Solitude, laughter, sanity and support amongst the pain and frustration of chronic illness and chronic pain.
|PCOS|Insulin Resistance|Interstitial Cystitis|Pelvic Floor Dysfunction|Vulvodynia|Irritable Bowel Syndrome|and more...
Yes to Prop 2--Yes to Cures
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About The Body Chronic
What gives me the right to have this blog? Well, I live with numerous chronic conditions and chronic pain on a daily basis. When I began being diagnosed with these things--and even before--there was no place on the internet that helped me adequately research everything. Instead, I was forced to piece information together myself.
Being a little older and a lot wiser, I decided that no person should go through what I went through to get the basic information and support necessary to navigate the waters surrounding chronic illness. I started this blog in the hopes of creating a support network for those who have a daily interaction with The Body Chronic.
I am always looking for contributors, guest bloggers and other opportunities. Feel free to contact me at: thebodychronic@gmail.com
A Perfectly Cursed Life
If you like this blog, you'll love my writing blog, A Perfectly Cursed Life. I've always had a knack for writing things about my life that people find entertaining, so I figured now is the time to try and really get that stuff out there. Currently I only have recent writings, but I plan on uploading some older stuff as well as time goes on. APCL will be more personal and intimate. Check it out!!!! http://perfectlycursedlife.wordpress.com/
The Community of Support--Blogs and Sites for Those With Chronic Illness and Pain
I wanted to give my readers more than just a link to a resource that I found online. FightingFatigue.org is a site that is dedicated to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Interstitial Cystitis. Because these things are all connected and that is the theme of my blog, I found this site very inspiring.
When the whole PFD diagnosis hit me like a ton of bricks, I was told by a couple medical professionals that it sounds like I have IBS. I was asked to allow physical therapy to continue before trying any other meds or doctors for this so that we could see if it would help the symptoms--basically whether it was the chicken or the egg needed to be determined.
In the meantime, though, I've been doing some IBS research (which has been very enlightening) and I came across this quick and dirty IBS article.
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Irritable bowel syndrome cause still eludes doctors
There are treatments but no cure for the mysterious and painful abdominal disease.
By Jodi Mailander Farrell
MCT
February 6, 2008
Five Things You Didn't Know About ... Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
1. A stormy stomach: IBS is a common disorder that causes abdominal cramping, along with diarrhea and/or constipation. It affects the colon, the part of the digestive tract that stores stool. Although it can be painful, IBS doesn't damage the colon, nor does it lead to other health problems.
2. It's not in your head: Although doctors still aren't sure what causes it, they no longer believe it's a somatic or mental disorder, a common theory before the 1990s. Some research suggests it's caused by an as-yet undiscovered active infection, a theory supported by a recent study that found the antibiotic Rifaximin provides some relief.
Others believe IBS is a result of overgrowth of intestinal flora and the antibiotics are effective in reducing the overgrowth.
3. The female factor: Women are more likely to have IBS and often have more symptoms during their menstrual periods. Women with IBS also anticipate and react to pain differently than women without it, suggests a new study published in the Jan. 9 issue of the journal Neuroscience.
University of California researchers found that women with IBS can't effectively switch off a pain modulation mechanism in the brain, which makes them more sensitive to abdominal pain.
4. Diagnosis: Doctors look for specific symptoms and often use a blood test, barium X-ray, colonoscopy or other medical tests to make sure other health problems — parasites, gastrointestinal infections, food allergies, lactose intolerance and celiac disease — aren't causing the problem.
5. Treatment: There is no known cure.
Treatment to reduce symptoms involves diet changes, medicine and stress relief. Some drinks and fatty foods — French fries, milk products, chocolate, alcohol, caffeinated drinks and carbonated drinks — make IBS worse. Some doctors suggest laxatives, antispasmodics and antidepressants. Lotronex is the only prescription drug approved by the FDA for use in female patients with IBS (clinical research doesn't support its use for men), but it's prescribed only in extreme cases because its use has been associated with hospitalizations, blood transfusions, surgery and death. Lotronex was pulled from the market in 2000 then re-approved in 2002.
