Saturday, March 31, 2012
ct scan update
the ct scan didnt show any complications..just the usual inflammation causing tons of pain...ugh no way to get any relief
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Day 1 hundred and something
went to the dr today. ive had worsening pain and a swollen feeling. so he sent me straight to the hospital for a ct scan and blood work.ill get the results in the morning
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Day 155: Self-Injury Awareness
Although National Self-Injury Awareness Day (NSIAD) is on March 1, I am offering some information to my readers today. Just because it's important and close to my heart.
INFORMATION
Approximately 1% of the US population has self-injured at some point in time.
Self-injury is a coping mechanism. An individual harms their physical self to deal with emotional pain, or to break feelings of numbness by arousing sensation.
People can feel the urge to self-injure for hours, and it can feel like there is nothing else to relieve the distress, other than to hurt one's self.
A trigger is an event that pushes a person over the edge and leads them to seek immediate relief through self-harm.
A trigger can be an external event, such as an argument, or an internal event, like remembering a traumatic time.
DID YOU KNOW?
Self-harm includes many harmful behaviours such as self-injury, but includes such diverse matters as eating disorders, risk taking behaviour, drug and alcohol misuse.
We might describe a massive acute drug overdose as suicidal behaviour, but if someone is self-medicating in a chronic manner (over a period of time) then we're more likely to describe it as self-injury, especially if the person explains their actions are to 'help them cope' or 'help them forget'.
When a person is told that their ideas, desires and thoughts are wrong, stupid or not worth considering, that person can feel invalidated, i.e. they can feel unheard and discounted.
When a person finds that all their thoughts are always judged to be silly or not worth consideration, they can be said to be experiencing chronic, or long-term invalidation.
If a person's self expression is inhibited, or even forbidden, then it may lead to such a crisis that they turn inwards, only expressing themselves internally, and this might manifest as self harm.
Self harm can be seen as 'communication to one's self'; a person who self harms may feel that the only way to have a voice, is to keep it silent and private, to express their feelings directly on their own body.
If there is no one who will listen to the emotional outbursts of a frustrated and distressed person, they may turn to self harm as a form of emotional expression. By creating physical harm to themselves, they seek relief from the emotional distress# that they are forbidden to express publicly.
Physical pain can seem easier to deal with than the emotional pain that is trapped inside an invalidated person, and it detracts from the emotional distress therefore offering some kind of temporary relief.
Chronic invalidation is not only experienced by young people, it can effect people of any age, in situations where a person in power, or a group of people, continuously discount and ignore a person. This sort of passive bullying can often be seen in the work place*.
WHO SELF-INJURES?
Self-injury can affect anybody, at any time in their lives. Gender, age, sexual orientation, race, religion, background – they are all irrelevant. If, rather than considering who might turn to self-injury, we instead focus on who could possibly suffer from the emotional distress that can lead to self-injury, it’s much easier to imagine that self-injury really can affect anyone.
Self-injury is a coping mechanism. Anyone who has anything distressing to cope with might potentially turn to self-injury.
So instead of looking at who self-injures in terms of such things as gender and age, we might consider that there are certain characteristics that some people who self-injure share. These include, but are not restricted to, low self-esteem, perfectionism and high achievement, poor body image, trauma and abuse. Of course, a person who self-injures may experience all, some, or none of these characteristics, as may a person who doesn’t self-injure.
Many people who self-injure often talk about intense negative feelings towards themselves. A significant cause of low self-esteem is chronic invalidation by others.
Perfectionists may be very successful in their every-day lives, but it often comes at a personal cost. Perfectionism simultaneously pushes people to succeed to the highest standards, but it also inevitably causes a person to feel they could have done better, or even that they have failed. Similarly to invalidation, this may lead eventually to low self-esteem.
Some people who self-injure have a poor body image. This may, again, be due to invalidation (i.e. consistent comments about weight, looks etc) or may even be due to the media’s attention on the ‘beautiful people’. A person can feel inadequate, or even ugly or inferior. Self-injury may be a way of coping with these feelings by ‘punishing’ the body.
Some people self-injure to cope with traumatic life events, either currently or in the past. These may include bereavement, bullying, break-up of relationship, financial crisis, or physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
Self-injury may also be associated with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, etc.
Resource: http://www.lifesigns.org.uk/ (TONS of info here, please go to the website and download the appropriate pdf file..ex. info for teachers, for parents, for friends, for males and so on)
This information could save someone you know so please read!
INFORMATION
Approximately 1% of the US population has self-injured at some point in time.
Self-harm, also known as self-injury, self-inflicted violence, self-injurious behavior, or self-mutilation, can be defined as the deliberate, direct injury of one's own body that causes tissue damage or leave marks for more than a few minutes and that is done in order to deal with an overwhelming or distressing situation.
