Suicide And Chronic Neuropathic Pain

Today's post from psychologytoday.com (see link below) covers a very serious topic concerning people living with chronic pain (and that includes millions of neuropathy patients) and that is the risk that the stress becomes so great that the only option is suicide. People try to link suicides of this nature to the so-called 'opioid addiction crisis' but that is way too simplistic. Anyone living with non-stop, chronic, nerve pain will tell you that there are times when things seem so bleak that thoughts naturally go towards ending it all. Were it not for opioid (and many other) drug treatments, suicide statistics would be much much higher than they are. At the moment, there aren't any trustworthy statistics about exactly how many people commit suicide because of the pain they're in but it's likely that the problem is much greater than imagined and deserves some serious research and study. This article highlights the problem in an intelligent way.

A Nation in Pain: Chronic Pain and the Risk of Suicide
 Judy Foreman Posted Nov 24, 2015

Chronic pain significantly increases the danger.

This fall's grim report about rising suicide and overall death rates among white, middle-aged Americans contains a slim silver lining. Here it is:

The new analysis by two Princeton economists, Anne Case and Angus Deaton, suggests that chronic pain — and the opioids used to treat it — may be a key driver of the rising deaths. While the “noisy” opioid epidemic has garnered near-daily headlines across the country for several years now, the equally horrible but silent epidemic of chronic pain has not yet broken through into the nation’s consciousness. Maybe things are beginning to change.

Many people still don’t realize it, but 100 million American adults live with chronic pain, many of them with pain so bad it wrecks their work, their families, their mental health and their lives.

There are no hard data on how many people with chronic pain die by suicide every year. But there are inferences. The suicide rate among people with chronic pain is known to be roughly twice that for people without chronic pain.

Since there are 41,149 suicides every year in the U.S., according to the National Center for Health Statistics, it’s possible that many of these suicides are driven by pain. Not proven fact, but plausible hypothesis. This would suggest that perhaps as many 20,000 or more Americans a year with chronic pain kill themselves, which would be more than the government’s tally of 16,235 deaths from prescription opioids every year. According to a CDC spokeswoman:

In 2013, there were 8,257 deaths that involved heroin and 16,235 deaths that involved prescription opioids. These categories are not mutually exclusive: if a decedent had both a prescription opioid as well as heroin listed on their death certificate, their death is counted in both the heroin as well as the prescription opioid death categories.

The truth, of course, is devilishly difficult to figure out with any certainty. Many people in severe, chronic pain have, and should have, opioids available. But unless they leave a suicide note it’s virtually impossible to tell if they overdose on purpose or accidentally. That’s in stark contrast to a pain patient who ends his or her life using a gun. That’s clearly a suicide, with or without a note.

In the course of researching my 2014 book on chronic pain, I heard many grisly stories. One Salt Lake City truck driver I interviewed would be dead today if his wife hadn’t walked in on him with a gun in his mouth. He had been in severe headache pain and after many visits to the ER, was repeatedly dismissed as a drug seeker, even without a medical workup. (Eventually, he was diagnosed with two brain aneurysms, bulging weak spots in a blood vessel).

I also heard about a surgeon with shingles who could find no relief for his pain and took a scalpel to his back in an attempt to dig out the painful nerves; he wound up in his own ER — as a patient. I heard of another man with ophthalmic shingles who finally shot himself because of unrelieved pain. A Boston surgeon I met was on the verge of suicide due to unrelenting pain from a rare autoimmune disease.

The anecdotes go on and on. Unfortunately, from a statistical point of view, they are just anecdotes. And unlike opioid abuse deaths, the stories of these and other pain patients rarely make the headlines.

Nor do these cases routinely make it into the reports of medical examiners and coroners, according to Utah pain specialist Dr. Lynn Webster, writing in a recent issue of Pain Medicine News.

In this fall's Princeton study, the lead author, Anne Case, was particularly interested in the role poor health might play in suicide because, as she told The New York Times, she herself has suffered for 12 years from disabling and untreatable lower back pain. In her research, Case discovered that middle-aged people, unlike the young and unlike the elderly, were reporting more pain in recent years than in the past. One-third of people in this group had chronic joint pain in recent years and one in seven reported sciatica.

The dismal situation with chronic pain — and the potential link with suicide — is unlikely to improve until the federal government takes the pain epidemic seriously. While the government spends $2,562 on research for every person with HIV/AIDS, it spends only $4 for every person with pain.

Clearly, chronic pain needs more attention and more research dollars. After all, it is the main reason Americans go on disability.

And it appears to be driving growing numbers of Americans to kill themselves.

(Originally posted on WBUR’s CommonHealth)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nation-in-pain/201511/chronic-pain-and-the-risk-suicide

Gabapentin And Pregabalin Lyrica Really Are A Danger To Your Neuropathic Health!

Today's post from pulsetoday.co.uk (see link below) is an impassioned plea from a home doctor who is seeing the consequences of long-term gabapentin and pregabalin (Lyrica) use in his surgery. Finally, a doctor who stands up to the hype that the pharmaceutical companies use to promote their drugs! Many, many neuropathy patients across the world have been prescribed either gabapentin or pregabalin for their nerve pain and other symptoms. This blog has long warned of the dangers of Lyrica (pregabalin) and advised patient to have serious discussions with their doctors if they are being prescribed these drugs. This article explains why and in terms you can't ignore. These drugs aren't the first and they won't be the last to display dangerous side effects years after the profit on them has been made. As Dr Spence says: "If it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, then it’s a ducking duck"!

Gabapentinoids - the new diazepam?
Posted by: Dr Des Spence 9 September 2016

The establishment ignores GPs. It prefers the advice and glamour of ‘expert’ or media doctors. But the deference shown to the ‘expert’ is creating overtreatment, medicalisation and iatrogenic harm.

GPs have to ignore this advice. We won’t prescribe statins to everyone because it is irrational and stupid. We don’t accept that ‘pain is what the patient says it is’, because common sense dictates that it isn’t.

And we have seen the damage when experts have free rein. Diazepam was peddled as a safe and effective treatment for anxiety by companies and experts alike. When I started work in the early 1990s the consequence of this advice was evident everywhere. Herds of middle-aged patients zonked out and dependent on benzodiazepines. And benzodiazepines were being widely abused by a younger generation. My surgeries were spent dealing with drug-seeking behaviours, lies, confrontation, rebound agitation, insomnia and withdrawal seizures. It took the establishment decades to realise the harms we caused. Even today, we are still dealing with it.

GPs are first to notice the danger posed by psychoactive drugs. In the past five years my sensor has been off the scale with the gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin). Patients are seeking them using the crude acting skills that I used to witness with benzodiazepines: anger, tears and threats; constant requests for dose increases; stories of lost scripts; and a tag-team approach with friends who ‘corroborate’ stories.

If you google ‘gabapentinoids’, it is clear they are being widely abused. Large quantities are taken as single doses. Users describe them as the ‘ideal psychotropic drug’ with effects of ‘great euphoria’, ‘disassociation’ and an ‘opiate buzz’ as they boost the effects of these drugs.[1,2]

I wrote an article in the BMJ in 2013[3] highlighting these concerns. Since then, prescriptions have nearly doubled in three years to 10 million scripts and more than £300m in costs.[4] Such rapid increases are the signature of inappropriate prescribing and iatrogenic harm. Many practices started prescribing gabapentinoids on the back of specialist endorsement, despite the existence of effective and less harmful alternatives.[5,6] But requests from pain clinics and psychiatry come thick and fast. We decline many, then weather the storm of protest.

Do we have a problem with gabapentinoid abuse? If it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, then it’s a ducking duck. Pregabalin is already a controlled medication in the US and there is debate about controls in the UK. The research base for the benefits of gabapentinoids is of short duration and in a small, defined population where as few as one in 10 benefits.[7] We need to change our prescribing policy now and limit the use of gabapentinoids.[2]

We know the pattern: GPs will be blamed even if we just follow orders. I get tired that no one listens to generalists. This is déjà vu. Do we want another benzodiazepines disaster?

Dr Des Spence is a GP in Maryhill, Glasgow, and a tutor at the University of Glasgow

References Schifano F, D’Offizi S, et al. Is there a recreational misuse potential for pregabalin? Analysis of anecdotal online reports in comparison with related gabapentin and clonazepam data. Psychother Psychosom 2011;80:118-22
Advice for prescribers on the risk of the misuse of pregabalin and gabapentin. Public Health England, 2014
Spence D. Bad medicine: gabapentin and pregabalin BMJ 2013; 347 08 November 2013
NHS Prescription Cost Analysis data. NHS Business Services Authority, 2016
Wiffen P, Derry S, et al. Antiepileptic drugs for neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia - an overview of Cochrane reviews Cochrane Database Syst Rev 11 November 2013; (11):CD010567
Moore R, Derry S, et al. Amitriptyline for neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012 Dec 12;12:CD008242
Advice on the anticonvulsant drugs pregabalin and gabapentin. Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, 2106 

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/views/blogs/gabapentinoids-the-new-diazepam/20032721.blog

Herniated Discs and Neuropathy

Yet another one of the possible causes of Neuropathy is discussed in this article from umr145.com (see link below). It is written by Dr. John Hayes jr, who has his own much publicised medical clinic and practice and has been featured before on this blog. If you have back problems, it is useful general information and certainly something to consider in discussions wih your doctor.

