Thanks for caring so much. Even with all the pain I have it helps to know I have friends like you who understand and care. I feel a little better today then yesterday. I still need to go to dr and find out why my stomach is hurting so much now. I hope the rsd isn't spreading to my stomach, but I don't know.

The pain two nights ago was so unbearable and kept me up all night. But I slept better last night and am just going to stay in bed for most of the day today and rest. Drinking milk seems to help too. And I am sending my husband out for EPSOM salts today. Thanks again for thinking of me. I hope you are doing okay. I'm here anytime you need to talk too. And yes, hugs do help! Soft hugs to you too.

Have you tried using liquid anti acids like maalox, or mylanta? They coat the stomach but definitely get into the dr to have it checked. Some of your meds might be causing you to build up acids in the stomach and left unchecked can cause ulcers. Keep the positive attitude.

So sorry you had such a bad night. I wonder... I belonged to a support group in Tucson, a lot of years ago, and have read a lot, off and on on both RSDSA.org and RSDHope and haven't really heard many people talk about nausea much. I have literally had to go to the ER off and on because of nausea and violent vomiting. It starts with a pain flare and then nausea, I try to control with breathing and relaxation techniques. The nausea if so bad it's like the worst food poisoning, where you don't want to move an inch for fear of losing control, trying not to start the vomiting, but also don't want to move because the pain is that bad. For me it almost always happens at night too. I lot of the time I go to bed feeling ok, but wake up with pain and nausea. Geesh, I hope that is not the same experience you have. Because then after violent vomiting there is always dry heaves, for me, and then the pain I would be in for days because of ripping up all my upper torso and back muscles. The would last for days at the very least and it was difficult to breath for days afterward. Of course with the Fibromyalgia, with regular flare ups you can literally feel every single muscle, every single rib. I hope yours is not like that. It's one of those events that I don't even want my husband to have to hear, but there is no way around it. And there have been a couple of those that he had to take me to the ER so that I could even begin to get relief from the violent pain and vomiting. I hate for him to have to see some of what I go through, because he internalizes so much and because he really can't do anything to give me any comfort, he beats him up inside. I know how awful I feel when he gets the flu or something where he is in pain. I can't imagine being the person next to any RSD sufferer and being unable to do much for the pain part. No one else in my family can even tolerate asking how Im doing. That makes me angry, because they don't know 1/100th of what my husband deals with. A lot of friends hear the after the fact details of some things and they have sympathy, but my family, they don't even ask how I am doing, and over 10+ years never have. I'd be willing to bet my brothers have never even gone to the RSDSA.org web site. Ignorance is bliss.

I have that test info for you. It was Feb of 2006 that I had it done. They sent me this 81/2 x 11 spiral bound book with all the results and for things like chemicals, where during the course of a normal day you might cross paths with that chemical. For instance, cadmium... I used to be an artist but other than that I would never have known where to avoid exposure to cadmium. They give you a history of the chemical, sources of exposure in general and also specific to general exposure as well. Meaning that if you are not exposed to production or use in a work or close location to where cadmium is used, where else might you cross paths with it. Cadmium is a significant by product of second hand smoke. That is something that gives me an actual point of contact that I can avoid.

The actual title on the book says,
LRA by ELISA/ACT TEST RESULTS

ELISA/ACT Biotechnologies LLC
CLIA #49 D0668056
14 Pidgeon Hill drive, Suite 300
Sterling, VA 20165
Phone: 800-553-5472

I woud just suggest calling them first and telling them you have Fibormyalgia and know of someone who was helped by their testing. See if you can't get some practical information over the phone on cost, where you can get it done locally or how your doctor can get in touch with them. Also ask if they have any provisions if your insurance doesn't cover the test!!! Also, just an FYI, when I took it there were 3 levels of testing you could have done. a small portion of the items they looked for as inflammation agents, a mid range quantity and the full battery. I got the full battery because the insurance I had at the time did cover the test in full, I think it was about 600 items.

I had a friend in Falls Church VA, who's young adult daughter was recently diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, they had her get tested and it made a big difference for her. Being able to avoid ingesting or exposing yourself to things that affect your life every day is a huge weapon to have. I hope you are able to get the test done. As I said I was eating olive oil in almost everything I cooked, and I used olive oil as a moisturizer. When I got my test results I had been doing a food cleanse and was making protein shakes with blueberries for several days, to see if I could find out what were my triggers in the kitchen. Two of the three food items for me, I was slamming into my body every day. So getting this test done can be a huge eye opener. I switched back to coconut oil for a moisturizer and now cook with coconut oil, walnut, and avocado mostly. Before that it was all olive, eve things like a coffee cake, I would bake with olive oil. Now we just keep in on the counter for my husband to put on top of things I cook. It's really annoying that the olive and blueberry thing cut out these great sources of vitamins and health for me but the alternative... I'll share one with you. I subscribe to a site called FOOD52. everyone in my family is a foodie, we all seriously cook, and I have immediate family members that are chefs and pastry chefs. So when I can , though I can't cook a full meal, like I used to and do go any where near attempting a holiday meal because I can't keep track of measurements and timing and I drop things and screw up a lot and that's a big slap in the face. I know I can't pull it off and have had enough failures to know I shouldn't put myself in that position any more, but I do cook one to two things at a time. So I am reading about this chef and his slow cooked vegetables and how these website folks have altered his primary recipes to incorporate a lot of other ingredients, blah, blah, blah. It's a recipe for broccoli cooked in olive oil for like an hour. Sounds very insane to me, to even think of cooking broccoli for an hour and it sounds like a risk to do so with olive oil. The ELIZA/ACT and my doctor said that IF you do consume those three items to do so very seldom and in small quantities. So for 10 years the only olive oil I have consumed it what ever small amounts I have gotten from a restaurant meal. So I have a bunch of Baby bok choy and I follow this simple recipe. The bok choy is amazing and sweet and lovely and I literally can not get out of bed the next day and the day after that I have in massive Fibro pain again and I have a Pain Specialist appointment and have to have my husband miss work to take me. So even after 10 years... I do not question the validity or necessity of my having to have this test. I can not even imagine the condition my life would be had I never found out that Olives and Olive oil were contributing to the Fibromyalgia so very much. IF there is any way you can get it done, I would absolutely do so. There are a lot of books out there who tell you foods to avoid and how you can use food to treat, bring remission, etc. I will go so far as to agree that there are foods that in general, cause an inflammatory response to a broad public. Guess what, Olive is not on that list.

