As many of
you know, my husband and I spend as much time as possible enjoying nature. I personally use this time to reflect on things that
bring me peace, which is especially helpful during difficult times. Spending time in the forest allows me to immerse myself in the things I enjoy, photography and writing. I find the simplicity of life's treasures to be the most comforting.
What a privilege
to have wonderful people like you who support my writing. Without knowing it,
you lift me up and for that, I am grateful.
The words we speak to ourselves have a commanding
impact on our emotions and even our physical pain. What I call power words can
improve our self-talk when we use them to conquer the dialogue we
associate with our pain.
Feelings that destroy our inner language
when used with I AM:
·worried
·apprehensive
·guilty
·fearful
Action words that improve self-reflection
when used with I AM:
·overjoyed
·decisive
·peaceful
·devoted
[Excerpt] Cooper, C and
Miller, J. Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic
Pain, Summer Devotions edition,
The Power of Language.
Speaking
Affirmatively
Writing affirmations is a powerful coping strategy
that improves our self-dialogue. These authoritative sentences reflect a
positive goal or characteristic. They can be short or long, but the shorter
they are, the more likely we are to remember them. A good example is:
I can...
I try... I
will...
You can read more about what affirmations
do for us, examples of affirmations, and clues for writing your own affirmations
on my website at “Writing
Affirmatively”.
Exercise
What power words do you use to improve your
self-talk? Grab a pencil and paper and write down three of your favorites. Carry them with you and refer to them
when you find yourself slipping off the wagon. Lately, I have been personally
put to the test of my own advice, my top three power words today are…
empowering – uplifting - grit
“I will keep my
mind’s inbox devoid of energy draining thoughts
Learn
more about Celeste’s books at her website or find
links here onCeleste's
blog.
Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or
use the share buttons to share with others.
All
blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to
replace medical advice.
"I
have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product
was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way
influenced by the company."
After reading the testimonies of
others about how well Oska® Pulse was working for them, I was excited when my device arrived.
I had already gotten some background information and this is what I found. Peer
reviewed studies show pulsed electro-magnetic field (PEMF) therapy works
for a plethora of conditions. And, since I used to write for Sharecare, I was glad to see Dr.
Oz say, “PEMF
therapy is FDA-approved to fuse bones and has been cleared in certain devices
to reduce swelling and joint pain.”
How does it work?
The Oska Pulse is a PEMF
devise that acts by massaging inflammatory cells
causing them to dissipate. It doesn't move and there isn't an electrical current like that of a TENS unit.
Features
An important feature of the device is that it turns off in 30 minutes after it completes four
cycles of different pulse electromagnetic frequencies. You don't have to think about it. When it turns off, it will make three short beeps. You can’t feel it so if you don't hear the beeps, you know its off when the pulsing light it emits during operation is off too. If you find the light distracting, you can put it in a sock. Skin-to-skin contact is not
necessary for it to work. The shape and size is perfect. It fits nicely in the palm of your hand or cradled on the neck, or if you prefer to set it next to you, put it on the flat side. It works in an eight inch radius of the device, period.
It comes with instructions on how to use it and illustrations of how to use the strap so you can wear it.
The device has a rechargeable battery, so all you have to do is charge it like you would your cell phone.
My experience
After
three weeks, I noticed for the first time in a long time, I didn't wake up in pain from rolling onto my left shoulder. But, there is more.
I have
experienced restless leg syndrome for many years. I even had a sleep study that confirmed significant periodic limb movement (PLM). And while my sleep study results was proof for my husband that I wasn’t purposefully kicking him during the night in retaliation for
his snoring and it was a confirmation that I have a contributing factor to non-restorative sleep, this informationdid not solve my problem. And, neither did the medications to specifically treat PLM; I did not tolerate the side effects. But, that was about to change.
About one month in,
I “awakened” with the PEMF device still sitting (unattached) on my left shoulder where I had left it the night before. I hadn't moved one inch! No covers in disarray, no complaints from the spouse. I had not changed a thing in my routine or in my medical treatment. The only thing different was Oska Pulse!
Compliance
The most important thing is using it enough. It won’t work if it stays in the nifty box it came in.
Reduction in inflammation and pain might be immediate. But, if a problem has been long standing, your body may take longer to respond. Many things can contribute to the way our body reacts. As an example, we have different reasons for experiencing chronic pain, or we may have another health problem that contributes to how our body heals.
