  Hair aluminum decreased about 50 percent, while more toxic mercury, lead, cadmium, nickel and arsenic all increased about 100 percent.

One ionic foot bath manufacturer appears to have performed extensive red blood cell mineral testing revealing significant decreases in aluminum and arsenic levels.  I do not have experience with this device or any financial connection to this company, but was impressed with the thoroughness of testing they appear to have performed.  The Metametrix Laboratory is a legitimate clinical laboratory.

Steven Sponaugle, Research Director, Florida Detox and Wellness Institute

www.floridadetox.com

http://www.ahrfoundation.org/dlfiles/study_results.pdf

ABSTRACT
Ionic footbaths are currently being used as a way to assist the body in eliminating harmful substances such as heavy metals. The currentstudy examined whether whole blood levels of heavy metals declined in individuals receiving ionic foot bath sessions in conjunction with
meditation and nutritional supplementation. A non-experimental design with no control group was used. Thirty-one participants received ionicfootbaths twice a week for twelve weeks. Whole blood samples were taken prior to starting the sessions and after the twelve week program.
During each ionic footbath session, the participants were instructed to meditate. After each ionic footbath, the participants were instructed to take one ounce of intraMAX™. Whole blood samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma/mass spectroscopy to test for levels of
aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Levels of aluminum and arsenic declined over the study period.  EMPHASIS ADDED
BACKGROUND
Ionic footbaths are one of a growing number of alternative health care products available to consumers through chiropractors and spas.
Manufacturers of ionic footbaths believe that footbaths assist the body’s natural ability to purge itself of toxins that accumulate in the body over time and potentially diminish the health of the individual. One of the most commercially successful ionic footbaths is the IonCleanse®
which is manufactured and distributed by A Major Difference, Inc.

This report examines whether long term use of ionic footbaths, IonCleanse®, along with meditation, and nutritional supplementation, is associated with the release of different toxins from the body. It is hoped that findings from these studies will help practitioners and their
customers better understand the potential benefits of assisting the body’s natural detoxification process with the Ioncleanse®.
This report focused on five metals humans are commonly exposed to: aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. The current study examined levels of each heavy metal in the whole blood of the people participating in the study. Heavy metal levels were measured before and after the 12 week program to observe any changes in blood levels of those heavy metals.
The five metals studied here are present in the normal environment of all humans, but pose some health risks with acute exposure to high dosages or when too much of the metal accumulates in the body. Information about how humans are exposed to these metals and what is known about their potential impact on health is provided in the next sections. We then describe the research methodology and findings from the current study.

