[conniebky]

lucia, on 03 August 2010 - 04:17 PM, said:

Connie,

I stopped eating gluten 4 months ago now, and I still feel like crap.

1) If we've been putting gluten into our bodies for our whole lives but we can't tolerate it, the gluten is bound to have serious effects. Our bodies are really good at holding out, for years even, but eventually that s*#@ hits the fan. I know that I had symptoms as far back as 5 years ago, but I appeared fine - and even "really healthy for my age" according to the doctor - until January when my body just seemed to break down. WE NEED TO HEAL. And that takes time.

2) My doctor is now looking at issues secondary to celiac/gluten intolerance for me. In his eyes, that doesn't invalidate the gluten response. Dr. Green writes in his book about all the other issues that celiacs often face, particularly other autoimmune diseases. You can be sick from gluten AND sick from something else. In fact, people who have issues with gluten are OFTEN sick with other things.

3) I stopped vacuuming too. Too tired. It sucks.

I know you love your doctor - and he sounds like a kind-hearted man - but I don't think he knows much about celiac/gluten intolerance. I'd even suggest to you that you get Dr. Peter Green's book, Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic. You can order it off of Amazon. Then, you'll have medical evidence (not just internet evidence ) that your issues with gluten are real.

best, lucia

I'm not going to start eating gluten again, even the thought of it makes me feel funny. I'm just going to take these pills and see what happens. I think my thing is a whole lot of things rolled into one titanic thing.

No, he didn't say start eating gluten, and I'm not going to. I'm staying on my gluten-free diet, but he does want me to eat more of -something- he doesn't like my weight loss. I'm staying gluten-free.

I've seen this doctor, well, when this guy went hiking and pulled his calf muscle, this doctor came out and told me to call 911 and get him to the hospital stat. I was like, "huh?" he had a blood clot in his leg that actually 'jumped' at the hospital and they barely saved his life.

My own momma was going through menopause and was on HRT from another doctor, she went to my doctor and he didn't like the way her eyes looked. Sent her to the hospital. She had uterine cancer.

My doctor is an amazing doctor. He didn't tell me to start eating gluten again, he just said to eat more and try this regimen and see what happens, if it makes me feel any better.

LOL at "quit vacuuming - it sucks" LOL - was that intentional?

[kareng]

lucia, on 03 August 2010 - 04:17 PM, said:

Connie,



3) I stopped vacuuming too. Too tired. It sucks.



best, lucia

You are a wise woman, Lucia. I stopped vacuuming with the big vacuum many years ago. I do like this thing that is like a Dust Buster on a stick for the hard wood floors.. In fact, I hate vacuuming so much, I ripped out the carpeting in 2 rooms and the stairway.

Also, kids can vacuum well by 6or 7. Got to keep those grankids busy, Connie!

[gary'sgirl]

Hi Connie, I like reading your posts. You always have a little humor in there somewhere.

I just wanted to tell you that I have been officially gluten free since November 4th. That was when I went in for my doctor appointment after my endoscopy. He said there was no doubt that I had Celiac Disease. That being said, I have had the worst time with my health since the diagnoses. I think that mostly I just have to give it time. I still have tummy and bowel (maybe not quite as bad - but still there) trouble as well as many neuro symptoms and for a while there the doc thought that I had MS, or Lupus, or both.

I have found out that right now I can't digest several other foods besides gluten (nightshades, broccoli/cabbage family, most grains, all nuts and most legumes, and some others). I wonder if you would feel better off of some of these for a while? One thing that seems to help me a bit and I have read that many others say it helps, are enzymes to help digest.

Anyway, I just thought that I would share a little of my experience with not feeling well yet, because it seems like you thought that gluten was a problem and maybe it is but you just need more time and maybe a little more help with other foods.

Sorry if this is a little confusing or disjointed. My mind is always in a fog and I have a hard time putting words together in a comprehensive way.

I hope you feel better soon.