Why Herniated Discs Can Cause Neuropathy
December 2nd, 2011

Have you been diagnosed with a herniated disc?

If so, you probably have the usual symptoms:
Low backache
Numbness (if the disc is actually pressing on a nerve)
Leg pain

Those symptoms are no surprise.

But what may be a surprise are other symptoms:
Severe, sharp, electric shock-like, shooting pain
Deep burning or cold in the feet or legs
Numbness, tingling or weakness in the feet and legs that doesn’t go away
Radiating pain down the legs and into the feet
Muscle spasms and deep muscle pain

And those symptoms could be caused by neuropathy – a condition you probably never heard of until you developed a herniated disc.

So Why Does a Herniated Disc Cause Neuropathy?

A herniated disc alone may not cause you that much pain. The pain you experience is caused by the disc putting pressure on the spinal cord and on nerve roots. The location and intensity of the pain you experience depends on which nerves are affected by the disc and where it’s putting pressure.

Let’s say the disc is putting pressure on nerves that lead to your feet. You will probably feel pain and numbness in your feet. The longer the pressure is on the nerve, the more the nerve will be damaged. That nerve damage can lead to neuropathy in your feet.

The same applies to the nerves in any other part of the body. If your disc is putting pressure on nerves that affect that part of the body, you’re in danger of developing nerve damage and neuropathy wherever the nerves are affected.

If you have any of the neuropathy symptoms we listed above, you need to see your doctor, preferably your local neuropathy clinician, as soon as possible. The longer you let the nerve damage go untreated, the more likely the damage will be permanent.

Treatment Options

When you’re diagnosed with a herniated disc and develop neuropathy, the first goals of treatment are:
Pain relief – first and foremost
Address any weakness or numbness in your feet, legs and lower back
Prevention of additional injuries

Find a clinician with extensive experience in treating herniated discs and the accompanying neuropathy issues. Your local neuropathy specialist is an excellent place to start.

More than 90% of patients with herniated discs and neuropathy (if treated early on) will improve within 6 months without surgery. But you need to get in to the doctor and start treatment at the first sign of problems.

Once you get in to see your clinician, the treatment protocol will be adapted to address your particular issues. For the most part, you can expect:
Bed rest followed by increased, prescribed and controlled activity
Chiropractic manipulation to get the spine back into proper alignment and take pressure off the herniated disc and nerves
Treatment with the correct treatment system to open up nerve channels and stimulate nerve repair
Exercises to reduce your pain and strengthen the muscles in the back
Dietary counseling to address any other underlying medical issues you may have

Contacting a specialist today for information is the best course of treatment to make sure that you’re herniated disc and compressive neuropathy are treated properly and promptly. Save yourself years of back pain misery.

Neuropathy patients, doctors and physical therapists can find lots more about the neuropathy treatments and systems of Dr John Hayes Jr by going to http://neuropathydr.com. Peripheral neuropathy doctors, physical therapists and patients will find more information as well as post comments and questions at this site as well.

http://www.umr145.com/why-herniated-discs-can-cause-neuropathy.html

Neuropathy Images And Text To Make You Think

Today's post from recent posts on the Neuropathy Association's Facebook page (see link below) is nothing more than a series of images which may teach you something you didn't know about neuropathy. They are loosely based on the rarer neuropathies. Remember, there are over 100 different types of neuropathy although most people suffer from very similar symptoms, irrespective of the cause. These images may open your eyes to the variety of suffering that neuropathy can bring and you may have to Google a few terms to get an explanation but that's surely not too hard to widen your knowledge! Millions across the world suffer from debilitating nerve damage and we're nowhere nearer any sort of cure than we were 50 years ago!

Selected Neuropathy Association Facebook page Images
2014




Catching up on the Facebook chat is possible via the neuropathy association home page






















 https://www.facebook.com/NeuropathyAssociation

Chronic Illness And Exercise

Today's post from myneuropathyandme.blogspot.com (see link below) is written by the same author as yesterday's post and talks about the difficulties neuropathy patients face when they are told they need to exercise. It tells of her own personal experiences with exercise and gives some very sensible tips on how to set about it. We know we have to exercise but we also know our body is going to give us hell for doing it, so the trick is to find easier ways of exercising without putting too much stress on our feet, legs, arms or wherever the neuropathy is most evident.

Exercising with a Chronic Illness
Posted by Tracy Love Thursday, June 6, 2013

Everyone who is suffering with a chronic illness or even pain has heard the doctor say that exercise is good; in fact, most of us knew that, even before the doctor told us that we need to exercise. Before I was so lucky to be diagnosed with Small Fiber Neuropathy, I exercised six days a week for at least an hour a day. I was extremely active and loved being in the Phoenix sun, even when it was 110 degrees outside, I could find an exercise I could do to keep me moving. From walking, hiking the Phoenix Mountains, water aerobics, training for marathons, biking, whatever it was, I loved it. I began working out in 2006 when I joined Weight Watchers to lose 170lbs. I did a lot of exercising a loved every minute of it.

Having Small Fiber Neuropathy and all the different drug trials and fails has put weight back on my body. I cried for the first six months as I got on the scale. I worked so hard to lose the weight, now I was watching it creep back on. But, my sweet husband told me not to worry that one day I will get back there, but my health was more important than a size 10 jean. Then he said "I love you." I think I'll keep this man :-)

Doctors tell us that we need to exercise to improve our heath, I will agree, but it’s not the wanting to exercise, it’s the inability to handle the pain the exercise puts on our chronically ill bodies that matters. I have found over the past year a solution. I think just walking is enough? Like, walking through the aisles at the grocery stores, the malls, parking lots, doing everyday chores such as laundry, sweeping and mopping floors, and cleaning bathrooms. To me this is enough to get my heart racing. Not as much as when I was training for half marathons, but at least my body is moving. But if you want to start exercising, I say start slow. Start with ten minutes a day and work your way up to thirty minutes a day. If ten is too much, break it into six five minute intervals. We all know that exercising will most likely hurt tomorrow, but we are always hurting tomorrow, and I know I am we willing get my body moving again.

There is an article on exercising and nerve pain that states "For many of us, exercise hurts. We often equate athletics with muscle aches, stomach cramps, sore knees, and tired lungs. But, for those with neuropathic pain, exercise can offer a rare refuge from agonizing discomfort." Click here for article

Now that the weather is warmer and my pool has heated up enough, I got back in to workout by doing water aerobics. I love working out in the pool. The water is cool enough so I don’t sweat and overheat and my muscles and joints aren't paying the price like the pounding pavement. Did you know that jogging in the pool is twelve times more the resistance as walking on land? And it doesn’t hurt while doing it. Yes, sometimes it does hurt the next day, but I love exercising in the pool. I can do a 30 minute workout in the cool water and I burn up as many calories as walking 30 minutes in the hot sun.

There are times though that I have to give my body a little pep talk. “Ok, body, we’re going out there and we’re going to give it our all. Yes, you’ll feel some pain, maybe while working out, maybe it won’t happen until later or even tomorrow, but we’re going to move today, so let's not be lazy, let's get moving!” I am tired of this disease having all the control. There is nothing I have experienced in my life that is more aggravating than telling my body to do something and it only does it half way. I now use a shower chair to take showers because it hurts to stand and I get dizzy while showering. There’s nothing scarier than thinking I’m going to get dizzy, fall down in the shower and having the fire department come rescue me. If I weighed 60lbs less, I wouldn’t worry too much HA! So the shower chair helps alleviate any of those nightmares. Trying to even wash my hair brings on added pain in my hands and arms. I wonder how many calories I burn from doing this. And can I count it as moving?

I can’t say what exercise is right for your body, but I do know that moving is right no matter what you’re doing. Try working out in the pool if you have access to one. If you don’t, maybe join the YMCA or a gym that has a pool. Bake some cookies and bribe your neighbor to use their pool. If you own a dog, a little walk after dinner is good for both of you, even if it's just five minutes Fido will love whatever you can give him.