METHODS
Participants
Participants included 31 adults recruited in Colorado (CO) and North Carolina (NC). They ranged in age from 21 to 77 years, with a mean age of 45.4 years. The majority of participants were from Colorado (see Table 1). A variety of methods were used to recruit participants.
• Metal workers at the CO plant that produces components of the IonCleanse® were invited to participate (n =
• People attending an alternative health clinic in North Carolina for other reasons were invited to participate (n =
• Referrals from current IonCleanse® users in CO (n = 15)
Beyond the free IonCleanse® sessions and free supplementation, participants were not compensated for their participation.
Ionic Foot Bath Session
Participants received two ionic footbaths per week for a total of six months, although this study only details results from the first twelve weeks. The IonCleanse® footbath manufactured by A Major Difference, Inc was used for the study. Participants were instructed to relax and
meditate during the ionic foot bath session. There was a minimum of 48 hours between each foot bath session. If participants missed a session, they could reschedule it within the same week as long as there was still a 48 hour lapse between successive sessions. Participants in North Carolina received the sessions at an alternative health clinic. Participants in Colorado received the sessions at the Integrated Health and Energy Center which is a natural health clinic.
Following each session with the IonCleanse®, participants were asked to drink a minimum of eight 8 oz glasses of water within the next 24 hours. They also replaced electrolytes with a 1 oz Intra Max mineral drink.
Blood Analysis
Participants visited a Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) patient service center where blood was drawn using sterile techniques and stored in the royal blue top tube containing a sodium heparin preparation (Metametrix, 2008a). Whole blood samples were sent by LabCorp to Metametrix laboratories which analyzed the samples using inductively coupled plasma/mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). ICP-MS is a desirable method for analyzing trace elements because of its fast analysis and because of its accuracy and very low detection limits (Worley & Kvech, n.d.). The technology enables the measurement of some elements at the parts per trillion (ppt) level. For example, the threshold for measuring arsenic and lead are 400 – 500 ppt and 50 – 100 ppt respectively.
Metametrix reported outcomes in parts per billion (ppb) and all data presented in this report use that scale. All trace elements were measured in whole blood which according to Metametrix should be interpreted to indicate recent or increased exposure to the tested elements (Metametrix, 2008b).
Questionnaire
All participants completed a background questionnaire developed by The Alternative Health Research Foundation that included questions about age, sex, occupation, common health complaints (e.g., nausea, headaches, and fatigue), cigarette use, potential occupational
exposure and major health problems.
Center for Research Strategies, Inc. www.crsllc.org 6
Limitations
In the current study, all heavy metals were measured in whole blood. There are a variety of mediums for measuring heavy metal exposure in humans. For example, blood, hair, and urine have all been used to assess levels of exposure (ATSDR, 1999a; ATSDR, 2007a). There is no
single medium that is recommended for measuring all heavy metal exposure. In other words, while blood might be the recommended medium for measuring one heavy metal, it is not recommended for measuring all heavy metals due to factors such as the half life of the specific heavy metal in blood (ATSDR, 2007a). According to Metametrix, the laboratory that conducted the analyses, “whole blood generally reflects increased or recent exposure to toxic elements” (Metametrix, 2008b).
When reading this research report, one should keep in mind that a non-experimental design with no control group was utilized. As a result,
no causal conclusions can be drawn. Rather, all that can be concluded is that following IonCleanse® sessions levels of each substance
measured in whole blood did or did not change. Any observed changes could be due to the IonCleanse® session or could be due to some
other factor that was not measured or controlled in this study.
QUESTIONNAIRE DATA
Thirty-one people participated in the study at Colorado or North Carolina sites. General background information on the sample is reported in Tables 1 through 3 below. Prior to initiating session with the IonCleanse®, participants reported a variety of common health complaints. The
most frequently reported health complaints in the sample were joint pain, trouble sleeping, fatigue, and allergies.
Table 1. Participant Sex and State of Residence
N %
Sex
Male 15 48.4
Female 16 51.6
Site
CO 23 74.2
NC 8 25.8
Joint pain and tremors were related to blood levels of cadmium and mercury respectively.  EMPHASIS ADDED Specifically, people with cadmium levels above the
median for the sample prior to starting the IonCleanse® sessions reported significantly more frequent joint pain than people with levels below
the median, F(1, 29) = 4.3, p < .05. People with mercury levels above the median for the sample prior to starting the IonCleanse® sessions
were significantly more likely to report experiencing tremors than people with levels below the median, X2(1, 31) = 7.1, p < .01.