It's important to remember that, even though it may not be apparent to an outside observer, self-injury is serving a function for the person who does it. Figuring out what functions it serves and helping someone learn other ways to get those needs met is essential to helping people who self-harm. Some of the reasons self-injurers have given for their acts include:
- Affect modulation (distraction from emotional pain, ending feelings of numbness, lessening a desire to suicide, calming overwhelming/intense feelings)
- Maintaining control and distracting the self from painful thoughts or memories
- Self-punishment (either because they believe they deserve punishment for either having good feelings or being an "evil" person or because they hope that self-punishment will avert worse punishment from some outside source
- Expression of things that can't be put into words (displaying anger, showing the depth of emotional pain, shocking others, seeking support and help)
- Expression of feelings for which they have no label -- this phenomenon, called alexithymia (literally no words feeling), is common in people who self-harm
See Osuch, Noll, & Putnam, Psychiatry 62 (Winter 99), pp: 334-345
Zlotnick et al, Comprehensive Psychiatry 37(1) pp:12-16.
Zlotnick et al, Comprehensive Psychiatry 37(1) pp:12-16.
People who self-injure often never developed healthy ways to feel and express emotion or to tolerate distress. Studies have shown that self-harm can put a person at a high level of physiological arousal back to a baseline state.
It's natural to want to help people who self-injure develop healthier ways of coping when they feel overwhelmed, but it's important not to let your discomfort with the concept of self-harm cause you to issue ultimatums, punish self-harming behavior, or threaten to leave if the person self-harms again. Ideally, you should set boundaries to keep yourself feeling safe while respecting the person's right to make his or her own decisions about how to deal with stress.
MYTHS
Self-harm is usually a failed suicide attempt.
This myth persists despite a wealth of studies showing that, although people who self-injure may be at a higher risk of suicide than others, they distinguish betwen acts of self-harm and attempted suicide. Many, if not most, self-injuring people who make a suicide attempt use means that are completely different to their preferred methods of self-inflicted violence.
This myth persists despite a wealth of studies showing that, although people who self-injure may be at a higher risk of suicide than others, they distinguish betwen acts of self-harm and attempted suicide. Many, if not most, self-injuring people who make a suicide attempt use means that are completely different to their preferred methods of self-inflicted violence.
People who self-injure are crazy and should be locked up.
Tracy Alderman, Ph.D., author of The Scarred Soul, addressed this:
Tracy Alderman, Ph.D., author of The Scarred Soul, addressed this:
"Fear can lead to dangerous overreactions. In dealing with clients who hurt themselves, you will probably feel fear. . . . Hospitalizing clients for self-inflicted violence is one such form of overreaction. Many therapists, because they do not possess an adequate understanding of SIV, will use extreme measures to assure (they think) their clients' best interests. However, few people who self-injure need to be hospitalized or institutionalized. The vast majority of self-inflicted wounds are neither life threatening nor require medical treatment. Hospitalizing a client involuntarily for these issues can be damaging in several ways. Because SIV is closely related to feelings of lack of control and overwhelming emotional states, placing someone in a setting that by its nature evokes these feelings is very likely to make matters worse, and may lead to an incident of SIV. In addition, involuntary hospitalization often affects the therapeutic relationship in negative ways, eroding trust, communication, rapport, and honesty. Caution should be used when assessing a client's level of threat to self or others. In most cases, SIV is not life threatening. . . . Because SIV is so misunderstood, clinicians often overreact and provide treatment that is contraindicated.
People who self-harm are just trying to get attention.
A wise friend once emailed me a list of attention-seeking behaviors: wearing nice clothing, smiling at people, saying "hi", going to the check-out counter at a store, and so on. We all seek attention all the time; wanting attention is not bad or sick. If someone is in so much distress and feels so ignored that the only way he can think of to express his pain is by hurting his body, something is definitely wrong in his life and this isn't the time to be making moral judgments about his behavior.
That said, most poeple who self-injure go to great lengths to hide their wounds and scars. Many consider their self-harm to be a deeply shameful secret and dread the consequences of discovery.
A wise friend once emailed me a list of attention-seeking behaviors: wearing nice clothing, smiling at people, saying "hi", going to the check-out counter at a store, and so on. We all seek attention all the time; wanting attention is not bad or sick. If someone is in so much distress and feels so ignored that the only way he can think of to express his pain is by hurting his body, something is definitely wrong in his life and this isn't the time to be making moral judgments about his behavior.
That said, most poeple who self-injure go to great lengths to hide their wounds and scars. Many consider their self-harm to be a deeply shameful secret and dread the consequences of discovery.
Self-inflicted violence is just an attempt to manipulate others.
Some people use self-inflicted injuries as an attempt to cause others to behave in certain ways, it's true. Most don't, though. If you feel as though someone is trying to manipulate you with SI, it may be more important to focus on what it is they want and how you can communicate about it while maintaining appropriate boundaries. Look for the deeper issues and work on those.
Some people use self-inflicted injuries as an attempt to cause others to behave in certain ways, it's true. Most don't, though. If you feel as though someone is trying to manipulate you with SI, it may be more important to focus on what it is they want and how you can communicate about it while maintaining appropriate boundaries. Look for the deeper issues and work on those.
Only people with Borderline Personality Disorder self-harm.
