52 replies to this topic

[xman]

I am coming w/ FN for the hug and love to Xia.

 

My own thoughts :I having now researched the Paleo diet and it is scary when bacon is hailed as a "good" food. I have spent my life around ppl. with heart disease and their diets usually consist of poor diets. The genetics are what they are, but even with, for instance, familial high cholesterol we have the ability to mitigate the levels by what we consume.

 

Our western society has been flooded with high sugar, fructose, salt, carbs. etc. etc. Yes we make a choice what we put in our bodies but are highly influenced by advertisements much like the physicians are influenced by the pharmcos. Social influence is a BIG player.

 

I have to go back to common sense...Dr. Mehmet Oz is a well known cardiothoracic surgeon. Thanks to Oprah and his own genuine easy way of getting the message across, he has become something of a guru in the US.

 

 Long before he was famous on TV he had a highly regarded reputation in open heart surgery for a good reason: he is world class and he walks the talk. Actually, just an FYI, his brother is a neurosurgeon in Arizona. He is also brilliant- credited for saving and preserving the life of Senator Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head at a meet and greet event Jan. 2011. Just by the by...

 

Now that he is famous he has shared a whole lot of information--which is mostly in simple form and context. KISS theory (keep it simple silly).  A method that probably has conjured up some bad feelings from the (bad) food industry. Monsanto would be at the top of the list, I suspect.

 

Xia, Would you be open to looking up Dr.Mehmet Oz and his recommendations on good foods in general? We are all different yet we all share many common denominators. I am willing to bet that you will have an "aha" moment...

 

Aha! I feel like I should get up and move!

[Carleeta]

Xiaojie. .I got it..lol lol...I did misread your post and I do apologize...I do put supplements and herbs together..I misread the fact where you are looking into taurine for reduction of fluid retention..Was wondering what the doctor replied to your question? I'm hoping we can all find a way to lose the fluid retention..I'm still looking into it at my end and have lost some water weight, although I realize mine loss is due to exercise and low sodium intake...Please keep us informed. .

[Xiaojie]

Hi everybody - I've been off the forum for a few days because I actually was too sick to even lie in bed and type on my iPhone. Am just this evening starting to feel a little better. Thank you everyone for your love and support, sweet thoughts, etc. **Carleeta, no need to apologize. And thanks for all your comments and suggestions, too.**

Today is Saturday, and I saw Dr Liu on Thursday night. She's quite concerned about my fluid retention, my kidney function and the stress this extra fluid is putting on them, as well as my heart, etc. She again adjusted my herbs and put me on a more potent diuretic herb. We'll see how that goes. Am still not passing the water to the extent I should be. Sometimes it's been difficult to breathe, unable to eat much because of the feeling of constant fullness. Just a little brown rice, and water is about all I can tolerate. At least the severe diarrhea has stopped for now. That was awful. My body just feels like I've been beat up.

About 20 years ago I had contrast dye-induced pancreatitis, twice within one month. Excruciatingly painful experience, and the only thing Drs could do is help me with pain management until the swelling went back down to normal, which took about a week both times. This fluid retention-thing I'm currently experiencing reminds me of the earlier stages of the pancreatitis, as my pancreas began to swell. Felt like someone pumping so much air/water into my stomach and gut, I thought I'd explode. Tight chest, stomach, and abdomen. Some of that sensation has lessened tonight, but it's not gone entirely. I've slept a lot today and yesterday, only getting up to go to the bathroom.

Dr. Liu agrees that this kind of fluid retention is not something that lemon water alone will eliminate. She does, however, agree that the Paleo diet is a good way for me to eat. She continually urges me to be patient with my body. (That is enormously challenging for me.)

**Xman, I don't eat everything Paleo suggests is ok...for example, I haven't eaten bacon in 8 years. I'm not even sure where to find it in Taichung if I wanted it. My main proteins are quinoa, salmon, and sometimes tuna. I eat several kinds of nuts, I don't eat dairy or grains (until recently when Dr Liu recommended my introducing a little brown rice to diet). I eat 1-2 pieces of fruit per day because of the diabetes, and the rest of my diet are all vegetables, especially dark green leafy-types. And I'm only drinking water. No other beverages - maybe an occasional green tea. This is how I have been eating religiously since last September. So the weight gain is indeed baffling.**

I do think I'm gonna run to the store tonight and pick up a sphygmomanometer, if I can work up the energy to drive over there. I should be monitoring my b/p several times a day throughout this process. Already monitoring my blood sugar twice a day - and it's been good - in the 90s consistently.

