[OldDragon (OP)]

Thanks for your response, Andrew.

After reading yours re. IBT I had a feeling that I might well discover more than the obvious. However, I am afraid we'll have to go with the sofa and not a bed. I have done a fair bit of experimenting over the years, and even an orthopaedic bed plays havoc with my spine. It was only when a friend gave me my present sofa, that I made the chance discovery that, on it, and when not experiencing a flare, I could, on occasions, achieve between 6 and 8 hours restorative sleep! I believe that has to do with the angle of the seat and the support the back of it affords me, together with preventing certain movements during the periods of unconsciousness. Perhaps, by being supported in this way, and the position that I adopt, it relieves pressure on particular nerves caused by arthritic damage/wear and tear to my spine, thus enabling undisturbed sleep?

During my first hospital stay, I was given an orthopaedic bed, and, despite this, within minutes of lying down on that on my side, the first muscle spasm of this latest flare kicked in. I'd not had any for several weeks prior to that. Since then, those have been escalating in frequency and intensity, as have the FM related symptoms. My last muscle spasm was approximately 21 hours ago, although I am aware that there is still some inflammation present in the affected region, the heat and swelling that was in evidence there has considerably reduced now. I have now taken 5 of the 6 doses of the corticosteroid course, and just the two aspirins mentioned earlier. No other form of medication at all since last night when I felt it best to attempt the apple juice detox. My system seems to be telling me it is short of something mineral related, and I was craving something salty earlier, so had a small bag of crisps. That craving disappeared soon after, but for some reason I have it in my head that I may be short of magnesium, although where that idea has come from I don't know. The subconscious, perhaps? Something I have read somewhere and forgotten?

I am feeling very mentally alert at present, despite so little sleep, and despite my eye muscles being noticeably tired. It is my intention to take 2 x 300g aspirins shortly and before attempting any sleep. This due to mild to moderate pain resulting from so many spasms of late and my ribs not having recovered from those, and to get some into my system to further tackle the residue of inflammation. These MIGHT have had some impact upon the discharge from the drain that I still have in situ from the last op, as the amount of that discharge has increased slightly. (It was 40ml when the district nurse changed the bag last time. It is now 40 ml, so likely to rise further before the next change is due.) I suspected it might have that effect when I took the previous two aspirins, but felt it the lesser of the evils available in my 'pharmacy', after yesterday!

I will again ask the district nurse to check my BP etc. when she calls in the morning, and on Monday can pick up some means of monitoring that myself for the purpose of the study. Will also ask my son to raise the end of the sofa. (It's actually a sofa bed but I do need the back up.)

Have you had an epidural at any time?

- No, not to my knowledge.

Stay away from the pomegranate juice as it is a very powerful oestrogen loaded drink that will play havoc with your other problems.

- Glad you warned me about that, thanks. (Had quite fancied trying it, though. Not to worry.)

IBT will give you the leverage to rapidly detox s it increases urine density markedly over flat bedrest and daily activity.

This certainly interests me, and I am often aware of some degree of oedema in my ankle/calf regions towards evenings/nights.

And with your psychology background you may be able to give an accurate description of changes, so please make a note of anything which we can reflect upon down the road to some significant recovery.

Do you have a specific questionnaire or preferred format for recording changes, please? If so, feel free to email or PM that to me, so that I can conform to it.

Will certainly google you, thanks, and I believe you are correct and I will find it interesting.

Thank you for your kind offer to monitor your varicose veins also as this will prove very useful in say 4 weeks from when you tilt your bed. I say bed because when the bed is tilted it will be far more beneficial than sleeping on the couch. The dogs will love it also If you could take discrete photographs of the veins you are monitoring so we can see a before and after it would prove very useful, if not don't worry about it.

You are welcome, Andrew, and thank you for allowing me to participate. Hopefully, we will both gain something from this? I will see what I can do to get photographs of the leg veins. Tried earlier, but the flash in this artificial light just burned the images out. Will likely need to arrange something in daylight and with someone else holding the camera. As for the haemorrhoid's... perhaps just a report on any improvement in those will suffice, eh? Lol

[RD]

the flash in this artificial light just burned the images out.

