Things that need checking?
Kinkatia posted:
Hello! It's been a long time since I've been on here. My boyfriend came to visit for three weeks and now the panic of the approaching semester is starting to set in, so I've been a bit distracted.
Anyway, I've been trying to control my symptoms via diet, exercise, and really everything that's not medication, since I believe quite strongly that I can overcome this and that pharmaceuticals are a last resort, not the first. Heading back to school will help, since school is in a big city and not the physician-deprived rural area I've grown up in. My plan is to get myself to the campus counseling center, see the nurse practitioners in the student health center so they can refer me to a dietician and a physical therapist so I get some coaching in the areas I sorely need it.
I'm also going to ask for some tests, too. For one, I very much want to be tested for food and chemical sensitivities, since I don't have the time or the attention span to figure them out for myself and I want to start feeling better as soon as possible, what with a full course load and a senior thesis looming. But I also want to be tested to see if I've got any deficiencies which could be aggravating my symptoms. I know I'm due for iron and Vitamin D tests, and I think I read somewhere that it'd be a good idea to have the B12 levels checked too.
So now to my questions. Is there any other deficiency I should be checked for, while I'm at it? Anything else I should look into doing? I really want to get on top of things and figure out what best relieves my pain and fatigue, preferably while I've still got my dad's insurance and my parents are still paying for my healthcare. That's gonna end soon after I graduate this May, so I figure now's the time to get started, right?
Anyway, I've been trying to control my symptoms via diet, exercise, and really everything that's not medication, since I believe quite strongly that I can overcome this and that pharmaceuticals are a last resort, not the first. Heading back to school will help, since school is in a big city and not the physician-deprived rural area I've grown up in. My plan is to get myself to the campus counseling center, see the nurse practitioners in the student health center so they can refer me to a dietician and a physical therapist so I get some coaching in the areas I sorely need it.
I'm also going to ask for some tests, too. For one, I very much want to be tested for food and chemical sensitivities, since I don't have the time or the attention span to figure them out for myself and I want to start feeling better as soon as possible, what with a full course load and a senior thesis looming. But I also want to be tested to see if I've got any deficiencies which could be aggravating my symptoms. I know I'm due for iron and Vitamin D tests, and I think I read somewhere that it'd be a good idea to have the B12 levels checked too.
So now to my questions. Is there any other deficiency I should be checked for, while I'm at it? Anything else I should look into doing? I really want to get on top of things and figure out what best relieves my pain and fatigue, preferably while I've still got my dad's insurance and my parents are still paying for my healthcare. That's gonna end soon after I graduate this May, so I figure now's the time to get started, right?
4 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Things that need checking?Hello! It's been a long time since I've been on here. My boyfriend came to visit for three weeks and now the panic of the approaching semester is starting to set in, so I've been a bit distracted.<br /><br />Anyway, I've been trying to control my symptoms via diet, exercise, and really everything that's not medication, since I believe quite strongly that I can overcome this and that pharmaceuticals are a last resort, not the first. Heading back to school will help, since school is in a big city and not the physician-deprived rural area I've grown up in. My plan is to get myself to the campus counseling center, see the nurse practitioners in the student health center so they can refer me to a dietician and a physical therapist so I get some coaching in the areas I sorely need it. <br /><br />I'm also going to ask for some tests, too. For one, I very much want to be tested for food and chemical sensitivities, since I don't have the time or the attention span to figure them out for myself and I want to start feeling better as soon as possible, what with a full course load and a senior thesis looming. But I also want to be tested to see if I've got any deficiencies which could be aggravating my symptoms. I know I'm due for iron and Vitamin D tests, and I think I read somewhere that it'd be a good idea to have the B12 levels checked too. <br /><br />So now to my questions. Is there any other deficiency I should be checked for, while I'm at it? Anything else I should look into doing? I really want to get on top of things and figure out what best relieves my pain and fatigue, preferably while I've still got my dad's insurance and my parents are still paying for my healthcare. That's gonna end soon after I graduate this May, so I figure now's the time to get started, right?
angelldakota responded:
Hi Kinkatia... welcome back... sounds like you are going to get very busy very soon... if you are not already busy... lol... I read a super strength within your words that tells me you are a great success story in the making...
I also think I heard that B 13 and B 15 are energy builders... they help with digestion and thus give us more energy... they do for the most part work for me... for me... I have to be totally worn out to crash and It use to take very little to make me sleep for days... I hope this helps a little... sorry it took so long to respond... I kept falling asleep on the keyboard... lol... my days to crash lately... had a long week last week lol... sometimes I just have to count my days of stress and then I sleep lol... my way of recharging lol...
plus I ran out of my vitamins about a week ago and haven;t gotten out to replace them... lol... to me thus I sleep lol...
take care...