A dose reponse relationship between tremors and level of accumulated mercury has been previously reported in the literature (Auger, Kofman,
Kosatsky, & Armstrong,2005).
Table 2. Frequency of Self Reported Health Symptoms
Symptom Never /
Rarely
Sometimes Almost Always
/ Always
Symptom Never /
Rarely
Sometimes Almost Always
/ Always
Nausea 83.9 16.1 0.0 Irritable 64.5 25.8 9.7
Diarrhea 74.2 22.6 3.2 Loss of Appetite 87.1 9.7 3.2
Edema* 80.6 12.9 3.2 Memory Loss 54.8 41.9 3.2
Joint Pain 32.3 48.4 19.4 Dehydrated 64.5 25.8 9.7
Respiratory Problems 83.9 16.1 0.0 Depressed 67.7 29.0 3.2
Constipated 67.7 25.8 6.5 Metallic Tastes 80.6 19.4 0.0
Trouble Sleeping 45.2 29.0 25.8 Itchy Skin 71.0 29.0 0.0
Headaches/Migraines 54.8 35.5 9.7 Nervous/ Anxious 54.8 38.7 6.5
Fatigue 35.5 48.4 16.1 Tremors 87.1 9.7 3.2
Allergies 45.2 35.5 19.4
*3.2% of responses were missing
Center for Research Strategies, Inc. www.crsllc.org 7
Table 3. Self Reported Lifestyle Risk, Healthy Eating, and Health Risks
N %
Lifestyle/Career Risks
Smoke Cigarettes 5 16.1
Work with Metals 10 32.3
Work with Plastics 10 32.3
Work with Chemicals 7 22.6
Healthy Eating
Eat Organic Food 12 38.7
Drink Filtered Water 26 83.9
Health
Have a Pace Maker 0 0.0
Have a Transplanted Organ 0 0.0
Pregnant or Nursing 0 0.0
ANALYSIS
Before any analyses were conducted, all data were examined to ensure the data met the assumptions of the statistical tests that would be used. When working with small samples, these assumptions are often violated and other methods of statistical analysis must be used. In the
current dataset, there were distributional problems. To account for these, the aluminum, arsenic, lead, and mercury data were log transformed and the log transformed variables were used in all analyses. The distributions of the cadmium data could not be corrected, so non-parametric tests were used to test for significance. Raw data are presented in tables for ease of interpretation.
The goal of the statistical analyses was to determine whether levels of heavy metals measured in whole blood changed from the pre to the post-test. Pre-test samples were taken prior to initiating IonCleanse® sessions. Post-test samples were taken after the individuals received
two IonCleanse® sessions per week for 12 weeks.
Aluminum Findings

Prior to starting session, aluminum measured in whole blood varied as a function of sex, F(1, 27) = 7.3, p < .01, and state of residence, F(1,27) = 5.9, p < .02. Specifically, men had significantly higher aluminum levels than women (raw values: 93.0 vs. 67.4) and Colorado residents had significantly higher levels than North Carolina residents (raw values: 87.1 vs. 58.6). However, after 12 weeks of the IonCleanse® session there were no differences in measured levels of aluminum between these groups.
A paired-samples t-test examined whether aluminum levels measured in whole blood changed from the pre-test to the post-test. There was a significant change, t(30) = 6.0, p < .001, indicating that the level of aluminum in the whole blood samples was significantly lower after 12 weeks of session with the IonCleanse® than prior to starting the sessions. Follow-up tests indicated there was a significant change for men and women as well as residents of both states. However, the largest changes were observed in men and residents of Colorado.
Table 4. Mean (and Standard Deviation) Raw Data for Each Metal Measured at Pre and Post Test
Metal Data Mean SD Metal Data Mean SD
Aluminum Lead
Pre Test 79.8 29.6 Pre Test 13.7 6.4
Post Test 43.1 19.4 Post Test 13.2 5.9
Arsenic Mercury
Pre Test 4.6 2.3 Pre Test 1.8 1.4
Post Test 3.5 1.0 Post Test 1.8 1.2
Cadmium
Pre Test 0.5 0.3
Post Test 0.5 0.2
Arsenic Findings
Contrary to the aluminum data, there were no sex or state of residence differences in whole blood levels of arsenic detected in the pre or post-test data. A paired-samples t-test examined whether arsenic levels measured in whole blood changed from the pre-test to the post-test.
There was a significant effect, t(30) = 2.9, p < .01, indicating that the level of arsenic in the whole blood samples was significantly lower after 12 weeks of session with the IonCleanse® than prior to starting session.
Center for Research Strategies, Inc. www.crsllc.org 8

