For Everything There is a Season

"In order to write about life, first you must live it." ~ Ernest Hemingway

Category: wellness

Making Life Work

August 11, 2015 / / 6 Comments

So it’s about 4pm on a weeknight and I just finished cooking part of tonight’s dinner. And, that’s late for me. I’m usually done earlier than 4pm, depending on how much I am cooking.

I know, it’s weird.
And I am finally OK with that.

We don’t eat supper that early. Usually we eat anytime between 5-6:30pm. For me, the earlier the better, but my husband does have a regular full-time job and well, he works until 5pm, at least. So it is pretty common for me to pre-cook dinner and then just nuke it when we are ready to sit down and eat. Because the reality is, if it doesn’t get cooked early, there may be no supper. Except maybe cereal. Or take-out. And well, a healthy eating plan doesn’t involve much of either of those. I don’t know what people with chronic illnesses did before the invention of the microwave!

This is just one of the many accommodations I have had to figure out and accept since I realized that my energy levels are going to be unpredictable…like, for the rest of my life. Pre-Sjögren’s, I would have the typical mid-afternoon energy slump like everyone else, and then would bounce right back. But autoimmune disease redefines the meaning of the word fatigue. We are talking mind-numbing, body stopping, I can’t take another step or blink my eye kind of exhaustion. There is oftentimes no warning and when it hits, look out. For some of us, it’s a constant, pervasive kind of tiredness.

In the past, I would ignore the warning signals my body was attempting to give me. I was too busy trying to function as a person without an illness, in a busy world where chronic illness is usually not accepted or understood. In a world where the motto is “go, go, go”, no matter what the price to our bodies may be. Just keep caffeinating. Just keep doing. And then I would get frustrated that my body couldn’t keep up.

As the years go by, the fatigue issues has become more of an issue for me during the day. I started to notice that in the mornings, when many people with autoimmune illness are at their worst, I would be at my best. Maybe not always pain-wise, but definitely energy wise. I noticed a trend when I started working that there is a very specific time in the afternoon when I start to go downhill. When I sub (as a school nurse) at the high school, I have the most energy. Those hours are from 7:25am to 2pm. The elementary school is the most difficult for me and those hours are 8:30am to 3:15pm. I notice that I can predict a significant increase in my fatigue beginning around 2pm.

That is the first shift in energy levels. The second starts sometime after 5pm. It’s all downhill from there and by 6pm, I render myself pretty useless. I am typically in my pajamas by suppertime. Nighttime activities have become harder and harder. I recently dropped out of a twelve week choir class because the 7-9pm weekly class was killing me. Evening church activities, conference calls, and meetings, for various things, have become something that I have had to rethink in terms of priorities. Up until very recently, I continued to do these things, despite the obvious detriment to my overall health.

There are some occasions where I can push past the fatigue to get myself to an evening event and even enjoy myself. I have come to realize that this is usually during an event I am really excited about such as a friend’s party, concert I’ve really wanting to see, etc. After a little research on that, I found out that the chemical hormones that are released when someone is excited about doing something actually have a positive influence on a person’s physical well being. Honestly, I think that is the only reason I can get myself to an 8pm concert! However the ramifications of those evening events are high, sometimes too high.

I have recently decided that for now, I am going to start scheduling my appointments, friend dates, etc.around what my body is telling me, as often as possible Nowadays, I wake up and am ready to roll between 6:30-7am and by 2-3pm, I’m done. Instead of pushing past those limits every single day, I’ve started to respect them. The problem is, the rest of the world doesn’t always respect them or understand. Let’s face it, in this country anyways, most social functions take place after 5pm and on weekends.

My husband and I go to a lot of concerts together and honestly, sometimes it is incredibly difficult. It will say that the concert start time is 7 or 8pm when in reality, the main act doesn’t get rolling until 9pm. We recently went to an afternoon concert that started at 2pm and it was truly one of the best times I have had with him and some other friends of ours. I was alert and able to concentrate. I wasn’t so focused on how exhausted I was and my pain levels was manageable. I had a lot of fun. Same thing for a recent afternoon Red Sox game, which started in the afternoon instead of the evening. A few hours difference can make or break a day for me and just as importantly, make or break the rest of the week.The running joke between my husband and I is that whenever there is an evening social event, no matter what time it starts, we have to be out of the house by 4pm so I can keep some momentum going!

