Live life over...by Erma Bombeck

I recently recieved this in an email and thought I would post it,I think we should all try to heed her advice.I remember reading anything I could get my hands on that Erma had written. PURPLE HATS In honor of women's history month and in memory of Erma Bombeck who lost her fight with cancer. IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer). I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's" More "I'm sorry's." But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it .. . live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!! Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us. Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with , a nd what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally. I hope you have a blessed day.

flu wiki......bird flu information website

Found this information about website everybody seems to be interested in sooo.....I THOUGHT I WOULD PASS IT ALONG TO ALL MY FRIENDS.... Site Offers Alternative to Flu Information Saturday, February 25, 2006 NEW YORK - You can learn a lot about bird flu and the specter of a global human flu epidemic by checking official information from the government or medical groups. But thousands of times a day, people turn to a much different source. It's Flu Wiki, a Web site maintained by a 52-year-old writer who specializes in risk communication. It draws in part on contributions from people who don't reveal their names, much like Wikipedia, an encyclopedic Web site that lets anyone contribute. Why should anybody trust a source like this? "I'm working with some of the best scientists in the country on the subject of pandemic influenza," said Melanie Mattson, who maintains the site. "If I have a question about what's going on I ask them." And Flu Wiki, the Virginia resident said, is "probably the most complete authority in English on pandemic influenza on the Internet." Even for a site with more than 1,200 pages of content, that's a bold claim. The field includes not only an official U.S. government site, http://www.pandemicflu.gov, but also others from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. There are also plenty of bloggers who focus on flu. But Flu Wiki also offers the wisdom of its expert contributors, Mattson said. She can't identify them publicly, mostly because they fear losing federal money for giving opinions that clash with the Bush administration, she said. The disagreements aren't so much on the basic science of bird flu, but rather on what to do about it. Flu Wit. iki, which averages up to 5,000 hits a day, impressed some flu experts who examined it recently at the request of The Associated Press. Dr. Arnold S. Monto of the University of Michigan said he found the site's information reliable in general. Such sites can provide "a single place for people to go who want to get information which they may have to troll for in some of the official sites," he said. Peter Cowen of North Carolina State University, moderator of a disease-monitoring Web site sponsored by the International Society for Infectious Diseases, said he had mixed feelings about Flu Wiki. "In general they have a lot of good information," but some of the site's links lead to places with information of questionable value, Cowen said. Still, on balance, he said, "it looks pretty good." The site, launched last June, offers key facts about bird flu, updated news stories, a roundup of official flu plans, tips on preparedness and a discussion forum. Volunteers have translated critical information into French, Spanish and Turkish. Norwegian may be next. Mattson said she and her collaborators established it because too little attention was being paid to the possibility of a worldwide flu outbreak, and the public was in danger because they weren't getting basic information. "I'm not sure my town council is even aware of pandemic influenza," she said. Her own home is stocked with a two-week supply of food and water, originally for hurricanes. She plans to expand that inventory for a possible flu pandemic. Her goal? "Eight weeks is good, 12 weeks is better," she said. Mattson said she became concerned about the possibility of a pandemic flu after a bird flu virus jumped to people in Hong Kong in 1997, causing six deaths. A lifelong student of epidemiology and public health, she'd hoped to be an epidemiologist until she ran into organic chemistry in college. And she caught the flu and then pneumonia in the two previous flu pandemics in the 1950s and 1960s. "Needless to say, I'm a little more sensitive to the subject of influenza than probably most people are," she said. On the Net: Flu Wiki: http://www.fluwikie.com CDC bird flu page: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/ World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/ Disease-monitoring site: http://www.promedmail.org.#

google30e3965a57901f72.html.

Fibromyalgia and The Guaifenesin Protocol ("guai"): What a difference two years can make.

Fibromyalgia and The Guaifenesin Protocol ("guai"): What a difference two years can make.