Putting sheets of white tissue paper over the flash to reduce its output should prevent the close-up images from being "burned-out" (overexposed), several layers may be required. Toilet, kitchen, typing & greaseproof papers can also be used in this way.

[OldDragon (OP)]

- Thanks, RD. I'd never have thought of that, and so obvious now that you've mentioned it. It's a tip that I can pass on to someone asking about the same thing on another forum, too.

I think I'll first try the outside, daylight option, though... Now where did I put, or last see, my shorts? Lol

As a quick update, it's just gone 4.12 am and I am still far too mentally alert to consider an attempt to lie down and sleep, but no further muscle spasms to report, thank God. For me, often less medication brings more relief, but I do still feel that I need to go and take those two aspirins mentioned earlier now.

First, though, I'd like to thank those who have responded here in this thread and also those who have contacted me privately, either here, by email, or on other forums, having learned of this thread's existence.

Many of the questions asked privately have been asked several times, and are not things that I've any objection to answering openly in this thread. Indeed, it would probably help me to do so, as answering numerous individual messages takes time, as I am sure you all appreciate.

Please, if you have questions, consider posting them in the thread. IF there should be anything that I consider too personal to respond to openly, then I will say so and contact you privately with a response. However, in the interests of science and research, my preferred option would be to keep things in the open and inclusive of any issues that reading this thread may have raised or inspired.

Thanks.

[Andrew K Fletcher]

Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) works by assisting the circulation and preventing stagnating in areas that are prone to circulatory failure particularly the toes and fingers.

Toenails have been reported by a number of people to shed, particularly nails that are not in good condition. This is then followed by a new nail that is healthier. For example. I used to have a split thumb nail right down to the nail bed. This used to rip of and was very troublesome. It healed up! So take clippings of hair and nails and put a date on them. I found this fascinating as there appears to be some changes in colour and general condition. Body hair for example no longer falls out and requires trimming. Hair on the head also appears to benefit, though I have not recovered from being bald, I have however observed increases in hair and a reduction in hair falling out. Again this may be due to circulation improving to the follicles.

Eyesight: get a check up if possible as this may well change over 4-6 months of IBT.

IBT also places the body in gentle traction because the body is trying to move down the bed, but is resisted by the friction between you and the mattress. Decompressing the spine will enable repairs to take place between the joints, assisted again by improvements to the circulation that should re-hydrate the cushions between the vertebrae. Again something observed by a number of people who found relief from arthritic problems and neurological damage. Having the feet against a foot board or the arm of your sofa will do the opposite and compress the spine and posibly cause circulation in the feet to be comprimised, which is why I suggest tilting the bed.

Spasm in spinal cord injury was shown to increase in some cases and decrease in other cases. Usually after an increase in spasm there was a lull followed by some recovery of function, though the medical profession would still label this as a mere coincidence even though it was reported again by several people with complete spinal cord injury dating back to 28 years post injury with no recovery prior to IBT in one case. 2 cases where 2 years post injury again (complete) Their case histories are published on the Carecure Forum and duly ignored by everyone J
http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=17404
There is a lot of compelling evidence for IBT on this forum and a lot of idiots who believe having a spinal cord injury automatically makes them an expert. Perhaps you can understand their reasoning that this can’t possibly work for a complete and incomplete SCI when people they have communicated with for years begin reporting that it does and then they lock the thread. Never been able to figure that out.

Contraindications of IBT.
Be aware that IBT increases the uptake of drugs, so you may find that reducing the level of medication in the coming weeks could prove helpful. Parkinson’s disease for example, we found a ¼ of the prescribed LD had the same effect as the full dose without IBT. Possibly due to increased uptake but also possible that the brain started to produce natural dopamine, though a thorough investigation into this would be required in order to establish what is going on in PD.

As for your problem with Cancer, it pains me to tell you that I could not save my own father even though I got him an extra 8 months of good life by challenging the doctor who told us his demise would be rapid and there was nothing they could do because the tumour was pressing on the tubes to his gall bladder. They eventually put a stent in to relieve the pressure and bought him the precious 8 months to which we are very grateful for. But then again, I could not get Dad to try anything alternative, not even to drink filtered water.