I need to accept for myself that it’s going to be a long journey to get back to where I once was weight wise, and maybe I will never be a size 10 again, but I can be healthy. That’s what exercise is all about anyways, to be heart healthy. I also understand I’m going to have setbacks, flare ups and struggles on my journey. I have set a goal to workout at least twice a week if possible. I need to be patient, understanding, and listen to my body as I move forward. I want to reconnect with my body and tell it who’s the boss instead of the other way around. This will also help me to become stronger, physically and mentally. Summer is here and my pool is ready to jump in and start jogging, jumping, twisting, bending and swimming. I’m ready, are you?

http://www.myneuropathyandme.blogspot.com/

Drug Companies and Neuropathy

Beginning a week of posts related to the drug companies, this article from United Press International(see link below) predicts huge profits for the drug company that produces effective drugs to combat neuropathy...the problem is; this article is from September, 2005!!
If you read their list of drugs used at that time, you'll see no difference to those used today...six years later! It wouldn't be so bad if the drugs worked for more than a small percentage of patients but...six years...and nothing new? Actually, the article was written six years ago but the problem is a lot older. In times of world wide austerity, we're going to need to make our voice heard...the competition for research grants and extra cash is murderous!

Neuropathic pain a lucrative drug target
By ASTARA MARCH

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- The company that can develop an effective, easy-to-use drug specifically for neuropathic pain should enjoy outstanding revenues, industry analysts predict.

Datamonitor PLC, a business information company in London, reported this outlook in a statement released last week. The company looked at seven major markets -- including the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Spain -- and found that among $2.5 billion in sales for pain drugs, not one compound has been developed specifically for neuropathic pain use.

Unlike nociceptive pain, which is a message from an injured area of the body to the brain that subsides when the injury heals, neuropathic pain seems to be generated by the nerves themselves. There usually is no active injury present when the pain is experienced, and it often grows worse over time.

Remedies for nociceptive pain, such as NSAIDs and opioids, do not work for neuropathic pain, which is only marginally affected by opioids and responds best to anti-convulsants and tricyclic anti-depressants that block the brain's neurotransmitters.

The classic example of neuropathic pain is phantom-limb syndrome after amputation. Although a part of the body has been removed, the patient often experiences what feels like stabs of pain throughout the missing extremity (neuropathic pain is often described as stabbing, searing or burning).

Diabetes, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic-fatigue syndrome, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, Lyme disease and shingles (caused by a virus similar to chickenpox) also produce neuropathic pain, and people with these problems will form a large part of the projected neuropathic pain drug market.

As of June 2005 only five drugs had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat neuropathic pain:

gabapentin, marketed by Pfizer as Neurontin, the gold-standard drug used in over 50 percent of cases and originally developed to treat depression;

lidocaine, marketed by Endo Pharmaceuticals as Lidoderm, a local anesthetic;

carbamazepine, originally marketed by Novartis as Tegretol, an anti-convulsant;

duloxetine, an anti-depressant marketed as Cymbalta by Eli Lilly, and

pregabalin, also marketed by Pfizer as Lyrica, another anti-depressant.
Neurontin recently lost its patent protection in the United States, and a number of generic versions are now available.

Most of these drugs need to be taken four times a day, opening a space for a pharmaceutical that requires less from the patient.

"Patients with neuropathic pain usually require several upward titrations of their pain medications before adequate pain control is achieved," said Clare Churchill, a healthcare analyst for Datamonitor, in the company's statement. "This can be particularly difficult if the patient must go through a difficult administration method a number of times before any results are seen."

Because many neuropathic-pain patients also are being treated for other conditions -- and therefore already must endure challenging pharmaceutical regimens -- Churchill said medication that could be taken orally once a day and would not negatively interact with other drugs would be ideal.

Datamonitor reported there are at least 97 compounds in development for the treatment of neuropathic pain, making it one of the most active pipelines in the central nervous system area. The company's analysis showed competition is centered on improved dosing formulations, but any serious drug would need to be at least equivalent in safety and efficacy to gabapentin and would need to demonstrate proven pain-reduction ability of greater than 50 percent in a significant majority of patients.

Dr. Michael Ferrante, director of the Pain and Spine Care Center at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, said he would be delighted to see new pharmaceuticals developed for neuropathic pain in the near future.

"Neurontin was a great step forward because it had a low side-effect profile and produced very quick results," Ferrante told United Press International. "Cymbalta, the newest medication, is more effective, but carries a significant risk of nausea. Lyrica is five times as effective as Neurontin, with a similar low side-effect profile, but is listed as a scheduled medication because it can potentially cause euphoria."

Ferrante said there is a strong need for an effective drug against neuropathic pain that has a low risk of side effects.

"People have been suffering for years with neuropathic pain, which is terribly debilitating," he said. "We need a home run for them."

Churchill said pharmaceutical companies also should consider devoting time and money to explore the pain-drug market in Japan, where neuropathic pain currently is treated with nerve blocks and vitamin B alone.

"Educating Japanese physicians on the use of the few current medications for neuropathic pain will be expensive and challenging," she said, "but the company that can do this effectively will reap a huge reward. There are a lot of sales out there."

http://biopsychiatry.com/bigpharma/neuropathic.html

Difficulty Living With HIV And Neuropathy A Personal Account

Today's post from healthygaylifestyles.com (see link below) is a powerful personal account of living with HIV and AIDS (including severe neuropathy) in 2013. Not everybody sails through the rest of their lives on one HIV pill per day and very many people still have problems from side effects, or damage from earlier medication regimes, or from secondary conditions brought about by the virus itself. This account is a reminder that even with neuropathy in your life, you may still count yourself lucky that things are not a whole lot worse. Well worth a read.

Anatomy of An Illness (Part 1)
by Roger Goodman M.Div. Published on August 1st, 2013 | by Healthy Gay Lifestyles

I have not felt at all well for the last three weeks. I am running a low-grade fever of 99.5-100.2. My normal temperature is 97.1, so going up to 99.5 – 100.2 is , for me, running a fever. I am sweating all over my body with a permanent sheen of light sweat covering every inch of me. Along with the sweating I also have chills. I am also itching like crazy all over my body but the worst part is on the top of my hands and around the tops of my ears on my head. I just feel lousy and I don’t know what is going on with my body so I am a little freaked out. I always get a little freaked out when I begin to get sick, because I don’t know what it is going to lead to. The last time I felt sick it ended up to be severe sepsis that required a stay in the ICU. I don’t want that to happen again. I just wish something would break, either get sicker and need to be hospitalized or get completely well at home and not have the low-grade fever, headache, weakness in my legs, severe body pain, and itchiness that is part of what’s bothering me. I am so depressed and I don’t know if it is because I feel sick and cannot sleep during the night, or if I cannot sleep during the night, because I am depressed. I don’t know which is the catalyst for which.

Living with AIDS is a terrible thing. The consensus is that AIDS is over, that the epidemic is a thing of the past, but I and my friends who live with the disease know better. We get very sick from odd infections that always seem to need hospitalization. This never happened before I was diagnosed from my first opportunistic infection in 1995-96 when I had Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalopathy and went into a ten-day coma and died, but from which I came back to life. I slipped into the coma on Christmas Eve, 1995 and woke up ten days later in January 1996. I came back from death because I had much transformational work to do with the Queer community. My book and my film are important parts of that work. I completely missed Christmas and New Year’s Eve that year (my chosen family and I celebrated Christmas after I woke up from death and was back to a regular room in Unit 371 at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, the incredible AIDS Unit during the 80′s and 90′s which became my second address for seven years). For those years I fought for my life against deadly infections, including Kaposi’s Sarcoma for which I received radiation treatments and chemotherapy for three years. That all ended in 2002, but since then I have been hospitalized probably twelve times with various pneumonias, bouts of severe bronchitis, and COPD as well as general, critical bacterial infections. These come and go, but there is the ever-present Parkinsonism that fells me on a daily basis. My neurologist says I have it because of the trauma to my brain from the Encephalopathy. So, I take medication and use marijuana medicinally to stop the tremors, the rigidity in my joints, and to improve my cognition, but I still have a hard time using eating utensils and writing. My handwriting is illegible, so I type everything I have to write and when that is impossible I use Dragon for Mac, a voice recognition software, to speak what I have to write.

The pain in my feet from the peripheral neuropathy is excruciating today. The surfaces of my lower legs and feet are completely numb to the touch and simultaneously feeling that I have 1000 wasps stinging my feet all at the same time. It is like having searing hot coals sewn into my feet and people don’t understand why I have such a hard time walking. I don’t yet need to use a walker, but I cannot walk without my cane and CROW Walker for my Charcot Foot (Google this if you like-it is a most amazing device) and it allows me to walk. Without it I cannot go out. I’m so tired of hearing that AIDS is over now that the miraculous medications are available. That’s just a lie. It’s a way for people to feel safe in the midst of this scourge which still hangs over the face of the earth. Plus, the side effects (the effects, really) of the HIV meds are truly terrible. The medications are highly toxic. They are a form of chemotherapy, except they are taken orally rather than being infused intravenously. I’m in recovery from drug addiction and have been clean from drugs for the last 8 1/2 years since February 5, 2005, but now that medical marijuana is going to be legal in Illinois I don’t have to worry about getting busted. Todd, my loving and brilliant physician, can prescribe it for me. I don’t believe that using medical marijuana in any way affects my recovery program nor does it change my clean date. I will use marijuana purely as a pain reliever of physical body pain and to loosen my joints, not emotional pain or spiritual pain and certainly not recreationally, just the pain from the neuropathy and the Parkinsonism and the general overall pain in my body from having lived with this virus for 31 years.