Guaifenesen..........it may work

fibromyalgia treatment center Here is some info I recently found that seems very interesting.I used this recently for my asthma and I did notice that I felt all around better,little did I know all this has been going on. The guaifenesin protocol Fibromyalgia is a legitimate and common entity. It is a cyclic and progressive illness manifested by multiple symptoms that may last only a few days in the early stages but later are present continuously. The disease eventually affects multiple areas and bodily systems until patients simply cycle from bad to worse. There are no diagnostic laboratory tests for fibromyalgia. Patients parade from one doctor to another and are often told that they have chronic fatigue, systemic candidiasis, myofascial pain, irritable bowel or vulvar pain syndrome. Physicians focus on symptoms germane to their specialty and often fail to perceive the much larger problem. Grouping a few symptoms while ignoring others leads to a medical dead end and incorrect diagnoses. The above-listed entities are actually symptoms of a much larger problem. The American Academy of Rheumatology recommends searching for tender points from eighteen predetermined sites on the body to make a definitive diagnosis of fibromyalgia. So-called “chronic-fatigue” patients simply have higher pain thresholds. For this reason they do not complain of body aches or stiffness but focus mainly on their fatigue and cognitive impairments. Since pain perception varies greatly, we urge physicians to seek objective evidence instead of the purely subjective response to variably tender points. The confirmation of fibromyalgia is far more secure when using our method of palpation that we call mapping (see below). Fibromyalgia has no set symptoms and many combinations from the following list are interwoven: Central Nervous System: Fatigue, irritability, nervousness, depression, apathy, listlessness, impaired memory and concentration, anxieties and suicidal thoughts. Insomnia and frequent awakening due to pain result in non restorative sleep.Musculoskeletal: Pain and generalized morning stiffness could arise from muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia of the shoulders, neck, entire back, hips, thighs, knees, ankles, feet, inner and outer elbows, wrists, fingers, and chest. Injured or old operative sites are commonly affected. Though fibromyalgia is described as a “non-articular” disease many know better: Joint pains with or without swelling, redness and heat are frequent. The litany includes foot or calf cramps, numbness and tingling of the face or extremities.Irritable Bowel: (Often called leaky gut, spastic colon or mucous colitis). Symptoms include nausea (often brief, repetitive waves), indigestion, gas, bloating, pain, cramps, constipation alternating with diarrhea and sometimes mucous stools.Genitourinary: Common are pungent urine, frequent urination, bladder spasms, burning urination (dysuria) with or without repeated bladder infections and interstitial cystitis. Vulvodynia (vulvar pain syndrome) includes vaginal spasms, irritation of the vaginal lips (vulvitis) or opening (vestibulitis) and painful intercourse (dyspareunia). It typically mimics a yeast infection but without the cottage-cheese discharge. Intense PMS and uterine cramping are common. Symptoms of fibromyalgia are worse premenstrually.Dermatological: Various rashes may appear with or without itching: Hives, red blotches, itchy bumps or blisters, eczema, seborrheic or neurodermatitis, and rosacea. Nails are often brittle and of poor quality and hair falls out prematurely. Strange sensations are common such as cold, heat (especially palms, soles and thighs), crawling, electric vibrations, prickling, super-sensitivity to touch, and flushing that is sometimes accompanied by sweating.Head, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat: Headaches (migraines), dizziness, vertigo (spinning) or imbalance; dry eyes as well as itching and burning with or without sticky or crusty discharge upon awakening; blurred vision; nasal congestion and post-nasal drip; painful, burning tongue, mouth and abnormal tastes (scalded, bad or metallic); ringing in the ears (tinnitus) or lower-pitched sounds; ear and eyeball pain; sensitivity to light, sounds and odors.Miscellaneous Symptoms: Weight gain; low grade fever; lowered immunity to infections; morning eyelid and hand swelling from fluid retention that gravitates to the lower extremities by evening where it stretches tissues causing the restless leg syndrome.Hypoglycemia Syndrome: This is a separate entity. Thirty percent of female and twenty percent of male fibromyalgics suffer both conditions (fibroglycemia). Symptoms greatly overlap those of fibromyalgia, but sugar craving accompanied by tremors, sweating, anxiety, panic attacks, heart pounding, faintness, and frontal headaches, especially if hunger induced, are solid clues to the diagnosis. Hypoglycemics must follow a prescribed diet or recovery will not be complete even with the reversal of fibromyalgia. (See Hypoglycemia for more information.) Trauma, infection or stress can aggravate or tip susceptible individuals into fibromyalgia but are not the basic causes. It is generally accepted now as an inherited disease. We have treated family members that spanned three generations including four two-year-olds as well as patients who became symptomatic only in their seventies. This age spread strongly suggests a multi-genetic disease in various combinations. Boys and girls suffer equally in the pre-puberty but females predominate (85% to 15%) thereafter. Though some gene-carrying men have few or no symptoms, inheritance is possible from either parent. The cyclic accumulation of symptoms begins earlier than patients suspect but can be elicited with a careful history. Forty percent of our patients, for example, recall "growing pains" in childhood that disappeared during the true growth spurt of puberty. Untreated fibromyalgia ultimately leads to a "tartar of joints" that we recognize as osteoarthritis. Forty-six years ago, a patient taking a gout medication showed me that he could peel tartar (calcium phosphate) off his teeth with his fingernail. This observation indirectly led me to study an unrecognized systemic problem being reflected by deposits from the disturbed saliva. We now postulate that a defective metabolism, possibly a kidney enzyme, forces retention of phosphate, which gradually accumulates to detrimental levels in many tissues. This excess induces inadequate energy formation (ATP), cellular fatigue and malfunctions that explain all the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Our paper for interested professionals defends that theory. We no longer prescribe gout drugs (uricosurics). We now use guaifenesin for fibromyalgia because it has no side effects and is even safe for children. It is marketed for respiratory mucus problems and is available without prescription in various strengths, though some brands may not be effective for fibromyalgia. Currently, we can only advocate three products: the long-acting 600 mg tablets ‘Mucinex’ and one compounded for the Marina del Rey Pharmacy as well as a 400 mg tablet that is free of contaminants from Pro Health. (see Web site: fibromyalgiatreatment.com) We begin patients with 300 milligrams twice a day for one week. Feeling distinctly worse suggests adequate dosage and patients may remain on that amount. This suffices for only 20 percent of patients; if symptoms do not worsen, we increase to 600 mg. twice daily. Reversal begins for 80 percent of patients at one of these two levels leaving 20 percent who will need more. During reversal, symptoms are usually intensified and new ones may be experienced. These are not side effects, but signal that reversal is underway. Better hours eventually cluster into days and finally weeks. During this subjective roller coaster ride, lumps and bumps soften, fragment and gradually clear. Recovery is more rapid than the time it took to develop the illness. Even genetically-slow responders, clear at least one year of metabolic debris every two months. Longer endured disease requires more time to restore. Newer lesions clear first and the oldest ones last. The original description of fibromyalgia as “rheumatism with hard and tender places” has certainly been forgotten. Tender-point examination limited to a few preordained parts of the body has less value than our totally objective body mapping. We use our finger pads as though we were trying to iron out underlying tissue and thereby find the swollen places within muscles, tendons and ligaments. We record their location, size and degree of hardness on a body caricature that becomes a baseline for future comparisons. Unless swollen, the purely subjective tender spots are excluded in mapping. Subsequent examinations and patient inputs readily determine drug dosages and sequential disease regression. We hide previous maps until we complete the examination and only then compare them to confirm progress. The most important site for confirming the diagnosis and assuring future success is the left thigh. The outside of the quadriceps muscle (Vastus lateralis) and the front part (Rectus femoris) are involved in 100% of adults and clear within the first month upon attaining adequate dosages. Ignoring the following will guarantee treatment failure. All salicylates including aspirin completely block the benefits of guaifenesin for fibromyalgia. This occurs at a kidney site—something well documented with uricosuric gout medications. Salicylates are often found in pain medications. Less appreciated is the fact that all plants manufacture them in quantities that vary with genus and from crop to crop. They are stored in bark, leaves, roots, and seeds where they serve to repair damage or as weapons against soil bacteria and fungi. Salicylates