If you were at the FDRS conference in April, 2011, you heard Dr. Herbst mention that we did a small study using the DRL 100 pain relief gel. Results were very positive with all participants showing a decrease in pain level almost every time they used it. I'm pleased that we were able to buy the product from the company to resell here.
Since we've had it in the store, I've gotten positive feedback from the people who have bought it. I use it almost daily - any time I have a spot flare up.
DRL100 is all natural - a plus for us! And it smells like spearmint rather than menthol which is a plus for me! :-)
It comes in 2 oz. tubes. Prices and ingredients are listed on the store page.
If you have any questions about it, feel free to email me at damuffett@aol.com
THE MYTH: Only overweight, postmenopausal women have Dercum's Disease. THE TRUTH: Anyone can have it. Both men and women have been diagnosed with DD. A person with Dercum's is not necessarily overweight and some patients have developed symptoms as early as their adolescent years. If you have painful lumps, you may have Dercum's Disease.
Showing posts with label Treatment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Treatment. Show all posts
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Avoiding sStress over the Holidays
Mindfully Manage Your Health
The emotional backlash of holiday stress may be especially detrimental to those with a chronic illness, says Mayo Clinic psychiatrist, Jeffrey P. Staab, MD. “But, it is vital to differentiate between the illness of depression and holiday blues, which is the larger group that can be triggered by increased demands and unrealistic expectations,” he cautions.
In fact, says Staab, psychiatric admission are lowest during the holidays. “The two are very different and require a different approach.”
To avoid the most common stress-induced slump or crash Staab advises:
1. “Manage expectations, be realistic and don't forget to take care of yourself should be your principle strategy,” says Dr. Stabb.
2. “Stick with the things that usually work for you: talking to your spouse, reading a book. Don't forget or abandon what you already know,” he adds.
3. Keep exercising. Dr. Staab stresses the psychological benefits of exercise on one's emotional health. “Not only does exercise boosts serotonin levels, but it breaks a disabled mindset, which can sometimes settle in, especially if it's a new diagnosis or if symptoms have gotten worse,” says Dr. Staab. “Giving up on exercise and all of one's normal stress relievers is the worst thing to do, especially when demands go up.”
The above is an exerpt from Arthritis Today online. The article is "How To Stay Upbeat During The Holidays" by Judy Alexandra DiEdwardo.
The emotional backlash of holiday stress may be especially detrimental to those with a chronic illness, says Mayo Clinic psychiatrist, Jeffrey P. Staab, MD. “But, it is vital to differentiate between the illness of depression and holiday blues, which is the larger group that can be triggered by increased demands and unrealistic expectations,” he cautions.
In fact, says Staab, psychiatric admission are lowest during the holidays. “The two are very different and require a different approach.”
To avoid the most common stress-induced slump or crash Staab advises:
1. “Manage expectations, be realistic and don't forget to take care of yourself should be your principle strategy,” says Dr. Stabb.
2. “Stick with the things that usually work for you: talking to your spouse, reading a book. Don't forget or abandon what you already know,” he adds.
3. Keep exercising. Dr. Staab stresses the psychological benefits of exercise on one's emotional health. “Not only does exercise boosts serotonin levels, but it breaks a disabled mindset, which can sometimes settle in, especially if it's a new diagnosis or if symptoms have gotten worse,” says Dr. Staab. “Giving up on exercise and all of one's normal stress relievers is the worst thing to do, especially when demands go up.”
The above is an exerpt from Arthritis Today online. The article is "How To Stay Upbeat During The Holidays" by Judy Alexandra DiEdwardo.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Are you retaining water? Check your salt intake!
A tip from Dr. Dan:
Give yourself the gift of Reduced Salt. Too much salt leads to water retention. Pay attention to the sodium content of your food. Limit salt intake by not eating packaged foods and by putting down the salt shaker.
It's such a simple suggestion but I think it's one we often overlook when having problems with swelling. I had problems with swelling feet and ankles a few months ago. I started very consciously watching my salt intake. When I cut back the swelling went down. It may not work for you but it's something that you can easily check.
Take care!
Give yourself the gift of Reduced Salt. Too much salt leads to water retention. Pay attention to the sodium content of your food. Limit salt intake by not eating packaged foods and by putting down the salt shaker.
It's such a simple suggestion but I think it's one we often overlook when having problems with swelling. I had problems with swelling feet and ankles a few months ago. I started very consciously watching my salt intake. When I cut back the swelling went down. It may not work for you but it's something that you can easily check.
Take care!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
If you got a DRL 100 sample at the April conference....
If you were at the FDRS conference in April, you heard Dr. Herbst mention that we did a small study using the DRL 100 pain relief gel. Results were very positive with all participants showing a decrease in pain level almost every time they used it. I'm pleased that we were able to buy the product from the company to resell here.
Since we've had it in the store, I've gotten positive feedback from the people who have bought it. I use it almost daily - any time I have a spot flare up.