During my extensive research into trying to find a way to help dad fight the big C. I found some interesting reports on alternatives, although Dad refused to listen and trusted the people who gave him metformin, which I am convinced caused the cancers, even though he did not have diabetes. (they said it was just in case he did get it?)

Some of what interested me.
http://www.project-aware.org/Managing/Hrt/progesterone_FAQ.shtml This my wife has used to great affect with helping to reduce the problems with uterine fibroids. Look into this if you have not already done so. Avoid anything with parabans in it. Look at all of your toiletries and throw out anything with parabans in it.

The best detox in the world is asparagus. We buy the frozen asparagus (freezer is full of it and we love the stuff.) Makes your pee stink to high heaven in 30 minutes after eating it. We even drink the water it is boiled in or add it to the gravy on a dinner.

Asparagus
Several years ago, I had a man seeking asparagus for a friend who had cancer. He gave me a photocopied copy of an article, entitled, `Asparagus for cancer' printed in Cancer News Journal, December 1979. I will share it here, just as it was shared with me:

"I am a biochemist, and have specialised in the relation of diet to health for over 50 years. Several years ago, I learned of the discovery of Richard R. Vensal, D.D.S. that asparagus might cure cancer. Since then, I have worked with him on his project, and we have accumulated a number of favourable case histories. Here are a few examples.

Case No. 1, man with an almost hopeless case of Hodgkin's disease (cancer of the lymph glands) who was completely incapacitated. Within 1 year of starting the asparagus therapy, his doctors were unable to detect any signs of cancer, and he was back on a schedule of strenuous exercise.

Case No. 2, a successful businessman 68 years old who suffered from cancer of the bladder for 16 years. After years of medical treatments, including radiation without improvement, he went on asparagus. Within 3 months, examinations revealed that his bladder tumour had disappeared and that his kidneys were normal.

Case No. 3, a man who had lung cancer. On March 5th 1971 he was put on the operating table where they found lung cancer so widely spread that it was inoperable. The surgeon sewed him up and declared his case hopeless. On April 5th he heard about the asparagus therapy and immediately started taking it. By August, x-ray pictures revealed that all signs of the cancer had disappeared. He is back at his regular business routine.

Case No. 4, a woman who was troubled for a number of years with skin cancer. She finally developed different skin cancers which were diagnosed by a skin specialist as advanced. Within 3 months after starting on asparagus, her skin specialist said that her skin looked fine and no more skin lesions. This woman reported that the asparagus therapy also cured her kidney disease, which started in 1949. She had over 10 operations for kidney stones, and was receiving government disability payments for an inoperable, terminal, kidney condition. She attributes the cure of this kidney trouble entirely to the asparagus.

I was not surprised at this result, as `The elements of materia medica', edited in 1854 by a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, stated that asparagus was used as a popular remedy for kidney stones. He even referred to experiments, in 1739, on the power of asparagus in dissolving stones. We would have other case histories but the medical establishment has interfered with our obtaining some of the records. I am therefore appealing to readers to spread this good news and help us to gather a large number of case histories that will overwhelm the medical skeptics about this unbelievably simple and natural remedy.

For the treatment, asparagus should be cooked before using, and therefore canned asparagus is just as good as fresh. I have corresponded with the two leading canners of asparagus, Giant Giant and Stokely, and I am satisfied that these brands contain no pesticides or preservatives. Place the cooked asparagus in a blender and liquefy to make a puree, and store in the refrigerator. Give the patient 4 full tablespoons twice daily, morning and evening. Patients usually show some improvement in from 2-4 weeks. It can be diluted with water and used as a cold or hot drink. This suggested dosage is based on present experience, but certainly larger amounts can do no harm and may be needed in some cases.

As a biochemist I am convinced of the old saying that `what cures can prevent'. Based on this theory, my wife and I have been using asparagus puree as a beverage with our meals. We take 2 tablespoons diluted in water to suit our taste with breakfast and with dinner. I take mine hot and my wife prefers hers cold. For years we have made it a practice to have blood surveys taken as part of our regular checkups.