Another example is from this morning. I had a close friend over for a visit. She’s an early riser as well and we were eating breakfast together and chatting at my house at 9am. I can actually remember everything she said to me because that mind numbing fatigue hadn’t set in yet.

I know there are going to be exceptions and I will occasionally have to make concessions. And,I don’t expect the world to completely function according to my illness needs. But that being said, I have recently realized that I also have the choice to say no. Last week, I think I used the word “no” more often than in the previous six months combined. But, that’s a topic for another post! The point is, I get to choose what is best for me. If it sometimes, or often, means missing out on things I would normally want to attend, then so be it. The right people will understand.

I recently said something to my husband about this. It was a Saturday night and we were home together watching TV. It was about 7pm and I couldn’t hold my head up any longer. So I asked him if he would go to bed early with me. I’m not usually sleeping at 7pm, but I am resting in bed. I felt bad because it was a Saturday night and that had been happening a lot lately. And I told him that…that I felt bad he doesn’t stay up late like he used to before we started dating, because he wants to spend time with me. His response was profound and basically he said that altering his lifestyle/routine to accommodate me was better than not being with me. Again, the right people will understand.

Since I’ve started listening to my body more and making adjustments, I have noticed that I am much more productive during that 6:30am-2pm time frame. Because I am rested. It’s not a lot of time to work with and once school starts in September, it will be even much less so. But, the house has been cleaner, I’m getting more errands done, and I am spending more time at the gym. I am more tuned in to people and I am remembering more of my conversations with other people.

Is this the way I would have chosen to live my life? No. I’d rather not have Sjögren’s at all. I’d rather live a life like I used to: sleeping eight hours a day and then being able to function throughout the remaining sixteen hours, without exception. But rather than being a victim, I’m working on figuring out what DOES work for me. You can do a lot of living in just seven hours a day. And honestly, many days, it’s even less than that. My days may not have a lot of quantity, but they most certainly have a lot of quality.

Going DownThe Road of Integrative Medicine

January 7, 2013 / / 6 Comments
 

“Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.”~ Frederick B. Wilcox

 
 

I had been toying with the idea of seeing an integrative medicine doctor regarding my autoimmune issues for over a year. Integrative medicine takes into account the whole person and uses both conventional and alternative medicine as treatment. It focuses on body, mind, spirit, and community rather than just flesh, bones, and organs. It combines conventional medical treatment with complimentary and alternative treatments (CAM). Some of these CAM practices and treatments include dietary supplements, energy healing, clinical nutrition, and detoxification. Integrative medicine focuses on eliminating the cause of the disease rather than just managing the symptoms. Some people see integrative medicine doctors as quacks and some people view them as miracle workers. I know people who have seen them and the reviews have been mixed, although I would say I have heard more positive experiences than negative ones.

Despite the fact that the autoimmune illness I have, Sjogren’s syndrome, had been unstable for years (except with higher doses of steroids which are a nightmare to deal with), I had put off the idea of seeing an integrative medicine doctor. It wasn’t that I hadn’t dabbled in what I guess would be called alternative medicine, such as acupuncture and massage, but the idea of anything other than standard Western medicine making me healthier seemed foreign to me. Maybe that was due to the fact that I am an RN. I have been trained in traditional medicine and it is all I’ve ever known. However it was becoming clearer to me that perhaps traditional medicine alone was not going to be the answer for me. Not that I was looking for a cure mind you. I had accepted the fact that I have a lifelong chronic illness. But rather, I needed more effective tools and treatment to improve my quality of life because as it was, that quality of life seemed to be going downhill year by year.