Cadmium Findings
Cadmium levels measured in whole blood did not differ as a function of sex or state of residence at the pre- or post-test. Cadmium levels were initially low and there was no significant change in measured levels of cadmium from the pre-test to the post-test.
Lead Findings
Lead levels measured in whole blood did not differ as a function of sex or state of residence at the pre or post test. A paired-samples t-test
found no significant difference in levels of lead prior to session compared to after session.
Mercury Findings
There was a significant main effect of sex, F(1, 27) = 8.3, p < .01, and a significant sex by state of residence interaction, F(1, 27) = 6.0, p <.02, on pretest levels of mercury. At the pretest, males had higher levels of mercury than females. However, that difference was primarily due
to participants from North Carolina. As can be seen in Table 5, pre-test mercury levels did not differ for males and females in Colorado, but males from North Carolina, had higher pre-test mercury levels than all other groups. These effects were no longer present at post-test.
Given the small sample size, this interaction should not be over interpreted.
A paired-samples t-test found no significant difference in levels of mercury prior to sessions compared to after sessions.
Table 5. Mean Levels of Mercury Showing the Main Effect of Sex and Sex by State of Residence Interaction at Pre-Test
Sex Pre Post Sex X State of Residence Pre Post
Male 2.2 2.0 Female CO 1.8 1.7
Female 1.5 1.6 Female NC 0.9 1.3
Male CO 1.8 1.8
Male NC 3.7 2.7
SUMMARY
Manufacturers of ionic footbaths argue that the devices, along with supplementation and relaxation, assist the body in its normative process of purging itself of toxins such as heavy metals. This research report demonstrates an association between changes in the levels heavy
metals present in whole blood and the use of ionic footbaths, specifically the IonCleanse®, in conjuction with mediation and a nutritional supplement.
The current research study utilized a pre-post design with no control group to examine the association between levels of Aluminum, Arsenic,
Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury measured in whole blood prior to initiating the sessions with the IonCleanse® and after 12 weeks of sessions.
A whole blood measure of these metals typically reflects recent exposure, making it a less than ideal medium for the current study. Future planned studies will utilize urinary or hair samples to track the release of toxins.
Significant differences were found for both Aluminum and Arsenic with measured levels declining from the pre-test to the post-test period.
The aluminum findings were complicated by the presence of main effects for sex and state of residence indicating that the initial levels of exposure were higher for males and for residents of Colorado. However, aluminum declined for both males and females as well as residents
of both states over the study time period.
Findings from this initial research study can be used as a building block for future studies to explore whether ionic foot bath sessions assist the body in its natural efforts to purge toxins from the system. This initial study was limited by the non-experimental design and the use of only whole blood assays for determining exposure. Future studies can be substantially improved by the addition of a control group and by using alternative or multiple measures of toxins.
GENERAL REFERENCES
Metametrix (2008a). Toxic metals whole blood kit instructions. Retrieved June 13, 2008 from
http://www.metametrix.com/DirectoryOfServices/pdf/pdf_kit_0026ToxicMetals-WholeBlood.pdf.
Metametrix (2008b). Toxic metals whole – whole blood. Retrieved June 13, 2008 from
http://www.metametrix.com/content/DirectoryOfServices/0026ToxicMetals-WholeBlood?overview.
Worley, J., & Kvech, S. (n.d.). ICP-MS. Retrieved June 13, 2008 from
http://www.cee.vt.edu/ewr/environmental/teach/smprimer/icpms/icpms.htm.
Center for Research Strategies, Inc. www.crsllc.org 9
ALUMINUM REFERENCES
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2006a, September). Aluminum CAS # 7429-90-5. Division of Toxicology and
Environmental Medicine ToxFAQs. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Retrieved May
2, 2008 from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts22.pdf.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2006b). Toxicological report for aluminum (Draft)). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Retrieved May 13, 2008 from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp22.html