are readily absorbed through the skin and intestine when introduced from botanicals in cosmetics, herb derivatives in medications and supplements, sap or oil from plants, gels and extracts. Individual genetics determine ease of blocking but all patients should assume a high level of susceptibility and take no risks. New or replacement products should be carefully inspected for changes made by manufacturers. Items on Salicylate-free lists should be double checked for accuracy. The following is a partial guide to natural and synthetic salicylates that must be avoided: Medications: (1) Pain products containing salicylate or salicylic acid, for example, aspirin, Salflex, Anacin, Excedrin, Disalcid. (2) Herbal medications such as St. John’s Wort, gingko biloba, saw palmetto, blue-green algae, Echinacea, or nonni juice; vitamin supplements with alfalfa, parsley, rose hips or bioflavonoids. (3) Wart or callus removers, many acne products and dandruff shampoos contain salicylic acid. (4) Pain creams, balms and lotions such as Ben Gay, Myoflex, Zostrix, Capsaicin or capsicum. (6) Medications such as Pepto Bismol, Asacol, Alka Seltzer or Urised.Cosmetic and Topical Products: (1) Skin cleansers or exfoliants that use salicylic/ betahydroxy acid(s). (2) Hair shampoos, conditioners or sprays with plant derivatives. (3) Bubble baths and lotions with essential oils or plants such as aloe, ginseng, lavender; almond or grape seed oils etc. (5) Sun screens or tanning lotions with aloe, octisalate, homosalate, or meradimate. (6) Lipsticks or balms, Chapsticks or sunscreens with aloe, camphor, menthol, or castor oil. (7) Deodorants with castor oil. (8) Sticky plant juices or saps adhere to the skin while gardening or weeding (Patients should wear canvas gloves and avoid barefoot contact with grass). (8)Beware of tissues, toilet paper and baby wipes with aloe. Shaving Aids: (1) Shaving creams with aloe, mint, menthol or mentholatum will block. (2) Razors with aloe strips adjacent to the cutting edge deliver salicylates through microscopic cuts. Vitamin E, lanolin, and baby Oil are all acceptable.Oral Agents: (1) Most mouth washes contain mint, wintergreen or salicylate (Listerine, Scope). (2) Toothpastes contain salicylates, as well as fresh or artificial mint, often unlisted. Use Grace FibroSmile toothpastes, Personal Basics by Andrea Rose or the non-mint ones made by Tom’s of Maine. Baking soda and/or peroxide provide good cleansing and whitening. The non-mint pre-brushing rinses are acceptable as are the Grace Fibrosmile Mouthwashes. (3) Use no lozenges, dental floss, breath fresheners or chewing gums with any mint flavor, including menthol, wintergreen, peppermint or spearmint. (Fruit/Cinnamon flavors may mask mint hidden by the stronger flavors.). The word active ingredients should alert one to scrutinize inactive ones as well.PHYSICIANS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO RECOGNIZE OR KNOW ALL THE INGREDIENTS IN TOPICAL PREPARATIONS. DOCTORS WILL ASSUME GUAIFENESIN HAS FAILED IF PATIENTS DO NOT COMPLETELY PURGE SALICYLATES. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW OUR PROTOCOL EXACTLY. Dictionaries help identify products. When calling manufactures check ingredients yourself because often personnel do not realize that plants make salicylates. Go to the web sites and reference books we have listed for assistance. This web site can connect you to a support group eager to help with updated safe-product listings, answer questions, and warn of pitfalls. No diet is required for fibromyalgia since the liver alters food salicylates, but that capacity is overwhelmed by the mint family. Do not use decongestants or cough medicines to get guaifenesin. There are potential side effects from various additives. Repeat: the drug is available without prescription but at variable prices and is no longer covered by insurance. Single ingredient guaifenesin has no side effects (rarely mild, but transient nausea) and no known drug interactions. Using it with salicylates causes no ill-effects, it simply negates the drug’s effectiveness for fibromyalgia. Pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ultram, Darvocet-N, Imitrex, non-steroidal drugs such as Advil, and Aleve, will not block guaifenesin. Though they do not block, we do not agree with the use of codeine, hydrocodone, oxycontin, morphine, and methadone that are frequently used to control pain at the cost of eventual addiction, something hardly acceptable when dealing with a chronic illness. Our treatment is not for those lacking courage. It calls for patient skills and, hopefully, physician assistance. Remember, reversal of the disease reproduces past symptoms and may cause new or long-forgotten ones to re-surface. The intensity of these early cycles often causes concern during the initial weeks of treatment. Such symptoms are not guaifenesin side effects. Patients realize they were getting steadily worse long before starting our protocol despite medicinal Band-Aids used to mask symptoms. We offer hope to those with determination to try once more despite previous failures. This is a highly-effective protocol.R. Paul St. Amand, M.D. Assistant Clinical Professor Medicine Endocrinology--Harbor-UCLAClaudia Craig MarekMedical Assistantfmsnurse@aol.comMay 2005Important: Do not assume fibromyalgia is the cause of all symptoms. When in doubt or confronted with new problems, please consult your personal physician or appropriate specialist.Addendum:Fibromyalgics with hypoglycemia must follow a low carbohydrate diet as prescribed, or they will not feel better, even when guaifenesin clears the lesions of fibromyalgia. Though not mandatory, fibromyalgics with carbohydrate craving will get a "jump-start” with similar dietary modifications for the first thirty days of treatment. Carbohydrates (sugars and starches) release insulin. This hormone not only induces kidney reabsorption of phosphate but also drives it into various cells and intensifies symptoms. Elimination of the following foods prevents the wide fluctuations of blood sugar that allows a surge in energy and lessens bouts of fatigue.Foods to Avoid Strictly:All alcohol, dried fruits, fruit juice, baked beans, refried beans, lima beans, barley, black-eyed peas (cowpeas), lentils, garbanzos, rice, bananas, pasta (all types), flour tortillas as in burritos, tamales, corn, potatoes, sweets of any kind including dextrose, glucose, hexitol, maltose, sucrose, honey, fructose, corn syrup, starch. Caffeine and alcohol are permitted for those without hypoglycemia.Other Information:This is not the full bibliography in support of our theory. (Interested physicians may contact us for a theoretical, more technical, paper or consult the Technical Appendix of our book)Online Guaifenesin Support group: http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/newsgroup.htmBegoun,Paula: Don't Go to The Cosmetic Counter Without Me. Beginning Press, 1999. http://www.cosmeticscop.com/The American Journal of Medicine Proceedings of a Symposium: The Fibromyalgia/Fibrositis Syndrome. September 29, 1986.The American Journal of Rheumatology: Fibromyalgia Syndrome, November 1989.Grace Fibrosmile Salicylate Free Products. A full line of dental, personal and medicinal products: http://www.drstay.com/ or (888) 883-4276Personal Basics by Andrea Rose. Salicylate free personal products. To order: 1-888-712-ROSE or www.andrearose.comStarlanyl, Devin M.D. and Copeland, Mary Ellen: Fibromyalgia And Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome-A Survival Manual. New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 1996. Starlanyl, Devin M.D.: The Fibromyalgia Advocate. New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 1998.www.sover.net/~devstarWilliamson, Miryam Erlich: Fibromyalgia: A Comprehensive Approach. New York: Walker and Co. 1996 and The Fibromyalgia Relief Book, 213 Ideas for Improving Your Quality of Life, 1999. www.shaysnet.com/wmsonWinter, Ruth: A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. Crown Trade Paperback, 1998. http://www.brainbody.com/ St. Amand, MD, R. Paul and Marek, Claudia: The Use of Uricosuric Agents in Fibromyalgia: Theory, Practice and a Rebuttal to the Oregon Study of Guaifenesin Treatment. Clinical Journal of Myofascial Therapy, Vol 2, No 4, 1997.St. Amand, MD, R. Paul and Marek, Claudia: A Description of Fibromyalgia and Hypoglycemia: Their Combined Morbidity and Therapy with Guaifenesin and Diet. AAEM Symposium Syllabus, 1998."What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia" (ISBN 0-446-675-121),"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pediatric Fibromyalgia" (ISBN 0-7595-5002-6),"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia Fatigue" (ISBN 0-466-67730-2) by R. Paul St. Amand, M.D. and Claudia Craig Marek, all published by Warner Books."Fibromyalgia: The First Year. A Patient Expert Walks You Through Everything You Need to Learn and Do" by Claudia Craig Marek. ISBN 1-56924-521-5 published by Avalon Books. All are available in bookstores, online book sellers and from The Fibromyalgia Treatment Center.The Videotape/DVD of Dr. St. Amand’s method for diagnosis, treatment, and mapping is available from The Fibromyalgia Treatment Center P.O. Box 64339 LA, CA. 90064 for $25.00 including shipping and handling, or order here. Copies of this paper and others available free of charge. " + lmonth + " "); document.write(date + ", " + year + ""); // End --> Feb. 24, 2006 EASY QUICK LINKS GuaifenesinAvailabilityMay 2005 Update GuaigroupOnline Support Group AppointmentMake an appointment with Dr. St. Amand ArticlesHysteria?Why Me?Daily BreadA Big Fat Lie Useful ItemsPrintable Map and Symptom Checklist Home About Us Books & Videotapes ContactDoctors Contribution FAQs Guaifenesin ProtocolHypoglycemia News Research Resources Salicylate-Free ProductsSupport Groups Support Services Newsgroup