My neurologist says that my loss of short-term memory, me acting out my dreams, the nightmares that are filled with darkness and terror when I can manage to sleep at night, carrying on conversations with phantom people just as I am falling asleep, as well as the loss of balance, confusion, the inability to hold a fork to balance my food and bring it to my mouth (hence I use a spoon for most things I eat), my depression, the rigidity and pain in my joints especially in my knees which is an insidious source of pain, my difficulty balancing on my feet, the weakness in my legs, the incessant fatigue and consequent incessant sleeping, and the terrible body pain are all consequences of the Parkinsonism. Perhaps using marijuana will alleviate some of the symptoms. It is powerful medicine. My brother is a licensed marijuana grower in New Mexico and he says that he has seen miraculous recovery from various illnesses in his patients including some skin cancers when applied as a cannabis oil.

I’m taking a break now. I’m tired and need to take a nap.

After a break in writing this, I am back. The break took longer than expected. I have to say that my wish above to either get sicker and need to be hospitalized in order to heal or get better at home came true, except it was the former wish that came true. I was going to take a nap, but instead ended up in the emergency room of the hospital I use. I was just discharged today having been admitted for an extremely elevated white count in my blood indicating an infection somewhere in my body (yet another one!!) and that has been what has been freaking me out this past three weeks . I saw Todd, my PCP (Primary Care Physician) in the hospital today and he discharged me because my white count issue has been resolved with IV Levoquin and he was afraid of super infection just from being in the hospital. I have to now take it orally for the next seven days. I was discharged this evening. I am so glad to be home with my dear Jerry and our children (our cats Murfee and Gizmo). Except for the intense fatigue, I feel so much better. The body pain from the infection (not counting the pain from the Parkinsonism and the peripheral neuropathy) is much alleviated and I can think clearly again.

This has been an extremely difficult year regarding my health: two pneumonia’s, two bouts of sepsis the first of which required a stay in the ICU for four days because I was so close to death and the second coming within twenty-four hours of being discharged from the first infection which was completely cured, removal of a ureteral stone which required two surgeries, excision of a squamous cell carcinoma on my scalp, a TURP (prostate surgery), and now this generalized infection. The TURP was not completely successful, however. I still have bladder pain when I urinate. I am seeing my urologist on Monday and I will see what he has to say. I hope I don’t have to go through another TURP. The consequences of the first TURP are not as devastating as I had anticipated. I can still have an orgasm (what a relief!), although it is dry. The sensations are there and the sex is great with Jerry, but there is no ejaculation. My entire body goes into intense orgasmic convulsions and my mind goes somewhere else completely. The depth of the spiritual experience with Jerry is complete but there is no ejaculation. Even without that, I experience “le petit mort” powerfully. Interesting, very.

Even with all these things that I have to deal with on a daily basis, my life is wonderful, creative, and productive. I am blessed to be alive so that I can carry on my work of writing and film making and, of course, to keep experiencing and living in my relationship with Jerry. I hope I have at least another twenty years of life and that Jerry does as well. We have much life to live fully and much loving to do. I am so grateful for my life. I live with my mortality every day, so each day is precious to me and Jerry is the center. Jerry is my rock. I am more than content with life. I have an incredible serenity and peace even with all the physical/psychological challenges I face on a daily basis. This is from my 12-Step recovery work. I am blessed, indeed.

___________________________________________

Roger Goodman, M. Mus., M. Div. attended Oberlin College during the tumultuous 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement and protests over the War in Vietnam. He was present at the watershed Stonewall Rebellion in NYC in June, 1969. He had an international career as a concert harpsichordist, teacher, and recording artist. He was on the faculty of The New School for Social Research in New York City, the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, and the School of Music at DePaul University as Director of the Baroque Program, a post he held for 23 years. In 2009, Roger left the world of music to become a filmmaker. He is Executive Director of his 501(c)(3) corporation Tribal Elder Productions, NFP which he formed in 2010 and is the screen writer, and director for his documentary film “From the Ashes Risen” for which he is currently seeking funding through grants and the private sector. His new book is entitled, Thoughts of a Tribal Elder: One Queerman’s Journey From the Ashes Risen. Roger has been HIV+ since the early 1980′s and was diagnosed with full-blown AIDS in 1995 when he died during a lengthy coma, but, miraculously. he came back from death. He says the reason he came back was because he had important transformational work to do in the world for Queer people everywhere. His speaking and workshops on college and university campuses, his teaching/performing, his film, and his book are the fruits of that extraordinary journey with the Death Crone. A sex and drug addict in 12-Step Recovery, he has been clean from all drugs and sexual acting out for 8 years, since 2005. He is thoroughly grateful to his Higher Power that his life was given back to him so that he could do the work he has been given to do with enthusiasm, humility, and unending joy. Websites: www.queerwitness.com and www.tribalelderproductions.org.

http://healthygaylifestyles.com/anatomy-of-an-illness-part-1/

Soda Cigs And Aspartame All Make Neuropathy Worse

Today's post from stopsmoking.news (see link below) may at first seem like a typical Sunday post that has little to do with neuropathy problems but read on. This very aggressive 'stop putting bad things into your system' article is not just a rant against smokers or additives in food - there are direct links to nerve disease, damage and problems and even if it just tickles your conscience just a little bit, it may have done its job. This especially applies to people already living with neuropathy - almost all of the things mentioned below will make your condition worse. Just saying!

Diet soda, MSG, aspartame, cigarettes and fibromyalgia: Recent studies reveal high toxicity across the board 
No Apparent Author September 2015

According to a study in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, the use of aspartame increases pain for people who have fibromyalgia. Women who decreased their intake of aspartame and MSG (monosodium glutamate) experienced decreases in pain, and then, when the additives were introduced back into their diet, the pain levels increased immediately. Jump-start the healing process by eliminating “excitotoxins,” or poisons, from the diet. Many chemical food agents and additives lead to neurotoxicity when used in excess, especially when consumed on an empty stomach. Neurotoxicity is an umbrella term which covers nearly every single symptom listed under fibromyalgia. Natural remedies may include using magnesium, vitamin D, and natural supplements that boost dopamine and serotonin levels. Vitamin B complex is important for balancing the central nervous system. Look into herbs as natural remedies also. Passion flower helps with stress and anxiety. Licorice aids in digestion. Milk thistle, dandelion and reishi mushroom are excellent for cleansing organs like the liver and kidneys, and also for boosting immunity. In other words, cover your nutritional needs first and always remember, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” — Hippocrates.
Cigarettes: Begin phasing them OUT when you finish reading this article – and you will end your habit within 14 days

Ever heard of organic tobacco? You will now. Ever heard of mucuna, the legume that raises your dopamine levels naturally, instead of using nicotine, which destroys your cleansing organs??? This is the inside turned out on chemicals and how they are affecting your moods and your motivation. This is THEIR curtain call. End them. Understand that certain superfoods can replace your cravings and then simply buy them and eat them. You are in a great place now to understand what diet soda and MSG do to the body, and artificial sweeteners in general. Keep reading.

Before tobacco was polluted with somewhere between 1,000 and 4,000 chemicals, anyone could quit the habit, even cold turkey without help, but because today’s premium brands have juiced up the nicotine so high, it seems to take a small miracle to cure someone of smoking.

In fact, the majority of smokers light up just to feel normal, and catch a little bit of stimulation or relaxation; however, even after quitting, a smoker’s organs and central nervous system remain poisoned from the chemicals for up to 12 months. This sickened state is what drives smokers back looking for relief, not the “nicotine addiction.” The history of commercial tobacco production in the United States dates back to the 17th century when the first commercial crop was planted. But why do the chemicals in cigarettes have so much more to do with the smoking addiction than nicotine? Most cigarette smokers do not understand it’s the chemicals in cigarettes that wreak havoc in their central nervous system, fueling the need for the short-lived relief nicotine brings.