Self-harm is a criterion for diagnosing BPD, but there are 8 other equally important criteria. Not everyone with BPD self-harms, and not all people who self-harm have BPD (regardless of practitioners who automatically diagnose anyone who self-injures with BPD).
Self-harm is a criterion for diagnosing BPD, but there are 8 other equally important criteria. Not everyone with BPD self-harms, and not all people who self-harm have BPD (regardless of practitioners who automatically diagnose anyone who self-injures with BPD).
If the wounds aren't "bad enough," self-harm isn't serious.
The severity of the self-inflicted wounds has very little to do with the level of emotional distress present. Different people have different methods of SI and different pain tolerances. The only way to figure out how much distress someone is in is to ask. Never assume; check it out with the person.
The severity of the self-inflicted wounds has very little to do with the level of emotional distress present. Different people have different methods of SI and different pain tolerances. The only way to figure out how much distress someone is in is to ask. Never assume; check it out with the person.
Only teen-aged girls self-injure.
In five years of existence, the bodies-under-siege email list has had members of both genders, from six continents, and ranging in age from 14-60+. It's a person-who-has-no-other-way-to-cope thing, not a teenage (or female or American or whatever) thing.
In five years of existence, the bodies-under-siege email list has had members of both genders, from six continents, and ranging in age from 14-60+. It's a person-who-has-no-other-way-to-cope thing, not a teenage (or female or American or whatever) thing.
Resource: http://www.selfinjury.org/
INFORMATION
People can feel the urge to self-injure for hours, and it can feel like there is nothing else to relieve the distress, other than to hurt one's self.
A trigger is an event that pushes a person over the edge and leads them to seek immediate relief through self-harm.
A trigger can be an external event, such as an argument, or an internal event, like remembering a traumatic time.
DID YOU KNOW?
Self-harm includes many harmful behaviours such as self-injury, but includes such diverse matters as eating disorders, risk taking behaviour, drug and alcohol misuse.
We might describe a massive acute drug overdose as suicidal behaviour, but if someone is self-medicating in a chronic manner (over a period of time) then we're more likely to describe it as self-injury, especially if the person explains their actions are to 'help them cope' or 'help them forget'.
When a person is told that their ideas, desires and thoughts are wrong, stupid or not worth considering, that person can feel invalidated, i.e. they can feel unheard and discounted.
When a person finds that all their thoughts are always judged to be silly or not worth consideration, they can be said to be experiencing chronic, or long-term invalidation.
If a person's self expression is inhibited, or even forbidden, then it may lead to such a crisis that they turn inwards, only expressing themselves internally, and this might manifest as self harm.
Self harm can be seen as 'communication to one's self'; a person who self harms may feel that the only way to have a voice, is to keep it silent and private, to express their feelings directly on their own body.
If there is no one who will listen to the emotional outbursts of a frustrated and distressed person, they may turn to self harm as a form of emotional expression. By creating physical harm to themselves, they seek relief from the emotional distress# that they are forbidden to express publicly.
Physical pain can seem easier to deal with than the emotional pain that is trapped inside an invalidated person, and it detracts from the emotional distress therefore offering some kind of temporary relief.
Chronic invalidation is not only experienced by young people, it can effect people of any age, in situations where a person in power, or a group of people, continuously discount and ignore a person. This sort of passive bullying can often be seen in the work place*.
WHO SELF-INJURES?
Self-injury can affect anybody, at any time in their lives. Gender, age, sexual orientation, race, religion, background – they are all irrelevant. If, rather than considering who might turn to self-injury, we instead focus on who could possibly suffer from the emotional distress that can lead to self-injury, it’s much easier to imagine that self-injury really can affect anyone.
Self-injury is a coping mechanism. Anyone who has anything distressing to cope with might potentially turn to self-injury.
So instead of looking at who self-injures in terms of such things as gender and age, we might consider that there are certain characteristics that some people who self-injure share. These include, but are not restricted to, low self-esteem, perfectionism and high achievement, poor body image, trauma and abuse. Of course, a person who self-injures may experience all, some, or none of these characteristics, as may a person who doesn’t self-injure.
Many people who self-injure often talk about intense negative feelings towards themselves. A significant cause of low self-esteem is chronic invalidation by others.
Perfectionists may be very successful in their every-day lives, but it often comes at a personal cost. Perfectionism simultaneously pushes people to succeed to the highest standards, but it also inevitably causes a person to feel they could have done better, or even that they have failed. Similarly to invalidation, this may lead eventually to low self-esteem.
Some people who self-injure have a poor body image. This may, again, be due to invalidation (i.e. consistent comments about weight, looks etc) or may even be due to the media’s attention on the ‘beautiful people’. A person can feel inadequate, or even ugly or inferior. Self-injury may be a way of coping with these feelings by ‘punishing’ the body.
Some people self-injure to cope with traumatic life events, either currently or in the past. These may include bereavement, bullying, break-up of relationship, financial crisis, or physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
Self-injury may also be associated with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, etc.
Resource: http://www.lifesigns.org.uk/ (TONS of info here, please go to the website and download the appropriate pdf file..ex. info for teachers, for parents, for friends, for males and so on)
This information could save someone you know so please read!