Blaurock-Busch, E. & Griffin, V. (1996). Mineral and Trace Element Analysis: Laboratory and Clinical Application. Boulder, CO: TMI/MTM
Books.
Hellstrom, H. O., Mjoberg, B., & Mallmin, H. (2005). The aluminum content of bone increases with age, but is not higher in hip fracture cases
with or without dementia compared to controls. Osteoporosis International, 16k 1982-1988.
McLachlan, D. R. C., Bergeron, C., Smith, J. E., Boomer, D., & Rifat, S. L. (1996). Risk for neuropathologically confirmed Alzheimer’s
disease and residual aluminum in municipal drinking water employing weighted residential histories. Neurology, 46, 401-405.
Meyer-Bacon, M., Schaper, M., Knapp, G., & van Thriel, C. (2007). Occupational aluminum exposure: Evidence in support of its
neurobehavioral impact. Neurotoxicology, 28, 1068-1078.
Petrela, J., de Magalhaes Camara, V., Kennedy, G., Bouyahi, B., & Zayed, J. (2001). Health effects of residential exposure to aluminum
plant air pollution. Archives of Environmental Health, 56, 456-460.
Sohler, A., Pfeiffer, C. C., & Papaioannou, R. (1981). Blood aluminum levels in a psychiatric outpatient population: High aluminum levels
related to memory loss. Orthomolecular Psychiatry, 10, 54-60.
ARSENIC REFERENCES
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2007a). Toxicological report for arsenic (Update). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Retrieved May 13, 2008 from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp2.pdf.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2007b, August). Arsenic CAS # 7440-38-2. Division of Toxicology and Environmental
Medicine ToxFAQs. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Retrieved May 2, 2008 from
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts2.pdf.
Argos, M., Parvez, F., Chen, Y., Hussain, I., Momotaj, H., Howe, G. R., Graziano, J. H., & Ahsan, H. (2007). Socioeconomic status and risk
for arsenic-related skin lesions in Bangladesh. American Journal of Public Health, 97, 825-831.
Benbrahim-Tallaa, L., & Waalkes, M. P. (2008). Inorganic arsenic and human prostate cancer: Review. Environmental Health Perspectives,
116, 158-164.
Borak, J., & Hosgood, H. D. (2007). Seafood arsenic: Implications for human risk assessment. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 47,
204-212.
Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] (2008). Chromated copper arsenate. Retrieved June 12, 2008 from
http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/cca/.
Lundstrom, N. G., Englyst, V., Gerhardsson, L., Jin, T., & Nordberg, G. (2006). Lung cancer development in primary smelter workers: A
nested case-referent study. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 48, 376-380.
Zartarian, V. G., Xue, J., Ozkaynak, H., Dang, W., Glen, G., Smith, L., & Stallings, C. (2006). A probabilistic arsenic exposure assessment for
children who contact CCA-treated playsets and decks, Part 1: Model methodology, variability results, and model evaluation. Risk
Analysis, 26, 515-531.
CADMIUM REFERENCES
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (1999a). Toxicological report for cadmium. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Public Health Service. Retrieved May 13, 2008 from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp5.pdf.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (1999b, June). Cadmium CAS # 7440-43-9. Division of Toxicology and Environmental
Medicine ToxFAQs. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Retrieved May 2, 2008 from
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts5.pdf.
Akesson, A., Bjellerup, P., Lundh, T., Lidfeldt, J., Nerbrand, C., Samsioe, G., Skerfving, S., & Vahter, M. (2006). Cadmium-induced effects on
bone in a population-based study of women. Environmental Health Perspectives, 114, 830-834.
Akesson, A., Lundh, T., Vahter, M., Bjellerup, P., Lidfeldt, J., Nerbrand, C., Samsioe, G., Stromberg, U., & Skerfving, S. (2005). Tubular and
glomerular kidney effects in Swedish women with low environmental cadmium exposure. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113,
1627-1631.
Barany, E., Bergdahl, I. A., Bratteby, L. E., Lundh, T., Samuelson, G., Skerfving, S., Oskarsson, A. (2005). Iron status influences trace
element levels in human blood and serum. Environmental Research, 98, 215-223.
Center for Research Strategies, Inc. www.crsllc.org 10