History proves that the premium brands contain more chemicals than others, and that is why they rule the marketshare, and most of their “loyal smokers” will not even smoke the competition’s brand because the “kick” or “taste” just isn’t the same. What most fail to realize is that this desired kick and taste comes with a very steep price – that being more pesticides, more ammonia and a richer toxic cocktail that does damage to the lungs and nervous system in the short term.
Diet soda kills you slowly

Most people who smoke a pack a day of cigarettes know they are treading on thin ice regarding their health, but how many people realize that drinking 30 or more ounces of diet soda each day could prove to be more lethal than a pack of cigarettes? And how can diet soda be worse than regular soda? Even though there are over 4,000 chemicals in one commercial cigarette, the leading chemical in diet soda may actually be breeding more cancer cells in human beings, and thus leading to malignant tumors sooner in life, according to recent research. Cancer thrives in an acidic body where the cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Yet, even worse than cigarettes are artificial sweeteners, which fool the body into ingesting them, as if they are food, and polluting the cleansing organs with mutagens. Some research shows the body never excretes all of the aspartame, sorbitol, sucralose or saccharin. When a human consumes Equal, Splenda, Nutrasweet, Sweet-n-Low, etc., their cleansing organs, like the liver, kidneys and pancreas, are overworking and malnourished. You cannot live without these organs. Aspartame is GMO, so the blood is infected with synthetic carcinogens (which it does not release properly, if ever) which cause central nervous system (CNS) disorders and make you hungrier! That’s right, synthetic sugars drive hunger and actually make most people put on weight. How ironic, right?
There is no prescription drug, and there never will be one, which cures the problems that artificial sweeteners create

Over 70 percent of reported cases of fibromyalgia, chronic depression, IBS and acid reflux are caused by consuming chemical agents which have been approved by the FDA. The good news is that there are natural cures for both diet soda addiction and cigarette addiction.
Monosodium glutamate – “MSG” – drives inflammation immediately – chronic migraines and irritability

Monosodium glutamate, better known as MSG, is a form of concentrated salt added to foods to enhance flavor. This salt version of glutamic acid is related to an amino acid that the body can produce on its own, but the MSG we find on store shelves is processed and comes from fermented sugar beets. Because this kind of MSG is processed, it can cause many adverse reactions, including skin rashes, itching, hives, nausea, vomiting, migraine headaches, asthma, heart irregularities, depression, central nervous system instability and even seizures! Because MSG is so cheap, the food industry can use much lower quality foods and simply add MSG as a flavor enhancer. Currently, there is a huge investment by the food giants in MSG medical research to convince consumers of its safety. Monsanto, the giant biotech company that creates genetically modified corn, soy and canola, as well as the toxic chemicals that they’re doused in, also controls more than 90 percent of the sugar beet industry. Consumers who don’t filter MSG out of their diet are catching a double dose of toxicity. Foods which contain the largest doses of MSG are spicy corn chips, many soups, certain Chinese foods, ranch dressing, sausages, hot dogs, barbecued meats, smoked meats, processed deli meats and sauces. Also included are most powdered packets like chili, gravy, taco seasoning, French onion dip and dried dip mixes.
Tap water: Most USA tap contains toxic FLUORIDE CHEMICALS

Per Mike Adams, the Health Ranger and Editor of Natural News:

Fluoride-pushing doctors and dentists who try to contaminate your water supply with fluoride are promoting their deadly agenda with a clever lie… a lie you will see obediently repeated in every fluoride push. Here’s how it sounds:

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in the water. Our city’s water is unfortunate enough to have a low level, so we are simply adjusting the fluoride in the water to its optimum levels to improve public health.

This lie is repeated almost verbatim, across every city that seeks to poison its citizens with fluoride. Why is it a lie? Here are the five false deceptions found embedded in the statement:

Deception #1) The fluoride ADDED to the water is not “naturally occurring fluoride.” It’s a chemical byproduct often purchased from chemical plants in China (see below).

Deception #2) The false idea that ingesting fluoride is somehow good for your teeth. At best, fluoride is a topical treatment which should be swished around your mouth and then spat out. And that’s only if it’s truly natural (mineral) fluoride, not the fluosilicic acid toxins being pushed as fluoride.

Deception #3) What cities call “fluoride” is actually a toxic cocktail of over 100 deadly industrial chemicals and heavy metals, many of which are purchased in bulk from China, where industrial processing plants are trying to get rid of their excess toxic waste by labeling it “sodium fluoride.”

Deception #4) There is no such thing as a “low” level of fluoride or an “optimum” level of fluoride in drinking water. Pure drinking water should contain NO fluoride whatsoever.
CoQ10 – the essential nutrient depleted in smokers – time to replenish!

What’s so great about CoQ10?? We can tell you. It is perfectly legal to understand how nutrition and supplements can change your life and help you find ideal health. So keep reading. CoQ10 is a naturally occurring substance, like the vitamins our body produces, but this may need some help to be optimal, and that’s what you want and need right now. You may be experiencing oxidative stress, and that would halter your production of CoQ10. You may just be ill from what you eat, drink and put on your skin daily, and these could be the three MAJOR FACTORS contributing to your insufficient CoQ10.

“In fact, maintaining high CoQ10 levels is so critical to sustaining health, I recommend supplementation to most of my patients, particularly those who are over 40, battling fatigue or who are dealing with cardiovascular issues.” — Dr. Frank Lipman.

Top reasons to maintain optimal CoQ10 levels in your body:
CoQ10 is absolutely vital for maintaining good health, as it creates energy for every organ, tissue and cell in the body, enabling them to perform optimally.
CoQ10 is an antioxidant and is present in every cell, as our bodies create it continuously. As we age, we produce less, so you MUST get more from food, supplementation or both!
You add PROTECTION for your brain and heart by optimizing your levels of CoQ10.
CoQ10 improves short- and long-term health.
CoQ10 functions as your “home security system” for defending against the most common “life” and “health” thieves – those being cancer, heart disease and diabetes. CoQ10 is your ’round-the-clock monitoring system and the WEAPON OF CHOICE for fighting inflammation and you guessed it – fibromyalgia, that “mystery disorder” that Big Pharma and the AMA just can’t seem to figure out, help with, solve or prevent. What a coincidence you just found out about CoQ10!

A study demonstrated that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and CoQ10 leads to a longer lifespan. It’s also been shown to reduce heart attacks and overall heart failure by 50 percent.

HEALTH NEWS FACT: Cancer patients regularly have low CoQ10 levels.

As reported by IodAaron at BLOGS.NaturalNews.com:

[L]ow CoQ10 levels have been observed in cancer patients, while treatment with CoQ10 has been shown to be effective against cancer. The lack of CoQ10 can cause Rhabdomyolysis, which is muscle fibers breaking down, which leads to the release of muscle fiber contents (myoglobin) into the bloodstream. Myoglobin is known to cause kidney damage. Notably, Rhabdomyolysis has been observed often in patients who take statin drugs.

Inadequate CoQ10 levels have also been noted in incidences of chronic heart failure, end stage AIDS and other overwhelming illnesses.
Organic foods rich in CoQ10 are easy to find!

If you still eat meat, look for grass-fed, organic meats, including fish like mackerel and herring. For the rest, look for organic walnuts, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, organic garlic, cauliflower and lots of AVOCADO!

Make sure any supplements you take contain NO SYNTHETIC ingredients. Don’t buy your vitamins or supplements from Wal-Mart, for instance. Check out the Natural News Store or David Wolfe’s Longevity Warehouse. These are the world’s leading expert nutritionists who know all the good, bad and ugly about supplementation and will steer you on the right, organic, healthy path! Your Naturopathic Physician is also an excellent source for guidance. Ask lots of questions. You can find more clean health products by searching via GoodGopher.com, the world’s first search engine to filter out corporate propaganda and government disinformation.
Health freedom and free speech

Remember, you have the right to free speech, freedom of the press and optimal health. Follow the Natural News Tracker and keep up with the professional opinions of the top articles on NaturalNews.com. Current events, national events, international events and world health news are all covered at these sites:

NaturalNewsTracker.WordPress.com

HealthRangerUpdate.WordPress.com

BLOGS.NaturalNews.com

This is your key to optimal health – truth news and smart choices. Always consider all food, water, personal care products, household cleansing products and all other consumer products as your choice to be healthy and organic. Exercise regularly at a pace you can enjoy. Look forward to your life as a non-smoker. It’s about to start.

STOP SMOKING NATURALLY IN 14 DAYS OR LESS!

