By Vicky on Tuesday, February 27, 2001 - 06:09 pm:

I have recently been experiencing some nasty bouts of extreme nausea, and was putting it down to being over tired due to being in the final three months of a degree, and having a really hard time sleeping recently. The only way to make them stop was to fall asleep, but today, I stayed awake through it long enough to realise that it was vertigo; an inner ear problem, as it cleared up a lot by being horizontal. I took a Stemitil, from a previous inner ear infection, and it completely cleared up. I have also had more mouth ulcers than normal, and have found concentrateing very hard, and have been a lot more down in the dumps than normal. So I started to check all the medication I was on and what do you know, Vioxx can cause; inability to sleep, sleepiness, depression, vertigo, decrease in mental agility and mouth ulcers; all of which I have had since I started taking it. I normally don't let myself read the side effects bit cos I only convince my self i have them b4 I even take the tablets but this is daft.
That's it now, doctors are about as much use as a chocolate fireguard and can't even make their minds up what I have got, physio won't treat me properly without a firm diagnosis to go on, and whatever anyone gives me makes me more ill!!!!!
So, I am going to start the alternative route; and first thing tomorrow will by Glucosamine and chondroitin, but I am aware that it takes a few weeks at least before the benefits are noticed, so does anyone have any temporary quick fixes that will get me through the end of my degree; relaxation techniques, Bach flower remedies nice vintages of wine! etc; all donations gratefully recieved.
In fact if anyone wants to join the rebellion against modern medicine write back; we could keep each other posted on our findings and help each other along!

By Rachel L. on Sunday, March 04, 2001 - 06:54 pm:

hi!

I swear by relaxation tapes to decrease pain...sometimes the effects are dramatic and sometimes less so.

Jon Kabat-Zinn's book, Full Catastrophe Living, tells of his wonderful work with chronic pain patients and combinations of relaxation, yoga, and meditation.

Hope you find what you need.

By Jacqui on Tuesday, March 06, 2001 - 05:30 am:

I agreed with Rachel and suggest you practice a few minutes of mediation/yoga each morning. I do this and find that the amount of discomfort I experience during the day is vastly reduced. As you are need of a 'quick fix' I would suggest you start each day with a short lying down meditation (it sounds as though you would be more comfortable). You will just need to lie on the floor in a corpse position (arms and legs 45 degrees apart), close your eyes, breathing in and out steadily,'listen' to each part of your body, starting from the feet up until you get to the top, then still with your eyes closed, acknowledge any thoughts that come to mind, but try not go into them. You only need to do this for about ten minutes and will find that you feel calmer, more relaxed and focussed on the priorities you have to get you through these next few months. Good luck!

By CT on Sunday, March 11, 2001 - 11:44 am:

Rachel and Jacqui great posts
I would really like to know more about the relaxation tapes that have helped decrease your pain, and where i can purchase them. Are they from Kabat-Zinn? In Full Catastrophe Living, they recommend you buy tapes in back of the book. Have you tried these tapes. Would appreciate any information you can provide.
Thank-you and best wishes, CT

By Rachel on Sunday, March 11, 2001 - 06:47 pm:

Hi!

I have both sets of Kabat-Zinn's tapes and if you are interested in meditation, they are excellent.
One set includes a 45-minute body scan relaxation which is long but very nice...there are also a tape with some very very simple yoga and a 45 minute meditation tape. The other set is designed to help people start meditating, and includes meditation tapes of varying lengths, to be done both sitting and lying down.

There are many, many great relaxation tapes around.
I have some old ones I got from my doctor's office years ago, but I know New Harbinger publications sells a lot of them.

The key is to do it *every* day. I do one every single morning before getting out of bed...if I have to leave early, I set the alarm extra early to fit it in. I try to do a sitting meditation later on in the day, too.When I am really stressed and/or very achy, relaxation and meditation are a wonderful help.

Good luck! Rachel

By CT on Sunday, March 11, 2001 - 09:40 pm:

Hi Rachel
Thank-you for responding so quickly. I am going to buy both sets of Kabat-zinns tapes. I was just wondering do you use the tapes in conjunction with his book Full Catastrophe Living. What about his other book "Whereever you go, there you are."
As you point out, i will do it everyday.
Thank-you, CT

By myles on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 12:57 pm:

vicky, i had been taking glucosamine/chondroitin also, but have not notice much difference in pain. so i did more research and found on a fibromyalgia site about cetyl myristoleate, you can do your own research and decide whether this might help you. it did wonders for me, i had been taking it for 60 days now and its wonderful. my bursitis is gone! and my muscle pain in my back and neck decrease tremendously, im not painless yet, but i can tolerate this now. im continually taking it for maintenance. im not selling anything here, just thought it might help you. i bought mine from a yahoo store, the natrol cetyl pure brand but theres different manufacturer out there i think. try it, it cost about 20 bucks a bottle of 120 count, its worth the try. im glad i did. i dont want to take those pain pills, and vioxx, neurontin, injections etc. i thought id try this. also try to go to the site curezone.com there is a community of people there talking about different alternative treatment, it might help. i had been doing continuous research for my pain. hope this helps.

By sharon on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 11:09 pm:

I take numerous supplimetns (as well as my "normal med's) to compliemt them and have found that they are HELPING me quite a LOT (I found this out when I ran out of 2 of them and my joints were really bad and as a side note my IBS sympotms came back as bad as ever (they had been really good since then but I hadn't put 2 and 2 togehter and realised that it was a "side effect" of the suppliments) GREAT SIDE EFFECT
I personally take Glucosamine- 3grams (3000 mg's) a day, Zinc- 22mg's a day, Chromium Picolinate (400 mcg's (micrograms) a day), S.C.F which is Silicon Calcium Flouride and contains (silicon Dioxide 33mg, Calcuim Flouride 500 nanograms)I take 2 of these in the am and 2 in the pm, so 4 a day), M.S.M (Methylsulfonylmethane)I take 1/2 teaspoon (it is a powder you mix in water etc (tastesd nice and sort of citrus-y))once or twice a day (MSM 1230 mg's and Vitamin C 300mg's) the vitamin C is supposedly needed to help absorb the MSM.
IT was the SCF and MSM that I ran ot of and my symptoms got a lot worse (the MSM is supposed to be good for allergies too (of which I suffer from a LOT).
Good Luck in YOUR personal quest in what will work for YOU (as we are ALL different and what works for one may not work for another and may infact make them worse or sick).
Sharon