Day 155: Therapy
Was sick and throwing up for several hours yesterday but was over it after dinner time.
Today i met with a therapist..someone to help me deal with my emotional issues with having a chronic illness. i will see her on a regular basis now..well someone in SC and her when im in CA but im going back to sc this weekend. I will call someone in Greenville to see when I get home.
Other than that, no major updates..just waiting to go to Chicago..lots of waiting...
Today i met with a therapist..someone to help me deal with my emotional issues with having a chronic illness. i will see her on a regular basis now..well someone in SC and her when im in CA but im going back to sc this weekend. I will call someone in Greenville to see when I get home.
Other than that, no major updates..just waiting to go to Chicago..lots of waiting...
Friday, March 16, 2012
Day 153: Bucket List
Here is my Bucket List as of today:
70. Ride in a ferry In Istanbul, 201071. Take a cruise Dinner cruise in Istanbul, 201072. Get marriedDecember 23, 201173. Lay out and watch the stars74. Get something pierced belly button, 200975. Name a star “The Nana”, for Mom, February 14, 201276. Lay on a beach in Europe 2010 with Leslie Merritt77. Take a train ride In Greece, 2010 with Leslie Merritt78. Own a pet Ella and Lady79. Go on a horse and carriage ride Helen, GA80. Fall in love 81. Go on spontaneous road trip to Folly Beach, SC 201182. Make my own piece of clothing 83. Be on a game show Mexican game show in Miami, 200984. Watch the sunrise on the beach85. Kiss underneath a waterfall 86. Be a designer in a fashion show 200887. Learn to cook88. Cook a meal for my family 89. Get a professional massage 90. Have a snowball fight with strangers Athens, GA snowstorm 201091. Hike a mountain Chimney Rock, NC92. Lose weight93. Learn to check the oil in a car Poppie taught me94. Throw a party 201095. Go to a baseball game 96. Graduate college SCSU and UGA; 2008 and 2010 respectively97. Create my own recipe beans98. See a dinner and a show with Mom, Pigeon Forge, TN; Dixie Stampede99. See an impersonation act100. Kiss in the rain101. Build a snowman 102. Go to a petting zoo 103. Watch the sunset on the beach104. Drive a speed boat 105. Witness a lunar or solar eclipse 2008106. Eat duck 2012107. Learn yoga 2012108. Start meditating 2012109. Get a tattoo first one: angel wings when I was 19110. Go to Paris 2010111. See Shamu at Sea World 112. Be on a TV show 2011 BET’s “The Game”113. Go tubing 114. Get a master’s degree 115. Go to Miami 116. Sing karaoke117. Go camping118. Ride a mechanical bull119. Go to the Louvre 120. See an ancient Greek god’s temple 121. Save an animal 122. Pet a dolphin 123. See a panda 124. Fly on a plane 125. See Broadway’s Cats
1. Learn to play guitar
2. Go to a hockey game
3. Stay in a cottage in Ireland
4. See the Hollywood sign
5. Write a book
6. See the pyramids in Egypt
7. Eat gelato in Italy
8. Go to Time Square at New Year’s
9. Learn to confidently drive a stick shift car
10. Be on Family Feud
11. Gamble at a casino
12. Message in a bottle
13. Go to Mall of America
14. Do a pinup photo shoot
15. Ride in a helicopter
16. Visit all 50 states
17. Go on the Jaws ride at Universal Studios
18. Go to a monster truck show
19. Go to Mount Rushmore
20. Paint a picture
21. Go on an undetermined road trip..just get in the car and drive
22. Stay in the haunted Colonial Inn in Massachusetts...shown on Ghost Hunters
23. See the mystery GA stones
24. Grow a tulip
25. Learn to do a real pushup, not the girly kind
26. Go mattress surfing down a flight of stairs
27. Go to Disneyland
28. See a celebrity’s house
29. Get a spray tan, just because
30. Get laser hair removal on my legs
31. Visit an Amish or pioneer town
32. Join a church
33. Take pictures with the Hollywood sidewalk stars
34. Lead a charity organization or drive
35. Go to Venice
36. Share my abuse story and help someone
37. See Lion King: the Broadway show
38. Go to a ballet
39. Go to the circus
40. See Cirque du Soleil
41. Take my nephews to a theme park
42. See a Picasso exhibit
43. Create and maintain a blog with at least 100 readers
44. Teach at a university
45. Get my PhD
46. Got to a small Mexican village
47. See the Great Wall in China
48. See a bull fight or run in Spain
49. See a kangaroo in Australia
50. Go on a safari ride
51. See the Northern Lights
52. Volunteer with children
53. Go to a shooting range
54. Play paintball
55. Be in the audience of a taping of a talk show
56. Visit Germany and meet my family that lives there
57. Have a quilt made of all my old t-shirts to pass down in my family
58. Go on a spiritual mission
59. Go to a German festival
60. See a meteor shower
61. See the Statue of Liberty
62. Go to a wax museum
63. Go to a pottery making place
64. Go to a wine tasting
65. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
66. Shop on Rodeo Drive
67. Have a child or adopt
68. Go whale watching
69. Eat escargot
Day 153: Doctor Visits Next Week
I started running a fever at like 6 am today..it didn't break until 3pm. That was agonizing.