So this past November I went in to see a doctor at Northampton Wellness Associates here in Massachusetts. The practice is a group of integrative health care practitioners. I will admit, I was skeptical but my skepticism dwindled as I spoke with my new doctor. We discussed my history and a lot of the things he said made perfect sense. For a while now, I have often wondered if my autoimmune problems were triggered by the radiation therapy I had for lymphoma in 1996. I was never a particularly sick child or teen but from 1996 on, one health problem after another crept into my life. I did not share this theory of mine with my new doctor (Dr. L) but he said the same exact thing to me. He thinks that I am genetically predisposed to an autoimmune disorder (my sixty-five year old father was recently diagnosed with one) and that the months of radiation treatments brought out the autoimmune illness. He was quick to point out that this was unavoidable. I had to have the radiation in order to save my life, but now we must also figure out the best way to deal with the end result of that possible trigger.

He also went on to explain that most of the symptoms I experience are autoimmune in nature such as my asthma, migraines, joint pain, allergies, etc. Now I had always thought this and my rheumatologist had made some associations, but the further back we looked into my adult health history, the more I realized how connected all my ailments were. Dr. L also stressed that there may be several other contributing factors to my autoimmune issues such as allergens, environment, diet. etc.

We came up with a plan. I agreed to go for allergy testing which would initially be done by blood work. He did warn me that the blood testing for allergies is not always accurate but it is the least invasive preliminary step in the allergy testing process. I ended up testing positive for two different mold allergies that are often found on certain foods and so I am now beginning to attempt to eliminate these foods. Luckily, many of them are gluten or dairy based foods, which I already have eliminated from my diet.

However my blood allergy testing also did NOT reveal a cat or dog allergy; both of which I know for a fact I have due to traditional scratch test allergy testing I had done years ago. I spoke with the allergy department at the Center and decided to continue on to the next step of intradermal allergy skin testing which I will begin next week. The intradermal skin testing is significantly more reliable.  I thought it was important because if there is any chance that allergens (especially to my dog) were contributing to my autoimmune issues, I may want to pursue non-medication treatment for it; specifically allergy injections.

Luckily, at this point, my health insurance covers a majority of the costs for Dr. L. My health insurance changed January 1st but at my November visit, I had my regular copays for the doctor visit and the blood work. I have checked with the Center regarding my new insurance which will have the same coverage as my old one, including for allergy shots if I do definitely go that route. However I am aware that there will probably be other suggested treatments that may not be covered by my insurance but my philosophy is to take that as it comes. I am also trying to look at it from the perspective that further treatment may help me eliminate some of my current prescription medication and overall health care costs (think hospitalizations and ER visits) and allow me to cut the cost of these, all of which have skyrocketed.

I made it very clear to Dr. L that I did not want to abandon my traditional treatment for the Sjogren’s at this time but yet, my goal was to eventually get off as many of my prescription medications as possible as I was on at least thirteen different prescriptions. That is a ridiculous amount of medication and I felt that I was probably having medication interactions. He was very receptive to this and said we would take it one step at a time. We would start with allergy testing, I would continue to wean off my steroids (which was my plan with my rheumatologist anyways), and he wanted me to start a new medication.

The idea of another medication surprised me coming from this type of doctor. It is called low dose naltrexone (LDN) and honestly, it is worthy of a blog entry all by itself. I had never heard of it before and it required a lot of research on my part. It is an “alternative” medication that he routinely prescribes for all of his autoimmune patients as it has been shown to have the capability to regulate the immune system and has had some good outcomes with certain autoimmune disorders. However I have only been on it for a month and am waiting a little longer to see how it continues to work out before I write that blog. The LDN can take a while to see a full effect so we agreed that we would meet again in February and see where things are at.



I liked the fact that Dr. L was treating this as a process and not overwhelming me with a million treatment options all at once because to be honest, I have seven or eight other specialists who are doing a great job at overwhelming me, no matter how unintentional it may be. I will admit, the process is very intimidating for me. I know about all things in traditional Western medicine. I know when to trust what a doctor tells me and I know when a doctor doesn’t know what he or she is talking about. As a nurse, I know about prescription medications (well except for LDN!) but not so much about supplements and herbs. It is certainly a learning process and one that I hope will prove to be beneficial.

