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January 12, 2007

A New Strategy: Accupuncture

I'm willing to try anything once if I think there is a good chance it can help to improve my IBS. Accupuncture isdefinitely one treatment that takes a slight leap of faith. Needles? All over my body? Yes, I was desperate.

I got this card of a Eastern Medicine practice from a co-worker. The office was right across the street and my insurance covered it with a small copay. My co-worker insisted that I give it a chance and go the first session with an open mind. Appointment made. I meet an older Asian gentleman with a slight accent. To tell you the truth, that made me feel better especially when he started describing the energy of my body. He believed it whole heartedly - and not just because he learned it from formal education, but because he lived it. Fully clothed, I stood in front of him as he pushed on various spots on my body. I'm still anxious for the needles, secretly hoping that the introduction session doesn't include any real ones. Then he requested that I lay on the bench, still fully clothed.

If you've seen the last season of Sex and the City, you'll remember Charlette's accupuncture sessions to remedy infertility. You'll also remember her having a breakdown in the middle of the session and running out with dozens of needles poking out of her face. That scene played over and over in my mind as the doctor placed the first needle on the top of my hand - giving the head of the needle a "flick" to puncture my skin. "OUCH", I said. Ok, so I was being a bit of a baby. It didn't really hurt, more like a pinch. Another dozen pinches later (few on my face, few on my hands, few on my feet) the doctor tells me to relax for ten minutes and suddenly the image of Charlette pops back into my head. You have to understand the unexpected claustrophobia that can come with having needles sticking out of you and every movement results in a little pain.
After forcing myself to breathe, the ten minutes passed. The results? The following day resulted in regularity and this odd relaxing sensation that lingered.

We'll have to see about second session.

Posted by Christine at 12:54 AM | Comments (1)

May 03, 2006

Diets are Personalized

I've had several people recommend certain books, certain diets for me to follow. I've read them all and realized quickly that an "IBS Diet" is about as realistic as an "IBS Solution". I've been testing and testing suggestions for the better part of my life. In fact, my good foods and bad foods change constantly throughout time. For awhile there, I was a mess after eating soy ice cream but now I can tolerate it. Too much shrimp will tighten everything, but many of the solution diets base their recipes on shrimp. Spicy stuff? That's touch and go as well (I do make sure there is no oil). My point is, you really have to evaluate your own solution. This is such a unique and little known about syndrome that you can't base your diet on someone else's experience.

Posted by Christine at 08:52 AM | Comments (0)