Other than that I've been so so today. I have two doctor appointments next week: one with a family doctor/ob gyn and another with a therapist. On top of my lovely Crohns, I have precancerous cells on my cervix once again. This is like the 3rd time I'd have to have them removed. I found out about them over a year ago and have yet to do anything about them so I'm going to be proactive. Then on Wednesday, I'm going to a therapist. It's way past time for me to do deal with my emotions..so once again, being proactive.
That's really the only update I have for today. (plus i have someone looking over my shoulder and don't feel like i can be 100% right now)
Other than that I've been so so today. I have two doctor appointments next week: one with a family doctor/ob gyn and another with a therapist. On top of my lovely Crohns, I have precancerous cells on my cervix once again. This is like the 3rd time I'd have to have them removed. I found out about them over a year ago and have yet to do anything about them so I'm going to be proactive. Then on Wednesday, I'm going to a therapist. It's way past time for me to do deal with my emotions..so once again, being proactive.
That's really the only update I have for today. (plus i have someone looking over my shoulder and don't feel like i can be 100% right now)
Day 153: Late Night Poetry
Poetry is good for the soul. Writing in general is. I would like to include poems written by others on this blog and on my prayer blog (www.prayallday.blogspot.com) Please email me your submissions: shortjen04@yahoo.com
Don't Say I Didn't Tell You
Why aren't you listening?
I keep telling you but why aren't you listening?
I can't do this anymore, do you even hear me?
It's too much weight to bear
Too heavy, too many tears, too much
But are you listening?
What do I have to do to make you hear me?
When will you know I'm for real?
I know it might take a lot
For you to help me, to really help me
I won't put that burden on you
I'll try to help myself
But if it doesn't work, please remember I told you
And you weren't listening
**This one was posted previously, but it's weighing on my mind so i reposted**
Touch Me, Kiss Me
Touch me, Kiss me
Do you even know I'm here?
You act like this is normal
Is there something that you fear?
I feel like you can't see me
Or maybe that's what you choose
Something has to change quick
Or you'll stand something to lose
I've asked you. No, I've begged
And yet you act like it's ok
To not touch me, to not kiss me
Is there nothing that you crave?
I'm lonely and I'm sad
But you've heard it all before
You slide by with bare minimums
And never attempt more
I don't want anyone else
I don't want to stray
But if you don't touch me, don't kiss me
You're going to lose me someday
I'm truly at wits end
Yet I'm chained, not quite free
Please, you must do something quickly
Touch me
Kiss me
Strong
I'm strong
You may not know it
But I'm strong
I cry, I break down
And I'm strong
You've seen me shake, you've seen me tremble
You've seen me strong
I get confused and I get lost
Broken and exhausted
On my knees and at wits end
And I'm strong
I get defeated
I forgive
I suck it up
And I live
I scream, I argue
I shake my fists and I throw fits
Tears flow from me like raindrops
And I make mistakes and I forget
I hurt myself and I hurt others
And I let others hurt me too
And I'm strong
I get embarrassed, I get tongue tied
I get lonely and depressed
I sing in the shower and in the car alone
And I burn dinner to a crisp
I pray hard and I beg
And I get sad and fall apart
I never know what I'm doing next
I never knew from the start
But I'm strong
My life may be in ruins
And I cry myself to sleep
But I make it through each day
You know why?
Because I'm strong
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Day 152: Part II: Alpha Lipoic Acid
Alpha Lipoic Acid
What is this? Has anyone ever heard of it? It is new to me. So what do I do when I don't know enough about something? GOOGLE the heck out of it! So once again, I've compiled some info but there wasn't much...if you find any yourselves..pleased let me know
Information
Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) has many functions, but it's one of the most effective free radical scavengers, and the only one known to easily get into your brain. It also has the ability to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamins C, E, and glutathione. So, when your body has used up these antioxidants, if there's ALA around, it helps regenerate them.
You may not know this, but glutathione is another very important antioxidant. You can get it from supplements, but the only form that works effectively is the reduced form, which is difficult to absorb when taken orally. It is much more cost effective to supplement with precursors, or items like alpha lipoic acid that regenerates glutathione.
Alpha lipoic acid also recycles coenzyme Q10 and NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).
But, if that wasn't enough, this powerful antioxidant is also:
- A great modifier of gene expression to reduce inflammation
- A very potent heavy metal chelator
- An enhancer of insulin sensitivity
And people with diabetes or metabolic syndrome tend to do much better when taking lipoic acid, as it enhances insulin sensitivity.
There's even been quite a bit of research showing it can restore T cell function. T cells are a type of white blood cells that are of key importance to your immune system, and are at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors your body's immune response to specific pathogens.
What Health Conditions Can be Treated With Alpha Lipoic Acid?
Clinically, alpha lipoic acid seems to be a useful supplement in treating hepatitis C. It can also be used for painful nerve conditions in diabetes, and may help slow down the aging process itself through its reduction in free radicals.