Am I still a little skeptical? Sure. But I am also skeptical about putting toxic, possibly cancer causing drugs into my body as I have been doing. I am skeptical about dangerous side effects I may have, and have already started to have, from being on steroids the rest of my life. I am skeptical about the quality of life facing me until the day I die. So really, what do I have to lose?

Rediscovering Weight Watchers

June 20, 2012 / / 7 Comments
“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” ~ Dr. Dennis Waitley

So I have been writing a lot over the past six months about nutrition and exercise because I am on a mission, and I mean a SERIOUS mission, to improve my autoimmune symptoms as much as I can by eating healthier and exercising my very unpredictable and sometimes seemingly frail body. As all journeys are, this particular one is an ever changing and evolving journey. This blog entry is about my most recent change.

In January of this year I changed to a gluten and dairy-free diet with a focus on also reducing refined sugars and processed foods. Then around April, I joined a new gym with the intention of getting myself on a very regular exercise program which would help me to build a stronger body and in the process, alleviate some of the overwhelming stress I had experienced over the previous several months. Despite many obstacles with my physical abilities at times, overall my exercise program has been quite successful in terms of meeting the objectives and goals I had set for myself.

Although the primary focus of these lifestyle changes was, and still is, for the purpose of improving my health and combating this god awful autoimmune illness, there is more to the story. In addition to wanting to be healthier, I was sick of being fat. Sick of being the biggest person in the room. Sick of never finding the right clothes to fit me in a flattering way. Sick of looking in the mirror and knowing that I didn’t like the image looking back at me. I had lost a good amount of weight, thirty-six pounds, on my own over the past three years but I had stalled out in my weight loss for a variety of reasons. However as I was making these dietary and fitness changes since January, I was also determined to not fall into the diet trap again. The one I had spent so much time in for most of my life. You know, the one where you start a diet, do OK for a while, fall off the wagon, and start hating yourself all over again. I wanted my lifestyle changes to be about taking good care of my body and not about dieting.

However despite the changes I had made already, I knew that I needed to do more. Yes, I was on steroids and sometimes huge doses of them. But I felt like I was not in control of my eating and definitely not in control of my weight. I felt like I was not truly doing the best that I could do to take care of myself and I needed some help.

As luck would have it, a dear friend of mine had recently started Weight Watchers and she told me about their new program. I had been to Weight Watchers before and did well with it for a period of time. And then I would stop following the program or start cheating a lot and I would fall off the wagon. I was also concerned about the gluten and dairy-free issue and how I would pull that off. However this friend of mine is also gluten and dairy-free so she was my inspiration for believing that it could be done.

I sat down and seriously thought about if I started going to Weight Watchers, would it work for me? What if it didn’t work for me with all the steroids I was on? What if I couldn’t stick with it? What if, what if, what if. This is what I finally decided. First, I had to stop using the steroids as an excuse for being overweight. Yes, they can cause weight gain but let’s face it, I was severely overweight before I ever popped a prednisone tablet into my mouth.

Yeap, truth hurts sometimes.

Secondly, things are different now than they were when I was on Weight Watchers years ago. My health is a mess and I have a lot more to lose now. My autoimmune illness is not weight related but I have spent so much friggin’ time being sick that I want to be as fit and healthy as I can possibly  be so that I can enjoy my good days more fully. In addition, I don’t want to have to deal with any weight related health issues down the road on top of the health issues I already have. I want to be in the best possible state of health that my autoimmune illness will allow. I have never been this motivated to change.

So on my 41st birthday, May 3rd, I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting. And you know what? It felt good to be there. To be taking yet another proactive step in an attempt to create a healthier version of myself.

I have to admit, between following Weight Watchers and staying gluten/dairy-free, the past seven weeks have not always been easy. I have come to figure out that even though I was eating a lot healthier over the past six months, my portion sizes were ridiculously out of wack. I found that the new Weight Watchers program focuses more on eating whole natural foods than it used to and I really liked that fact. I have found a lot of emotional support in the group meetings and through the message boards online to help change some of my unhealthy eating habits and to learn to eat with purpose. Eat to live rather than live to eat.