Free trailer to the video with nutritional guide:

“Stop Smoking Naturally in 14 Days”

Want MORE information on CoQ10? You got it:

BLOGS.NaturalNews.com

And… great organic clean-eating info here: ZenAntiDiet.com.

http://www.stopsmoking.news/2015-09-16-diet-soda-msg-aspartame-cigarettes-and-fibromyalgia-recent-studies-reveal-high-toxicity-across-the-board.html

Pregnancy And Cats

Pregnant Cat Looks Like

Prediabetes And Pregnancy ::The 3 Step Trick that Reverses Diabetes Permanently in As Little as 11 Days.[ PREDIABETES AND PREGNANCY ] The REAL cause of . Diabetes And Pregnancy Nutrition Guidelines ::The 3 Step Trick that Reverses Diabetes Permanently in As Little as 11 Days.[ DIABETES AND PREGNANCY NUTRITION . Gestational Diabetes Second Pregnancy :: diabetes facts pdf - The 3 Step Trick that Reverses Diabetes Permanently in As Little as 11 Days.[ GESTATIONAL .Printables, coloring pages, recipes, crafts, and more from your child's favorite Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows..Learn all about the care and feeding of cats. Free articles on cat behavior, cat health, pregnancy and birth, vet care and the human bond with cats.. Diabetes And Pregnancy Symptoms ::The 3 Step Trick that Reverses Diabetes Permanently in As Little as 11 Days.[ DIABETES AND PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS ] The REAL .Find a unique combination of doctors' and patients' views at onhealth.com - Owned and Operated by WebMD.Everything you need to know about the whole pregnancy journey with advice from experts and other moms who've been there..Learn about new USPSTF latent TB infection recommendation . Like CDC TB's new Facebook page. See newly released TB Treatment Guidelines. See the Take on Latent .

Manx Cat

Toxoplasmosis And Pregnancy

Learn all about the care and feeding of cats. Free articles on cat behavior, cat health, pregnancy and birth, vet care and the human bond with cats..Everything you need to know about the whole pregnancy journey with advice from experts and other moms who've been there..Printables, coloring pages, recipes, crafts, and more from your child's favorite Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows.. Gestational Diabetes Second Pregnancy :: diabetes facts pdf - The 3 Step Trick that Reverses Diabetes Permanently in As Little as 11 Days.[ GESTATIONAL . Diabetes And Pregnancy Symptoms ::The 3 Step Trick that Reverses Diabetes Permanently in As Little as 11 Days.[ DIABETES AND PREGNANCY SYMPTOMS ] .Learn about new USPSTF latent TB infection recommendation . Like CDC TB's new Facebook page. See newly released TB Treatment Guidelines. See the Take on . Prediabetes And Pregnancy ::The 3 Step Trick that Reverses Diabetes Permanently in As Little as 11 Days.[ PREDIABETES AND PREGNANCY ] The .Find a unique combination of doctors' and patients' views at onhealth.com - Owned and Operated by WebMD. Diabetes And Pregnancy Nutrition Guidelines ::The 3 Step Trick that Reverses Diabetes Permanently in As Little as 11 Days.[ DIABETES AND PREGNANCY .

Take Care Of Your Toes And Feet With Neuropathy

Today's short post from journal.diabetes.org (see link below) contains advice you really need to follow if you have neuropathy in your feet. Many articles on this subject refer to diabetic neuropathy but as we all know by now, diabetes is just one of the many forms of neuropathy that can cause you to either lose feeling, or suffer extreme feeling in your feet. Listening to a friend's recent story of having painful and infected toenail wounds from clipping too close, led me to publishing this article. It's a very common problem but one that's easy to forget. Read carefully - with the Winter coming on in the northern hemisphere, care of our feet is especially important.

How To Avoid Foot Problems If You Have Neuropathy
Ingrid Kruse, DPM CLINICAL DIABETES VOL. 18 NO. 3 Summer 2000

Inspect Your Feet Daily.
Look at your feet every day. Check for blisters, cuts, scratches, or cracks in the skin (commonly in the heel). Remember to check between your toes. A mirror can help you see the bottom of your feet, or you can ask a family member or friend to help you.

If you experience flu-like symptoms or increased blood glucose levels, be sure to check your feet. They may provide the only warning signals you will receive when a foot infection is present.

Make the daily foot inspection a regular part of your morning or evening routine, just like brushing your teeth. This simple task has kept many people with diabetes from losing their feet by helping them identify problems early on.

Wear Proper Shoes and Socks
All shoes should be comfortable at the time of purchase. Choose a shoe with a soft leather upper, or try athletic shoes for everyday wear. Do not try to "break in" uncomfortable shoes. Buy your shoes at the end of the day when your feet tend to be more swollen than in the morning.

The first time you wear your shoes, wear them only for 1 hour and only around the house. Take them off and inspect your feet for blisters or red areas. Slowly increase the wearing time, giving yourself about a week before you wear a new pair all day.

Do not wear sandals with thongs between the toes because they can rub deep gashes.

Never wear shoes without socks. Socks should be changed daily. Avoid wearing socks with holes or those that have been mended. In sporting good stores, you can find socks that have extra padding under the heel and ball of the foot for better shock-absorption.

Do not forget to check your shoes before you put them on by sliding your hand into them. Feel for nail-points and foreign objects such as keys, small toys, bird seed, or pebbles.

Practice Proper Foot Hygiene.
Wash your feet daily with mild soap, and dry them carefully, especially between the toes. Apply a moisturizing cream everywhere except between the toes. Too much moisture between toes will encourage the growth of microorganisms that can cause infection.

Trim your nails straight across with a slightly rounded edge. If you have trouble seeing, have neuropathy, or have difficulty trimming your nails yourself (because of thick fungus on your nails, for example), see a podiatrist. Avoid all types of "bathroom surgery," such as trying to fix an ingrown nail yourself or trimming your own corns and calluses. The results can be disastrous.

Do not walk barefoot—even in the house—because of danger from stepping on pins, needles, tacks, glass, or other items on the floor.

Be Mindful of Other Dangers to Your Feet.
Neuropathy can affect the set of nerves that detect heat. When these nerves are damaged, you cannot always tell when something is too hot, making burn injuries more likely. Always check bath water with your hands, or use a thermometer if you also have neuropathy in your hands.

Other heat-related problems that could cause serious burns include walking on hot pavement in the summer, using heating pads or hot water bottles to warm your feet, or putting your feet too close to radiators or space heaters in the winter.

If your feet feel cold at night, wear a pair of socks to bed. This is most likely due to neuropathy and not to poor circulation. Neuropathy can cause hot or cold sensations in your feet.

Permission is granted to reproduce this material for nonprofit educational purposes. Written permission is required for all other purposes.

http://journal.diabetes.org/clinicaldiabetes/V18N32000/pg119.htm

Acupuncture and neuropathy

Acupuncture for neuropathy relief didn't work for me but it has worked for many people and this article points out that it is a complementary therapy and is best used in conjunction with other forms of neuropathy treatment. If you're feeling frustrated because nothing else seems to work, why not try acupuncture - thousands of years of Chinese medical expertise cannot just be dismissed as 'alternative' and therefore in some way 'less valuable' and the logic behind it is hard to argue against. Recognised acupuncture and acupressure points are now widely used in various Western medicinal treatments in order to deliver targeted medication.

This article and photo are from:
http://painaction.com/

Acupuncture and acupressure for neuropathic pain: An ancient alternative

Written by: Rita Reznikova
Published: January 26, 2010
Reviewed by: Kevin Zacharoff, MD, December 2009

Neuropathic pain is a kind of chronic pain that usually results from damage to or malfunction of the nervous system. This makes it different from the usual type of pain that is a direct result of injury. Successful treatment for neuropathic pain can be difficult; often, the approach is with a combination of medications, physical and psychological methods, and complementary and alternative practices. This article will focus on acupuncture and acupressure.

What you need to know

Acupuncture and acupressure are ancient Chinese medical treatments.
These techniques may complement (be used with) other medical treatments for neuropathic pain.
Researchers believe that acupuncture and acupressure work on “pressure points” throughout the body, in order to improve the flow of energy.

Acupuncture and acupressure are used to treat many different medical problems, including neuropathic pain. If you’ve ever thought about trying them, you are not alone: According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, 3.1 million Americans said that they had visited an acupuncturist in the previous year.

Always talk with your health care provider before starting any complementary treatments: You need to make sure that these treatments won’t conflict with your other care, and that there are no medical reasons to avoid using them.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese tradition that dates back thousands of years. In Chinese belief, an energy called qi (“chee”) runs throughout the body. When something blocks or slows down the flow of qi, a person may feel pain. An acupuncturist treats this pain by placing thin needles at special points on the body, to make sure that the flow of qi is clear.

Acupressure is a similar type of treatment, but instead of needles, hand pressure is applied to these same points of the body to increase the energy flow.

How do acupuncture and acupressure feel?

You probably know that acupuncture uses needles, and the thought of someone inserting many thin needles into your skin might be scary. While some people may feel a slight twinge when acupuncture needles are placed, many do not. That’s because acupuncture needles are almost as thin as a piece of thread that’s used for sewing; they are much thinner than regular medical needles. In fact, you may feel so deeply relaxed after the needles are placed that you might even fall asleep during the treatment.

Acupressure, on the other hand, feels more like a deep tissue massage. The therapist’s hands press down on certain muscle areas of your body, called trigger points. The goal of the treatment is to create an all-around feeling of relaxation in that area.