I also think I heard that B 13 and B 15 are energy builders... they help with digestion and thus give us more energy... they do for the most part work for me... for me... I have to be totally worn out to crash and It use to take very little to make me sleep for days... I hope this helps a little... sorry it took so long to respond... I kept falling asleep on the keyboard... lol... my days to crash lately... had a long week last week lol... sometimes I just have to count my days of stress and then I sleep lol... my way of recharging lol...
plus I ran out of my vitamins about a week ago and haven;t gotten out to replace them... lol... to me thus I sleep lol...
take care...
When you need a friend, reach out to a stranger and you will have one. If you need help, help someone else. if you need to cry, find someone already crying and celebrate life.
Love Jan
Report This| Share this:Things that need checking?Hi Kinkatia... welcome back... sounds like you are going to get very busy very soon... if you are not already busy... lol... I read a super strength within your words that tells me you are a great success story in the making... <br /><br />I also think I heard that B 13 and B 15 are energy builders... they help with digestion and thus give us more energy... they do for the most part work for me... for me... I have to be totally worn out to crash and It use to take very little to make me sleep for days... I hope this helps a little... sorry it took so long to respond... I kept falling asleep on the keyboard... lol... my days to crash lately... had a long week last week lol... sometimes I just have to count my days of stress and then I sleep lol... my way of recharging lol... <br /><br />plus I ran out of my vitamins about a week ago and haven;t gotten out to replace them... lol... to me thus I sleep lol... <br /><br />take care...
Kinkatia replied to angelldakota's response:
Aw, I hope you're less tired soon! Make the effort to go get some more vitamins if they'll help!
Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely ask about B13 and B15. Now that my brain is functioning at normal capacity again, it occurs to me that I should ask about other deficiencies that might cause fatigue (since that's my biggest problem nowadays) and get checked for them as well? This seems to be a good idea.
And gee, you've made me smile. I hope I can be a success story. I certainly don't want to manage my fibro as poorly as my mother manages hers. Up until about a year and a half ago when everything kicked into overdrive I was hyper active, outdoorsy, and into dancing and tennis and super long walks in the rain. I'm not about to let the fibro take my life away from me. I'm okay now. My symptoms aren't that bad most days. I'm still young and resilient. But I decided long ago that I'm not ever going to settle for okay. I want to thrive, and if that means I've got a few years of a lot of work, I'll charge right on through.
The irony is that charging on through mostly means learning to slow down.
Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely ask about B13 and B15. Now that my brain is functioning at normal capacity again, it occurs to me that I should ask about other deficiencies that might cause fatigue (since that's my biggest problem nowadays) and get checked for them as well? This seems to be a good idea.
And gee, you've made me smile. I hope I can be a success story. I certainly don't want to manage my fibro as poorly as my mother manages hers. Up until about a year and a half ago when everything kicked into overdrive I was hyper active, outdoorsy, and into dancing and tennis and super long walks in the rain. I'm not about to let the fibro take my life away from me. I'm okay now. My symptoms aren't that bad most days. I'm still young and resilient. But I decided long ago that I'm not ever going to settle for okay. I want to thrive, and if that means I've got a few years of a lot of work, I'll charge right on through.
The irony is that charging on through mostly means learning to slow down.
Report This| Share this:Things that need checking?Aw, I hope you're less tired soon! Make the effort to go get some more vitamins if they'll help! <br /><br />Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely ask about B13 and B15. Now that my brain is functioning at normal capacity again, it occurs to me that I should ask about other deficiencies that might cause fatigue (since that's my biggest problem nowadays) and get checked for them as well? This seems to be a good idea. <br /><br />And gee, you've made me smile. I hope I can be a success story. I certainly don't want to manage my fibro as poorly as my mother manages hers. Up until about a year and a half ago when everything kicked into overdrive I was hyper active, outdoorsy, and into dancing and tennis and super long walks in the rain. I'm not about to let the fibro take my life away from me. I'm okay now. My symptoms aren't that bad most days. I'm still young and resilient. But I decided long ago that I'm not ever going to settle for okay. I want to thrive, and if that means I've got a few years of a lot of work, I'll charge right on through. <br /><br />The irony is that charging on through mostly means learning to slow down. <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
jamesii responded:
I learned that hormone levels also can play a part in this rotten feeling. I was dx'd with low testosterone. Dr put me on patches to bring it up. I don't ache as much, put me on lyrica. I am not as sore, depressed, weak, and run down as before.