~Sarah

[kaki_clam]

conniebky, on 03 August 2010 - 06:04 PM, said:

Whoa, that's weird.....I remember him telling me back in January that it's also used for stage fright, which made me disregard it.

A friend of mine was prescribed a beta blocker for stress as apparently the stress he felt at work was causing him to have extraordinarily high blood pressure. He happened to mention to me last night that he had stopped taking them because they were causing him severe depression. Not sure if that is a side effect to them or not, just his experience.

[ravenwoodglass]

Connie I hope he has given you the Xanax to replace the Valium not to take at the same time. Also be sure to get the generic form on the Xanax as the name brand is not gluten free. The same opposite is the case with the Valium so if you have been taking the generic Valium you haven't been gluten free.

[Roda]

Skylark, on 03 August 2010 - 05:33 PM, said:

I'll be darned. Check this out - Prozac and similar antidepressants are the latest non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes.

http://www.healthypl...hes/menu-id-68/
http://www.aafp.org/.../0201/p457.html

My mom takes a low dose of prozac for her hot flashes. She took hormones for sometime in her late 40's and continued them even though her doctor wanted her to stop. She felt the risk was worth it because she had a hard time functioning. She hasn't taken them in years but still suffers the hotflashes and she is almost 64. Boy, I'm not looking forward to menopause.

[Gemini]

Roda, on 04 August 2010 - 03:35 AM, said:

My mom takes a low dose of prozac for her hot flashes. She took hormones for sometime in her late 40's and continued them even though her doctor wanted her to stop. She felt the risk was worth it because she had a hard time functioning. She hasn't taken them in years but still suffers the hotflashes and she is almost 64. Boy, I'm not looking forward to menopause.

Many times, you will end up having your mother's menopause....that's how it works. As you share DNA and physiology, look to your parents and you will see many similarities. I am having my mother's menopause and it has been challenging but you pick up and move onwards.

I have heard that Prozac can be used to treat hot flashes but I think the medical profession pushes medication too much in this country. If you really have no other choice and feel you may need it, then by all means give it a shot but I declined that option. I know too many people who tried to stop taking anti-depressants and got into trouble with that.

Hormones are not the evil villains that docs make the out to be. Pharmaceutical HRT is chemically altered hormone, derived from horses urine, so I cannot fathom why they gave women this in the first place. There are many other compounds in HRT that are not normally found in a woman's body so that is probably why they caused cancer in many women. The use of bio-identicals are on the rise and are a valid, safer option for those having menopausal symptoms. However, hot flashes don't automatically go away completely when using them but bio-identicals can make quality of life far better. I have been having hot flashes since I was 38 and am now 51. They are not nearly as bad as they used to be, as I use bio-identicals, but can easily keep happening till you are much older. You sort of get used to them after awhile and just go on with life. The upside is that in winter, I am never cold anymore. Everyone else is whining about the cold and I am very comfortable.....a definite benefit.

[Roda]

Gemini, on 05 August 2010 - 11:06 AM, said:

Many times, you will end up having your mother's menopause....that's how it works. As you share DNA and physiology, look to your parents and you will see many similarities. I am having my mother's menopause and it has been challenging but you pick up and move onwards.

I have heard that Prozac can be used to treat hot flashes but I think the medical profession pushes medication too much in this country. If you really have no other choice and feel you may need it, then by all means give it a shot but I declined that option. I know too many people who tried to stop taking anti-depressants and got into trouble with that.

Hormones are not the evil villains that docs make the out to be. Pharmaceutical HRT is chemically altered hormone, derived from horses urine, so I cannot fathom why they gave women this in the first place. There are many other compounds in HRT that are not normally found in a woman's body so that is probably why they caused cancer in many women. The use of bio-identicals are on the rise and are a valid, safer option for those having menopausal symptoms. However, hot flashes don't automatically go away completely when using them but bio-identicals can make quality of life far better. I have been having hot flashes since I was 38 and am now 51. They are not nearly as bad as they used to be, as I use bio-identicals, but can easily keep happening till you are much older. You sort of get used to them after awhile and just go on with life. The upside is that in winter, I am never cold anymore. Everyone else is whining about the cold and I am very comfortable.....a definite benefit.