On the up side: have I mentioned the vertigo, dizziness, and nystagmus have been nonexistent since doing the herbs? Yeah. Grateful not to have to deal with that anymore (hopefully).

[Xiaojie]

You guys, is there any way I can delete these duplicate posts of mine??? Something screwy happened when I posted yesterday - the server went down just as I hit the "post" button, and when it came back up I had multiple posts. My apologies for cluttering up the thread...

[thismoment]

Xiaojie

You can click the 'edit' at the bottom and delete the body of the text. Unfortunately you can't leave the post empty- just put 'error' or something short. It happened to me before too.

[xman]

Xia,  You worry me with the difficulty in breathing...lasix is a common diuretic that has been around a half centruy or more and may be needed--even a low dose. If you have fluid backing up into your lungs, it is called pulmonary edema and can lead to serious stuff!

 

You already know how scary and painful pancreatitis can be--yikes! OMG I sure hope you feel better! I am a huge fan of holisitc and eastern medicine however I wonder of there is a combo effect in play here.

 

Our bodies hold fluid when we have high salt intake--or when salt/ sodium cannot be processed by the body. It goes into the "interstitial" spaces--leaves the blood stream and moves into tissue, even in the lungs. Limiting fluid intake may be in order at this point--1 liter or less/ day.

[Xiaojie]

Xman, yeah my dad's on Lasix - double doseage - for water retention. But that's nothing to do with high sodium intake. More to do with his diabetes, his failing kidneys and heart, and his low blood oxygen levels. In my case, I do have diabetes to complicate my problems. It's possible I have kidney issues, & cardio-pulmonary issues that I'm unaware of. I've discussed all these concerns with Dr Liu, too. The herbs have reduced much of the fluid in the last few days. Easier to breathe, clothes looser, and I can see my cheekbones again (no matter how much I weigh, I've always been able to see them. So last week when they disappeared I freaked). Dr Liu said she doesn't think I need to see a cardiologist...but I'm not sure if I agree with her on this. Still mulling it over. Am very reluctant to get put on 10 different drugs like my dad to manage this.

[Xiaojie]

Update: One step forward, two steps back. Had an accident and spent the day in the ER. Now on crutches. Cannot walk unassisted. Even walking from my bed to the bathroom is excruciating. So ridiculous. Slipped on wet tile and fell while mopping the floor. No fractures of femur, but severe soft tissue injury. Of course they gave me drugs at the hospital. Didn't take them. Went home and looked them all up online. The muscle relaxant and the pain med drs prescribed shouldn't be taken together -due to high risk of heptoxicity. But yet the drs instructions were to take them together. Well, they are going down the toilet, and I'm in for a miserable night tonight. Be lucky to sleep at all.

Hard not to feel discouraged. I cannot seem to get a break where my health is concerned. And did I mention, they suspect MRSA in my left eye, and have advised me if it's not better by tomorrow, they will hospitalize me - AGAIN. Someday I'll find the humor in all of this...

[Carleeta]

Xiaojie. .OMG you poor thing..It's not like you are fragile already! You certainly didn't need another 2 medical issues to complicate things further...You've definitely had more than your share..Soft tissue bruising is no picnic, although thank God nothing was broken..You'll nest to rest up that bruise and ice it to relieve the swelling and possibly numb some pain..Crazy doctors prescribing pain meds which should not be taken together...Hoping you get through the MRSA issues as well...Take care and try to keep from getting discouraged...Hope you a speedy recovery..