And it is working. Looking at the numbers, I have lost twelve pounds in the past seven weeks, despite being on steroids for five of those weeks. This puts me back at the weight I was at seven months ago which is when I started my last round of steroids. More importantly though, I feel better about myself and what I am eating. I am starting to like the face looking back at me in the mirror every morning. Not because she is twelve pounds lighter but rather because she is working hard to be the best that she can be.

She is defying the steroid odds.

She is defying her own self doubts.

She is in control.

It is a much better place to be.

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

Green Smoothies

April 1, 2012 / / 6 Comments

I having been getting some questions lately in regards to my love affair with the green smoothie. These questions have included why I drink them, how I make them, what I use for ingredients, etc. I first learned about green smoothies last summer when I stumbled upon a website called My Big Fat Life by Rick Labrecque. He had lost a lot of weight by switching to a whole foods diet and drinking green smoothies was a part of that. There is also a lot of information on the web about green smoothies but I would like to provide some information about my personal experiences with them so that readers can get a general idea about them.

A green smoothie is basically greens and fruit blended. For someone like me, whom until 2 1/2 months ago, ate very few vegetables with their meals, it is a good way to get important nutrients into your body. Greens like spinach, kale, collard green, dandalion, swiss chard and such are nutritional powerhouses and provide an enormous amount of vitamins and minerals. Most people don’t realize how important they are or that kale for examply, actually has more calcium than milk. By blending the green with fruit, you are able to absorb these vitamins and minerals more readily than if you were eating them cooked or in a salad.

So people sit here and think “Eww, blended spinach!” OK, with God as my witness, when you add the fruit to the smoothie in the appropriate amounts, you DO NOT TASTE THE GREENS! No matter how many times I tell people this, there are still some who do not believe me. All you have to do is try it. Now, the proportions are different for everyone. I have been drinking them long enough that at this point, I don’t mind tasting the greens and I even like the taste. When I started out out making them though, I would do about 25% greens and 75% fruit. I can do a lot more than that now, up to 75% greens, but I usually run around 50/50 because of my medication.

Speaking of medication, I would be remiss if I didn’t pause here and mention this. If you take blood thinners like Coumadin or you have blood clotting issues, you MUST talk to your doctor before dramatically increasing your greens intake. Many of the greens contain high levels of Vitamin K which promote blood clotting and can interefere with your medication or your health. I developed blood clots in my lungs recently, not due to green smoothies (I had not drank them in months) and had to go on blood thinners. The green thicken my blood and the blood thinners thin my blood so you can see the dilemma here. I do drink the green smoothies, but it is critical that I drink the same amount every day to keep my blood levels stable and I have also had to cut back on the amount of greens I use.

Anyways, besides greens and fruits, all you need is a blender. I have researched every blender on the market and tried more than my fair share. People in the green smoothie community say the best way to go is to purchase one of the high tech blenders in order to get your drink as smooth as possible. Blenders like Vitamix and BlendTec are awesome and do a million other things besides make smoothies but they come with a price tag of at least $400. I had gotten one of the above mentioned blenders as a gift and it did not work properly and I had to return it. I ended up buying a new Oster Classic for like $40 and it has done right by me. People say the cheaper blenders don’t last as long. We’ll see; going on about 10 months right now with my Oster. If you don’t know what to do with your money or find this will be a lifelong habit for you, it’s probably a wise investment. However do not think you cannot get a great green smoothie without one of the more expensive blenders, because you can!

So what do you do? I put some water in the blender first and then add my greens. I have found this to be the best way to get my green smoothie nice and smooth. I use the pulse feature a few times on my blender and then graduate to liquify. I make sure the greens are all nice and liquified before adding anything else. I think this is the biggest reason to my success with using an inexpensive blender. Then I add in my ground flax seed because it is high in Omega 3’s and my fruit. I blend that all again and once mixed well, add some ice and use the ice crusher mode on my blender. Ahhh, delightful!

You can pretty much add anything you want to the blender. I have used soy milk, almond milk, chia seeds, soy yogurt, agave, honey, and a few other additives; be creative! For me, I have come to the realization that I don’t want the extra sugar in my smoothies as the fruit is sweet enough so I have cut out the additives like honey and agave. I have also switched to plain water from the different milks because I want to keep the green smoothie primarily focused on the fruits and vegetables.