Dr. Berkson uses ALA along with low dose naltrexone (LDN) for the reversal of a number of more serious health conditions such as:
- Lupus
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Dermatomyositis (an inflammatory muscle disease)
- Autoimmune diseases
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/antioxidants-benefits_b_509655.html
One of the newest treatments in Crohns disease research is Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) used as an alternative Crohns disease treatment. This combination of a drug and a nutritional supplement is looking like a possible future Crohns treatment, hopefully. It seems to work for cancer and autoimmune diseases like Crohns, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus and more.
Testimony
I have actually made an appt with Dr. Berkson in May 2010. I will be going out to his clinic in New Mexico for 2 weeks of IV ALA treatment. I will let you all know what he recommends as far as dosing and supplements.
He is going to treat my Crohn's. He uses IV ALA in conjunction with LDN to treat Crohn's as well as various supplements. I am not sure of the details, they of course will not tell you that over the phone. But I am excited. It is a huge out of pocket expense, but as I plan on having children in the next few years, I want to get as healthy as possible. And I am willing to pay or try almost anything so that I can do that.
As I said, I will definitely share my experiences in detail with the group. I am on a cancellation list so if appts earlier than May open up, I will be flying out sooner than May (I hope)!
He is going to treat my Crohn's. He uses IV ALA in conjunction with LDN to treat Crohn's as well as various supplements. I am not sure of the details, they of course will not tell you that over the phone. But I am excited. It is a huge out of pocket expense, but as I plan on having children in the next few years, I want to get as healthy as possible. And I am willing to pay or try almost anything so that I can do that.
As I said, I will definitely share my experiences in detail with the group. I am on a cancellation list so if appts earlier than May open up, I will be flying out sooner than May (I hope)!
Later Post by same patient:
I am scheduled to be treated by Dr. Berkson in mid-May for my Crohn's. I will receive 2-daily ALA IVs and 1 daily B-12 injection, in additional to myriad tests and consults with Dr. Berkson. I can't wait! I am already on LDN for my Crohn's, which the Dr. also uses to treat autoimmune conditions, but am still having intermittent flares and other symptoms. I am hoping the treatment by Dr. Berkson will give me the final push I need into (hopefully) remission or something like that. I plan on having children in the next 2 years, so I would like to get as healthy as possible.
Day 152: LDN for Crohn's and Colitis?
I'm super interested in trying LDN while I wait to hear back from Northwestern..I mean why not? Who knows, I may not even need any radical treatment! It's worth a try and it would eliminate my need for narcotic pain killers, how cool would that be? I called my nurse tonight and left her a message so she would have it in the morning...I told her what the drug was, what it was called, that the clinical trials went well, and that I could order it from Canada but I'd REALLY like for my doctor to prescribe it. In other words, I let her know I would try it regardless so make it easy for me lol. Hopefully she'll call me back tomorrow, no later than Monday atleast with an answer from my doctor. He seems pretty willing to experiment with me...i mean this is way less risky than a stem cell transplant, right? So say a prayer he says yes and it works. Below is some info about LDN and some testimonies that offer good info too!
Article:
Use of naltrexone reduces inflammation in Crohn's patients
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Hershey, Pa. -- Naltrexone reduced inflammation in Crohn's patients in a research study at Penn State College of Medicine.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract causing abdominal pain, diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding and weight loss. Treatments for Crohn's disease are designed to reduce the inflammation but may be associated with rare but serious side effects, including infections and lymphoma. Research suggests that endorphins and enkephalins, part of the opioid system, have a role in the development or continuation of inflammation.
Naltrexone is a drug used to help recovering alcoholics and drug users stay clean. It inhibits the body's opioid system that regulates pain and is involved in cell growth, repair and inflammation. Naltrexone binds to a protein receptor that blocks the effects of opioids, including the body's own enkephalins and endorphins, substances that reduce pain and produce a feeling of wellbeing.
"Although the cause of Crohn's disease is unknown, research suggests it involves a complex interplay of environmental, genetic, microbial, immune and nonimmune factors," said Dr. Jill P. Smith, professor of medicine. "We hypothesize that the opioid system is involved in inflammatory bowel disease and that interfering with an opioid receptor will lead to the reversal of the inflammation."
Researchers studied 40 patients with active Crohn's disease. Patients received either naltrexone or a placebo for 12 weeks. All patients then continued on naltrexone for an additional 12 weeks. This was a double-blind study with neither the patient or healthcare provider knowing which treatment was being received.
Eighty-eight percent of those treated with naltrexone had at least a 70-point decline in Crohn's Disease Activity Index scores compared to 40 percent of placebo-treated patients. CDAI is a point system used to quantify symptoms in Crohn's patients. Researchers noted no statistical difference at four or eight weeks of treatment, suggesting a response requires at least 12 weeks of treatment. Results were published in the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences.
Gastrointestinal inflammation was evaluated by appearance of the intestine on colonoscopy and scores from biopsy specimens. After 12 weeks, researchers noted no change in those taking a placebo. However, 78 percent of those on naltrexone experienced healing in the lining of the intestine.