[Xiaojie]

Carleeta, thank you for your sweet thoughts and kind wishes. God will get me through this like He has everything else in my life. I still have much to be thankful for, regardless of what has happened. Thanks again for your encouragement. Helps me feel less discouraged and more positive. *hugs*

[Xiaojie]

Update: fluid retention is mostly resolved as a result of the Chinese herbs Dr. Liu gave me. My bones had all but stopped aching, that is, until I fell last Tuesday. But thankfully, now all I have to deal with is the pain as a result of the fall, instead of that constant all over bone aching I had from the Cymbalta withdrawal. However, the pain in my left thigh and lower back isn't any fun. It runs from my left lower back, into my left hip, and down my left thigh into my calve. I have had several sleepless nights since Tuesday because of the nagging pain and ache. Some progress today though - I can stand without help. But I still need to use crutches to walk. It's true, there were no fractures, but who'd have thought soft tissue injury would be so painful??? This is more than bad bruising, because I'm feeling that burning nerve pain that runs from my hip to just below my knee. Well I guess I'll ask Dr Liu to do some acupuncture for that. Ugh, I hate needles, but I guess I'll have to just suck it up and deal with it if I want any relief from the pain...

[Carleeta]

Xiaojie. ..yippeeee on the fluid retention issue...Oh yes that terrible fall and your injury...It sounds like a very painful ordeal, and I'm not suprised due to the fall was due to a wet slippery floor...It was a fast fall and sure you went down hard..All the bruising and sounds like they are deep. ..Thank God Xiaojie for no broken bones...It may take a while for this injury to heal, although knowing you will heal is the key....I don't like needles either..lol lol...Although the acupuncture sounds like a great idea, especially if your pain is dramatically decreased. .

Best of luck to you...

[TryinginFL]

Oh Xia....I am so sorry to read all of this... I somehow missed this thread and have been reading up on your terrible fall, pain, fluid retention and all.

 

My heart goes out to you, as you have had such horrible experiences lately.  I certainly hope that you do not end up in the hospital again, and it seems as though your Dr Liu has things pretty much in hand.  Despite the needles, try the acupuncture - you may find it a wonderful help!

 

I will keep you in my thoughts and offer you all the support you will need to improve your poor body, my dear friend.

 

Love, hugs and Prayers,

Liz 

[FiveNotions]

Me too, Xiaojie ....I missed that you'd had a fall.... wow....such great news about the fluid retention improvement....and then bad news about the fall....and the possible MRSA in your eye....

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week in my little Catholic world..... I will be sure to include you in all my prayers and Mass intentions!

Please let us know frequently how you're doing!

And, on another note, have we heard from BelaLugosisDad recently? The last message from him that I read said he was in the hospital....

[ShadyLady]

Well, Harper is a Scientologist .....So, as a Catholic, I will have nothing to do with him.... The revenues from the supplements go to fund the "church" of scientology..... I believe it is a scam... In the sense that it's a way to lure unsuspecting people into Scientology....
I reviewed everything about the program I could find, including the website, and didn't see anything there that I had t already learned on my own....and I saw no reason to pay lots of money for his supplements when I know that there are no magic pills or fixes.... On the other hand, it seems that quite a few people say they've been helped by the program....
You've got an excellent TCM practitioner.... What does dr Liu say about the program and the supplements?
Just a caution....don't try to spead up recovery by mixing two programs...TCM and Harper's, etc.....

As if I wasn't angry enough at EVERTHING around me, I now am raging at this bullshit because after trying to taper off 30 mg. I googled Cymbalta withdrawal & this Road Back site came up first! Yes, I know you companies pay a lot to have their site optimized to come up in the top 10. So, being the compulsive online shopper I am, I downloaded the free e-book & that tells you about the supplements, of which he owns that company, Neuro Genetic Solutions! So, major dumb ass here orders not 1 but a 2 month supply of the supplements to the tune of $420:-o...

I was doing my daily post;) reading here & reading other's post about fluid retention:( & off course, FN the ever diligent researcher;))) I rely on, posts about this RBTJames Harper!! I should've just sent the money straight to the Church of Scientology!! I was hoping that the 3 weeks I've taken the supps were somehow making this withdrawal hell more manageable, wrongo!! My withdrawal (day fricking 12) is no different than most who have suffered this swamp filled slime of living hell without any supplements!! UUURRRGGGHH!!

I am a Christian, although my foul mouth that has taken on a life of its own since starting to taper & then withdrawing, so I'm just furious @ being totally scammed by a Scientologist to boot.

My stomach is HUGE...how can that be when you have bouts of diarrhea 10-15 x a day! I hardly ate when I was on the C word...now I am starving all the time & crave carbs like a junkie!! I

Sorry for venting such rage but where else can you do it! This is my 'Dear Diary' place to look back at some of my posts and see if I am getting better from the time I joined...