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Guaifenesen..it may work

Fibromyalgia Patients Say Over-The-Counter Solution Is Working ("Feb24,2006,1:16 PM EST"); Fibro Patients Find Relief Latest Health News more>> Child Care Needs Keep Poor Addicts From Treatment Adult Ecstasy Use Tied to Childhood Depression Two Rare Clotting Genes Hike Heart Disease Risk Health Tip: Seniors Who Exercise Health Tip: When Cleaning Fluffy's Litter Box Virus May Have Links to Prostate Cancer Health Tip: Paxil and Pregnancy Don't Mix Health Tip: Rare Condition Predisposes People to Cancer Compounds May Slow Parkinson's Disease Industry Withheld Data on Chromium-Related Lung Cancer Risks By Lori Lyle (LOUISVILLE) -- Last year we told you about an over-the-counter medication being used to reverse the effects of fibromyalgia. But it's not an overnight fix. In fact, doctors prescribing it say it can take months to see significant results. WAVE 3 Medical Reporter Lori Lyle has more. We first reported in 2005 that an over-the-counter product called guaifenesin could provide relief for fibromyalgia. That story caused such a stir in Kentuckiana that the people who developed the guaifenesin protocol traveled here from California to answer questions. That's where we met Dottie Anderson. She says she was skeptical at first. "It was like, OK, sounds too good to be true. But then more I thought about it, I though what do I have to lose." Dottie had been suffering with fibromyalgia for three years and hadn't been able to find a treatment that worked. "I just constantly felt like I was catching the flu, but never having a fever," she said. "Felt I could never get enough rest." Unable to work, Dottie says she felt hopeless. "The only reason I'd get up during the day, in the morning, was to get my daughter ready for school. That's the only thing that kept me going." Then she heard about guaifenesin on WAVE 3. UCLA endocrinologist Dr. Paul St. Amand started using guaifenesin for his fibromyalgia 40 years ago. He theorized that there's an enzyme preventing the kidneys from releasing phosphates. In a phone interview he told us "it's the swelling in those tissues that indicate those are continually day and night contracted tissues." The guaifenesin, Amand says, binds the phosphorous, allowing excretion. In Kentuckiana, many people are treated and followed on the therapy at Healing Options, located at 1101 Herr Lane in Louisville. Staff members at Healing Options map and chart the phosphate filled tissue, then provide treatment. Nancy Andress was trained by Amand's staff during his visit. And nurse practitioner Jenny Ostertag who suffers from fibromyalgia herself, has been taking guaifenesin for about six years. "As soon as Claudia Marek came to town, it was a huge surge," Jenny said. "I mean before then I was always trying to talk patients into it." Jenny says she wouldn't advise patients to take it if she weren't a believer herself. "I would not even consider offering the treatment if I did not think it was legitimate." Healing Options offers several therapies for fibromyalgia. "There's different types of fibromyalgia that responds to different types of treatment. Depending on what caused your fibro maybe, I think there's just so little that we know about fibro still. What she does know is that "almost everybody I follow have said 'I've gotten some improvement'" (from guaifenesin). "It's worked for me," Dottie said. Dottie still has bad days, but nothing like before. "I feel so much better than I did. I'm glad to get up everyday. Before guaifenesin, I didn't have any hope. And I get emotional when I say that. But before, I didn't have any. And now I do." Jenny just increased Dottie's dose of guaifenesin in January. Dosage varies patient to patient, so even though it's over-the counter, it's still best to use it under a doctor's guidance. And, there are also some ingredients in everyday items like toothpaste and shampoo that can block guaifenesin's effect, and your doctor can let you know which of these products to avoid. For more information, contact Healing Options at 502-339-6550 or visit: http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/GuaiProtocol.htm. Another doctor specializing in treating fibromyalgia patients with guaifenesin is Dr. Stella Staley. Her office is located at 151 N. Eagle Creek Drive, Lexington, KY 40509. Phone: 859-263-0329. Related Stories: New Meds Show Promise In Relieving Painful Fibromyalgia Symptoms Finding Help For Fibromyalgia Some Fibromyalgia Patients Find Relief From Hypnosis Parkinson's Drugs Also Effective Treatment For Fibromyalgia Laser Treatments Show Promise For Fibromyalgia Patients Local Physician Uses Varied Treatments For Fibromyalgia Louisville To Host Fibromyalgia Seminar Online Reporter: Lori Lyle Online Producer: Michael Dever fibromyalgia treatment center Shop for a good cause the guaifenesin protocol Fibromyalgia is a legitimate and common entity. It is a cyclic and progressive illness manifested by multiple symptoms that may last only a few days in the early stages but later are present continuously. The disease eventually affects multiple areas and bodily systems until patients simply cycle from bad to worse. There are no diagnostic laboratory tests for fibromyalgia. Patients parade from one doctor to another and are often told that they have chronic fatigue, systemic candidiasis, myofascial pain, irritable bowel or vulvar pain syndrome. Physicians focus on symptoms germane to their specialty and often fail to perceive the much larger problem. Grouping a few symptoms while ignoring others leads to a medical dead end and incorrect diagnoses. The above-listed entities are actually symptoms of a much larger problem. The American Academy of Rheumatology recommends searching for tender points from eighteen predetermined sites on the body to make a definitive diagnosis of fibromyalgia. So-called “chronic-fatigue” patients simply have higher pain thresholds. For this reason they do not complain of body aches or stiffness but focus mainly on their fatigue and cognitive impairments. Since pain perception varies greatly, we urge physicians to seek objective evidence instead of the purely subjective response to variably tender points. The confirmation of fibromyalgia is far more secure when using our method of palpation that we call mapping (see below). Fibromyalgia has no set symptoms and many combinations from the following list are interwoven: Central Nervous System: Fatigue, irritability, nervousness, depression, apathy, listlessness, impaired memory and concentration, anxieties and suicidal thoughts. Insomnia and frequent awakening due to pain result in non restorative sleep.Musculoskeletal: Pain and generalized morning stiffness could arise from muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia of the shoulders, neck, entire back, hips, thighs, knees, ankles, feet, inner and outer elbows, wrists, fingers, and chest. Injured or old operative sites are commonly affected. Though fibromyalgia is described as a “non-articular” disease many know better: Joint pains with or without swelling, redness and heat are frequent. The litany includes foot or calf cramps, numbness and tingling of the face or extremities.Irritable Bowel: (Often called leaky gut, spastic colon or mucous colitis). Symptoms include nausea (often brief, repetitive waves), indigestion, gas, bloating, pain, cramps, constipation alternating with diarrhea and sometimes mucous stools.Genitourinary: Common are pungent urine, frequent urination, bladder spasms, burning urination (dysuria) with or without repeated bladder infections and interstitial cystitis. Vulvodynia (vulvar pain syndrome) includes vaginal spasms, irritation of the vaginal lips (vulvitis) or opening (vestibulitis) and painful intercourse (dyspareunia). It typically mimics a yeast infection but without the cottage-cheese discharge. Intense PMS and uterine cramping are common. Symptoms of fibromyalgia are worse premenstrually.Dermatological: Various rashes may appear with or without itching: Hives, red blotches, itchy bumps or blisters, eczema, seborrheic or neurodermatitis, and