Guest guest Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Hi, This response about treatment of Fibromyalgia, is about my experiences with treatment, treated in 5-Element tradition, for the most part. (HIPPA can't say anything, as it is my own information:-) I think my comments might serve you as practitioners. The incredible changes that I experienced led me to become an acupuncture student. I am quite a beginner at 5-E, and know little about TCM (although I have been reading Bob Flaws' book on treating Fibromyalgia.) I LOVE school, and am facinated with what I am learning. As a patient, I discoverd I am very sensitive to the energy movement, could tell where it was going most of the time, before I knew anything about the meridians. I knew in my body that changes were happening. I spent about 15 years attempting to get a diagnosis,. Doctors said they didn't 'believe in' fibromyalgia, and as a nurse, I had not heard of it. It sure beat lupus, MS, and CNS scleraderma, which were other possibilities. It took years to get any reasonable treatment. My doctoer was just beginning to see patients with it, and the rheumatologists just wanted to load me up with drugs, tell me to lose weight and esercise. I went to a rehab program, which helped somewhat- I think the heated pool twice a week was the biggest help. The first problem I had was bladder-related--urge incontinence. In working me up for MS, they found slow nerve conduiction centrally and peripherally, so sent me to an endocrinologist who gave me a pamphlet on dieting! Eventually, I was tested for thyroid hormones, which were very low. Took synthroid, which helped the muscle weakness and hair loss. Still exhausted, etc, etc. My life was falling apart all over, was considering taking disability, when I met someone who had a friend studying at TAI, so I decided to try it... The first 3 months, I began to feel better, mostly emotionally, and the pain and exhaustion began to improve. In 3 more months I was much, much better, and thinking about going back to school. Befroe treatment, I would never even have imagined going to school full time AND working full time! I couldn't even think straight, and was wiped out just showering and dressing to go to work. My practitioner treated me mostly in water, my CF, and some earth. At about 8 months, they decided I had a CV/GV block, and with that treatment, the PAIN WENT AWAY!!! It has been a year, and I have had a couple of days with some tenderness, but nothing near what it was. My first practiotioner talked to me a lot about the elements and also about the spirit of the points, which I found very meaningful, and helpful in looking at my life. One of the huge changes is the recogniton of how I deal emotionally, how I hold emotional pain physically in order not to feel it. I had a number of AHA moments, vivid dreams, and even one where I was very upset about childhood issues, cried about it for the first time, and felt heat rising out of my muscles! I spent dseveral months crying for any or no reason. Now, I am much freer emotionaally and spiritually, and feel more whole and centered inside myself than I can remember in my life. I am continuing treatment, which has been very helpful in handling the pace. The symptom I still have the most difficulty with is the very first one-my bladder trouble, which has been worse lately, so we are working on that. I still have exercise intolerence, and have not lost weight, which I know would help. So that is my next challange. I am interested in others' experiences in treating people with FMS. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Hi Susan! I suffered with a big weight problem for many years. I finally tried Overeater's Anonymous about 15 years ago and lost over 70 lbs. I am only about 180 now, which is maybe 15 lbs overweight by insurance tables. Of course, your mileage may vary . . . I tell patients to only try to lose 1 pound per week, but to do it continuously every week for as long as it takes. More than 1 pound a week you have the problem of relapsing into a " feeding frenzy " and gaining it all back plus 5 lbs. At 01:43 AM 4/18/2004, you wrote: >Hi, >This response about treatment of Fibromyalgia Regards, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2004 Report Share Posted April 19, 2004 Quoting Susan Atlas <susan.atlas: > Susan - Thank you for your posting. I am a new practitioner and have moved to an area of the country where I am pretty much the sole TCM practitioner. I have a couple of Fibromyalgia patients and have been invited to participate in a Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome conference. Would you have any objections to my using your posting (anonymous of course) as a testimonial at the conference. Your background as a nurse and a fellow sufferer may help to break down some barriers to those unsure about seeking treatment. Kayte Halstead Acupuncture 4 Health > > > > Hi, > > This response about treatment of Fibromyalgia, is about my experiences with > > treatment, treated in 5-Element tradition, for the most part. (HIPPA can't > > say anything, as it is my own information:-) I think my comments might serve > > you as practitioners. The incredible changes that I experienced led me to > > become an acupuncture student. I am quite a beginner at 5-E, and know > > little about TCM (although I have been reading Bob Flaws' book on treating > > Fibromyalgia.) I LOVE school, and am facinated with what I am learning. As a > > patient, I discoverd I am very sensitive to the energy movement, could tell > > where it was going most of the time, before I knew anything about the > > meridians. I knew in my body that changes were happening. > > I spent about 15 years attempting to get a diagnosis,. Doctors said they > > didn't 'believe in' fibromyalgia, and as a nurse, I had not heard of it. It > > sure beat lupus, MS, and CNS scleraderma, which were other possibilities. It > > took years to get any reasonable treatment. My doctoer was just beginning to > > see patients with it, and the rheumatologists just wanted to load me up with > > drugs, tell me to lose weight and esercise. I went to a rehab program, which > > helped somewhat- I think the heated pool twice a week was the biggest help. > > The first problem I had was bladder-related--urge incontinence. In working > > me up for MS, they found slow nerve conduiction centrally and peripherally, > > so sent me to an endocrinologist who gave me a pamphlet on dieting! > > Eventually, I was tested for thyroid hormones, which were very low. Took > > synthroid, which helped the muscle weakness and hair loss. Still exhausted, > > etc, etc. My life was falling apart all over, was considering taking > > disability, when I met someone who had a friend studying at TAI, so I > > decided to try it... > > The first 3 months, I began to feel better, mostly emotionally, and the pain > > and exhaustion began to improve. In 3 more months I was much, much better, > > and thinking about going back to school. Befroe treatment, I would never > > even have imagined going to school full time AND working full time! I > > couldn't even think straight, and was wiped out just showering and dressing > > to go to work. My practitioner treated me mostly in water, my CF, and some > > earth. At about 8 months, they decided I had a CV/GV block, and with that > > treatment, the PAIN WENT AWAY!!! It has been a year, and I have had a > > couple of days with some tenderness, but nothing near what it was. My first > > practiotioner talked to me a lot about the elements and also about the > > spirit of the points, which I found very meaningful, and helpful in looking > > at my life. > > One of the huge changes is the recogniton of how I deal emotionally, how I > > hold emotional pain physically in order not to feel it. I had a number of > > AHA moments, vivid dreams, and even one where I was very upset about > > childhood issues, cried about it for the first time, and felt heat rising > > out of my muscles! I spent dseveral months crying for any or no reason. Now, > > I am much freer emotionaally and spiritually, and feel more whole and > > centered inside myself than I can remember in my life. > > I am continuing treatment, which has been very helpful in handling the pace. > > The symptom I still have the most difficulty with is the very first one-my > > bladder trouble, which has been worse lately, so we are working on that. I > > still have exercise intolerence, and have not lost weight, which I know > > would help. So that is my next challange. > > I am interested in others' experiences in treating people with FMS. > > Sue > > > > > Membership requires that you do not post any commerical, swear, religious, > spam messages,flame another member or swear. > > > > To change your email delivery settings, > Chinese Medicine/ click ‘edit my > membership' on the right hand side and adjust accordingly. > > > > If you , it takes a few days for the messages to stop being > delivered. > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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