Boy did you just burst my bubble. Actually I have heard that before and my mom keeps telling me that too. Just like when she had my brother and me she had really quick labors. When I had my boys I was the same way so I figure I'll follow in the rest of her footsteps too. She is convinced I am in perimenopause (I am 37 1/2) which is possible I just don't want to admit she could be right. She was reluctant to take the prozac at first but her doctor convinced her that the dose was low enough that it really wouldn't matter for anything else. The only benefit she says she has from it is that she sleeps a little better at night.

[anabananakins]

I hated vacuuming until I got a roomba. My, but it's fun sitting on the sofa watching it do all the work. And on sunday nights when I'm folding laundry and it's vacuuming, I feel like the house cleaning is a joint effort. And yes, I'm aware I sound a little too fond of an applicance, LOL.

Hope you feel better, I'm glad you have such a lovely doctor.

[kareng]

anabananakins, on 02 September 2010 - 07:30 PM, said:

I hated vacuuming until I got a roomba. My, but it's fun sitting on the sofa watching it do all the work. And on sunday nights when I'm folding laundry and it's vacuuming, I feel like the house cleaning is a joint effort. And yes, I'm aware I sound a little too fond of an applicance, LOL.

Hope you feel better, I'm glad you have such a lovely doctor.

What did you name it? I can't get one. My boys are on a FIRST Robotics team and would have it built into something else before it finished a room!

[Takala]

What do I make of it ?

Stop popping Valiums, they'll make you depressed.

Stop listening to Rush, that would make anyone depressed, hopeless, and hostile.

Start taking a B complex vitamin, a multivitamin, and a calcium magnesium supplement. All are calming.

Eat a fresh fruit and vegetable every day.

Exercise. Go For A Walk Everyday, No excuses, even if it's just laps around your driveway for 10 minutes.

Upper body exercises such as arm swings or rotations, you will now do. Exercise is calming. So are learning a few Yoga poses and breathing exercises.

Hot flashes. Buy a fan or two, one for the chair and one for to blow across your bed. Seriously. Sanity saver. And a little microplush blankie.

Artificial forms of progesterone are depressants. Get the natural bio identical kind that comes in a cream in a tube, that you rub on yourself twice a day, available over the counter. They are NOT depressants. Available at health food stores. Most older people have low progesterone but estrogen ups, this evens things out. Get one of the books by some of the alternative med practitioners on perimenopause/menopause. You can also get estrogen like herbs at the health food store, but try the progest cream first.

Beta blockers. Can work to cut down on panic.

Prozac can be addictive and people's initial reactions vary, so don't take it when you're by yourself and monitor your reactions, keeping in mind that the artificial progesterone can be a really bad mood alteration drug and few doctors will acknowledge this.

Vacuuming. Overrated. You can always go hog wild and rip out the carpets and install linoleum or wood. Sweeping is much more satisfying. Beating area rugs against trees is great therapy.


I've taken our bigger dog walking a lot, and had loose pit bulls and owners with pits come up to us a lot and never had a problem. I have yelled at people that they need to put their loose dog on a leash if they are being really stupid. We had somebody's pit try to come with us, and had to take the thing back. Hello, I don't need another dog. When I see people with pit puppies I always pet the pups, if they don't mind, so to help socialize them. Carry pepper spray if you're worried. The standard procedure is if you have a dog acting aggressively you give the dog your purse or backpack or jacket to bite first and hit him with the spray. (ask a mail carrier how to do this. it really knocks them off you.). You can also use a water pistol with a bit of ammonia in it. Most dogs are territorial, so if you keep going, they will leave you alone as you get out of range. There are some other breeds of dogs that are more likely to cause problems, but those types are usually not off leash. You can carry the spray on a clip on your purse or belt. You can also carry a walking stick.