I typically make a whole blender full and after drinking what I am going to drink for the day, I put the rest into a glass mason jar. I found this little tip online and it is a great idea. The green smoothie stays fresher and will keep through the next day so you don’t have to blend every single day unless you are drinking more than that. I have tried just storing the blender pitcher itself in the fridge overnight but I found that it did not stay as fresh and you could taste the greens more the next day. Also the mason jars are portable for road trips and such. I keep a stock of those wide diameter straws and all you have to do is pop one in the mason jar and off you go.

I have experimented with what seems like a zillion and one different combinations of fruits and vegetables and have found some favorites. The important part is to rotate your greens so that you are not using one for several days in a row. I typically vary my greens between spinach, kale, and collard greens. I also try to add in dandalion on a regular basis as it is a great detoxifier. Kale is the most difficult to blend and may require a little more effort but definitely worth it. I have found in the past few months that stores like Trader Joe’s have packaged kale and a combination mix labeled “southern greens” which has a variety of different greens in it. Fresh organic produce from the local farm stand is always best but my feeling is that if the packaged stuff, especially in the winter, gets me to make and drink my smoothies when I am sick and tired, then it is worth it.

You can use pretty use much any type of fruit but my favorites tend to be banana, mango, kiwi, berries, grapes, and pineapple both because of the taste and the consistency. I have used other fruits such as apple, pear, and melons but I find that they don’t mask the taste of the greens as well and they can be more difficult to blend in a less expensive blender. The sky is the limit when it comes to all of the different fruits and greens combinations you can use.

I just think green smoothies are a great tool in changing nutritional habits. I found that the more greens and fruit I eat, the more I want them or that I miss them when I skip a day or two. Your body will crave healthy food when you give it healthy food. I have not made any green smoothies for kids but I would think that would be a win-win situatio. Kids get to drink something funky looking, it tastes great, and they get all those important nutrients as well. And for those of you looking for healthier nails and hair, nothing will improve both of these like a green smoothie, trust me.

Happy blending!!

Acupuncture Part Two: The Benefits

July 7, 2011 / / 7 Comments
I am sitting in a comfortable reclining chair with my feet up, my eyes closed, and soft music playing in the background. It has been about ten or fifteen minutes I am guessing. I am not asleep but I am very aware of how relaxed my body has become. I am sleepy and calm. I feel no tension. The headache that has plagued me for days has disappeared. I am not in a spa or on a beach. I am at my acupuncture appointment.

Earlier this year, I wrote a blog entry entitled Acupuncture Part One: The Experience in which I discuss my first ever experience with acupuncture. It has been almost six months since that entry, which was written about two months after my very first experience with acupuncture. All this time later, I am still amazed at the various benefits I have reaped from this form of Chinese medicine. The way my acupuncturist Ben, from The People’s Acupuncture Clinic, explains it is that in Western medicine (what we know as conventional health care here in the United States) it is the patient’s symptoms that are treated. In Chinese medicine, it is the entire body that is treated. That makes sense to me. When I go to the doctor complaining of difficulty breathing due to asthma, I am given an inhaler to reduce inflammation and open up my lungs. When I go to the acupuncturist, I have needles inserted and/or am given herbs which although may be targeted for these particular symptoms, also restore balance to my qi. The end result is that after several sessions or sometimes after even just one session, my body goes back to a balanced state. Instead of treating just the symptoms, we are treating the cause (the body’s imbalance) therefore overall restoring health.

My original purpose for starting acupuncture treatments was to help deal with symptoms related to an autoimmune disorder. Although my symptom list at that time was more extensive than most people’s grocery list, my primary focus was on alleviating the joint pain, fatigue, and difficulty breathing related to my autoimmune disorder. I knew from what Ben told me and what I had read online that even though positive effects from acupuncture can occur as soon as after the first treatment, it would probably take a bit longer for me, as many as twelve to fourteen sessions. I really wanted more symptom control and was interested in avoiding as many steroids and other autoimmune drugs as possible so I was committed to the long haul. I didn’t get sick overnight and I knew it might take some patience to get myself well.

