Merrill

Something Opus wrote in an earlier post got me thinking ... If I read her note right, she suggested going to 100% dairy free to alleviate pain from arthritis. (Opus, is that what you said? And have you seen studies on this and/or explanations of why this might be so?) Along with bulging disks, I have arthritis in my cervical spine (as, I'm told, will most people because it's inevitable with aging--the pain is not universally experienced and to the same degree, however). I'm wondering if others out there in potsland have also been diagnosed with arthritis (the osteo kind, not the rheumatoid kind) -- and what you all are doing about it, if anything. Are you dairy free? (I would be hard to go 100% ... I don't have that much now, but I'm pretty attached to cream in my coffee!) thanks, m

I miss your voice, Em ... where are you? How are you? Come back to us when you're ready, but make it fast, OK? I can't stands no more! Thinking good thoughts, m

I just wanted to say (belatedly) to Geneva ... Of COURSE you get a cookie--two, in fact--for braving the wildlife! And how fascinated and jealous I am that you live in a place where such adventures--especially winged ones--await you if you open your front door! I've been thinking about your post for several days... I have heard tell of hawks nesting in my neighborhood, but I haven't seen them. I did see a peregrine falcon right outside my 20th floor office window in downtown Chicago several years ago. Gorgeous. And I snapped a great picture of a possum eating birdseed in my backyard a couple weeks ago; sure wish I could post it here--it's worth a laugh.) Have I strayed far enough off topic yet? I'm happy that my tanita scale purchase got everyone's butt in gear. Last night I actually did my stretching/neck exercises and a few yoga poses and even lifted my 3-lb weights up and down a few times. Felt good--and tiring. Best to all, m

Mary, I'm soooo sorry to hear that first antibiotic didn't work for you and you're still suffering from strep! Drag, man. I'm pretty much better and back at work . I'm 98% sure it was a virus (tho I wonder why you said it's POTS--because it happened recently?) This exact kind of thing does strike me far more often than the average guy, and I do think that's related to POTS. But a virus is a virus, right? Thanx G-d I never throw up--about once every 10 years and I'm not exaggerating there. But I did have a low-grade fever (under 100) which frankly I might still have... and that extreme exhaustion and swooning dizziness and runs just isn't part of my day-to-day. I didn't take the immodium this time... Funny you should mention the probiotics. I just finished my parrot on 2 weeks of antibiotics in her water and a pinch of probiotics in her food. (Actually, the probiotics will continue for a few months.) We're birds of a feather as it is! Thanks for writing--and feel better already, woudja???

My neurologist prescribed an EMG to try to figure out source of numbness and tingling in my hands; carpal tunnel was suspected (and I knew actually was the case b/c I'd been on the computer and using the mouse more than was typical for me). She was frank and told me the test wasn't particularly pleasant... I opted not to have it and to wear a brace on my hand/wrist for a while. That worked. (Until the cervical spine bulging disks and arthritis kicked in, but that's another story. )

A trip to see friends in a beautiful setting sounds very therapeutic indeed! It'll be grand -- and you'll have a wonderful time! The suggestions to take things easy as you get used to the altitude sound right to me--don't overdue the walking in your first day or two. take care, m

Thanks, guys. I haven't been diagnosed as hypovolemic, Geneva, tho it wouldn't surprise me if I were. I still feel pretty weak altho the runs have stopped. Now just a little achy and fatigued and I'm sure very dehydrated. I definitely fantasized about IV fluids last night (woo hoo), and if I'd been sick to my stomach, I definitely would have awakened my husband for a hospital run. Sticking now to the brat diet, tho haven't had much... I'm feeling very accomplished b/c I actually got a shower--I love my shower chair--and then lied down for another hour. And why do you suppose it's so hard to drink when we're feeling so run down? (I'm assuming that's true for others, but perhaps I shouldn't.) That's the hardest part for me, I think. And when I'm having a normal day at work etc, I can chug down my 2 liters no problem (well, with the help of salty snacks anyway). Katherine, sorry to hear you (and your family!) have been struck with this a couple times recently as well. I guess lightning can strike twice... Were you all sick at the same time? Someday you'll have to tell me how to take care of a little one when you can't get out of bed (or out of the bathroom). That concept terrifies me. PS I made it through w/out the immodium--thanks for the advice!