Exercize is said to be the best med there is. a lot of people can't do that,Ii can and do. It has really helped. I walk and swim in my pool.
Also, I have been told that certain foods make it worse. A brother to fibro is IBS. A lot of foods agitate that and really make you feel bad. There aren't really any good meds for Ibs. I was told to write down the foods that make me ill or hurt in my intestines. Keep that list close by so as to remember to no longer eat those. I do that, and it helps.
God bless you on your journey thru school. I did that for 7 years to get several degrees. It was worth it, but really took a toll on my body.
God bless, Ark. Jim
Exercize is said to be the best med there is. a lot of people can't do that,Ii can and do. It has really helped. I walk and swim in my pool.
Also, I have been told that certain foods make it worse. A brother to fibro is IBS. A lot of foods agitate that and really make you feel bad. There aren't really any good meds for Ibs. I was told to write down the foods that make me ill or hurt in my intestines. Keep that list close by so as to remember to no longer eat those. I do that, and it helps.
God bless you on your journey thru school. I did that for 7 years to get several degrees. It was worth it, but really took a toll on my body.
God bless, Ark. Jim
Report This| Share this:Things that need checking?I learned that hormone levels also can play a part in this rotten feeling. I was dx'd with low testosterone. Dr put me on patches to bring it up. I don't ache as much, put me on lyrica. I am not as sore, depressed, weak, and run down as before.<br /> <br />Exercize is said to be the best med there is. a lot of people can't do that,Ii can and do. It has really helped. I walk and swim in my pool.<br /> <br />Also, I have been told that certain foods make it worse. A brother to fibro is IBS. A lot of foods agitate that and really make you feel bad. There aren't really any good meds for Ibs. I was told to write down the foods that make me ill or hurt in my intestines. Keep that list close by so as to remember to no longer eat those. I do that, and it helps.<br /> <br />God bless you on your journey thru school. I did that for 7 years to get several degrees. It was worth it, but really took a toll on my body.<br /> <br /> <br />God bless, Ark. Jim
I'll see about getting my hormone levels checked, but I'm actually fairly confident that mine are good. This is based purely upon years of imbalances and familiarity with how a hormonal imbalance makes me feel, so I could be wrong, but I suppose we'll see?
I'm definitely going to work on the exercise. While I was studying in England I took tai chi lessons, and that did wonders for me. There's free tai chi twice a week on campus, and I'm gonna try to make it to both, and once I've consulted with a physical therapist, I'm going to acquire a gym buddy, since I get free access to the campus gym. Oh, the perks of being a college student.
I'm already starting to make what I'm calling an anti-shopping list, full of things i'm not allowed to eat. I think I'll manage. After all, giving up chocolate was the hardest part, and I've managed that better than I expected!
I'm impressed you managed several degrees! I just want the one, at least for now, and my main concern is my symptoms preventing me from graduating on time. Last semester taught me the hard way that I really need to take better care. . .
I'm definitely going to work on the exercise. While I was studying in England I took tai chi lessons, and that did wonders for me. There's free tai chi twice a week on campus, and I'm gonna try to make it to both, and once I've consulted with a physical therapist, I'm going to acquire a gym buddy, since I get free access to the campus gym. Oh, the perks of being a college student.
I'm already starting to make what I'm calling an anti-shopping list, full of things i'm not allowed to eat. I think I'll manage. After all, giving up chocolate was the hardest part, and I've managed that better than I expected!
I'm impressed you managed several degrees! I just want the one, at least for now, and my main concern is my symptoms preventing me from graduating on time. Last semester taught me the hard way that I really need to take better care. . .
Report This| Share this:Things that need checking?I'll see about getting my hormone levels checked, but I'm actually fairly confident that mine are good. This is based purely upon years of imbalances and familiarity with how a hormonal imbalance makes me feel, so I could be wrong, but I suppose we'll see?<br /><br />I'm definitely going to work on the exercise. While I was studying in England I took tai chi lessons, and that did wonders for me. There's free tai chi twice a week on campus, and I'm gonna try to make it to both, and once I've consulted with a physical therapist, I'm going to acquire a gym buddy, since I get free access to the campus gym. Oh, the perks of being a college student. <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0"><br /><br />I'm already starting to make what I'm calling an anti-shopping list, full of things i'm not allowed to eat. I think I'll manage. After all, giving up chocolate was the hardest part, and I've managed that better than I expected! <br /><br />I'm impressed you managed several degrees! I just want the one, at least for now, and my main concern is my symptoms preventing me from graduating on time. Last semester taught me the hard way that I really need to take better care. . .
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