rosacea. Nails are often brittle and of poor quality and hair falls out prematurely. Strange sensations are common such as cold, heat (especially palms, soles and thighs), crawling, electric vibrations, prickling, super-sensitivity to touch, and flushing that is sometimes accompanied by sweating.Head, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat: Headaches (migraines), dizziness, vertigo (spinning) or imbalance; dry eyes as well as itching and burning with or without sticky or crusty discharge upon awakening; blurred vision; nasal congestion and post-nasal drip; painful, burning tongue, mouth and abnormal tastes (scalded, bad or metallic); ringing in the ears (tinnitus) or lower-pitched sounds; ear and eyeball pain; sensitivity to light, sounds and odors.Miscellaneous Symptoms: Weight gain; low grade fever; lowered immunity to infections; morning eyelid and hand swelling from fluid retention that gravitates to the lower extremities by evening where it stretches tissues causing the restless leg syndrome.Hypoglycemia Syndrome: This is a separate entity. Thirty percent of female and twenty percent of male fibromyalgics suffer both conditions (fibroglycemia). Symptoms greatly overlap those of fibromyalgia, but sugar craving accompanied by tremors, sweating, anxiety, panic attacks, heart pounding, faintness, and frontal headaches, especially if hunger induced, are solid clues to the diagnosis. Hypoglycemics must follow a prescribed diet or recovery will not be complete even with the reversal of fibromyalgia. (See Hypoglycemia for more information.) Trauma, infection or stress can aggravate or tip susceptible individuals into fibromyalgia but are not the basic causes. It is generally accepted now as an inherited disease. We have treated family members that spanned three generations including four two-year-olds as well as patients who became symptomatic only in their seventies. This age spread strongly suggests a multi-genetic disease in various combinations. Boys and girls suffer equally in the pre-puberty but females predominate (85% to 15%) thereafter. Though some gene-carrying men have few or no symptoms, inheritance is possible from either parent. The cyclic accumulation of symptoms begins earlier than patients suspect but can be elicited with a careful history. Forty percent of our patients, for example, recall "growing pains" in childhood that disappeared during the true growth spurt of puberty. Untreated fibromyalgia ultimately leads to a "tartar of joints" that we recognize as osteoarthritis. Forty-six years ago, a patient taking a gout medication showed me that he could peel tartar (calcium phosphate) off his teeth with his fingernail. This observation indirectly led me to study an unrecognized systemic problem being reflected by deposits from the disturbed saliva. We now postulate that a defective metabolism, possibly a kidney enzyme, forces retention of phosphate, which gradually accumulates to detrimental levels in many tissues. This excess induces inadequate energy formation (ATP), cellular fatigue and malfunctions that explain all the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Our paper for interested professionals defends that theory. We no longer prescribe gout drugs (uricosurics). We now use guaifenesin for fibromyalgia because it has no side effects and is even safe for children. It is marketed for respiratory mucus problems and is available without prescription in various strengths, though some brands may not be effective for fibromyalgia. Currently, we can only advocate three products: the long-acting 600 mg tablets ‘Mucinex’ and one compounded for the Marina del Rey Pharmacy as well as a 400 mg tablet that is free of contaminants from Pro Health. (see Web site: fibromyalgiatreatment.com) We begin patients with 300 milligrams twice a day for one week. Feeling distinctly worse suggests adequate dosage and patients may remain on that amount. This suffices for only 20 percent of patients; if symptoms do not worsen, we increase to 600 mg. twice daily. Reversal begins for 80 percent of patients at one of these two levels leaving 20 percent who will need more. During reversal, symptoms are usually intensified and new ones may be experienced. These are not side effects, but signal that reversal is underway. Better hours eventually cluster into days and finally weeks. During this subjective roller coaster ride, lumps and bumps soften, fragment and gradually clear. Recovery is more rapid than the time it took to develop the illness. Even genetically-slow responders, clear at least one year of metabolic debris every two months. Longer endured disease requires more time to restore. Newer lesions clear first and the oldest ones last. The original description of fibromyalgia as “rheumatism with hard and tender places” has certainly been forgotten. Tender-point examination limited to a few preordained parts of the body has less value than our totally objective body mapping. We use our finger pads as though we were trying to iron out underlying tissue and thereby find the swollen places within muscles, tendons and ligaments. We record their location, size and degree of hardness on a body caricature that becomes a baseline for future comparisons. Unless swollen, the purely subjective tender spots are excluded in mapping. Subsequent examinations and patient inputs readily determine drug dosages and sequential disease regression. We hide previous maps until we complete the examination and only then compare them to confirm progress. The most important site for confirming the diagnosis and assuring future success is the left thigh. The outside of the quadriceps muscle (Vastus lateralis) and the front part (Rectus femoris) are involved in 100% of adults and clear within the first month upon attaining adequate dosages. Ignoring the following will guarantee treatment failure. All salicylates including aspirin completely block the benefits of guaifenesin for fibromyalgia. This occurs at a kidney site—something well documented with uricosuric gout medications. Salicylates are often found in pain medications. Less appreciated is the fact that all plants manufacture them in quantities that vary with genus and from crop to crop. They are stored in bark, leaves, roots, and seeds where they serve to repair damage or as weapons against soil bacteria and fungi. Salicylates are readily absorbed through the skin and intestine when introduced from botanicals in cosmetics, herb derivatives in medications and supplements, sap or oil from plants, gels and extracts. Individual genetics determine ease of blocking but all patients should assume a high level of susceptibility and take no risks. New or replacement products should be carefully inspected for changes made by manufacturers. Items on Salicylate-free lists should be double checked for accuracy. The following is a partial guide to natural and synthetic salicylates that must be avoided: Medications: (1) Pain products containing salicylate or salicylic acid, for example, aspirin, Salflex, Anacin, Excedrin, Disalcid. (2) Herbal medications such as St. John’s Wort, gingko biloba, saw palmetto, blue-green algae, Echinacea, or nonni juice; vitamin supplements with alfalfa, parsley, rose hips or bioflavonoids. (3) Wart or callus removers, many acne products and dandruff shampoos contain salicylic acid. (4) Pain creams, balms and lotions such as Ben Gay, Myoflex, Zostrix, Capsaicin or capsicum. (6) Medications such as Pepto Bismol, Asacol, Alka Seltzer or Urised.Cosmetic and Topical Products: (1) Skin cleansers or exfoliants that use salicylic/ betahydroxy acid(s). (2) Hair shampoos, conditioners or sprays with plant derivatives. (3) Bubble baths and lotions with essential oils or plants such as aloe, ginseng, lavender; almond or grape seed oils etc. (5) Sun screens or tanning lotions with aloe, octisalate, homosalate, or meradimate. (6) Lipsticks or balms, Chapsticks or sunscreens with aloe, camphor, menthol, or castor oil. (7) Deodorants with castor oil. (8) Sticky plant juices or saps adhere to the skin while gardening or weeding (Patients should wear canvas gloves and avoid barefoot