Trying is all that matters, blackwolf. Congrats! And keep up the good work! (Isn't it a drag when walking feels like work? Sigh.) take care, m

Welcome here, Lynna. You've come to the right place for learning and for support. I'm under the weather and only energy to write briefly ... but a few things come to mind: 1) Someone recently wrote that Houston has doctors who understand dysautonomia; I hope that's close for you. YOu can do a search for recent posts including the word Houston and you'll find what I mean. I'm too tired! 2) It would be great if he could have a tilt table test to confirm a pots diagnosis. 3) Check out the links pinned at the top of the discussion board page--there's much to learn, and these links will take you to some very useful information and suggestions for care. 4) dynakids.com is a Web site your son should check out. 5) begin immediately increasing his fluids and salt--and get some compression socks. Those are the top three non-medicinal treatments and ones you can do right away. I'm sorry your son's having difficulty... but I'm glad you found this site. It's wonderful! Take care, merrill

I would've said the flu, Amy, but thought differently when I read that it's been going on awhile. I agree that trying ibuprofen or aspirin or some such might be a good idea. I'm sorry you feel this way; I only get that feeling when I'm sick with something else. take good care, m

Thanks, Amy. I don't know what I was thinking -- I doubt with IBS you spend time on the bathroom floor when you can't hold yourself up on the pot any longer...Oy. Definitely a difficult spell in the middle of the night. This has to end soon, right? Not going to work; no strength. m

What do you think, really crappy luck (pun intended) or something else? I'm way too wiped out to write more details ... suffice to say that it's not been a very pleasant 36 hours. I took 1 immodium yesterday b/c I was stricken while out, but the runs kicked in big time this morning first thing. Then the Fatigue and a break, then the runs again way way worse this afternoon. A 24 hour nurse I called (thanx, health insurance) said that I shouldn't take immodium. I'm on the brink, tho--I really ought to go to work tomorrow! For those who suffer from IBS, how can you tell the difference between bouts of that and gastroenteritis? Is IBS ALWAYS either constipation OR runs? (I do have the tendency to get stopped up as well.) I bring this up because the nurse seemed concerned that this was the second time in rather short order ... Also in the same month that I started the beta blocker ... but constipation is a documented possible side effect, not runs. Sigh.

Hey, girlfriend, the pressure of having to buy shoes within a certain window of time would send me scrambling back to bed and reaching for the cancellation phone! Oh, Man... You HAVE got a day ahead of you ... and yes, knowing I've got a day like this would leave me sleepless for weeks in advance too. (But this is why I take 2.5 - 5 mg of ambien almost every night now--it's just enough to knock me out, and I seem to have trained myself now to stay down all the way til morning. Not formerly possible!) Maybe you can try a crumb of that instead of the klonopin? Or along with it? Since your symptoms typically hit in the night, you just need to get all the way through the night! Anyway, something to think about. As for the rest, know that I am right there with ya -- and I'm sure you'll get lots of nods on this one. I wish there was a way for you to schedule 1/2 hour--or just a window of time without immediate time constraints--where you could lie down and possibly snooze a little when you have a full day scheduled. That always helps me considerably; I find that I CAN rally--if I get some quiet down time where I can be horizontal. You're probably off to event # 1 by now and you won't see this til later ... but I hope the day unfolds the way the day will unfold -- and you ride it out on a wave of unexpected energy. I also hope you find a way to drink drink drink and salt salt salt and take care of yourself while you're taking care of everyone else and business too. But sometimes, doing those things DOES make you feel better in other kinds of ways. Take care--and let us know how it went! Merrill PS When circumstances will allow, I give myself permission to be a little late; that's another way to deal with the stress of needing to be on time!

Even pedialyte contains "sugars" in the form of dextrose, fructose, and sucralose ... the unflavored kind contains dextrose only (which is a naturally occcurring form of glucose). What this tells me is that the human body needs some carbohydrates for energy ... and healing.

Are you kidding, Tearose? I popped a loaf of cranberry orange bread right in the oven after I was done! (Don't be impressed--a trader joe mix you just add water and egg and a tbl of oil... Sooo easy) Using my oven lately had become dangerous itself b/c of the burn-y fumes! My oven is so old it doesn't have that self-cleanng feature ... but my mom's does and it still stinks when she uses it. So Gayle, if you try it, open a window and leave the house for a while! Otherwise, go for the steam clean approach--no fumes!

Kristen, I went to the Hydralyte company web site to look at an ingredients list for that product and couldn't find it. Found lots of compelling reasons to try that product, though, and I will! My guess, though, is that it has some sort of "sugar" in it--in the form of sucrose or dextrose or fructose or some other "ose." Does it? BTW, Gatorade doesn't list "sugar" on the ingredients list--but it does, of course, have the "oses." For anyone curious about what these or any other words mean--and where their sweeteners come from (and whether natural or artificial), check out the web site http://www.answers.com. Very easy to use and a great reference source. I won't use ANY artificial sweeteners in anything... A final note on gatorade--not every flavor is formulated the same way, and the ingredients vary. The ONLY flavor I can drink is the lemon lime--occasionally the fruit punch or orange; others leave me with a terrible aftertaste!