The last blood survey, taken by a medical doctor who specialises in the nutritional approach to health, showed substantial improvements in all categories over the last one, and we can attribute these improvements to nothing but the asparagus drink. As a biochemist, I have made an extensive study of all aspects of cancer, and all of the proposed cures. As a result, I am convinced that asparagus fits in better with the latest theories about cancer.

Asparagus contains a good supply of protein called histones, which are believed to be active in controlling cell growth. For that reason, I believe asparagus can be said to contain a substance that I call cell growth normaliser. That accounts for its action on cancer and in acting as a general body tonic. In any event, regardless of theory, asparagus used as we suggest, is a harmless substance. The FDA cannot prevent you from using it and it may do you much good." It has been reported by the US National Cancer Institute, that asparagus is the highest tested food containing glutathione, which is considered one of the body's most potent anticarcinogens and antioxidants.

[grumpy old mare]

Sorry, this is going to be long, even though I've only just joined this minute...

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Helping the medical profession to better understand the nature of the condition, or similar,  related conditions, the ups and downs, and effects on the daily life of someone with such, is an area that I may well be useful in.
I would certainly find this very interesting. Even with my – in comparison – ‘minor’ and indefinitely better known type of health problems (several prolapsed discs), I found that only one single consultant had ANY idea what it is like to live with day by day, not being able to sit, hardly able to walk, feeling like being of no use to anything or anybody and even being made out to be more or less of a hypochondriac. The GPs I’ve been seeing were (and actually are) exceedingly unhelpful and clueless. (I'm quite ok now after discectomy - the above is my experience from 'before')

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In fact, and to be fair to anyone reading this, I am being urged to attempt to do this by a number of other people. It is possible some may, in their own time, come forward here and reveal themselves. That will be up to them, but I have suggested they do so and as a result of private email correspondence that I've received.
One has mentioned the difference that one of the drugs that you mentioned has made to them, and we are exchanging an interesting dialogue, so even if there's not a great deal of feedback forthcoming, as yet, in this thread, some good is coming from it, which is encouraging.
One of them is me! I’m not sure which, one particular prolapsed disc or the discectomy, has left me with permanent nerve damage, presenting as tics in my left foot, “escalating” into nerve cramps/”electricity shoots” (a less painful – but still painful - version of the old dragon’s “cattle prod”) in the whole leg. With this, I had for ages the same problem as the old dragon – the doctors did not understand what I was talking about. When it first presented straight after spinal surgery (still in the waking-up-unit) I was being told it’s due to panic attacks and they wouldn’t believe me that until they started I was feeling absolutely fine. It just suddenly started. Anyway, to cut a very long story short, in the end, after nearly a year of having these tics and cramps about once an hour – i.e. not a single night’s sleep undisturbed, the doctors telling me to eat more bananas etc not believing that it was NOT “simple” muscle cramps - I eventually resorted to writing a letter to the management of the RUH, with copies to every single doctor I’d ever had to deal with in connection with my spinal problems … and lo and behold, I had an appointment with the pain clinic within 3 days (of posting the letter!!!), the brilliant and lovely and great female consultant there (oh no, I’m not biased ;-))) actually KNEW what I was talking about and prescribed Gabapentin (see RD's comments), which has really been helping me (I’m on 8 a day). It does not seem to have made the IBS any worse nor made my tendency to be mildly depressed (which has nothing as such to do with the spine - had that before) any worse either.


A couple of questions for Andrew:

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Have you had an epidural at any time?
Why do you ask that in this connection? (I’m asking because I’ve had 2 or 3 epidurals for my back)

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Stay away from the pomegranate juice as it is a very powerful oestrogen loaded drink that will play havoc with your other problems.

I have no idea if this bears any relation to the subject in hand – but this is a quote from an email I sent to the old dragon this morning:
The old leg is playing up at the moment despite the Gabapentin. It does that once a month, just before the period. Very strange, but it's been happening ever since! So I was wondering last night in bed whether maybe somewhere your hormones are in a bit of "disarray"? Might be a totally stupid thought, but hey, who knows!

