clintonite

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/4-reasons-you-are-quot-fake-hungry-quot-555792/

Great article, and exactly the question I asked my Mom tonight, but she didn't have the answer. I just ran across it, so I'm saving it here and will send it to her as well.

One section made me think of this group because a lot of us have problems sleeping:

Hunger Due to Sleepiness: Experts at www.WebMD.com state that two major hormones, leptin and ghrelin, affect and control sensations of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin stimulates appetite, while leptin, made in fat cells, alerts the brain that you have had enough to eat. Lack of sleep causes a significant drop in leptin levels as well as an increase in ghrelin levels, a so called double whammy for appetite control and feelings of satiety. Daytime fatigue may lead people to overeat (often, high sugar, nutrient poor foods) in an attempt to get an extra surge of energy. This is equivalent to placing a Band-Aid on the true problem. It provides only temporary relief, which is soon followed by a crash in energy levels and a resurgence of “hunger” leading to more snacking, increased sugar cravings, etc….a vicious cycle. If you are feeling mid-afternoon hunger pains, try: a brisk 10 min walk around the block (fresh air helps, as does exercise, to boost alertness and increase circulation), a cup of green tea (high in antioxidants and low in caffeine relative to coffee), a 1/4 cup of almonds and a small apple (high in protein, healthy fat and carbohydrates, low in sugar, and a good source of magnesium and fiber). Even taking a few deep breaths can help curb fatigue!

I have been taking Lyrica (1 pill at night) since Wednesday.  And although it makes me very sleepy - the pain is still bad.   Wednesday I can start taking 2 .. i don't remember if its 1 in morning & 1 at night or 2 in morning and 1 at night ha. I told my husband he has to explain it better than what it says on the pill label.  I really hope that helps.

I'm not sure if i asked this. Bc my brain well we all know how this is - i don't remember! haha.

What do you wear on your feet? What is your comfort.  I'm a little different bc I have peripheral neuropathy and my feet are normally hot. But i was just wondering ... i wear medical crocs (w/o any socks) & New balance sneakers. (yes there is snow on the ground & i still have socks - haha)

My left knee has been bothering me so. Yesterday it felt broke. I'm very uneasy walking lately too.. and that could just be because they switched my medicine so I'm back to being in pain everyday & the cold weather doesn't help my joints!!

I go to my family dr tomorrow morning about anxiety pills.  Wednesday I go to my Rheumy - about my vitamin d, a follow up. And also for her to sign the paper to send in for a handi cap sign to hook in my car. Oh and for PT. & my nails have been looking offly white and peely.. i think that's like psoriasis or something.  I better write that down bc I wont remember.

I work today, tomorrow, and xmas eve. 3 days of work is awesome. I get paid 2x on xmas eve that's why i volunteered. But im sure that wont be fun bc everyone is going to get new computers and since i work as a tech for internet .. well im sure you can imagine. ;)

take care everyone.

Diagnosed in August, so this is my first run though the Holidays with celiac. Except for 2-3 months before my diagnosis the only symptoms that I displayed that MIGHT have been celiac were occasional nutritional deficiencies causing things like excessive bruising.

Christmas this year is at my brother's place. With his FIVE children ranging in age from 5 to 11 (cute little contamination vectors). Thanksgiving worked out ok because the children were at the children's table and because my mother cooked and was being meticulous about cross contamination. I'm sorry to say I don't have quite as much faith in my Sister-in-law. She's got 5 kids and her mother just had surgery... she's preoccupied.

I'm thinking about bringing something like mac & cheese with rice pasta to "contribute" to the meal and making that almost the only thing I eat. Any other recommendations for getting through the day unpoisoned?

i_hope_that
For many of us, the holidays can be kind of rough. If you're searching for a network of understanding friends, this ultra-nurturing community encourages you to express your heartfelt wishes and offer other members encouragement and acceptance. Not for the terminally snarky or emotionally-challenged, this is a good-spirited place to lend comfort and support.

diygifts
Feeling crafty? If you've got a few last folks on your holiday gift list, this is a great place to seed your creativity and generosity. You'll also discover wonderful DIY tips to decorate your home and entertain guests. Offering a no-frills-no-skills attitude that welcomes the cash-challenged and arts-phobic, you're sure to get ideas and make friends in the process.

cooking_club
A fun and friendly community dedicated to those who love to cook, whether you're a meat-and-potatoes type, an aspiring gourmand, and/or a vegan. In search of a brilliant dish to use up those weekly leftovers? Post your ingredients and you'll be whipping up a feast by dinner. You can also share favorite recipes. For Type A chefs, you can spice up your culinary repertoire with exciting cooking challenges.

Hi everyone. I've been vegan for years and have just gone gluten-free as I seem to be gluten-intolerant. I've got a friend coming round tonight and am planning to make a nut loaf. I have a nice new vegan gluten-free cookbook with a recipe, but there are a few snags.