DRL100 is all natural - a plus for us! And it smells like spearmint rather than menthol which is a plus for me! :-)
It comes in 2 oz. and 4 oz. tubes. Prices and ingredients are listed on the store page.
If you have any questions about it, feel free to email me at damuffett@aol.com
Since we've had it in the store, I've gotten positive feedback from the people who have bought it. I use it almost daily - any time I have a spot flare up.
DRL100 is all natural - a plus for us! And it smells like spearmint rather than menthol which is a plus for me! :-)
It comes in 2 oz. and 4 oz. tubes. Prices and ingredients are listed on the store page.
If you have any questions about it, feel free to email me at damuffett@aol.com
Sunday, September 11, 2011
All the talk about cimetadine
I usually ask people who talk about having lots of lumps forming if they are taking cimetadine. Many of them ask why we should take that. I found a quote on Dr. Karen Herbst's site under Lipedema. She says:
One of the first things I like to suggest for lipedema is to help the immune system function properly. It is well known that lipo-lymphedema or lymphedema reduces local immune function, increasing the risk of cellulitis. The immune system is also overwhelmed by the amount of inflammation in lipo-lymphedema, therefore, I usually start cimetidine as an immune modulator. The dose is 400mg twice daily. This is not a user friendly drug because it affects liver metabolic enzymes and therefore levels of other medications. I would recommend you discuss taking this drug with your primary doctor.
I've taken it for over a year now. It does seem like I have had a minimal number of new lumps form in that time. This is one of those things that is hard to measure though. At least I think it is! My doctor and I discussed my taking it before I started. He reviewed my meds and started me at a lower dose. I didn't have any problems so I now take the recommended dose. You definitely want to talk to your doctor first because this is a med that interacts with many other meds. (Okay, I have to throw in a story.... When he reviewed my meds for interaction the only one on the list was xanax - for antianxiety. The possible effect from cimetadine was to make it stronger. I said "How could that be a bad thing???" :-) But that's just me...)
For those of you wondering "What the heck IS cimetadine????" That is the generic name for the drug best known as Tagamet. You can buy it over the counter in both name brand and generic form. You can also get it as a prescription and it will most likely be cheaper to buy that way. But if you want to try it, here is a link to our favorite store - Amazon! Buy it through the link and we get a percent of the sale which goes toward Dercum's education and research.
Just don't forget - TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE YOU START TAKING THIS!
One of the first things I like to suggest for lipedema is to help the immune system function properly. It is well known that lipo-lymphedema or lymphedema reduces local immune function, increasing the risk of cellulitis. The immune system is also overwhelmed by the amount of inflammation in lipo-lymphedema, therefore, I usually start cimetidine as an immune modulator. The dose is 400mg twice daily. This is not a user friendly drug because it affects liver metabolic enzymes and therefore levels of other medications. I would recommend you discuss taking this drug with your primary doctor.
I've taken it for over a year now. It does seem like I have had a minimal number of new lumps form in that time. This is one of those things that is hard to measure though. At least I think it is! My doctor and I discussed my taking it before I started. He reviewed my meds and started me at a lower dose. I didn't have any problems so I now take the recommended dose. You definitely want to talk to your doctor first because this is a med that interacts with many other meds. (Okay, I have to throw in a story.... When he reviewed my meds for interaction the only one on the list was xanax - for antianxiety. The possible effect from cimetadine was to make it stronger. I said "How could that be a bad thing???" :-) But that's just me...)
For those of you wondering "What the heck IS cimetadine????" That is the generic name for the drug best known as Tagamet. You can buy it over the counter in both name brand and generic form. You can also get it as a prescription and it will most likely be cheaper to buy that way. But if you want to try it, here is a link to our favorite store - Amazon! Buy it through the link and we get a percent of the sale which goes toward Dercum's education and research.
Just don't forget - TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE YOU START TAKING THIS!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Myofascial Release Therapy
You may have seen some posts on facebook from people who are doing or looking for someone to do myofascial release therapy (MRT). I'm telling you it is a bear to spell (!) but what exactly is it?
Here is an explanation as given on the site http://www.myofascial-release-therapy.com/
"Myofascial release works with the idea that surrounding every muscle, bone, and nerve system in the body is a network of fibers called fascia. Fascia resembles something like a total body suit in that every single fiber is connected and so affects each other, both positively and negatively. When fascia is normal, it’s wavy and relaxed and able to stretch, constrict, and move around without any restrictions and pain. However, when something in the body is injured or sore, the fascia bunches up in response, becoming tight and uncooperative. Much like a pulled thread in a sweater, the surrounding fibers become tight and unresponsive, leading to pain and dizziness. Sometimes, the bunching in one area can cause bunching in a completely different area (such as a lower back pain causing neck pain) and so while a drug might take care of the back pain, the neck pain will remain and there can seem to be no relief for it. This is often what causes the misdiagnoses of pains.