Is there a recognised link 'hormones to pain' as well or “just” to the fibromyalgia or IBS etc.?


To the old dragon:

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I have it in my head that I may be short of magnesium, although where that idea has come from I don't know
Magnesium is used to alleviate cramps in muscles/feeds muscles – so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if your muscles crave for magnesium after all the spasm!


(Even though I work for the NHS, I'm neither a doctor nor a scientist (I'm not British either, hence my English possibly being a bit weird), so please excuse any 'stupid' questions or using wrong words)



Yay - at last a good reason to convince the other half to get asparagus- and loads of it!! I LOVE asparagus, but he doesn't....

Off to find out more about IBT...

[Andrew K Fletcher]

Arachnoiditis is a neuropathic disease caused by the inflammation of the arachnoid, one of the membranes that surround and protect the nerves of the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. The arachnoid can become severely inflamed because of adverse reactions to chemicals and/or steroids, infection from bacteria or viruses, as the result of direct injury to the spine, chronic compression of spinal nerves, or complications from spinal surgery or other invasive spinal procedures. Inflammation can sometimes lead to the formation of scar tissue and adhesions which can cause the spinal nerves to "stick" together.

Epidurals cause this horrific condition. So some of your pain could be from past epidurals. It always puzzles me that people who have no idea how cerbrospinal fluid circulates through the body inject steroids and other chemicals into it without taking into account the fact that a difference in density to the spinal fluid can cause pressure changes and even stagnate the flow and that is not due to the inevitable chemical reactions from the injection but from the effects of the solutes in the fluids.

An underestimated powerful pain killer is stinging nettles. Nettle tea is also a powerful detox agent and full of iron. the sting from the nettle can also act directly on an affected area. Frozen shoulder for example completely resolved when a lady fell into nettles. But asside from this the tea tastes lovely and is very refreshing.

[grumpy old mare]

Thank you!
(I don't think I have Arachnoiditis)

[grumpy old mare]

But I'll try the nettle stings next time my back plays up - have enough of them on our field!
How is nettle tea made? We keep wanting to try it out as we're trying to use most of the "wild" plants we have anyway.

[Andrew K Fletcher]

You need to brew the whole plant with some root and stem as there are sterols and natural steroids, histamines and loads more some of which are not found in the leaves. Commercially made nettle tea contains the whole plant and can be ontained from health shops. Drying the nettles first gives the tea a cleaner taste but at the loss of some of the health benefits. It helps prevent period pains and reduces bleeding also.

[grumpy old mare]

Thank you, Andrew!! I'll try that! (I suppose brewing for 10 minutes?)

Anybody with any ideas re this?

Code:
Stay away from the pomegranate juice as it is a very powerful oestrogen loaded drink that will play havoc with your other problems
.

I have no idea if this bears any relation to the subject in hand – but this is a quote from an email I sent to the old dragon this morning:
The old leg is playing up at the moment despite the Gabapentin. It does that once a month, just before the period. Very strange, but it's been happening ever since! So I was wondering last night in bed whether maybe somewhere your hormones are in a bit of "disarray"? Might be a totally stupid thought, but hey, who knows!

Is there a recognised link 'hormones to pain' as well or “just” to the fibromyalgia or IBS etc.?

[OldDragon (OP)]

LOL - When it comes to long posts, I can hardly point a finger at you, now can I, GOM?

Andrew...

I am going to print out a large print version of your post in a minute, and take my time going through it. My eye muscles are still tired after it's only been possible to get another four house sleep and from gone 6am until my helper's husband telephone to try and wake me in time for the district nurse's visit. (My helper was worried sick, as she failed to wake me at all when here from 8 - 10 am.) Phone penetrated as far as the reptilian brain (archipallium) and just about reached the paleomammallian level by the time I answered. (Powerless over the first thought, but not over the second!) Thankfully, the neomammalian rationale surfaced before the tongue lashed!

Whatever, even through the p-holes in the snow, a LOT of things are leaping out at me from your post. Doing justice to any reply will take time - and probably a few more hours sleep, too. I am not fibro-fogged YET, but am not sufficiently alert to do justice to responding to your post at present - but I will be.