It did work too. I started off by doing sessions almost every other day for the first ten-fourteen days, then to twice a week, and eventually to a point where I go every two weeks unless there is an acute issue. As a somewhat skeptical Western medicine health care professional myself, I was quite surprised at the results. My joint pain which I had been managing with heavy duty autoimmune drugs was improved with taking Motrin and not all that frequently even. I did still have some difficult days but found that between the acupuncture and other non-medication pain management techniques, I could get through those tough days. I was sleeping better and having an easier time of handling the autoimmune related fatigue that could cripple me for most of the afternoon. After we added some prescribed Chinese herbs to my acupuncture sessions, I had much better control over my asthma symptoms. I went from being on oral steroids, a steroid inhaler, and a frequently used rescue inhaler to just a smaller dose of the steroid inhaler and a very occasional use of my rescue inhaler. I even started singing in my church choir, something I had always wanted to do!

There was also other autoimmune symptoms that improved, some autoimmune related, some not, and some where it was anybody’s best guess. Middle back pain that had plagued me on and off (mostly on!) for over a year finally went away. Some of my dryness symptoms related to the autoimmune disorder, called Sjogren’s Syndrome, got better. Other issues such as seasonal allergies, sinus inflammation/infections, and an injured knee improved or even disappeared. It has gotten to the point where if I have a medical issue, I typically will actually meet with my acupuncturist first before seeking medical attention from a western medical doctor because over and over again, I see positive results without unnecessary medications, tests, and such. My biggest success was managing to stay off the steroid prednisone for almost six months after I started acupuncture treatments. Prior to that, I was on it on at least ten separate occasions, lasting anywhere from days to months, within a time span of approximately two years. I think it is important to state that I am not implying here though if I thought I was having a heart attack that I would go to my acupuncturist before heading to an emergency room. I strongly believe that there is a place, in my life at least, for some Western medicine. However, I am making a concentrated effort to reserve Western medicine for emergency type situations only, as much as I possibly can.

I have also experienced many benefits from acupuncture that do not have to do only with physical symptoms. My loved ones as well as I have noticed a significant difference in my stress level and how I cope with everyday issues, as well as crises. Now, I have also had other positive lifestyle changes which could contribute to this and I have not done an actual research analysis on myself. However since I started my treatments last November, I am much slower to anger. Things that used to frustrate the living hell out of me are no longer such a big deal. Anxiety over tests and procedures has dropped dramatically and I am much more flexible in my interactions with other people. I know some of this, if not most of it, is related to the acupuncture sessions because I can physically feel my body relax about ten minutes or so into my treatment. I have gone to sessions immediately after attending a friend’s funeral or during other stressful times to find myself leaving the building in a better frame of mind and with clearer thinking. I don’t need research studies to prove that!

Finally, the last benefit I would like to mention is that which is gained from working with a Chinese medicine practitioner. Ben is the only one I have ever seen so I don’t have a basis for comparison. That being said, I do have a basis of comparison with western medicine practitioners. In all fairness, I have had a few really great doctors in my lifetime. I have worked with some fantastic doctors as well. However the last few years have been like a three ring circus for me in dealing with doctors. Oftentimes I am just a person taking up a ten minute slot in their exam room. I have been treated like a number with no regards to the emotional or mental impact that my illness has had on my wellbeing. Of the twenty-five or so doctors and specialists I have dealt with in the past two and a half years, not one has ever discussed the role of nutrition with me in regards to my autoimmune disorder. More often than not, I am looked at as a compilation of various anatomical systems and symptoms rather than as a whole person.
 
 
 
In my acupuncture clinic, I am treated holistically and with compassion. Despite the fact that it is a clinic and I may be one of seven or eight other people in the room, I never feel rushed or disrespected. I am taken seriously and just as important, I am heard. It is truly a collaboration between patient and practitioner. The success of my treatments depends on my ability to communicate what is going on with my body and Ben’s ability to translate that in order to provide the best treatment. For me, that is truly the ideal environment for optimal healing and optimal health.

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