Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff

[Auspice]

@Atomic said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@Wretched said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@JinShei You should also try cheering up. Maybe smile more? Cant you just get over it? It's all in your head after all. Just eat less.

You forgot somethingsomething gluten and weed is the new Jesus.

Oh lord I fucking hate the 'I went gluten free and it cured me!'

The worst I ever encountered was someone I only distantly knew messaging me to be like 'My husband's cousin had some medical condition and she went gluten free and it cured her so I totally think that it would cure you of your fibromyalgia!'

They didn't even know what the condition the person had was. And when I explained my dietary needs and also 'no, fibro cannot be cured by diet' they got really offended.

Pro-tip: someone with a chronic illness has probably been working with doctors and doing their own research for years. Good recommendations are things like 'omg I found this heating pad that's amazing' (I have an electric lap blanket I love for this reason!) or 'My cousin's girlfriend has the same condition and she told me that <doctor> has been really helpful and understanding.'

Those are fine. Getting in my face insisting I take on some fad is not.

[Cobalt]

@Auspice said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@Atomic said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@Wretched said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@JinShei You should also try cheering up. Maybe smile more? Cant you just get over it? It's all in your head after all. Just eat less.

You forgot somethingsomething gluten and weed is the new Jesus.

The worst I ever encountered was someone I only distantly knew messaging me to be like 'My husband's cousin had some medical condition and she went gluten free and it cured her so I totally think that it would cure you of your fibromyalgia!'

open mouth, unhinge jaw, devour person in a single gulp

spit out bones

No.

---

Being less weird but mildly still on the fibro/chronic illness topic. My apartment complex has an onsite gym (as well as pool), and while I haven't been going to pool all that often (I've gotten tired of washing chlorine out of my hair), I have started going to the gym every night (though I made last night my rest night b/c I was exhausted and could barely think by the time I went to bed).

I ache less and feel less bad in general for it. Afterward I feel so good. I wish I had the kind of habits where I could get up two hours before work and go to the gym before work to have those endorphins carry me through the day, but tbh I'm a lazy piece of garbage and also between the insomnia and fibromyalgia the older I get the harder it is for me to even get out of bed on time for work let alone early.

[Auspice]

@Cobaltasaurus I'm glad working out has been beneficial for you!

Sadly, I have the kind of fibro that doesn't respond well to exercise. When I was first diagnosed, I threw myself into a routine: two days a week at yoga, two days a week at water aerobics (the old ladies found this utterly charming XD), and 1 day doing 'other' (treadmill, weights, etc etc).

I was so exhausted and in so much constant pain that I wasn't able to even look for a job. I didn't MU. I pretty much did my workouts and then stared at the TV or slept the rest of the day.

(This is also, however, why I think I have something else in addition to or instead of the fibro going on. Because regular, low-impact exercise does help most people with it.)

[silverfox]

I known isn't the intention when people make these comments, but my brain always twists these kinds of suggestions (x worked for y, why don't you do it?) to this:

"I am now judging you for not doing <thing they suggested> to help with <symptom, disease, complaints>. You must not actually be hurting all that bad if you aren't going to try this."

[Auspice]

@silverfox said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

I known isn't the intention when people make these comments, but my brain always twists these kinds of suggestions (x worked for y, why don't you do it?) to this:

"I am now judging you for not doing <thing they suggested> to help with <symptom, disease, complaints>. You must not actually be hurting all that bad if you aren't going to try this."

Well, I've had people actually say things like that.

Mostly after making assumptions because fuck you I shouldn't have to justify my health conditions constantly.

'You were eating fries the other day and those are so unhealthy for you. If you only ate better you'd be fine.'
^ this is in the same lines as 'If you'd just diet you'd lose weight.' (And we know that's not the case; my thyroid and PCOS ladies TOTALLY know).

Guess what, sometimes my stomach is in such bad shape all I can eat is potato-based products, bread, rice, and baked chicken. The latter three can be bland af so lemme have my damn fried potatoes.

But seriously, those comments fall into the same lines as the people who make shitty comments about weight loss. You don't know me. You don't know my particular health issues. You don't know what I have tried.

[Atomic]

@Auspice said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@silverfox said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

I known isn't the intention when people make these comments, but my brain always twists these kinds of suggestions (x worked for y, why don't you do it?) to this:

"I am now judging you for not doing <thing they suggested> to help with <symptom, disease, complaints>. You must not actually be hurting all that bad if you aren't going to try this."

Well, I've had people actually say things like that.

Mostly after making assumptions because fuck you I shouldn't have to justify my health conditions constantly.

'You were eating fries the other day and those are so unhealthy for you. If you only ate better you'd be fine.'
^ this is in the same lines as 'If you'd just diet you'd lose weight.' (And we know that's not the case; my thyroid and PCOS ladies TOTALLY know).

Guess what, sometimes my stomach is in such bad shape all I can eat is potato-based products, bread, rice, and baked chicken. The latter three can be bland af so lemme have my damn fried potatoes.

But seriously, those comments fall into the same lines as the people who make shitty comments about weight loss. You don't know me. You don't know my particular health issues. You don't know what I have tried.

Gastroparesis?