contact with grass). (8)Beware of tissues, toilet paper and baby wipes with aloe. Shaving Aids: (1) Shaving creams with aloe, mint, menthol or mentholatum will block. (2) Razors with aloe strips adjacent to the cutting edge deliver salicylates through microscopic cuts. Vitamin E, lanolin, and baby Oil are all acceptable.Oral Agents: (1) Most mouth washes contain mint, wintergreen or salicylate (Listerine, Scope). (2) Toothpastes contain salicylates, as well as fresh or artificial mint, often unlisted. Use Grace FibroSmile toothpastes, Personal Basics by Andrea Rose or the non-mint ones made by Tom’s of Maine. Baking soda and/or peroxide provide good cleansing and whitening. The non-mint pre-brushing rinses are acceptable as are the Grace Fibrosmile Mouthwashes. (3) Use no lozenges, dental floss, breath fresheners or chewing gums with any mint flavor, including menthol, wintergreen, peppermint or spearmint. (Fruit/Cinnamon flavors may mask mint hidden by the stronger flavors.). The word active ingredients should alert one to scrutinize inactive ones as well.PHYSICIANS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO RECOGNIZE OR KNOW ALL THE INGREDIENTS IN TOPICAL PREPARATIONS. DOCTORS WILL ASSUME GUAIFENESIN HAS FAILED IF PATIENTS DO NOT COMPLETELY PURGE SALICYLATES. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW OUR PROTOCOL EXACTLY. Dictionaries help identify products. When calling manufactures check ingredients yourself because often personnel do not realize that plants make salicylates. Go to the web sites and reference books we have listed for assistance. This web site can connect you to a support group eager to help with updated safe-product listings, answer questions, and warn of pitfalls. No diet is required for fibromyalgia since the liver alters food salicylates, but that capacity is overwhelmed by the mint family. Do not use decongestants or cough medicines to get guaifenesin. There are potential side effects from various additives. Repeat: the drug is available without prescription but at variable prices and is no longer covered by insurance. Single ingredient guaifenesin has no side effects (rarely mild, but transient nausea) and no known drug interactions. Using it with salicylates causes no ill-effects, it simply negates the drug’s effectiveness for fibromyalgia. Pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ultram, Darvocet-N, Imitrex, non-steroidal drugs such as Advil, and Aleve, will not block guaifenesin. Though they do not block, we do not agree with the use of codeine, hydrocodone, oxycontin, morphine, and methadone that are frequently used to control pain at the cost of eventual addiction, something hardly acceptable when dealing with a chronic illness. Our treatment is not for those lacking courage. It calls for patient skills and, hopefully, physician assistance. Remember, reversal of the disease reproduces past symptoms and may cause new or long-forgotten ones to re-surface. The intensity of these early cycles often causes concern during the initial weeks of treatment. Such symptoms are not guaifenesin side effects. Patients realize they were getting steadily worse long before starting our protocol despite medicinal Band-Aids used to mask symptoms. We offer hope to those with determination to try once more despite previous failures. This is a highly-effective protocol.R. Paul St. Amand, M.D. Assistant Clinical Professor Medicine Endocrinology--Harbor-UCLAClaudia Craig MarekMedical Assistantfmsnurse@aol.comMay 2005Important: Do not assume fibromyalgia is the cause of all symptoms. When in doubt or confronted with new problems, please consult your personal physician or appropriate specialist.Addendum:Fibromyalgics with hypoglycemia must follow a low carbohydrate diet as prescribed, or they will not feel better, even when guaifenesin clears the lesions of fibromyalgia. Though not mandatory, fibromyalgics with carbohydrate craving will get a "jump-start” with similar dietary modifications for the first thirty days of treatment. Carbohydrates (sugars and starches) release insulin. This hormone not only induces kidney reabsorption of phosphate but also drives it into various cells and intensifies symptoms. Elimination of the following foods prevents the wide fluctuations of blood sugar that allows a surge in energy and lessens bouts of fatigue.Foods to Avoid Strictly:All alcohol, dried fruits, fruit juice, baked beans, refried beans, lima beans, barley, black-eyed peas (cowpeas), lentils, garbanzos, rice, bananas, pasta (all types), flour tortillas as in burritos, tamales, corn, potatoes, sweets of any kind including dextrose, glucose, hexitol, maltose, sucrose, honey, fructose, corn syrup, starch. Caffeine and alcohol are permitted for those without hypoglycemia.Other Information:This is not the full bibliography in support of our theory. (Interested physicians may contact us for a theoretical, more technical, paper or consult the Technical Appendix of our book)Online Guaifenesin Support group: http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/newsgroup.htmBegoun,Paula: Don't Go to The Cosmetic Counter Without Me. Beginning Press, 1999. http://www.cosmeticscop.com/The American Journal of Medicine Proceedings of a Symposium: The Fibromyalgia/Fibrositis Syndrome. September 29, 1986.The American Journal of Rheumatology: Fibromyalgia Syndrome, November 1989.Grace Fibrosmile Salicylate Free Products. A full line of dental, personal and medicinal products: http://www.drstay.com/ or (888) 883-4276Personal Basics by Andrea Rose. Salicylate free personal products. To order: 1-888-712-ROSE or www.andrearose.comStarlanyl, Devin M.D. and Copeland, Mary Ellen: Fibromyalgia And Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome-A Survival Manual. New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 1996. Starlanyl, Devin M.D.: The Fibromyalgia Advocate. New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 1998.www.sover.net/~devstarWilliamson, Miryam Erlich: Fibromyalgia: A Comprehensive Approach. New York: Walker and Co. 1996 and The Fibromyalgia Relief Book, 213 Ideas for Improving Your Quality of Life, 1999. www.shaysnet.com/wmsonWinter, Ruth: A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. Crown Trade Paperback, 1998. http://www.brainbody.com/ St. Amand, MD, R. Paul and Marek, Claudia: The Use of Uricosuric Agents in Fibromyalgia: Theory, Practice and a Rebuttal to the Oregon Study of Guaifenesin Treatment. Clinical Journal of Myofascial Therapy, Vol 2, No 4, 1997.St. Amand, MD, R. Paul and Marek, Claudia: A Description of Fibromyalgia and Hypoglycemia: Their Combined Morbidity and Therapy with Guaifenesin and Diet. AAEM Symposium Syllabus, 1998."What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia" (ISBN 0-446-675-121),"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pediatric Fibromyalgia" (ISBN 0-7595-5002-6),"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia Fatigue" (ISBN 0-466-67730-2) by R. Paul St. Amand, M.D. and Claudia Craig Marek, all published by Warner Books."Fibromyalgia: The First Year. A Patient Expert Walks You Through Everything You Need to Learn and Do" by Claudia Craig Marek. ISBN 1-56924-521-5 published by Avalon Books. All are available in bookstores, online book sellers and from The Fibromyalgia Treatment Center.The Videotape/DVD of Dr. St. Amand’s method for diagnosis, treatment, and mapping is available from The Fibromyalgia Treatment Center P.O. Box 64339 LA, CA. 90064 for $25.00 including shipping and handling, or order here. Copies of this paper and others available free of charge. " + lmonth + " "); document.write(date + ", " + year + ""); // End --> Feb. 24, 2006 EASY QUICK LINKS GuaifenesinAvailabilityMay 2005 Update GuaigroupOnline Support Group AppointmentMake an appointment with Dr. St. Amand ArticlesHysteria?Why Me?Daily BreadA Big Fat Lie Useful ItemsPrintable Map and Symptom Checklist Home About Us Books & Videotapes ContactDoctors Contribution FAQs Guaifenesin ProtocolHypoglycemia News Research Resources Salicylate-Free ProductsSupport Groups Support Services Newsgroup © Copyright 2000 - 2005 All Rights Reserved