How can acupuncture or acupressure help neuropathic pain?

Both acupuncture and acupressure target specific places called pressure points on your body.

Acupuncture, in Chinese tradition, is viewed in the context of the body’s overall energy flow. In order to relieve your pain, an acupuncturist may place needles near the areas where you hurt, as well as in other parts of your body. This may reduce pain by unblocking your flow of energy. In Western medicine, though, experts aren’t looking at “energy flow”; they feel that the placement of acupuncture needles helps to stimulate the nerves and surrounding tissues; this supposedly helps to change the way that the brain understands neuropathic pain signals.

Acupressure has a different approach. An acupressure therapist relaxes pained muscles by pressing directly on your body’s trigger points. This pressure may help to relieve the tingling, burning, or “prickly” feelings in the body that are associated with neuropathic pain. It may also help with other symptoms, like dull pain or stiffness.

There is some evidence that both acupuncture and acupressure may release a type of molecule called opioid peptides in your brain. These molecules have a pain-relieving effect, almost like ‘natural narcotics.’ Other studies even show that acupuncture and acupressure may help your immune system.

While some researchers believe that these treatments may be helpful, other experts aren’t so sure. Providers may use a mix of acupuncture or acupressure techniques, so these therapies may be better for some types of pain than others. Talk to your health care provider to see which treatment might be right for you.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a division of the National Institutes of Health, is currently helping with a number of studies about the use of acupuncture and acupressure for different types of conditions.

Risks

While experts don’t fully know how acupuncture and acupressure work, these treatments can still be safe and effective for neuropathic pain when they’re done by licensed therapists. Side effects are rare, although they can occur in certain situations: For example, there may be problems if acupuncture needles are not sterile, or if your pain actually worsens as a result of acupuncture or acupressure treatment.

If you decide to try one of these therapies, always speak first with your health care provider. Your provider may also have suggestions on how to find a skilled professional in your area.

Coping With Chronic Pain Symptoms Family And Friends

Today's valuable post from princessinthetower.org (see link below) follows on from yesterday's article about learning to cope with the pressures of chronic pain and discomfort. This applies to neuropathy patients too - don't underestimate your condition! The article comes from a different angle to that of yesterday and is equally lengthy but is equally useful in that you can choose from the pieces of advice given, according to your own situation.

How to Cope When Chronic Pain Affects Friends, Family and Social Life
March 14, 2015 by Princess 

When our lives have been so devastatingly altered by chronic pain and illness, with not a single facet untouched, the support we receive from friends and family becomes all the more essential. But one of the many ironies of a life with chronic pain is that at the very time you need the love and support of those you care for most, those relationships are so often challenged and affected by the same cause of that need.

In the recent pain support survey that so many of you kindly did (*enormous thank you* ~ you can still find the survey here), many report that one of the greatest obstacles is not with our bodies but in relations with those closest to us. Our friendships and connections with family can make the difference between coping or finding ourselves feeling entirely misunderstood, isolated in our pain, by some, even judged for it.

Dealing with this on top of the symptoms can naturally be devastating for pain patients. Yet the lessons of living in pain run deep, and even the darkest times can be illuminated by the slenderest light. This post focuses on the effect of pain on our relations with others and offers a few tips on how to cope.

Changing Relationships

“Chronic illness throws a monkey wrench into our relationships,” says Susan Milstrey Wells, author of A Delicate Balance: Living Successfully With Chronic Illness. “We may seem as foreign to the people who love us as if we had begun speaking a different language. Our family and friends still want us to be the mum who works, the dad who plays baseball in the backyard, and the friend who meets them for lunch.”

“In turn, we want to be treated as the same loving spouse, parent, and friend we always have been. A large part of the responsibility for making those relationships work falls to us. We have to educate our family and friends about our disease, allow them to express their emotions openly, and clearly state our limits and our needs. Also, we have to expect these changes to be unsettling.”

We want to be treated as the same person we have always been. #chronicillness

Chronic Pain and Socialising

Planning a social life around chronic pain and illness is hugely frustrating for everyone involved and – for those who are not in it for the long haul – can be swift to dissolve friendships. If you’ve ever known someone who keeps on saying that they want to catch up but never commits, or a friend who is constantly cancelling on you at the last minute, you know how frustrating that flakiness is.

Yet in our ever-erratic, unpredictable illness, our chronic pain can make us mimic that flaky friend to perfection. “On the one hand, we don’t want to over-commit to others and then have to cancel. On the other hand, we don’t want to unnecessarily isolate ourselves too much,” says patient, advocate and author of How to Be Sick: A Buddhist-Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers, Toni Bernhard.

“This constant need to assess what’s best for us to do is hard and exhausting work. In the end, because of the uncertainty of our symptoms, most of us must simply make an educated guess and hope for the best.”

Planning a social life around #chronicpain is frustrating for everyone involved.

Never Knowing How We’ll Feel

The ongoing uncertainty about how we’ll feel each day makes planning impossible. “It’s hard to make plans because we can’t be sure how sick we’ll feel or how much pain we’ll be in on any given day. Even after I’ve woken up, I don’t know how I’ll feel as the day progresses because my symptoms can flare at any moment,” says Toni Bernhard.

“In addition, resting for days in advance of a commitment doesn’t assure that I’ll feel okay when the day arrives. It took me a long time to even be able to begin to make peace with the uncertainty of my symptoms. It’s an ongoing challenge, that’s for sure.” Some pain patients also feel that others expect too much from them, so believe they are letting them down in some way if they can’t keep up, which leads to more unhelpful thoughts.

Cancelling at the Last Minute

Just as others are perplexed by the fluctuation in symptoms, especially the speed with which a flare can transform us from being happy and engaged with someone, to collapsing in a voiceless heap, we too are equally perplexed. We can do everything within our power and planning to see our loved-ones but there are times when it simply does not help, or the pain flares so viciously, we are entirely powerless in controlling it.

Only you know which decisions to make to best manage your symptoms. If you are unable to do something or have to change plans you’ve made with friends, it’s important to communicate this but don’t feel obligated to give long explanations or grand apologies, though I know that is natural. We obviously feel bad, sad, and upset but the subsequent guilt at letting another down will only serve to depress you. 

One Event = Whole Day’s Preparation

A single event, such as seeing a loved-one means our entire day is built around that event. From waking-up, everything is considered and for many of us, we cannot do anything we want to before the event as it jeopardises it. So when we do have to cancel, it’s not just the event but an entire day wasted, us in pain, yet we were never able to even see that friend. This is frequently ignored, especially by those who get annoyed at us for being in pain and needing to cancel.

It’s complicated as we long to socialise, to see those we love but the depth of understanding needed to truly comprehend the constant evaluation, uncertainty and ongoing management of our pain, is only grasped by a select few. These friends are perhaps the finest of all as they do not get angry or feel put out if we must cancel at the eleventh hour, nor do they mind it if our plans are cut short because they understand that we are doing everything we can. It just doesn’t always go to plan.

Seeing a loved-one means the entire day is built around that event. #chronicpain

Evaluating Everything

When you look perfectly healthy but cannot participate in activities such as a short walk with friends or a party, explaining why is often difficult and always tiring. We naturally become exhausted explaining over and over why we cannot partake.

It also breaks our hearts when we keep having to explain that we’re not able to do something that we would truly love to, even if it was ‘just’ a walk with friends or a drive in the countryside. Though of course there is no ‘just’ about it when for the most part, you are stuck indoors because of your pain and illness.

Living with chronic pain and illness involves a constant evaluation of the impact that various activities might have on our pain, fatigue, and other symptoms. This painstaking (pardon the terrible pun), and meticulous pacing often requires difficult choices about whether or not to engage in an activity that others do without a second thought.

Living in #chronicpain involves a constant evaluation of the impact activities have on the pain.

Not Knowing How to Act Around Pain

“We may lose friends because we can no longer share a sport or hobby with them, or because we don’t seem to be as much fun as we used to be,” says Susan Milstrey Wells. “Sometimes our friends just don’t know how to act around us when we are ill.”

Being so misunderstood by loved ones and losing the intimacy once shared in formally close friendships naturally hurts. Human beings are social creatures. Our sense of who we are and our place in the world is forever influenced and redefined by the nature and quality of our interactions and relations with others. Yet chronic illness inevitably changes relationships. 

Sensory Overwhelm and Brain Fog

Another aspect of socialising with pain that becomes difficult, even impossible is trying to interact when the pain rises because of sensory overload and makes it impossible to think. The more people in the room the greater the stimulus on your nervous system, and consequently, your pain.

While you are trying to listen, engage, think of your responses too, any additional noise, people, and especially music can make brain fog and sensory overload exacerbate, making it painful physically and emotionally. The desire to have and maintain closeness in friendship and family is sadly made all the more impossible because of the very symptoms that thwart it.