Gently Kiss Me Goodbye

My Dearest, You are one of my loved ones. Did you know that? It matters not whether you are family or friend, I count you among the essentials in my life . . . without you, I’m not whole. You’re part of the air that I breathe. I know I can’t give you what I have given you in the past. I know I’m not pulling my weight in our relationship. I know my strength has diminished. I know it takes all I have, to do a fraction of the things I used to do. I know I often don’t have the energy to pick up the phone to call you. I know I even forget to pick up the phone to call you. I know I don’t feel like going out to lunch or even getting out of the house; it’s not depression – it’s pain – I don’t want to use my legs any more than I have to. I know things have changed – changes beyond my control. I know my pain is real. I know it is not yet under control. I know what my pain has done to my life. I know what my pain has done to your life. I know what my pain has done to us. For all these things, I am truly sorry. If for all my prayers I could change the way things are, I surely would. Doubt it not. Can you not imagine how inadequate I must feel for having disappointed you . . . for being the one to throw off the equilibrium of “us,” for not being who I once was to you . . . for not being able to meet your needs, to do for you as I once did and always have? I haven’t fulfilled my part of the bargain, whatever that bargain is. We never discussed that, you and I. We didn’t need to. So, if you’ve decided to say goodbye to me, I ask only this of you. Please don’t do it violently or hurtfully. Please don’t complain to others about me behind my back. Please don’t seek revenge. Please don’t crush me any more than I already am. You may feel like getting back at me for having hurt you. But, please believe me. I didn’t set out to hurt you, and I’m so very sorry that you see it that way. I don’t want you to go away. But, if you must, gently kiss me goodbye. That way, I will be able to go on holding you where you belong – forever in my heart. + Please pray that Divine Mercy will shine upon all who have taken their own lives. +

Recession Good for Your Health

Here’s my favorite part of the article:

“It is known that people tend to smoke and drink less, and they tend to eat out and drive less often, Tapia says. Although these are often for purely economic reasons, it can translate into fewer fatalities, he says.

Another theory is that in poor economic times, people come together and support one another more than they do when an economy is roaring.

‘This would improve the level of social cohesion and social support and could have a protective effect on health,’ he says.”

Read the New Blog from Egoscue Nashville

Out of the Cymbalta Haze

I had an entirely different post planned for tonight, but today something amazing happened.  I stepped out of a pharmaceutical fog and returned to my life.  Am I still experiencing symptoms of whatever it is that plagues me?  Of course, but I had no idea how detrimental the drugs I was taking to control a mere scattering of those symptoms had become until they raged their way out of my system.  Let me tell you about the last month or so of my life.

A few weeks ago the Cymbalta I was taking for fibromyalgia no one is sure I even have just stopped working.  One morning I woke up and could not move my arms.  I had flashbacks of the early days of my illness and now debilitated I was at that time and I started to cry.  After a year of fighting, was I really regressing back to square one?  I couldn’t be.  The Cymbalta had been helping; I was convinced.  I had defended these green and blue capsules when Hubby told me they were merely masking symptoms and making me crazy.  I simply denied these accusations.  Before the Cymbalta I threw a carton of eggs at him and threatened him with his own power drill.  How could this new, more mellow me be worse?  Sure, the medication made me uncontrollably sleepy a few hours after I took them but still gave me insomnia and mind racing at night, but it was helping the pain.  It was letting me return to work at least half the time.  How could this be bad?