[Auspice]

@Atomic said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

Gastroparesis

No, but it manifests similarly.

Due to a birth defect, I have a twist in my lower intestine. Sometimes (stress, something aggravating it, being sick, etc etc) it gets worse.

[Atomic]

@Auspice said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@Atomic said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

Gastroparesis

No, but it manifests similarly.

Due to a birth defect, I have a twist in my lower intestine. Sometimes (stress, something aggravating it, being sick, etc etc) it gets worse.

Ileus, I think? Or is that just the paralytic kind?

[Auspice]

@Atomic said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@Auspice said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@Atomic said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

Gastroparesis

No, but it manifests similarly.

Due to a birth defect, I have a twist in my lower intestine. Sometimes (stress, something aggravating it, being sick, etc etc) it gets worse.

Ileus, I think? Or is that just the paralytic kind?

tbh not totally sure.

[JinShei]

Last night my mother sent me an email from the Alternative-doctor, a quack, suggesting although he generalises, it might be helpful.

No, homeopathy doesn't cure bipolar, asthma, PCOS, endo, or arthritis, because it is SUGAR PILLS.

[Ganymede]

@JinShei said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

No, homeopathy doesn't cure bipolar, asthma, PCOS, endo, or arthritis, because it is SUGAR PILLS.

I agree, but I have found that many of my past conditions have been affected by my choice to alter my nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle-related habits.

Some doctors just go right to the drugs, rather than going straight to harder mechanisms to change. I understand why, but that doesn’t make non-drug alternatives ineffective.

[JinShei]

@Ganymede and I didn't say those didn't.

[Cobalt]

@Ganymede My love, there's a difference between cognitive behavioral treatments and quackery. Behavioral Cognitive Treatments ask you to change your lifestyle habits that may be unhealthy: such as if you have heart issues they may ask you to try and lose some weight. If you have IBS they may ask you to change your eating habits and not eat stuff that gives you the fucking runs.

Quackery will have you drinking cabbage fermented in sea water while saying it'll cure you of cancer, aids, chronic illness, and disease, and will regrow your limbs.

[Ganymede]

@Cobaltasaurus said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

My love, there's a difference between cognitive behavioral treatments and quackery.

Well, sure, I understand that. My understanding of homeopathic medicine is that it is an approach that works on the whole of the person, rather than simply treating the symptoms of a problem, and that cognitive behavioral therapy is considered part of that field of medicine.

I could be wrong, though.

But, yeah, quackery is quackery, quack, quack.

[silverfox]

@Ganymede

This is the WebMD Defiition: https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-homeopathy#1

"Homeopathy is a medical system based on the belief that the body can cure itself. Those who practice it use tiny amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals. They believe these stimulate the healing process."

[Macha]

Going from 90 plus and sunny to raining and not even 70 - triggered my pain to Fuck You levels. Then I stepped on something I couldn't see and split the skin on my heel. And I have nothing real serious for pain.

[Ganymede]

@silverfox

I read that, and it seemed to be different than how the American Institute of Homeopathic Medicine described it, but then I read further.

I don't really think (keyword) that it can cure bipolar, asthma, PCOS, endo, or arthritis, but I think it's more than just sugar pills. It seems to be a milder version of chemotherapy.

[Selira]

@Ganymede To be clear, the ingredients used in homeopathy are so diluted that they are functionally not present. I have yet to see anything showing that it is in any way more effective than a placebo, and it is part of a whole set of quackery that really bilks people out of their money.

What homeopathy (and to a lesser extent, naturopathy) are good at is not rushing a patient through, making them feel like a real person, and not demeaning them.

Of course, most con artists are good at that.

[Ganymede]

@Selira said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

What homeopathy (and to a lesser extent, naturopathy) are good at is not rushing a patient through, making them feel like a real person, and not demeaning them.

Maybe this is the key? Also, maybe avoiding drugs with a lot of side-effects.

I'm not a fan of quackery (I have an intense dislike for chiropractors), but I suppose that if conventional medicine has failed to help perhaps something different may be in order.

[Cobalt]

@Ganymede The problem is that homeopathy and alternative medicine also give a haven for a lot of quacks and woo peddlers. Myles Power on youtube has a lot of great videos on different woo peddlers and the dangers of it -- Jeff Holiday as well is a good source. (Though the latter's political views at least older ones make me a little hesitant to really suggest him, he's not terrible if you stick to the quackery / exposing "alternative medicine" videos). People who claim to be homeopathic/natural medicine doctors or chiropractor doctors will often be people who have bought degrees off of shady colleges and have not had actual long term medical training like someone who went through full medical school to be a doctor of medicine.

We're talking about people who go to Uganda and get Ugandans to drink bleach claiming it will cure their malaria. We're talking people who will tell people that bleach can cure autism, and advocate giving autistic children bleach enemas.

Or you know people who advocate urine therapy, or black root, or turpentine therapy etc. Things that can kill or harm people badly, but sick and desperate people will turn to because "traditional medicine failed them".

I turn a hard side-eye to anyone who tells me to treat stuff with essential oils or "natural" medicines. Not everything in nature is healthy for you, and woo peddlers prey on the desperate to squeeze money out of them and exploit their sickness for the cults.