New pain medication for Fibromyalgia...revealed today

LSUHSC Family Medicine Physician Studies New Fibromyalgia Treatment SHREVEPORT, La., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- A clinical trial to study the effectiveness of a drug in treating fibromyalgia in which Patrick Wood, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Comprehensive Care with LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, served as one of the lead investigators, has been completed on 147 patients. Dr. Wood, currently completing a fellowship at McGill University in Canada, is among the leaders of clinical research of Xyrem (sodium oxybate),originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat cataplexy, the sudden loss of muscle tone in patients with narcolepsy, and is now indicated for use in excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy. "The pain of fibromyalgia is notoriously difficult to treat. The results from the trial are quite encouraging," according to Dr. Wood. He presented his findings today at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Management in San Diego. Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pains and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle and hands, but any body part can be involved. Approximately four million Americans, primarily females, are estimated to be affected. Fibromyalgia affects women three times more often than men. For more information Contact: Derek Daniel (318) 675-5408 SOURCE LSU Health Sciences Center -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Issuers of news releases and not PR Newswire are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content. Terms and conditions, including restrictions on redistribution, apply. Copyright © 1996-2006 PR Newswire Association LLC. All Rights Reserved. A United Business Media company. Well fellow fibromonster sufferers here is the latest drug on the market for pain.

BRRRR...get yer long johns back out.

"Whiskey and Whinny with snowy noses" Brrr……good god it’s cold outside!. Artic blast has hit the Northeastern US.Out here in Southeastern Indiana it’s like Alaska. I Went outside to give my horses some grain and hay earlier and thought my hands would drop off before I could get back inside (Some thinsulate gloves they are…they sure don’t work) The barometer is way up so of course all of us Fibromyalgia and other people that are affected by it are in pain since the blast came in.The pain meds won’t work today so it’s a really good day to do NOTHING but stay warm and watch movies. I wish I could, but my daughter is coming today,of all the days (she didn’t know about the weather) to get round bales for my horses and her’s. She doesn’t get much time off so I have to go when I can. Got our hay and our guys will now have plenty of fuel to stay warm,yes,hay converts to energy...heat,to keep them warm,so I don't have to...,of course I will, still go out to give them love. Sunday;Just looked out,and Whiskey and Whinny are enjoying their big bale of hay.Glad I don't have to go out this morning cause it's below zero with the wind chill.Hee ..Hee..those two haven't left their bale today,they even took their nap there,it was so cute !If it hadn't been so cold I would have taken a picture of it. My new friend Linny asked me about colic and I will be asking,and researching this .Her horse Sun(what a beautiful name) has had it a few times and her last vet,thank God she fired him,wanted to put him down. I added some new links ,so go check them out. The one about antibiotics I was really interested in and intend to go back to it, because I do have a lot of problems with sinus infections and thrush. More ammo to show my Doc.

Sleepless in Indiana

If you live on the eastern side of the united states today and you have fibromyalgia/CF or any other disease that is affected by the weather especially the barometer, your hurting.Your pain meds aren't working and you feel like that ole horse done bucked you off and dragged you down the field a ways,mind you, he bumped you over a few rocks on the way too. I have moaned and groaned all day.This is not my way either, as I would just as soon not have anyone know I'm feeling like this.I don't know about you ,but I try to keep myself occupied as much as possible.On days like this though it just seems impossible. Do you find yourself counting the minutes until you can take that next dose of meds,only to find it's hours away! Having friends stop by sometimes help,especially if they don't mind that you didn't vacuum today or you have a sink full of dishes.(it would be nice if they did them for you too,but now I've really smelled too much horse pucky) Just taking your mind off of yourself always helps no matter what the diversion is, whether it be movies or horses or what ever you like to do.Just lying around in bed doesn't cut it,cause lets face it,your brain just keeps right on going and the pain just gets worse.So ..get up,find something that interests you and get at it.Yeah...I know it's hard!!But do you want at least a little of your life back?? Last year I had had enough! I was tired.....really tired ,of all that comes with this horrific disease.My close friends knew as well as my family,especially my daughter. Thats why, I know she started to push the idea of looking for me a horse.I decided ...what the hell,my life was nothing but a big stress ball of chronic pain and sleepless nights anyway and I'll probaly not be around that much longer.I had just wanted to get my family out of the city and get them started on a better life before I died,so I had enough money I figured to get the horse and put up the fence.I trusted that God would help me with the rest.And he has! You should have seem me,I looked at Whiskey(real name Jesse James..thats why this place is named Outlaw Ridge)and everyone said ,he's the one to get,so I placed a deposit and that started the change in my life. Now I'm running around buying fence posts and electric controllers,learning about grasses and feeds.I got my family involved by just wanting two wood posts for the gate.....well that started it.It went from a two post gate to wood posts all along the road to hang my electric wire on.Now....not only am I changing,but so are my sons,they are getting involved in the Day of the horse! I hadn't done a whole lot these past years so I was just pushing it hard...,which is what you have to do.I was helping put in wood posts,running electric wire,cutting down sticker bushes,I looked like I had been in one serious cat fight. But,you know what!I was waking up with a smile on my face!Cause now I was finally fulfilling a life long dream....Getting me a horse. When we got him here and every one was gone,I stood out there in the field with that lil guy... and cried. This is the happiest I have been in a very, very long time.The world is a little easier now to deal with So...leave me be,I don't care what anybody thinks of what I do,or how I look.I sometimes go out in long johns,mud boots and an oversized barn coat and feed my guys.I have neighbors go by and I just smile an wave...I don't care! My sister in law got her a golf cart with a pink flamingo on the front that she takes her two little dogs,Grace (kelly)and Greta(garbo)for rides in her neighborhood.This is a high class neighborhood too!She don't care,it makes her happy! I think that's where you have to get in life in order to survive all the stress and pain ,especially if you are like me,one of the bad cases of fibromyalgia.Quit worrying about what this one thinks and that one,and just find what interest YOU.Then put your boots on,slowly of course,and lets see just what kind of stuff you can get into.For me it's "country parfume"(horse manure). It's almost 5 in the morning now,yea ,I'm up,been up since about 3 am ,can't sleep of course, and I've tried to watch movies but that gets old too.YOU KNOW ..what i'm waiting for....sunrise! Sitting at my table looking out the double windows at the pasture....waiting for my two guys to come from the woods or the barn,wherever they decided to spend the night .They will stroll up to the gate and look at the house....waiting for ME.I'll strap on my muddy ole rubber duckies ,throw on my denim barn coat and start yet another day...of the horse. coming soon..."Whiskey went a buckin" "The day Whinny stepped on me. "when Scout(my daughters colt)decided to kick me in the mouth" http://www.fmaware.org/

just horsin' around

My Daughter on Whiskey Whoaa...
My muddy Duckies

Why did I get outta bed this morning...