Also, here is a web site that I trust for general health and food so to.
http://www.mercola.com
You can find a lot of good GENERAL information about how to eat to lessen your body's inflammatory response.

much luck and soft hugs to you Renee!
Sylvia

I dont know if you an pull this one off. Maybe if you cant or don't want to consider it now because you don't think your pain levels will permit, you might be able to consider it at another time. I got off of the anti inflammatories. My acid reflux made it impossible for me to sleep at night and I was not able to lie down, no matter how long it had been since I ate anything or took the medications they had prescribed for me. I have to say too in after thought , that I probably could not have stopped talking them, had I not found out what my inflammation triggers were. I had acid reflux so bad that I was miserable and couldn't sleep, even sitting up. So I talked to my doctor and I quite taking them. That made a HUGE difference for me, and I have no longer had acid reflux problems or any of the difficulties, by just cutting that one thing out. If I have a hugely painful Fibro-day, where it hurts unbelievable to sit with my legs elevated, even, then I take ibuprofen, but I only take it that day and one time. I've had family members have serious medical issues caused by constant use of ibuprofen to manage aches and pains of a normal work day. I wouldn't take that with any regularity without my doctor knowing about it.
more hugs, Sylvia

Thanks. I will check with my doctor tomorrow to see what's going on and try one of those antacids. I was already in ER a few months ago with severe stomach pains and they took all sorts of tests and they said they found gallstones, but nothing else in my stomach. They said they were small so unless they started to bother me , I didn't have to do anything. I also had a hysterectomy and endometriosis surgery last year two times. I don't know if the rsd is aggravating that surgical site or if its the gallstones or what. Maybe it is the medicine. I will ask my doctor. I never though of that. All I know is I can't take this pain on top of everything else. I hope my doctor can do something. I'm sorry I'm such a downer. I'm just so tired of being sick all the time. I never had so many health problems, until I got RSD. It's just been a nightmare. I know you understand. And though the doctors are helpful, they still aren't sure what to do either. It's so frustrating. Well sorry again to be so depressing. I hope you are doing okay and thanks for all of the great advice. I don't think I could handle this without friends like you. It's just getting harder and harder to deal with the pain. I have a son (my only child) whom I want to see graduate from college next year, and I'm so afraid that the RSD is going to totally ruin my health and make that an impossiblity. It's so scary. But I'm trying to keep the faith. Thanks again. Soft hugs again to you.

I'll check with my doctor about that. But I tried weaning off them before, and the pain was too much to bear. I haven't had to increase all the pills I'm taking in the past year, but I can't seem to decrease them either. I'll check though. Thanks for the advice.
Your caring means so much to me.

I keep promethazine on hand for nausea. It works well on me and I make sure my Dr keeps me supplied with it lol. When I start having a ton of pain I get really nauseous and nothing usually works, except the promethazine, also called fenergen. Even peppermint doesn't deal with my nausea, and when I start vomiting just leave me be with a big glas of water and a stool to sit on. But then again rsd is different for all of us except the pain.

I will check on that ELISA ACT. Thanks so much for checking on it. I do feel like my stomach pains feel like bad food poisioning too. Except I don't have the vomiting. I just feel pain and extreme nausea. It's pretty bad. Do you think fybromyalgia causes that? I thought maybe it was the rsd spreading, but maybe it the fibro. Well thanks again and I hope you don't get any more of those awful stomach flares. I know milk seems to help ease the pain. I will try antacids. Maybe (if your dr says its ok with your other meds) that might help you too. Well thanks again for caring so much and soft hugs to you too.

Thanks Allanira. I will ask my doctor for that too. I'll take anything that will help with the pain and nausea. I haven't had any vomiting, but sometimes feel like I'm getting close to it. I'm so sorry you have all that pain and vomiting. It's bad enough having rsd pain without all that other stuff too. Peppermint doesn't really help me either, but sleepy time tea seems to calm my nerves and stomach a little for some reason! Maybe that might help sooth your stomach. My husband gets it for my at shop rite. (I can't drive so I have to bug the poor guy to do these things for me). The guilt I feel about that is another downer about this disease. Well thanks again. You have really great advice and I hope you never have anymore of those stomach episodes. I'm so sorry you have to deal with that. I'm here if you need a friend too. Take good care of yourself. Soft hugs from Renee.

I have the sleepy time tea too lol. Its the chamomile it. I have straight chamomile tea too. I love drinking it. It tastes good and it does help a little with nausea. It settles the stomach. Native Americans have used it for pregnant women with morning sickness and other upset tummy issues for generations. Just either a little honey if I'm feeling adventurous or usually regular sugar. I have to sweeten mine a bit. Also if you like ice tea then make your cup if chamomile like usual for hot tea and pour over ice. It actually really refreshing and just as relaxing. My son can even have it because it doesnt have caffeine. I have forbidden him caffeine lol. I keep telling him it willmstunt his growth lol. He's 2 so he doesn't get it.