It's important to know that you might feel worse at first. This is because the Oska Pulse PEMF device works to release cellular toxins that have accumulated around inflamed
areas, so don’t give up. Do as the instructions say and drink plenty of water,
just like you would after a massage. The literature says the majority of people see significant improvement in 3 - 4 weeks and difficult cases respond in about 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on my healing journey, but there is a noticeable difference in my shoulder pain and joint range of motion. My periodic limb movement has greatly improved, an effect that was totally unexpected. I consider myself a more difficult case because I have significant arthritis throughout my body. Knowing this and already seeing improvement, I expect it to get even better with time.
Read about how Oska Pulse works, news, science, reviews and more at OskaWellness.com
Learn
more about Celeste’s books at her website or find
links here onCeleste's
blog.
Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or
use the share buttons to share with others.
All
blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to
replace medical advice.
As suggested in my article for ProHealth, there is a problem with research on fibromyalgia. It is all over the
place. The reason for this is partly due to how research is funded—sad, but true.
Drug Research
Several drugs have been suggested
for treating fibromyalgia but are they
helping?
“According to the polling, nearly all in-person and web
participants reported taking or having taken a prescription medication to treat
their fibromyalgia symptoms. Prescription drug therapies were described as
having widely varying degrees of effectiveness, and many participants noted
limited benefits or decreased benefit over time. Additionally, even if
effective, many participants described that they could not sustain treatment
because they were unable to tolerate their side effects.”
*A polling of FDA approved Lyrica®, Cymbalta®, Savella® and
other commonly prescribed medications.
Also in 2014, The Cochran Library
database said while it seems helpful in those who tolerate it, the number who
benefit from Pregabalin (Lyrica) is very small. Only one person in ten will
have any benefits. (Pregabalin for pain in fibromyalgia
in adults,
accessed April 29, 2017) That is underwhelming evidence compared to the
reported clinical trials on which the FDA based their approval.
Getting Unstuck
In our books I write about the
importance of critical thinking and problem solving, i.e. determining what we
think we want or need then go about finding ways to achieve it. But, when we
change the goal, or even our interpretation of the goal, so changes the way we
get there. Simply masking our symptoms so we can learn to live with it isn’t a
lofty goal to me. Instead, we should be looking at the cause, the necessary
step to finding a cure. That said, I support any medication, treatment, or
therapy you and your doctor work together to find, but we can’t get stuck in
thinking that’s all there is. We need to know how to treat fibromyalgia as a
disease and manage it as we do diabetes, thyroid disease, etc.
As years pass by, we see a
recurring theme regarding the
hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis involvement in fibromyalgia. And
as we advance, we learn more about how this might work. You see, the HPA axis is
constantly recalculating based on stress signals from the mind or body. For
instance, if it receives feedback that there is an imbalance in the immune
system this intricate system activates to restore order.
Immune Cells
Behm FG, et al. found specific immune
cells in FM using a specific method. That is what led to the FM/a® blood test.
This finding doesn't necessarily negate previous studies on the HPA response in
fibromyalgia. Instead, this and other “Peer-reviewed Medical Publications” (below), support immune system involvement in fibromyalgia, which could be upsetting the body's ability to achieve balance. When we treat the root cause in any disease, it makes the job of the HPA much easier.
Newsworthy Hope for the Future
Dynamic, well-respected scientists
and medical research institutions will be collecting data from those of us who
have tested positive with the FM/a® blood test.
“We seek a potential set of
explanations for why FM patients have their immunological abnormalities and
that is why we have contracted with the genomic facilities at two major
university medical centers(University of Illinois and UCLA) so we utilize their
immense expertise and databases.” (Dr. Bruce Gillis, personal correspondence)
It’s important that you know
this will “Take Time”. This is the first step to help scientists find treatment
that is specific to the cause of fibromyalgia.
“Things Take Time (TTT).
Get this engraved on your watch
crystal or the back of your cell phone.
The FM/a® test “Campaign 250” is
devoted to answering the basic three questions: Do I have it? What caused it?
How do I treat it? If you would like to be one of the 250,0000 participates in
this important research, you first need to have the FM/a® test. Start the
process at http://fmtest.com/ and contact them
if you can’t find answers to any of your questions. They are a wonderful bunch
of folks. And, you can read my blog, FM/a® Blood Test – “How To” and My
Results, which clearly explains my experience.
Learn
more about Celeste’s books at her website or find
links here onCeleste's
blog.
Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or
use the share buttons to share with others.
All
blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to
replace medical advice.
EpicGenetics, with the Assistance of Leading Medical
Centers, Expands Clinical Study of FM/a® Test to Diagnose Fibromyalgia,
Identify Genetic Markers Unique to the Disorder and Explore Direct Treatment
Approaches
- Provides
Research Gift to the Faustman Immunobiology Lab at
Massachusetts
General Hospital/Harvard Medical School to
In an article that will be published soon
by ProHealth, I write about the chaos surrounding concrete diagnostic criteria
and the disparaging consequences.