Why oh why did I get outta bed this morning?I have tried so hard to not let the pain get to me today,but you know what,I am just about ready to pack it in for the day.I had a good day a few days ago so here we go again...Two days of suffering what the hell!!! Well I guess I'm doing my self pity for the day.Help me please!If you have this allful disgusting disease- fibromyalgia and all of it;s sticky little friend diseases that come with it you know what I'm talking about know what it's like to hurt 24 hours a day 7 days a week hard for people that don't have chronic pain to realize what your feeling.What can we do to educate them?Oh,I don't know,could we give them our pain for a few days???What would it be like to give it away?Wow imagine that!Trade lives with someone who says your a druggie cause you have to swallow 15 pills a day,Good golly,I'll trade you.I would love to get up with a spring in my step and a smile on my face cause wow.........I'm not hurting like a bull gored me a few times during the night and pawed my ribs a few times for good measure.Woo...Hoo.Hey any body out there wanna trade lives for a day?Yea.Yeah She's done lost her friggin mind now people,good thing my horses love me for who I am.You know the one who brings them hay everyday....Just like the mailman...Oops...mailperson.Rain ,sleet,snow,or muddy fields will keep me from my appointed rounds.Hee ...Hee.And The kisses...Soft and fuzzy with their horsey breath...kisses better than any man ever gave me.Welp...I am sorry to say...They are!Oh there goes some men off the deep end now.(chuckle)After two marriages and another long relationship with someone that just sucks the life out of you because they have to be at the center of attention at all times or they get depressed...Gee whiz,give me a break..Let me be.I have better things to do than be in your world. So there it is,why did I get otta bed this morning?? Look at the picture up top! that's one of the reasons. Gotta go and hope like hell that Bull doesn't tromp on my ribs allnight again cause it sure would be nice right now to have some sleep

Day of the Horse

The day wasn't half bad I was hurting....As usual,When don't I hurt!The sun was out today and my two big babies Whiskey and Whinny(win-e) were standing at the gate looking at the house waiting for me to bring them some hay or grain or a carrot....Just anything!! I put on my thermals, of course after I took my pain medication and drank two cups of coffee ,was able to move around a bit now so out the door I went.My good ole' rubber thinsulate duck boots that I haven't seen the color of in two or three months now cause they are always muddy,and my thermals, Oh and don't forget the walking stick,cause of my bad knee.My hair all flying in the wind, sloshing in the Indiana clay mud in the pasture so slick you feel like your skating..Ahh......Can you smell it? The smell of fresh manure and dirt and hay......Feel the sun on your back..There is nothing else like it in the world! At least not to me. I'm pushing my home made cart,it has wheel chair wheels,cause I don't need that darn thing anymore!My brother Eddies idea. Eddie...... It works great.. Except one wheel keeps falling off !Well one day I'll fix that,With the hay and Whiskey is following along behind me trying to snatch as much hay as he can get before I might get somewhere he'll miss out.Whinny has fallen back to pick up the scraps Whiskey threw over the side to her on the way.He couldn't leave out his best friend. Out in the pasture a bit I throw out two piles,Whiskey is the herd leader so I give Whinny her own pile to nibble on. I start to stoke my big beautiful copper colored horse and he raises his head to me so I can smell his breath and give him a kiss.Have you ever smelled a horses breath that lives outside?It's hard to describe,like grass and hay and... I could smell it forever.I hear the birds chirping and the hawks with their sounds and off in the distance you can hear the geese honking.Ten minutes ago I hurt so bad all I wanted to do was go back to bed and pray for pain relief ,now out here with my horses I am alive again.The pain has subsided and I feel like ...I have a life.Burr........it's kinda cold out here the wind is kicking up a little so I can't fool around out here too long.......... Whinny's coming over now, she wants to be stroked a little too.She doesn't want you to bother her too much while she's eating though , she half closes her big brown eyes..... and I guess...dreams of spring! I know I am.

How I found happiness in Horse manure

My battle with Fibromyalgia started back in 1994.At first I was just really tired and the lady Doctor I had then just kept telling me I was just getting older. Older at 42!!!! Well after going to the Doctor for all kinds of flu like symptoms and continious tiredness aching allover ect...you know the drill.I think maybe the worst was the brain fog!All of a sudden I am unable to remember how to do my job of 11 years. Now this is serious because what I did involved a lot of memory work.Have you all got the same problems,if you try to remember...the further it goes away,and if you try to hard...your mind is a total blank. I got to see another Doctor one day,purely accidentel,and he noticed the Goiter. I had hypothyroidism. No....I wasn't just getting older. It has been down hill ever since until about a year ago when I finally got a Horse.My life hasn't been the same since.Allthough I still have multiple health problems that affect me daily,I have a reason to get outta bed in the mornings(or afternoon). I have wanted a horse since I was knee high to a grasshopper. For one reason or another I was kept from a life long dream.Last year my daughter helped me find a horse.A" lil gelding" as they called him. He is a stock paint,a beautiful reddish copper color. (Did I mention I allso love copper).He was sick with strangles as it turned out.But the man I bought him from got him fixed up before I got him.He has grown from a little less than 14 hands to a little over 15 hands. He's not too little anymore. I quess I am getting ahead of myself a little here. In 94 working at the IRS as a Tax Examiner I had been there for 11 years,but my oldest son Jon was killed in a car accident just a month before his 19th birthday,then 6 months later my Mom died after about a four year illness,then 11 months later my Dad commited suicide. If all this was not enough ,I was going through my second divorce! So,there is the post traumatic stress,then the hypothyroidism and then the fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue ect... I was working at work,working at home being a little nuts,cause now I had a boyfriend who liked to party,so I was very active.Then the bottom started to drop out.I started to miss alot of work,spend a lot of money at the Doctors and dang near got fired. Thanks be to God who watched over stupid lil me. I did all I could do at work like seeing the people I needed to see and the union rep who helped me. The next year was a nightmare in hell. I finally got my disability that.. only.. took two years and another five years for Social Security. I finally decided I had had enough of relationships and sold my house in the "city" and moved out here on top of a ridge in Southeastern Indiana.Another good thing I did right. I am finally getting back some quality of life now ,cause I finally.. not only got a horse ,but a really nice lady gave me another one. It's so much nicer to be able to breathe cleaner air and walk down the pasture to the woods .When I get stressed out now or even when I hurt so bad I can barely move,I will go out and visit with my horses and take a strool down to the woods.Then every thing becomes alot easier to deal with. I can go out and use my grandaddys old coal shovel and pick up horse manure ,while singing "you are so beautiful" toWhiskey and Whinny and have never been so happy,as at these times. God gave me a new reason for living..and just in the nick of time too! More later...........