Acupuncture report (6 weeks in)
 

Discovered my insurance covers acupuncture for just the cost of a co-pay up to $1500.00 annually. Started out with about 4 weeks of 2x weekly. Now I go once a week.

The treatments helped tremendously with my balance and walking. I don't think it has affected the pain levels, but I do have increased sensation in my feet (and thus the improved balance and walk).

I have also begun tai chi; taking weekly classes and slowly adding some daily poses as I learn the form and movements.

Because I walk more easily (I would "lumber" when I walked) my wife and I take evening walks which keep me vertical longer (whether the pain is less or I am distracted by the walk and fresh air, don't know).

I now regularly fall asleep during my acupuncture treatments. Go figure.

CB

Great!
 

As long as it works? Don't mess with it! Just appreciate it?
But? What do you do when your 'allowance' runs out?
I'm all FOR anything that works and all, but..if it can't be maintained? Doesn't help much.
UNLESS you get some home training on doing simple things to yourself? OR you get a really discounted access fee for continuing therapies in the future. Don't be shy about asking at this point? Doesn't hurt to look to the future! Those $fees add up very quickly.. then you're outta luck w/o a program to do at home to maintain most or some of what you've gained!
Good luck! Keep it up and don't give up! - j

This thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...t=accupuncture

Has a new article in the first post to explain how acupuncture works. I went on further to explore d-ribose which is part of adenosine used by the mitochondria to make ATP. Ribose is not part of our diet, so supplementing it may be helpful.

Adenosine is also the signaler for sleep. That is why many people fall asleep during the procedure, as adenosine is released by the cells, and then signals a sleep cascade.

I have been using acupuncture for a while - not covered by my medical but my medical has a discount for it.

Unfortunately I think I started it later than I should have - but never thought about it until someone who had gone through chemo & got PN told me to try it.

Anyway - 2x a week at first, can't remember now which session it was [4th? 5t?] when she put the liquid on my feet and I said Oh that's cold - she smiled and told me that's what I'm supposed to feel. I couldn't feel the cold until that session!! So I did get some sensation back in my feet. Also acupunture has helped calm the lightening strikes in my toes, I don't get them as often.

I'll continue with acupuncture 1x a month until I can't afford it. Right now I am regretting that I had to cancel my appointment last month because of being sick - I can't get in until next month and I can feel it.

Acupuncture is relaxing and enjoyable - I just let the healing flow.

I have tried ribose but I didn't feel it helped me.

Ribose is VERY slow acting... took me many weeks, more than 3 months in fact to see much improvement. My gains were mostly in energy and stamina. (I don't have severe sensation loss in my feet anymore or severe pain).

I did sleep well at first tho...that part was a quick response.

mrsD,

In the past you have sounded a note of caution with regard to d-ribose, saying that because it is not a part of our diet, we should be careful (primarily, you were talking about dose levels). Have you altered your view on d-ribose?

Thanks.

Nervous

No, I just don't think we should take mega doses of it.
(like the body builders do)

There is evidence that it helps with Fibro and CSF patients, which have extreme fatigue and muscle weakness. It has been offered in other conditions where muscle issues exist as well.

I've been staying around 5 grams a day.

Following your advice, I have been staying at 5 grams a day, too. But I don't feel any benefit from it anymore. Don't know why.

You may have saturated the systems using it.

Try cutting back to every other day or so...see what happens.

If I skip too many days, I can feel a difference.

Insurance covers and other options
 

"But? What do you do when your 'allowance' runs out?"

Fortunately, my coverage will carry me for once a week for the rest of the year. There are also what are called "group" sessions which I understand involves several people receiving treatment in the same room (therapist goes around inserting needles) for $20. I'd try that if it runs out. My therapist is going on vacation next month, so I will have at least 1 treatment from another practitioner.

CB

Adenosine is also the signaler for sleep. That is why many people fall asleep during the procedure, as adenosine is released by the cells, and then signals a sleep cascade.

*** Yeah, strange thing. I drop off and jerk awake.

rscowboy, where do they place the needle in your body? Is the neuropathy in your feet? I'm very interested in leaning more about this treatment and jumping on this bandwagon....Lord knows nothing else is woking!

[rscowboy, where do they place the needle in your body? Is the neuropathy in your feet? I'm very interested in leaning more about this treatment and jumping on this bandwagon....Lord knows nothing else is woking!

***She uses between 20 and as many as 40 needles in a session. Chi energy flows along certain pathways and the needles adjust the flow. At the beginning she would put a needle in my foot and I would have a twinge in my back. General placement -- on top of my head, in the ears, crook of the arm, by the thumbs (it is bi-lateral placement, so on both sides), knees, shins, tops of feet, belly. Sometimes I will be on my back and she'll place back of head, neck, lower back.

*** Because she has treated me for a while (and takes good chart notes), she's familiar with my body and even works around an old back injury (that I've always thought may be implicated).


*** Someone else said they do monthly treatments; I go no longer than a week between treatments. As you do it more (and, perhaps because of my tai chi), you become aware of your chi and its flow.

CB

There was a Groupon this week for 1/2 off for a session with an acupuncturisist, so I decided to try it. I know that's no way to choose a practitioner, but I said "what the heck, I went to a hypnotist on a whim and wound up quitting a 35-year smoking habit with next to no effort, so why not try this guy? Maybe it's another weird/lucky twist of fate." Not the same thing, I get it, but hey, it was a Groupon impulse purchase.

Here's what these folks have to say about neuropathy: http://birchcenter.blogspot.com/2009...upuncture.html

My biggest misgiving is what you said, cowboy, that it isn't all that effective for the pain, and I also noticed in these folks' blog that they don't even mention pain, just numbness. I can live with numbness. It's the pain that's really affecting my quality of life. I'm wondering--if they reduce the numbness, would that make me feel the pain even more intensely? :eek: And I'm also wondering how well they understand PN if they aren't even talking about pain in their blog. Well, it's clear he (or she) is getting a grilling from me, just like the doctors do. You don't get a pass because you have windchimes and new-agey music playing in the background (although you might get points from me for not forcing me to watch/listen to TV...I hate that)

Anyway, I couldn't get an after work appointment until the 15th, but I'll report back then how it went.