Myofascial release is very much a hands on approach to pain management. It involves a variety of massages, ranging from gentle massages using only a couple of fingers to deep tissue massage that is also very gentle, but highly effective for things like arthritis. These massages are meant to stretch out the bunched fascia and bring it back to its normal state. Sessions are almost always under an hour in length and are usually scheduled for a few times a week until the pain is gone. They are usually very relaxing, the point where some clients actually fall asleep. Others leave very relaxed and pain free. There are others though who have an increase in pain for a time, just a vaccination that can give a fever or nausea for a bit before getting rid of the chance for that illness. This pain increase rarely lasts more than a day and then all pain is gone. Still others report a change in emotional well being (generally in a positive way) as the stress of living with pain lifts. Be advised though that no matter how feel you good after the first session or two, this doesn’t mean that you are finished. It usually takes a few to several sessions to get rid of pain entirely and if you skip out on sessions, the pain will come back and possibly worse. The longer you have lived with the pain, the more sessions there will be; however, even the most long term sufferers of pain have found relief with myofascial release.
Myofascial release is an alternative medicine though, meaning that unless you do some research, you probably don’t know about it. Doctors don’t talk about it because it’s not something that is taught in standard medical school and so many view it as quackery at best. However, it is a very viable form of pain relief, especially for those who do not or cannot afford to be chained to pain medicine and drugs to handle their aches. It is able to handle a wide variety of pains from different sources, unlike medications that are created to only handle one or two sources of pains effectively. All in all, myofascial release is effective, efficient, and practical; all very good reasons to give it a try or at least learn more about it."
I am having MRT done on my left arm. I've been experiencing numbness for months. It doesn't seem to be carpal tunnel - though it could be. Per my doc, it is also possible a lipoma is pressing on a nerve. But in February I had MRT done on that arm just as an experiment and the numbness was minimal for almost 4 weeks after! I had another session about 3 weeks ago. It seemed slightly less effective but still helped quite a bit. I may have better success if I do the sessions closer together but I'm experimenting right now.
Based on my experience, I would encourage you to talk to your doctor about it if you think it might help you. You need to have a therapy order for it. You will probably need to check around to find someone who is trained to do it in your area.
Take care!
Here is an explanation as given on the site http://www.myofascial-release-therapy.com/
"Myofascial release works with the idea that surrounding every muscle, bone, and nerve system in the body is a network of fibers called fascia. Fascia resembles something like a total body suit in that every single fiber is connected and so affects each other, both positively and negatively. When fascia is normal, it’s wavy and relaxed and able to stretch, constrict, and move around without any restrictions and pain. However, when something in the body is injured or sore, the fascia bunches up in response, becoming tight and uncooperative. Much like a pulled thread in a sweater, the surrounding fibers become tight and unresponsive, leading to pain and dizziness. Sometimes, the bunching in one area can cause bunching in a completely different area (such as a lower back pain causing neck pain) and so while a drug might take care of the back pain, the neck pain will remain and there can seem to be no relief for it. This is often what causes the misdiagnoses of pains.
Myofascial release is very much a hands on approach to pain management. It involves a variety of massages, ranging from gentle massages using only a couple of fingers to deep tissue massage that is also very gentle, but highly effective for things like arthritis. These massages are meant to stretch out the bunched fascia and bring it back to its normal state. Sessions are almost always under an hour in length and are usually scheduled for a few times a week until the pain is gone. They are usually very relaxing, the point where some clients actually fall asleep. Others leave very relaxed and pain free. There are others though who have an increase in pain for a time, just a vaccination that can give a fever or nausea for a bit before getting rid of the chance for that illness. This pain increase rarely lasts more than a day and then all pain is gone. Still others report a change in emotional well being (generally in a positive way) as the stress of living with pain lifts. Be advised though that no matter how feel you good after the first session or two, this doesn’t mean that you are finished. It usually takes a few to several sessions to get rid of pain entirely and if you skip out on sessions, the pain will come back and possibly worse. The longer you have lived with the pain, the more sessions there will be; however, even the most long term sufferers of pain have found relief with myofascial release.
Myofascial release is an alternative medicine though, meaning that unless you do some research, you probably don’t know about it. Doctors don’t talk about it because it’s not something that is taught in standard medical school and so many view it as quackery at best. However, it is a very viable form of pain relief, especially for those who do not or cannot afford to be chained to pain medicine and drugs to handle their aches. It is able to handle a wide variety of pains from different sources, unlike medications that are created to only handle one or two sources of pains effectively. All in all, myofascial release is effective, efficient, and practical; all very good reasons to give it a try or at least learn more about it."
I am having MRT done on my left arm. I've been experiencing numbness for months. It doesn't seem to be carpal tunnel - though it could be. Per my doc, it is also possible a lipoma is pressing on a nerve. But in February I had MRT done on that arm just as an experiment and the numbness was minimal for almost 4 weeks after! I had another session about 3 weeks ago. It seemed slightly less effective but still helped quite a bit. I may have better success if I do the sessions closer together but I'm experimenting right now.
Based on my experience, I would encourage you to talk to your doctor about it if you think it might help you. You need to have a therapy order for it. You will probably need to check around to find someone who is trained to do it in your area.
Take care!
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