I get headaches, but not from gatorade. I love the stuff (lemon lime, anyway); makes me feel better every time I drink a glass. (Years ago I had a vacation in a warm climate and I felt sick sick sick the whole time. This is pre diagnosis and I'd never tasted gatorade before. Someone recommended it to me and I was hooked; it made me feel instantly better. Hydrated for what felt like the first time.) I try to drink at least a glass a day, mixing powdered at work and splurging on premixed on the weekends at home. It's not higher in calories than other juices like V-8 etc. I don't think 50 for a glass is very much ... WAY better than a can of ginger ale or coke!

Hey, tea, you're on the cusp of underfat and normal! (I always knew you were on the cutting edge of ... something. ) Listen, that's just great. Mazel tov! Congrats on getting off your butt--or on it--and motivating the rest of us to do the same. (I wish I had some cookies to celebrate with you but it's better that I don't -- I'm on the cusp of normal and overfat and I don't want to head any more in that direction...)

Welcome back, Geneva. I hope you're feeling more like yourself again soon ... Or more like that new and improved you that you glimpsed after the procedure! We missed you, merrill

I apologize to everyone who's hurting out there tonight, physically and emotionally ... Know that I'm thinking of you and hoping you'll soon see a better day when you can actually make use of this silly tidbit... This is up there with cosysoles and cooling neck wraps and Gatorade and other things that help get us through the day. I just cleaned the inside of my oven for the first time since we moved into this house 4 years ago (OK please try not to get too grossed out ... the rest of my house gets cleaned every 2 weeks [not by me] but I guess the cleaning service doesn't do ovens.) The truth is--I cannot tolerate heavy chemical smells--and neither can my parrot! All those oven cleaners are so hideous; I can't bear to use them or ask anyone else to, and I won't buy the products. (And like I said, I don't want to lose my parrot for want of a clean oven.) Two words: Scunci Steamer. I succumbed to an infomercial. And it's a miracle, I tell you. It took 5 or 10 minutes and a minimum of exertion and voila! The steam just melts off years of grime. True, my heart went to 135 even on beta blockers (I checked afterwards--but I'm not sure how much of that was exertion and how much was from being so thrilled) and my arm is pretty pooped now from holding the machine (it's heavy and I'm not very strong)... but I'm so grateful I don't even care very much. This too will pass, and I won't have to do it again for a long long time. Actually, this is the kind of thing you can get a husband, partner, roommate to do--there's a lot of drama with all that steam and a heckuva lot of satisfaction in wiping away gunk with a paper towel that would have taken hours of scrubbing with steel wool. I've bored you all to tears, haven't I! Sigh. For all you newbies, though, looking for more cleaning tips, here's a recent conversation on the topic: http://dinet.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtop...623&hl=cleaning Take 'er easy, m

I'm so sorry, Stacey. You guys have had such a tough go lately! My heart goes out to you and your family--it really does. I'll keep thinking good thoughts, Merrill

That heart break article made the "news bites" today that appear on a tiny screen in the elevator! (I work in a huge office high rise downtown ... the screen displays ads and hot news bits... It's something to look at on the way up [other than our shoes]. )

Miriam, Gatorade helps a LOT of us make it through the day.

Hi, T -- just hoping you'll update us after your tests today. Best, m

Welcome here ... The only other advice I'd add (to the great suggestions already offered that you can do immediately--upping your salt [i sometimes take the tablets you can order through a pharmacy--athletes take 'em, but they're not on the shelf] and electrolytes and fluids to more than 2 or 2.5 liters a day and wearing compression socks/stockings] is to talk to your doctor about beta blockers. My symptoms are similar to yours tho my HR often goes much higher, and sometimes without any exertion, and I just got put on Toprol XL. Many people take midodrine or florinef in combination with beta blockers--and if you were tried on those meds without the bb, it's possible that this may explain why you did not get any relief from your symptoms on those commonly used medications. Beta blockers are extremely safe--I'm told they're the most commonly prescribed med in the world--and the list of things they're not prescribed for is much shorter than the list of things they are prescribed for. Tachycardia is certainly cause enough to try them--even a low dose, like 25 mg a day, can make a difference. One other note--different medical centers do the tilt differently ... some do not administer nitro or other drugs during the test, and they tilt you for different lengths of time. 25% of Normal people pass out on a tilt test ... but your results--with that increase of hr over 30 bpm--certainly sound positive for POTS. Be careful out there--you perform an amazing service to others each day as you put your life on the line. I agree it's important you tell others in your company that you may pass out while answering a call. Please take care, Merrill