No more muscle spasms to report yet, either, but there was 100ml of discharge in the drain when it was changes, but the district nurse (a fellow fibro sufferer) forgave me and understood why only too well when I explained what I'd done. Stuck with the drain for at least another two days, though. Small price to pay to be free of those spasms!

Grumpy Old Mare...

Thanks for coming out into to open here.

Could it be that your challenge team's shaman's missing right arm is responsible for pulling your extra left leg? He is certainly helping to keep me awake with his mind games on the TRPD forum!

For the benefit of others here, this is copied and pasted from my reply to the Grumpy Old Mare's PM to me about the possible hormone connection...

Good point about the hormones, and possibly one worth you posting in that Naked Scientists thread, too. I have learned that, ref. the cancer, I am hormone receptive, therefore will be having the anti-hormone drug treatment in combination with chemo and probably radiotherapy. However, I had a hysterectomy in 1991, when they also removed my left ovary, leaving the right, which, apparently, now has cysts. Presumably unruptured egg follicles? That was left so that the hormones would help to delay any onset of osteoporosis.

I mentioned this recently to the cancer specialist nurse and the doctor, and was told it probably wasn't working now anyway.[/b]

Before I can take my replies further, I really do need to rest both my eyes and brain(s) now. I might even end up sleeping the clock around, which often happens after a really bad flare, so don't anyone worry if the old dragon appears to be in hibernation. She's just away with the dogs on the sofa... Yes, I know, barking mad.
(A bit like the spell-check on here, it seems... clearly lacks education... How the heck IS 'unruptured' spelled, please? It sure as heck isn't an enraptured egg follicle in that condition!)

Grumpy Old Mare - just realised that your team mate's gonna get another win as soon as I hit the 'Post' button... But I am too tired now to care let alone explain... 'Enraptured Egg Follicles Challenge' my aging... donkey! Let your extra leg explain that one.

[Andrew K Fletcher]

Thank you, Andrew!! I'll try that! (I suppose brewing for 10 minutes?)

Anybody with any ideas re this?

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/practical-guides/a-cup-of-nettle-tea/
Interesting video here also

http://www.vortexhealth.net/stinging_nettle.html For an in depth analysis of the properties of stinging nettles

[OldDragon (OP)]

Stinging nettles have long been a treatment known in folk medicine and I can recall witnessing travelling people (Romany and Irish) using them on themselves and others back in the 60s and 70s when I spent time doing seasonal work on farms fruit picking. A colleague has a very old journal that has been handed down through many generations, and that details, amongst other things, the use of a nettle poultice for what we believe refers to gout.

Yes, I know I am supposed to be sleeping, but was blasted into a state of alertness by the knowledge that a challenge opponent pal of Grumpy Old Mare's has blown a fuse... or three along with a work's computer! pmsl

Andrew, can you tell me what brain chemical/s production in me could have been boosted by this as a stimuli, please? Also, what can I do to damp them or it down, please?

I feel as if I've taken something akin to speed, yet had nothing - not even any tea since the one mug this morning. Mentally wide awake again, but my body is wrecked and crying out for sleep/rest. Just going to have a glass of apple juice and try some meditation to bring me down enough to sleep.

[Karen W.]

LOL - When it comes to long posts, I can hardly point a finger at you, now can I, GOM?

Andrew...

I am going to print out a large print version of your post in a minute, and take my time going through it. My eye muscles are still tired after it's only been possible to get another four house sleep and from gone 6am until my helper's husband telephone to try and wake me in time for the district nurse's visit. (My helper was worried sick, as she failed to wake me at all when here from 8 - 10 am.) Phone penetrated as far as the reptilian brain (archipallium) and just about reached the paleomammallian level by the time I answered. (Powerless over the first thought, but not over the second!) Thankfully, the neomammalian rationale surfaced before the tongue lashed!

Whatever, even through the p-holes in the snow, a LOT of things are leaping out at me from your post. Doing justice to any reply will take time - and probably a few more hours sleep, too. I am not fibro-fogged YET, but am not sufficiently alert to do justice to responding to your post at present - but I will be.