For those patients who received a placebo for 12 weeks and then were placed on naltrexone for the following 12 weeks, 70 percent experienced at least a 70-point decline in the CDAI score and healing of the colon as seen on colonoscopy. Patients who continued use of naltrexone for an additional 12 weeks (24 total weeks) had a further 75-point decline in CDAI scores, leading to remission (score of less than 150) in 50 percent of the patients.
"We report that naltrexone improves clinical and inflammatory activity of subjects with moderate to severe Crohn's disease compared to placebo-treated controls," Smith said.
The researchers are planning clinical trials to look at use of naltrexone in children with Crohn's disease and have secured orphan drug status from the Food and Drug Administration for the use of naltrexone in children with Crohn's disease. Smith and Zagon hold a patent for the use of naltrexone in inflammatory bowel disease -- Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
The National Institutes of Health's Broad Medical Research Program funded this project.
Other researchers on the project are Ian Zagon, Ph.D., Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences; Sandra I. Bingaman, R.N., Aparna Mukherjee, M.D., and Christopher O. McGovern, B.S., Department of Medicine; Francesco Ruggiero, M.D., Department of Pathology; and David Mauger, Ph.D., Department of Public Health Sciences.
http://live.psu.edu/story/53494
Testimonies: (Each color is a different person)
I've used it for over a year now. I would highly recommend you try it first along with a restricted sugar diet. It has made all the difference for me and many others. I have crohns, but LDN is good for any autoimmune and many other types of disease. You'll be able to find LOTS of good info and people to answer any questions you might have at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/grou...
Be sure to check out their LINKS and FILES sections...so much good stuff! If your GI won't prescribe, others will, or you can also order through Canada without a Rx...let me know if have any questions :)
I have also used LDN for over a year very successfully. I also use SCD and VSL #3. I think that these 3 things have really turned my health around. My diagnosis is pancolitis. The only other medicine that I take is 400mg of asacol once or twice a day. Once you try it, it may take a couple of weeks to see a difference but stick with it. I was in your situation and they were talking about starting Remicade. I am so glad that I went on LDN. Please remember it is not an instant cure. I still had to change my diet and practice good self care but it made a huge difference. Good luck!
I have been taking 4.5 mg of low dose naltrexone daily at bedtime. It has given me my life back and kept me from meeting surgeons. You can read my story in detail on my blog at http://tinyurl.com/3w8v6v2 . My fear was exactly what your situation is now. My PCP wouldn't prescribe it and my GI wouldn't even discuss it. These people not only don't think outside the box they HIDE inside the box. The time may come when they change, but not in time to save your colon. If you are on Facebook there is a closed group you should check out: "Got Endorphins? LDN" My lesson: I am the only person responsible for my health. The days of presenting myself passively to a doctor and plaintively asking to be healed are over.
I use the 50 mg and dissolve it also. Very easy and MUCH cheaper this way. Also, it's better to do it that way because not everyone does well on 4.5 mg. I can't tolerate it. I started at 1.5 mg and it worked wonders. I slowly increased up to 3.5 mg and noticed I was having more and more problems, so I went back down in increments until I felt the best. I've found that 2.25 mg works the best for me. So don't be afraid to experiment with the dosage to find the one that works for you. I get mine from River Pharmacy in Canada
I kept a diary of my starting on LDN. Its titled LDN and me, a personal diary. You should be able to find it in the Treatment section (Why it's not in the LDN section I'll never know?)
Side effects (for me) was the occasional vivid dream, but they soon faded away. Aside from them, no side effects. Nada! Zilch! And I've been on it daily since November of 07.
My dose is 4.5 mg. That was the dosage used in the original Penn State study that Dr Jill Smith did. I've heard of people going lower, but I don't know if the lower doses work.
I took a printout of the above study, the name of a Canadian compounding pharmacy & the name of a US doctor who consults via telephone to my GI. She looked at the study (she went through the entire study posted in the American Journal of Gastro-eneterolgy) and agreed to put me on it AND convinced a local pharmacy to compound it.
It has been a success story for me since going on it; so much so that my GI placed more patients on it since. To date, all of us are doing extremely well.
Side effects (for me) was the occasional vivid dream, but they soon faded away. Aside from them, no side effects. Nada! Zilch! And I've been on it daily since November of 07.
My dose is 4.5 mg. That was the dosage used in the original Penn State study that Dr Jill Smith did. I've heard of people going lower, but I don't know if the lower doses work.
I took a printout of the above study, the name of a Canadian compounding pharmacy & the name of a US doctor who consults via telephone to my GI. She looked at the study (she went through the entire study posted in the American Journal of Gastro-eneterolgy) and agreed to put me on it AND convinced a local pharmacy to compound it.