Many pain patients, especially those with severe pain conditions that mostly leave them house-bound, naturally struggle to see, speak to, or socialise anything close to what we long to. Though it’s humble compensation, when we do connect, it does make it all the more wonderful, Skype too, is a beautiful means for those with pain to see their friends and chat.

Being Treated Differently

When you have an illness that is so hard for others to understand, others may treat you differently. Even those who fully support us can change in how they relate to us. We want to be treated as whole people, and adults, not ’the one with pain’ but may be treated like shadows of our former self, exclusively defined by our pain or illness, or worse as dependant children.

“I’ve had people talk to me as if I’m a child. There’s a word for this frustrating phenomenon: infantilization. The unpredictability of how we’ll be treated by others can be extremely stressful,” says Toni Bernhard. “Will they understand that chronic illness hasn’t turned us into children? Will they speak to us in a pitying voice? Will they shy away from meaningful interaction altogether, as if we’re contagious?”

Toni offers two strategies for handling this particular uncertainty: “First, I reflect on how even well-intentioned people may behave unskillfully for reasons related to their particular life history and their cultural conditioning. This helps me not to take their behavior personally. Second, I remind myself that, despite this illness, I know in my heart that I’m a whole and complete person; then I re-commit to making sure that’s good enough for me.” 

Talking About Our Pain

If we talk about our health problems, loved-ones may respond judgmentally yet in keeping quiet about our health issues, or the severity of the pain and symptoms, perhaps even acting ‘healthy’, we risk leading others to misunderstand what we can and cannot do. Additionally, by keeping quiet, we’re also passing up the possibility of receiving much-needed support, emotional and practical.

“How much you talk about your pain and other difficulties is a personal matter, affected by your personality, the situation, your culture, and the personalities and cultures of others in your life,” says Lynette Menefee Puiol, Ph.D. “For example, some friends might think it is not polite to ask how you are doing, while others think that not asking indicates that they don’t care.”

“There is a delicate balance between sharing enough so people will understand, and knowing that talking about your pain has a negative effect on relationships,” adds Lynette, who suggests having a ‘script’ prepared when you don’t want to say much, such as, “I don’t like to discuss the details, but thanks for your concern.” Instead of talking, some pain patients use a sign or a number system to communicate when pain flares-up or it is particularly difficult to speak. 

Exceeding Limitations

The nature of invisible illness and our fluctuating symptoms can lead to an equally fluctuating level of support. Since others cannot see our pain, sometimes even those closest to us find it hard to believe that someone who looks healthy can have so many severe symptoms and limitations. We may be misunderstood or expected to exceed our limits by even those we love the most, no matter how much we explain that we cannot.

This of course is hurtful emotionally as well as physically if we do go over those limits. Yet sometimes even those we think understand show they do not. We might try to ‘keep up’ only to pay for it so dearly later but of course the flare-ups and recoveries are as hidden as our pain is. So that side of living in pain is also so vastly misunderstood, which can also affect friendships and relations with family. 

Unpredictable Symptoms

Everyone with painful neurological conditions and invisible illness knows how tricky it is to manage our unpredictable symptoms and limitations but just as we struggle with it, our friends and family may think we are exaggerating our pain or mismanaging it, which may strain in turn friendships and relations with family.

Loved-ones who see us ‘able’ to carry out activities, though obviously oblivious to how painful these actually are, are then confused by our need to rest and recover, or allow that invisible pain to lessen. Oblivious to the pain involved, aftermath, or inability to repeat that activity, this creates doubt and may lead to their questioning of our pain, in turn affecting the closeness and connection in our relationships and friendships.

The swift climb from ‘normal’ pain to being entirely unable to speak because of a flare can also be perplexing to others. Of course not everyone reacts in this way. Some friendships are deepened through our illness and pain but if we are judged on something that is so out of our own control, it naturally makes us feel even more isolated, especially as the reality is so beyond the scope of our loved-ones’ own experience and therefore understanding.

Changing Needs, Changing Relationships

The world of the chronic pain patient, no matter the cause, shares the need to be understood. We don’t want pity but understanding. Not sympathy but empathy. When friends and family change how they respond to us it can make life with pain even more difficult. Even if initially our loved-ones respond with kindness and concern, that may change as time passes and we don’t ‘get better’.

Another way our relationships change is that we may rely on others in new ways, something that can be difficult to acknowledge even to ourselves, let alone in communicating those needs to others. We may feel embarrassed, flawed, or inadequate because of the pain. It’s natural to worry that others may be resentful of our needs because of disability and pain but that frequently leads to those needs not being met.

We don’t want pity but understanding. #chronicpain #chronicillness

Compassion Fatigue

Sometimes our friends and family are there for us only to slacken that support when things don’t improve. They may become frustrated in their role if they are a caregiver or a family member, or simply misdirect their own feelings about your illness at you, which is always hard. Your friend you went out every week with is fed-up of waiting, or your family stops asking how you are.

When even those you thought supported you get compassion-fatigue, or grow a little clipped or angry at you ‘never getting better’, take comfort in your own inner strength and remember that new people do come into your life, online and in person, especially now with so many online support groups.

Distance from Illness and Pain

Watching a loved one struggle with pain often makes others feel helpless and uncomfortable. They may also be experiencing fear, disappointment and loss. These emotions can be powerful motivators. It hurts for us, of course it does, but denial can be their own means for coping, how ever hurtful that is to us. They may simply feel too uncomfortable to acknowledge our pain and ill-health.

Some reactions are also often complicated by feelings of guilt for being healthy and able to walk, run, get out, or simply unable to share aspects of their lives that they know you can now no longer be a part of. Remember that others have their own challenges and lives to lead, that everyone has their own battles to face but above all, keep in mind that others’ reactions usually have far more to do with them than with us.

Keep in mind that others’ reactions usually have far more to do with them than with us.

Letting Go

I used to have a friend who was one of the kindest you could hope to meet. Yet when CRPS began, although the initial reaction was one of concern and compassion, the distance was evident. That grew to increasingly infrequent visits, until it became all too apparent that the pain made them too uncomfortable (as ironic as that sounds to us in pain). Their need to create distance was as they could not deal with it, and many people cannot. Illness, as perpetuated by our youth and health-adoring society, doesn’t sit well for many.

While some relationships are deepened by the challenges of chronic illness, we may need to accept that we must let others go. Letting go is a part of life but with chronic illness and pain that teaching acquires a whole new depth. Of course it hurts if someone you love leaves but for your sake, letting go is often the most healing action you can take. Just as our lives shift and evolve, we too change and grow, so do the people we share it with. Instead of focusing on the heartbreak of losing loved-ones to your chronic pain and mystifying illness, let go, have compassion for yourself, them too in letting go, and know that new friends do appear. 

Self-Compassion

“Ultimately, as we strike a delicate balance between our own needs and the demands of our most important relationships, we grow in self-awareness, creativity, and acceptance,” says Susan Milstrey Wells. “We can’t be sick successfully without learning to love ourselves, and when we accept our own limitations, we’re much more likely to let those around us be less than perfect too.”

Self-compassion attains a whole new height when it comes to living with chronic pain and illness. We are so frequently hardest on ourselves, and when we lose those we love, all the harder. Sometimes that loss, that separation from friends we considered for life can lead us to this dark and lonely place.

“If your #compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” Jack Kornfield #chronicpain

Remember that you are doing your best, you are dealing with incredibly difficult circumstances so be kind to yourself. Speak to yourself as if you are a friend of yourself, without judgement, without criticism, without drama. Having self-compassion means to fully be with yourself in awareness, much like a good friend, with the willingness to be a loving companion to your own pain.

Self-compassion also brings care and concern for ourselves; warmth, love, and kindness for our challenges too. It’s a gentleness within you that permeates with acceptance, unconditional love and intimate understanding. As author and Eastern teacher, Jack cornfield said, “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” 

Finding Friends in the Spoonie Community

One way to cope with the ongoing challenges is to make friends with others who truly understand those that you face, on a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis. Finding others who are suffering with similar symptoms is nourishing and connecting with others who live with chronic pain can provide much comfort. Although they may have a very different illness or condition to your unique combination, they have the ability to be empathetic, encouraging, and a great source of support precisely because of their direct experience.

Yet just as the night is darkest before the dawn, so too can the sadness in our lives be lifted by new people who come into our lives. If you are reading this after being recently diagnosed and fear the loss of friends, take heart in the fact that so many new people will come into your life; brave, inspiring, beautiful, compassionate people.

Some feel their friendship circle actually expands after a diagnosis, or, perhaps more vitally, if you reach out to others in pain online, or in support groups. The capacity for human connection is something that even chronic illness and pain cannot take away.

http://princessinthetower.org/how-chronic-pain-affects-your-friendships-and-what-to-do-about-it/