No more muscle spasms to report yet, either, but there was 100ml of discharge in the drain when it was changes, but the district nurse (a fellow fibro sufferer) forgave me and understood why only too well when I explained what I'd done. Stuck with the drain for at least another two days, though. Small price to pay to be free of those spasms!

Grumpy Old Mare...

Thanks for coming out into to open here.

Could it be that your challenge team's shaman's missing right arm is responsible for pulling your extra left leg? He is certainly helping to keep me awake with his mind games on the TRPD forum!

For the benefit of others here, this is copied and pasted from my reply to the Grumpy Old Mare's PM to me about the possible hormone connection...

Good point about the hormones, and possibly one worth you posting in that Naked Scientists thread, too. I have learned that, ref. the cancer, I am hormone receptive, therefore will be having the anti-hormone drug treatment in combination with chemo and probably radiotherapy. However, I had a hysterectomy in 1991, when they also removed my left ovary, leaving the right, which, apparently, now has cysts. Presumably unruptured egg follicles? That was left so that the hormones would help to delay any onset of osteoporosis.

I mentioned this recently to the cancer specialist nurse and the doctor, and was told it probably wasn't working now anyway.[/b]

Before I can take my replies further, I really do need to rest both my eyes and brain(s) now. I might even end up sleeping the clock around, which often happens after a really bad flare, so don't anyone worry if the old dragon appears to be in hibernation. She's just away with the dogs on the sofa... Yes, I know, barking mad.
(A bit like the spell-check on here, it seems... clearly lacks education... How the heck IS 'unruptured' spelled, please? It sure as heck isn't an enraptured egg follicle in that condition!)

Grumpy Old Mare - just realised that your team mate's gonna get another win as soon as I hit the 'Post' button... But I am too tired now to care let alone explain... 'Enraptured Egg Follicles Challenge' my aging... donkey! Let your extra leg explain that one.

You are right about spell check it really needs help and updating! LOL

I have a question about the pomegranate juice.  A friend of mine is drinking it also in hopes she will receive some benefits... what kind of troubles specifically did you run into.. if you have time or energy to post back? Thank you and hope you get some relief soon.

[SIMike]

Karen, as far as I know Al (Old Dragon) has not been taking pomegranate juice. Andrew would be the person to ask about its significance.

I can find the unopened carton of it that Al mentioned buying in the fridge. Would have been tempted to drink it until I read what Andrew said... Don't fancy developing man-boobs, so come on Andrew, let's have more information on this. What is the significance to both males and females if they partake of this stuff?

There's a hell of a lot of information in this thread already. How about some ideas about which supermarket chains stock frozen asparagus? I happen to know Al loves the stuff, and yet whenever she tries to grow it, it fails in her soil.

Spell check nearly got me again! Man-boobs nearly became nabobs??? Could make a game out of this... Oh, I forgot! We already are.

For anyone interested, the Old Dragon's still comatose but snoring well. One dog keeping the backs of her legs warm, another keeping her back pushed against the back of her sofa by lying in front of her chest.

Brings a whole new meaning to the term '3 in a bed'. Perhaps this is why she keeps rejecting me... Three's company, four a crowd, and especially on a sofa.

Anyone know what time she crashed out? Just wondering how much longer I need to dragon-sit without nodding off myself? Time for a caffeine fix, I think.

[Karen W.]

Her last post was 15/06/2008 22:36:32

[Karen W.]

Regaurding this..

Old dragon

"I have quite a complex medical history that includes spinal damage; fibromyalgia and recently diagnosed breast cancer - oh, and I need to lose around 4 stones to aid mobility but without that impacting on pending chemotherapy (following lumpectomy and full lymph node axillary clearance) and fibro associated IBS sensitivities."

I would be very interested in hearing what you are trying to do for the weight. I am in a medical situation where my mobility is very restricted and yet I need to loose a lot of weight to get myself in better shape for surgical repairs to happen on my heart... I have a great deal of trouble walking 30 ft without becoming nauseated and going into dry heaves and having my blood pressure drop down to dangerous levels.. May I ask you if you have some things that work for you to keep you mobile and burning calories?