Let me assure you, dear readers, I was not blind to the side effects that came with Cymbalta.  I had not been able to feel sex in months.  On a psychological level I enjoyed it, and my body responded to touch, but I just could not feel things happening in my body.  It was frustrating, but I was willing to accept it for the ability to walk.  Hubby sensed this, and the inevitable hardship on our relationship was evident.  In addition, sometimes I could not taste or feel my tongue.  I slurred through my announcements at work, trying to enunciate, cringing as I heard my incoherent mumble play back overhead.  I started biting my tongue and inner cheek, and the bags under my eyes darkened and sunk deeper into my sallow face.  Worst of all were my moods.  Cymbalta may have watered down my temper, but that just meant it fed my floods of irrationality and emotion without cause.  Hubby no longer wanted to be around me.  All I did was mope and yell at him.  I was miserable; everyone had to be miserable.  When Cymbalta stopped helping the pain, which was the only reason I was rationalizing the side effects, I stopped taking it.  I had been warned against quitting it cold turkey, but I was tired of feeling the way I was.  I was tired of not feeling.

The initial fallout was physical.  I was in pain for two weeks straight.  I got migraines, backaches, neck aches, gastrointestinal problems, and cramps all over my body.  I was constantly dehydrated and either slept for days at a time or could not sleep at all.  One morning I woke up to what felt like the flu.  In reality, it was my body purging itself of the last of the physical drug in my system.

Then it was time for my chemicals to balance.  Hubby could not talk to me without a fight.  I could not look at a book, a website, a TV show without uncontrollable sobbing and fits fo rage.  I screamed at Hubby, the animals, and inanimate objects alike for being in my way and frustrating me.  I hit walls and ripped up pieces of paper to try and control my temper.  I cleaned my house spotless trying to use up the extra nervous energy and anxiety the withdrawal was causing.

This weekend my system hit critical mass.  Experts will tell you that when your body is flushing itself of a toxin it will reach a point where you think you can not do it anymore.  You think you would rather just go back to the way it was with the toxin in your system rather than experiencing some of the worst pain you have ever felt.  That was how I woke up early Saturday morning.  I had a fever, chills, vomiting, and dizziness.  For two hours I camped in the bathroom praying I would pass out and forget it all ever happened.  All day Hubby and I fought about things I was blowing out of proportion.  He had been patient with me and my needs, but even he has his limits.  Two hours after we needed to be somewhere we were still curled up on the bed crying, trying to understand what was happening.  We were losing touch with each other, and something needed to change.  Eventually I pulled myself together and we headed to our engagement, but Saturday night and Sunday brought a whole new batch of issues.  I started having panic attacks and freak-out, and it grew exceedingly difficult for me to not start taking Cymbalta again.  I just could not imagine how this was ever going to end.

Monday I secluded myself to work through my emotions logically.  I weighed feelings against thoughts, and sorted out my inner file cabinet.  Yesterday I walked four and a half miles with someone I have let myself only half be myself with and learned that, yes, I can be loved, strong, and secure in myself and my marriage with her being a part of our lives, which is a post for another day.

Today I have been able to smile all day.  Today I have been alert and cognitive all day.  Today I had minimal pain despite my walk and stomach problems last night.  Today I may be slightly weaker, but today I am more stable.  Today something amazing happened.  I stepped out of a pharmaceutical fog and returned to my life.

Backpacks Are Affecting Children's Posture

Look at what we are doing to our children:

*More than 40 million students carry school backpacks

*More than half of children in a study regularly carried more than the recommended 15% of their body weight in their school backpacks.

*58% of orthopedists polled in 1999 in Chicago and Wilmington, Delaware, reported treating children with back or shoulder pain attributable to carrying backpacks.

*The most common symptom reported from backpack use is “rucksack palsy.” This condition results when pressure put on the nerve in the shoulder causes numbness in the hands, muscle wasting, and in extreme cases, nerve damage.

*More than 3,300 children, aged 5-14 years, were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to backpacks in 1998; these numbers do not include students who went to family physicians or doctors of chiropractic.

If we don’t help our children now, when they are 10 years old they will have the posture of a 80 year old. Read the right and wrong ways to wear a backpack.