Breaking
News
And now I am excited to write about new
research that could very well provide us with a true understanding of a “disease”
called fibromyalgia.
I have been waiting for permission to
share what you are about to read.
LOS ANGELES – April 19, 2017 – EpicGenetics, a
privately held biomedical company dedicated to improving the diagnosis and
treatment of fibromyalgia, today announced that it has engaged the University
of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)* and the University of Illinois College of
Medicine Chicago (UIC). Both university research centers will be sequencing the
exomes of patients to improve the diagnosis of fibromyalgia through the
application of the FM/a® Test and to allow EpicGenetics to detect fibromyalgia
disease-specific gene markers. Additionally, Bruce Gillis, M.D., CEO of
EpicGenetics, has made a research gift to the Immunobiology Laboratory at the
Massachusetts General Hospital directed by Denise Faustman, M.D., Ph.D., to
continue its robust clinical research regarding a direct treatment for
fibromyalgia.
The FM/a® Test is an FDA-compliant blood test that
diagnoses fibromyalgia by identifying the presence of specific white blood cell
abnormalities that have been documented to exist in these patients. The FM/a®
Test accurately and objectively diagnoses this chronic disorder that afflicts
millions of men, women and children.
I have been committed to understanding and
educating my peers on fibromyalgia over the past two decades, but I have never
been as excited as I am right now. To be part of a study that has the potential
to prove fibromyalgia as a disease with definite treatments is probably the
pinnacle of my work.
Dr.
Gillis Is Committed
About this announcement, Dr. Gillis told
me, “We are hoping to finally bring our understanding of fibromyalgia out of
the Dark Ages. Millions of women, men and children suffer from fibromyalgia,
yet our understanding and acknowledgement of this as a legitimate medical
condition is still so limited and has not advanced in a meaningful way in
decades. With the clinical efforts being initiated as part of today’s
announcement, we hope to finally change this and, ultimately, we are seeking to
provide answers and better solutions for people who suffer from fibromyalgia.”
According to Epicgenetics, Campaign 250 represents the largest and most
ambitious study to investigate fibromyalgia’s genetic origins, as well as
develop a treatment protocol addressing the underlying biology of the disease.
Under contract with researchers from both
UCLA* and the University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago, Campaign 250
will conduct Whole-Exome genetic testing
on up to 250,000 patients who have received a positive FM/a® fibromyalgia
diagnosis. All direct testing costs will be covered by EpicGenetics**.
Based upon the findings of this testing and once treatment protocols have
received regulatory and institutional approvals, FM/a® Test positive
patients will be invited to participate in a fibromyalgia-specific vaccine clinical trial to reverse the biology
of fibromyalgia. The vaccine trial will be conducted in cooperation with The
Faustman Lab and Dr. Denise Faustman at the Massachusetts General
Hospital/Harvard School of Medicine, the clinical trial will seek to alleviate
fibromyalgia-related symptoms…
* The David Geffen School of Medicine at
UCLA has been engaged to sequence the exomes of research subjects
**The genetic tests will require a $45 administration fee to cover the
processing of the test, which is a $2,500+ cost being provided at no charge.
Participation
I am anxious to see if I carry the
fibromyalgia gene and I am honored to participate in providing information that
can make a difference in the lives of people all over the world who live with
fibromyalgia. I hope you can join me on this
next chapter.
“The mighty oak
was once a little nut that stood its ground.”
Learn more about
Celeste’s books here. Subscribe
to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the
share buttons to share with others.
Treasures
come in many forms and can mean different things to different people. When we
discover our treasure—a lost picture, a rare doll, a long sought after coin, or
a rock—it brings a twinkle to our eye and provides a calm blanket to our soul.
Ahhhh, there it is.
Each
day in the Broken Body Wounded Spirit:
Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain seriesSpring — Summer— Fall — Winter offers a photograph meant to inspire new ways for managing
the daily challenges we face. So, it’s only befitting to encourage you to do
this exercise.
·Find a favorite
photo and name it. You may not remember all the events surrounding the picture,
but you will capture how it made you feel.
·Write a few words
about it or assign a favorite quote that reflects your sentiments.
·Share it on social
media or keep it in a personal journal.
In
the world of chronic pain and chronic illness, losing our ability to choose is
often the tallest hurdle we face. This choice is entirely ours; we should
embrace it.
Metered, measured, and meaningful, light
allows me to capture my feelings in the moment. Finding the right settings is a
metaphor to finding the balance I need to move forward each day.
In
healing,,Celeste
"Adversity is
only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."
~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~ • ~
Celeste Cooper, RN
Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at
Health Central & ProHealth—Advocate
Posts