Sorghum flour - I don't have any, won't be able to get any today, and to be honest will probably struggle anyway as it's the UK and I'm already running out of cupboard space. The recipe includes arrowroot too, though in smaller quantities, and this I do have. What should I substitute? I have Dove's Farm white gluten-free flour, Orgran Egg Replacer, gram (chick pea/garbanzo bean) flour, and cornflour (cornstarch to Americans).

The recipe calls for Marsala wine, which I don't have or intend to get. I've read somewhere that vegetable stock makes a good replacement in this context. Would it?

My partner's not that keen on mushrooms, so I was thinking of substituting grated carrot for some of the mushrooms. I'm not sure what this will do to moisture levels. I was thinking of just messing around with the ingredients until the texture seems right, but I've never made a nut roast in my life, so does anyone know what the texture *should* be like at that stage?

Hey guys, just a quick question. My lips are really puffy, and they burn constantly. Nothing has been helping them, normal chapstick makes it worse and I've been using A+D ointment which helped for awhile, but I'm pretty sure this is something more than just chapped lips. I have sores in the corners of my mouth and my lips are starting to get kind itchy as well as puffy. This happens periodically, and I'm pretty sure it has to do with eating gluten because I was fine up until about two months ago...and then I recently found out that someone at school had been sneakily stealing my pans from my cabinet (blatantly ignoring the "I have a severe allergy to wheat, do NOT use these pans please!" sign I had up) and putting them back exactly as I had left them. If I had never caught her in the act I probably wouldn't have found out (and silly me for trusting my dorm mates--I won't make that mistake again) Anyway, she's been using them for two months now and I've been sick for two months, my ezcema is out of control and now my lips are getting gross. Anyone else have the burning and sore lips? I'd love any input on how to make it go away, they are driving me insane! 

Posted to my  journal today at http://sa-hall.livejournal.com/31582.html

One of the things I miss most after being diagnosed celiac is sugar cookies, especially around the holidays. Any favorite sugar cookie recipes (and frosting, for that matter) to share?

full story at http://thegfcfcookbook.blogspot.com/2009/12/every-celiacs-nightmare.html

"It was the recurring nightmare that many celiacs have. You discover a wonderful new company baking gluten-free bread. The owner is a celiac and assures you that his facility is 100% free of gluten. It tastes incredible. Like "real" bread. And you gorge yourself on it.

Then, a few days later, you show severe symptoms of being "glutened." You can't figure out what's causing the reactions, but soon your entire body is broken out in a rash. You're sick as a dog. At last, it dawns on you--that wonderful bread you purchased from that nice man. It must be cross-contaminated.

You drive to the factory, prepared to discuss the matter with the owner of the company. And that's when you see it, through the window. He's holding a loaf of bread, still in the packaging. You recognize the label--it's a wholesale bread company. As you watch, paralyzed with horror, he slips the bread out of its package and places it into new, gluten-free packaging."

sie's talking about http://www.greatspecialtyproducts.com/

note how the image for "roasted garlic batard" on their site is an obvious reverse of the rustic olive bread from tribeca ovens,a non-gluten-free bakery.

the sesame loaf at great speciality is the same photo as the seeded french demi baguette at tribeca.

several other photos on the great speciality products pages are also clearly taken from the tribeca pages.

(crossposted to my own journals)

I don't understand why there are so many doctors who do not believe in FM, and why so many people are so lacking in understanding when FM flares happen. It would be completely socially unacceptable for someone to treat, say, a cancer patient this way, or an amputee, or a diabetic. That's all taken seriously. FM isn't, and least not by most people (including many of those who should know better). Why is this, and what can be done about it?

Need to vent and also wondering about abruptly stopping Cymbalta even for a couple of days like I did. I had the weird nerve pain again in my feet and legs. It's a little better today (I'm back on the Cymbalta) but wondering about withdrawal symptoms and whether the nerve stuff could be attributed to that. I don't really know all that much about Cymbalta, but I started taking it around the same time I started taking muscle relaxers, and together, they knocked out this really long flare I was in.
Right now, there is still foot and leg pain, but not the crushing pain that I attribute to nerves; I had to get up early to go to a morning Christmas party and now I have to go to work because I am almost broke and my partner isn't doing too well money-wise either. I really don't want to go, but I pretty much have to, and have to hope I actually make money. I've been sleeping way too much this entire week, and this whole work thing just seems like too much. I don't like winter. Don't want to do anything, and none of the medications I am taking can stop the pain or even stop the flare in my knee. Nothing. I have to go. The whole thing seems ridiculous. I will have to carry heavy stuff on the BART train and then work hard and I might not even make any money. Something has to give here. I need a job with a steady paycheck that I can actually work without worsening flares, but according to the people at the program I'm in, I need to learn more computer skills and get help with resume writing and cover letters and then go to an agency that can help me find a job. I hope they will keep in mind that I have a Master's Degree in Psychology. Well, here we go. Wish me luck. Thanks for listening, I just had to vent.
Kathleen

I just want to extol the virtues of my new shoes because it might help others with the same issues I have... and neither pair was expensive! I have trouble wearing sneakers because the laces bother my very sensitive feet. Also, I live in upstate NY where it is 4* out today. Having Raynaud's I need to keep my feet as warm as possible so that I can walk. I went on a hunt for warm shoes without laces. I stuck gold!!