It has been a success story for me since going on it; so much so that my GI placed more patients on it since. To date, all of us are doing extremely well.
if you try LDN, be patient and give it time to work! I started off at 1.5 mgs for 2 weeks, then increased to 3 mgs for weeks and since then have been at 4.5 mgs. 4.5mgs is considered (generally) to be the optimal dose. I had very minro side effects like appetite suppression and vivid dreams, but that went away within a month. Hopefully, there will be more testing on this substance in the future that will work out the dosing. But for now, 4.5mgs is generally considered standard. However, should you reach 4.5 mgs and feel side effects that are unbearable that you did not feel at 3 mgs, you may consider taking the lower dose. If you are really concerned, you may want to get your LDN script written for .5mgs so that you can increase your dosage by .5 mgs and increase very slowly.In addition to LDN, I have received intravenous Alphia Lipoic Acid treatment last May--I am currently still doing the treatment, only orally now. I do feel that my insides are SLOWLY changing--I was told by Dr. Berkson (who gave me the ALA treatment) that this is a slow working therapy and takes time. That being said, I feel different. But I do still have some minor bleeding and mucus and slight pain occassionally. But it is nowhere near where I had been. I am getting better very very very slightly everyday. My treatment regimine has taught me to be very patient.
LDN is a very diluted form of the original drug Naltrexone, which is used for substance abuse in its much higher original dosage. Drugs are often compounded by the pharmacist when the manufacturer does not make the dosage desired, or when a manufacturer does not make a particular formulation of a drug.
Here the important thing is to use one of the approved LDN pharmacies on the www.lowdosenaltrexone.org website. There is no reason to use any other pharmacy, as you can have it delivered anyplace. I use “The Compounder” in Aurora Illinois. “Skip’s Pharmacy” in Florida is another good source. Don’t risk your results using a pharmacy that has to learn how this is done properly.
It is generally thought that six months and even a years time is needed to see if LDN is going to be beneficial.
That is a disadvantage, but it also has many advantages that make it worth trying.
LDN is a very diluted form of the original drug Naltrexone, which is used for substance abuse in its much higher original dosage. Drugs are often compounded by the pharmacist when the manufacturer does not make the dosage desired, or when a manufacturer does not make a particular formulation of a drug.
Here the important thing is to use one of the approved LDN pharmacies on the www.lowdosenaltrexone.org website. There is no reason to use any other pharmacy, as you can have it delivered anyplace. I use “The Compounder” in Aurora Illinois. “Skip’s Pharmacy” in Florida is another good source. Don’t risk your results using a pharmacy that has to learn how this is done properly.
It is generally thought that six months and even a years time is needed to see if LDN is going to be beneficial.
That is a disadvantage, but it also has many advantages that make it worth trying.
***I want to make a note that I find interesting about this testimony...he says that it typically takes 6 months to a year to see results..but several Crohnies have said it had a quick response...so IDK??
My son has been on LDN since August 2009, he has been in remission for most of that time. He has not been on any drugs other that Cipro and Flagyl (for a fistula/abscess) he was on these drugs for 3 months before we started LDN. We saw results with the LDN within 4 weeks, but we were also following SCD and had started hyperbaric oxygen therapy at the same time.
Mitch starts to feel worse if we try to take out one of these things, tried adding in a few new foods - they didn't agree with him. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was started specifically to help heal the fistula.
He did well with just the combo of SCD and LDN, but his CRP never came down to a normal range, and he still had urgency in the morning.
With the addition of HBOT it seems to kick him over to real remission, where he has no urgency, CRP is normal and he's got a great appetitie and energy.
In the past year and a half he has not taken a break from LDN.
Also, his LDN was compounded incorrectly last January (lactose was used as a filler) and he definitely was heading into a flare - CRP went up, urgency morning and night, and starting to get stomach pain and nausea again. Once we got that corrected he started feeling better within 2 weeks. Took a lot longer for the urgency to go away though.
So for us - LDN was not a miracle drug - but in combination with a few other things it's working great.
Mitch starts to feel worse if we try to take out one of these things, tried adding in a few new foods - they didn't agree with him. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was started specifically to help heal the fistula.
He did well with just the combo of SCD and LDN, but his CRP never came down to a normal range, and he still had urgency in the morning.
With the addition of HBOT it seems to kick him over to real remission, where he has no urgency, CRP is normal and he's got a great appetitie and energy.
In the past year and a half he has not taken a break from LDN.
Also, his LDN was compounded incorrectly last January (lactose was used as a filler) and he definitely was heading into a flare - CRP went up, urgency morning and night, and starting to get stomach pain and nausea again. Once we got that corrected he started feeling better within 2 weeks. Took a lot longer for the urgency to go away though.
So for us - LDN was not a miracle drug - but in combination with a few other things it's working great.
More info on these sites:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17222320
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0902133047.htm
LDNscience.org
www.lowdosenaltrexone.org
http://www.crohnsforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=32 (SOOO many posts about LDN for Crohns)
http://www.dailystrength.org/treatments/Low_Dose_Naltrexone
Go to dailystrength.org. Join the site. Join the Crohn's and UC Support Group. Type in LDN in the search box beside discussion under the support group page...you will find soooo much info at your fingertips!! And the site is a true blessing!
SIDE COMMENT: WHAT IS ALA??Alphia Lipoic Acid? ANYONE??? I'm going to do research and post!!!
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