My emotions get the best of me and I find it quite hard to deal with all the problems that have bombarded my body .. I have many different physical problems ongoing at the same time as you..I have CFS and serious heart problems .. infections etc..

Your input would be very helpful and appreciated.. My best to you and many good wishes and strength sent your way.

Karen

[grumpy old mare]

A friend of mine is drinking it also in hopes she will receive some benefits... what kind of troubles specifically did you run into..

I'd still really be interested re the hormonal stuff, too, as posted above...

[OldDragon (OP)]

Hi Karen, the fact of the matter re. my weight is I'm struggling with it, too.

I need to replace the batteries in my scales later today and once the nurse has been here (and the scent of a certain BIG PUSSCAT clears from the air, and who will be reduced to CAT GUT when I get hold of him ) but I'll weigh myself then and let you know if I've managed to reduce it from the 196lbs pre-op. If so, then it probably will be due to the pain/sweating/spasms etc., rather than diet or other forms of exercise.

There's a thread around here about thinking and weight loss that I have read, though, and the amount I have been doing lately should have pulled a tiny bit off! Diet-wise, I've been picking, but mostly fruit and veg/salads, tuna, cereals and the odd lapse into a bit of quiche and a good old beefy sandwich.

The challenges that I've been playing help to burn calories, but those can wreck my sleep patterns as much as the FM can. The chap that plays these games on Grumpy Old Mare's team as 'the Shaman' for the team is a wiry fellow who eats more than a herd of pigs and yet never seems to go over ten stones! How I envy him! Wish I had that metabolism nowadays, although there was a time when I was active and eating like a horse that I looked more like someone with anorexia and was struggling to stay over 8st. Of course, I was a lot younger then. However, at 5'6" tall and large boned, 10 st would be a realistic and healthier weight for me that around the 14 st that I was last time I was weighed in the hospital.

Perhaps there are people - experts - on here who could look into these aspects that affect those of us in our position? It could have a significant benefit to the NHS, as well as many other people in similar positions.

I can see that I've an awful lot of reading to catch up on. Work here for my voluntary job, too. Why are there never enough hours in a day and why does so much happen when one is sleeping? (But I see I've won a a very tasty challenge over on the Triune board, and so effortlessly, too.) I am going to have a lot of fun there. Roll on the Panto Dame with the shears... Off to skin a Wildcat. That having had the rest, now I need the work and the play side of things. (Work being the therapeutic variety and nothing more strenuous than packing parcels and making a few things on a sewing machine.) The play is the brain fodder that helps to keep me positive when surrounded by negativity - but it does burn energy, and as Grumpy Old Mare says (possibly on the Triune forum, not here) it can be like an overloaded computer at times and fry one's brain! Heck of an adrenaline rush, too, which takes it's toll on bodies that are already compromised. I must be mad, but have issued a challenge to the Shaman this morning, and for the Solstice night, too! Lol Nothing like going for gold and all sheets to the wind!

[Karen W.]

I have been unable to move sufficiently enough to keep the weight off. I have been in bed pretty much most of the last year and have gained 22+ pounds.. I just got my treadmill back up and am making efforts to walk on there several times a day even if its only for 5 minutes a shot if I make it that far.. some days its doable... Some days its not! I get winded very quickly and get sick and pass out if I am not careful.. I just started a couple Asthma inhalers to open up my bronchial tubes because my air way has shrunk and is giving me the business. They are helping me to breath better and to get the fluid up out of my lungs. This in turn is helping me to walk some further and to move around more without collapsing.

 Are there any exercises you use to help you that are pretty easily accomplished.. I find trying to make the bed very difficult.. by the time I am done the bed is ready for my collapse and I do.. takes me ten to 15 minutes just to get my breathing back to a semi normal state and get cooled off. Its crazy.

I have had to quit my job due to this and have very little energy to play but I am trying anyway.. I miss my life... so any tips on continuing to live with a good mindset are welcome...

Its nice meeting you and I think your input here will be very much appreciated.. you seem so well adjusted to the circumstances .. and I am not.. I need tips.. I get so frustrated...