Early last week Old Navy was having a 1 week sale on their faux-fur lined boots. I got a pair for $15, they have a pattern I dont love but there wasnt a huge selection by the time I went there. Normally they are still pretty cheap at $35. You can even get the same kind of faux-fur lines boots at WalMart or KMart.

When I was at the mall with my friend the other day there was a Crocs kiosk. I got a pair of shearling (sp? ya know, that really soft wooly-type stuff) lined Crocs for only $30. Plus the wooly liner is removable so I can still wear them in the spring & summer.

I had never thought about buying a pair of Uggs because they are SO expensive (run about $150). I am so glad that other companies got on the bandwagon and put out cheap alternative for those of us in the north who need warm feet. Plus the added fun that for once I look trendy!

stepstomarrow
When granddaughter, Jada, was born with leukemia, a donor-match was located and Jada made a miraculous recovery. In honor of her grandaughter's health, Jeanna has decided to walk across the country (in the dead of winter) to raise awareness and build support for the bone marrow registry (all that's required is a cheek swab). Follow Jeanna's remarkable journey as she travels the United States by foot.

I was given Cymbalta at the pain clinic today and I was wondering how well it has helped those of you who take it. I've heard bad things about it and don't want to take it if it doesn't help.

Also, I was told by the NP I saw at the clinic that narcotics didn't help Fibro. *snort* I beg to differ!!

Hey everybody,

Somebody posted recently in a thread on a prior post about having trouble finding a good pain management doctor. I know I'm not the only one who's had a frustrating time finding doctors who keep up to date on fibromyalgia research and/or who are competent in pain management. I put together this list of links that I've used to find good doctors. I've had pretty good luck with doctors in the various places I've lived and here is how I've found some of them. I hope this helps someone out there.

( Cut for loads of links and tips for finding doctors )

I HOPE THIS LIST HELPS! If you've found good doctors, will you please leave your comments about how you've found them and what advice you'd give to other patients who are having trouble finding a good doctor? If you leave other similar links that seem useful I may edit this post to add them.

I am having trouble. I got a referral from my primary doctor to go to a pain clinic, but my insurance doesn't have anyone within 30 miles of me, so they said they'd approve someone outside the network. But I've called probably 7 or 8 different places (some of them more than once when I got transferred around) and the places I've found either a. don't accept outpatients (inpatient only - hospitals) or b. refuse to even consider taking the approval from my insurance.

I don't know what to do, and with the weather changing, I'm in a lot more pain than usual. Does anyone have any ideas?

(Crossposted several places)

Well, the last few days have been fun.

Sunday was a 'mope' day - didn't feel like doing anything, but managed to put outside decorations up for the holidays.

Monday was spent in bed, partially for a migraine that wouldn't quit, though it wasn't 'bad' (not totally crippling), and partially because I wanted off the planet. (didn't want to deal)

I've been up since 5 am, after going to bed at 10 pm, after being up since midnight.

Both my hips hurt, same location (on the 'point', where the joint is, I guess), my neck hurts, my right arm hurts...and my head is trying to get back into it.

I'm seeing my neurologist today, and I don't know that this won't be just a 'oh, this is still going on, see your orthopedist' - he's not very proactive in helping me. I see a spine specialist tomorrow, I don't know what he's going to do. Thinking of asking for a referral to a rheumatologist.


My meds got screwed up - ran out of gabapentin, so I ended up quitting that for a few days, and finally got the script picked up (we were out of money). Last night, instead of taking all 900 mg, I just took 300, to remind my body that this stuff belongs there. I'll take 600 tonight.

I'm not having fun with this amount of pain. I can't get motivated to do anything either, because I know it will hurt, no matter what. *whine* Hate!

thanks for listening to me whine

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I have hypothyroidism and was on Synthroid but have recently stopped it because I was afraid it was causing some of my problems/reactions. I have read that Synthroid cannot be gauranteed to be gluten free, but that it probably is? Anyone here with hypothyroidism that take Synthroid and do fine on it?

I will be speaking to my doctor soon after my thyroid tests come back and we are either putting me back on Synthroid or starting a new thyroid medication. Is there a list of *for sure* gluten free thyroid medications?

I'm just curious of those of you out there who do take Synthroid and are fine with it and have no problems with it or those of you who don't take it but take a different thyroid med?

Thanks!