Managing chronic illness in BK

[jane taylor]

Why do some doctors insist on adding one medication on the top of another? Last summer I was taking Topamax for migraines, had problems including tremors. Was put on Toprol for the tremors. The Toprol caused me to swell, legs and feet turned blue, and a bad rash on my legs. Scared me to death. The Topamax also increased the Maxide (diuretic) level in my body. I was also taking Lasix. No wonder my electrolytes were so screwed up. I'm now just taking the Lasix, an antidepressant, and something to help me sleep. I weaned myself off the Ativan. At one time they had me on Ambien, Restoril and Ativan!!!

Less is more a lot of the time IMHO.

[anonymuse]

Daily meds: Celexa, Aleve, Singulair, Lamictal, Levothyroxin, and another allergy med
As needed (frequently): Darvocet, Skelaxin, Ambien

Gotta love the study on HBP meds. There was an extensive study comparing many of the new expensive HBP meds with the old cheaper water pill ones. It determined that the cheaper ones were equal or better at controlling HBP.

Here's info on that study: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/56/65900.htm

[sunshine08]

I know you will think I am crazy, but I have friends that have fibromyalgia and they get in the tanning bed occasionally. Also hear that helps some what if you are bipolar.

[jane taylor]

Hey, the tanning bed is a good idea, although I'd have to be careful since my dad has really bad skin cancer and I have fair skin--my kids call me "Casper"--LOL!

Don't know why the tanning bed wouldn't work, especially since the heating pad does wonders.

Definitely don't want wrinkles since there's no way to afford plastic surgery!

[Jenn]

I feel for you girl, I have Pulmonary Hypertension and decided to go on Social Security Disability before we filed for BK13. It took a while to get approved because you have to be out of work for 5 months, but after a year I finally got approved and wouldnt have it any other way. Work would be too stressful for me with all that is going on plus being ill.
I got to online support groups for my illness, it helps a lot.
Goodluck hun, and take care of yourself, a bubble bath sure does sound good right about now....

[Bobby'sGirl]

Food as medicine

Last summer was pure hell for me physically. One day I when I was semi-coherent I realized that I was on 11 different prescription meds and I am fairly young. Not good. I started weaning myself off the meds and feel much better now. Am also working with an MD who is extremely cautious with medication and believes in a holistic approach and healthy lifestyle. He's got plenty of good ol' fashioned common sense. Common sense--now that's an oxymoron!!

Has your doctor suggested any lifestyle changes or things to put in your diet that are going to help tame the inflammation that is underlying your CFS/fibro? Much of our American diet is very "pro-inflammatory" with too many overprocessed foods with "bad" fats and not enough food still in nature's packaging. I'm pretty sure our ancestors digging around for roots didn't find a bag of chips under that potato foliage. But today, well...
Think a Wendy's baked potato with cheese and broccoli...good mix of carbohydrate/protein/fat/fiber/vitamins/minerals. Order fries instead and, well, at least still some fiber, a bit of vitamins left but a WHOLE lot of fat, and not the kind to help put out the inflammatory hot spots in the body. For that we need the type of oils in canola, flax, walnuts and --- yes, fish, but not what you'll get if you order a FRIED fish sandwich!
And high blood sugar levels contribute to increased inflammation as well. Think a whole orange as opposed to OJ with the fiber not there to slow down the sugar going into blood, and then an "orange" drink with at most 10% juice + high fructose corn syrup and orange flavor...maybe Vit C is added, but none of the fiber that slows absorption.
A handful or two of nuts (NOT the whole jar!) a day for vit E and magnesium that is missing from the American diet can help with muscle aches (seems to help with cramping that you need reduced with those massages!) And our ancestors gathered and ate food as they found it, so our bodies absorb nutrients best in 4 to 6 small meals a day, not the one tiny and one HUGE one our lifestyles allow today. You may need to brown bag bags of trail mix/cereal nibbles/meal replacement bars/fruit/peanut butter or cheese sandwiches to make it work, but if the right food is in your desk or fridge or briefcase, that sweet greasy doughball (jellydonut) left in the break room won't be as appealing...and won't set off another round of body aches, perhaps. An added plus to the right kinds of food as well: improved brain function. In BK all our moods need to be helped out, with meds if necessary to handle the anxiety/depression that our situations provide. But studies coming out of Harvard among other research centers are confirming what mental health professionals have suspected for some time by looking at countries with high levels of fish in the diet and low levels of depression and suicide: membranes in the brain are made up in part of the types of fat found mostly in fish and in few other places in the modern American diet.

[bkbiker]

Minny,

I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your sharing; such good advice, this board would not be the same with-out you, thank you; many, many times

Sending you my best wishes for a health, happy and a prosperous simmer

Take care,
bkbiker