[ShadyLady]

PS- What is TCM? I have read the posts but can't make it fit any words around it?!

[FiveNotions]

First off, just cancel the Road Back order...contact those folks directly and cancel....then, .if you used paypal, contact them....if you used your bank card or credit card, contact them.....also, there shld be a 30 day return policy or some such....you can get out of the purchase....

TCM is trans-cranial magnet stimulation.....here's a link to a brief explanation of it.....

http://www.mayoclini...on/prc-20020555

[FiveNotions]

Also, beware of TCM...... it's being pushed by Mark Demitrack.....he was the co-founder of Eli Lilly 's "New Antidepressant Team" (NAT), and the NAT was directly responsible for the design, development and marketing of cymbalta....

Demitrack left Lilly a few years ago and co-founded this company.....which seems to be in the TCM business...

http://www.neuroneti...eam/mdemitrack/

He's referenced/quoted in these articles pushing TCM.....

http://www.medgadget...itrack-m-d.html

http://www.popsci.co...pression,384729

http://www.iflscienc...ion-better-meds

[ShadyLady]

Thanks for the links, FN- Sik is gonna pass on this, imo, voodoo! Sounds like the new millenia equivalent of ECT therapy to me...I dont feel like signining up to be the Francis Farmer poster child:(

RBT supps...sent a raging, yep still going:-0, to their website help team & told them what I felt about being duped & wanting a return authorization number to return the unused bottles...not only have they NOT helped ANY withdrawal symptoms (taking them exactly as the book states) I do not subscribe to any of their cult practices & am pissed I spent any $$ furthering their 'Mind Games' philosophy.

On that note, I HAVE to figure out a way to get off my CDS ass & out of the house at the very least to go to the old folks pool;) and move around gently in the water. Driving there is my biggest fear along with losing it on some innocent person that speaks to me...seems some sort of filter has been lost during this withdrawal. My worst half:) has gone camping until Sunday & I feel like a gypsy in the palace but with shackles on!

[FiveNotions]

Well, driving might now be a good activity for you just yet, CS.....and maybe not even the pool, if you really think you might "lose it" ..... how about walking in your neighborhood? Something that gets you outside and moving, but doesn't involve driving, and doesn't have to involve people, either?

It's lovely that you have these next few days all for yourself! Those shackles aren't locked, you know...so just step right out of them and tap dance your way to freedom. ;-)

[ShadyLady]

Thanks, FN for reminding me the shackles aren't locked! The ten years of being on C flat lined me emotionally & I was just barely existing with chronic pain from other issues though I have had epidurals, trigger point injections & occipital nerve blocks with little, short term relief for the last 12 years. Sis, I am soooo tired of the battles to find some small place of relief from the emotional & physical pain...

Since I joined this site, 3 weeks? ago, I have read from a-z seeking some solace as to what happened to me & more so what is happening to me now. The thought 'why am I fighting for hope when I don't think I wanna do this life anymore' is a constant. In fact, I even get angry when I read the positive aspects people are experiencing and sharing:( It seems so distant & futile. I am so stuck & want to know if the physical pain creates the emotional pain or vis-a-vis. My post C brain may be screwing with me & telling me I was just as messed up on the shit & am now just tormenting myself physically since going off it! The only reason I decided to get off of it was none of the 7 or so meds I was taking (started tapering last Aug off several) were giving me any quality of life or helping with emotional and/or physical symptoms I live with. This C withdrawal is exponentially worse that c/ting of Oxycontin, MSContin & morphine sulfate collectively:( though I did attempt suicide several weeks after (thought I was doing well) kicking the final round of morphine. Wow, a new s/e as I'm writing this....tachychardia:( haven't had this for years, most at higher altitudes...congenital mitral valve prolapse. Good Lord...what else awaits on this buffet of s/e's and/or discontinuation?!

Whoa...sorry gotta leave it at this for the time being as this rapid heart beat & out of breath feeling is bigger than the mind can resolve at this moment:(

[ShadyLady]

Hmmm...better now after deep breaths & the brown paper bag trick still works:). I think I need to shut up or post my first topic or 'my story.'

[Tishalyn]

So glad to find this forum, I wasn't sure why this was happening...   Looks like its just a waiting game for the body to release the fluids, for now its lots of water and water pills...