Now that we have the children wearing the backpack correctly. Here are six exercises to help correct they posture.

1. Static Back ~ 5 Minutes
* Lie on your back with your legs up over a block or chair
* Place your arms out to the sides at 45 degrees from your body with palms up
* Relax your upper back and notice if your low back flattens to the floor evenly from left to right

2. Static Back Reverse Presses ~ 3 Sets of 10
* Lie on your back with your legs up over a block or chair
* Relax your legs, back and stomach
* Place your arms in a bent position directly out from your shoulders
* Bend 90 degrees at the elbows, hands are in a fist pointed up toward the ceiling
* Now squeeze your shoulder blades down and together and then release
* Try to relax your stomach muscles and do NOT try just to push your elbows into the floor – focus on the squeezing and releasing of your shoulder blade muscles

3. Hooklying Gluteal Contractions ~ 3 Sets of 20
* Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor pointed straight ahead
* Place your arms out to sides at a 45 degree angle with palms up
* Squeeze and release your buttocks muscles without contracting your abdominal muscles

4. Hooklying Knee Pillow Squeezes ~ 3 Sets of 20
* Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor pointed straight ahead
* Place a towel under your lower back if instructed to do so on your menu
* Put a pillow between your knees
* Place arms out to sides at a 45 degree angle with palms up
* Squeeze your knees inward into the pillow then release

5. Airbench ~ 2 Minutes
* Stand with your back against a wall with feet and knees hip width apart and feet pointed straight
* Walk your feet away from the wall while sliding your body down at the same time
* You will be “seated” in an invisible chair, with your knees bent to 90 degrees
* Your hips are just slightly higher than your knees; your ankles are slightly ahead of your knees
* Your lower back should be completely flat against the wall
* Your arms can hang down to your sides, or rest your hands gently on your lap
* Hold
* Keep the weight in your heels, do not press forward on your toes

6. Supine Foot Circles and Point/Flex ~ 40 Reps Each Direction Each Foot
* Lie on your back with one leg extended and the other leg bent and pulled up toward your chest
* Clasp your hands behind the bent knee
* Keep the foot on the floor pointed straight up toward the ceiling and your thigh muscles tight
* Circle the lifted foot one way for the indicated number or repetitions, then reverse direction for the same number of reps
* Make sure the knee stays absolutely still with movement coming from the ankle and not the knee
* For the point/flexes, bring the toes back toward the shin to flex, then reverse the direction to point the foot forward for the indicated number of reps
* Switch legs and repeat

Let us know if you have any tips for parents to help with this backpack issue.

Novartis chip to help ensure bitter pills are swallowed

Novartis chip to help ensure bitter pills are swallowed

By Andrew Jack in London

Published: September 21 2009 23:06 | Last updated: September 21 2009 23:06

Patients who fail to pop pills on time could soon benefit from having a chip on their shoulder, under a ground-breaking electronic system being developed by Novartis, the Swiss pharmaceuticals group.

The company is testing technology that inserts a tiny microchip into each pill swallowed and sends a reminder to patients by text message if they fail to follow their doctors’ prescriptions.

OK as someone chronically ill I felt I really needed to say something about this Microchip pill. I understand the benefits for some patients who don’t take their medication and still go to the doctor expecting to get better, or have some type of neurological condition that keeps them from remembering to take their medication but for many patients it seems like one more invasion of privacy. In so many instances when you are in chronic pain there are blanket policy’s to not only test the levels of your medications in your system to see if you’re taking your meds but to see if you’re drinking or using marijuana for pain control which if you go to any pain clinic is not allowed understandably. They often do these tests instead of getting to actually know their patient knowing whether or not that person is reliable.  I foresee some doctors just adding another now microchip pill to their patients list of pills instead of actually forming a trusting doctor patient relationship to help the patient get better. The trust between a doctor and a patient is absolutely pivotal.