Part of my New Year's Resolution is to keep better tabs on my health. As someone with a few major syndromes, I figured this would be not only a way to keep tabs on it, but a way to share my experiences with the greater community so that others may learn from it.
I have Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Insulin Resistance. I have Interstitial Cystitis.
Nowhere else on the internet have I heard those two subjects and their interconnectedness discussed on the internet. I have an inkling that YEARS from now they might find a connection, but nothing is going so far. So for my own sanity, and possibly the sanity of others in my position, I'm going to create a space for learning, investigating and expressing.
And hopefully in documenting my journey and bringing others into the fold, we can unveil some solutions that help us all.
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Chronic Glossary
Note: The information on this site is intended to create a support network amongst those living with chronic illness and/or pain and their loved ones and friends. It is not meant to be nor should it be used as an alternative to medical advice.
celiac disease--Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley. chronic fatigue syndrome----CFIDS is characterized by incapacitating fatigue (experienced as profound exhaustion and extremely poor stamina) and problems with concentration and short-term memory. It is also accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as pain in the joints and muscles, unrefreshing sleep, tender lymph nodes, sore throat and headache. A distinctive characteristic of the illness is post-exertional malaise, a worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion occurring within 12-48 hours of the exertion and requiring an extended recovery period.
chronic headaches/migraines--By definition, chronic daily headaches must occur at least 15 days a month, for more than three months. The signs and symptoms vary depending on the specific subtype: chronic migraines, chronic tension-type headache, new daily persistent headache and hemicrania continuua. fibromialgia-- Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary, depending on the weather, stress, physical activity or even the time of day. Common signs and symptoms include:widespread pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances,irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), headaches and facial pain, heightened sensitivity. It's common for people with fibromyalgia to report being sensitive to odors, noises, bright lights and touch.
insulin resistance--Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes usually have no symptoms. You may have one or both conditions for several years without noticing anything. If you have a severe form of insulin resistance, you may get dark patches of skin, usually on the back of your neck. Sometimes people get a dark ring around their neck. Other possible sites for these dark patches include elbows, knees, knuckles, and armpits. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans.
interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome--Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition that results in recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. Symptoms may include an urgent need to urinate (urgency), a frequent need to urinate (frequency), or a combination of these symptoms. Pain may change in intensity as the bladder fills with urine or as it empties. Women's symptoms often get worse during menstruation. They may sometimes experience pain with vaginal intercourse.
irritable bowel syndrome --Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder characterized most commonly by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. Most people can control their symptoms with diet, stress management, and prescribed medications. For some people, however, IBS can be disabling. They may be unable to work, attend social events, or even travel short distances. pelvic floor dysfunction--Pelvic floor dysfunction, or obstructed defecation, results when the external anal sphincter and/or puborectalis muscles do not relax appropriately when defecation is initiated. People with pelvic floor dysfunction strain excessively in a feeble attempt to eliminate stool from the rectum.
polycystic ovarian syndrome-- If you have polycystic ovary disease, you are likely to have some of the following symptoms: Abnormal, irregular, or very light or infrequent menstrual periods; Absent periods, usually (but not always) after having one or more normal menstrual periods during puberty (secondary amenorrhea); Acne that gets worse; Decreased breast size; Development of male sex characteristics (virilization), such as increased body hair, facial hair, a deepening of the voice, male-pattern baldness, and enlargement of the clitorus. Diabete; Increased hair growth; body hair may be in a male pattern; Infertility; Poor response to the hormone, insulin (insulin resistance), leading to a build-up of insulin in the blood; Weight gain.
vulvodynia--The International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD) defines Vulvodynia as chronic vulvar discomfort or pain, characterized by burning, stinging, irritation or rawness of the female genitalia in cases in which there is no infection or skin disease of the vulva or vagina causing these symptoms. Burning sensations are the most common, but the type and severity of symptoms are highly individualized. Pain may be constant or intermittent, localized or diffuse.
