Honey is also good for burns and other skin abrasions or cuts, Alison. I take it for my allergies, but it really works to heal and it's antibacterial. It also prevents the healed skin from sticking to the bandage when it's removed. They use it in third world countries to help with burn dressings. I've tried it and it works, if you can stand to smear it on yourself.
Hi Allison. I'm sorry to hear about your troubles.
I'd like to offer some insight: I was diagnosed with ME almost 40 years ago. It meant nothing, because such a condition was not recognized here in the US (it just happened that my neurologist was British), and it still meets with a great deal of skepticism within the American medical community. Any condition that affects women primarily is unfortunately still looked upon that way here by too many doctors -- oh, she's just being dramatic to get attention, etc.
Living with this condition is not easy, and the rules are different for everyone, as it affects each person in different ways. I have a few recommendations.
The first, which is an important one, is that you should stay out of prolonged sunlight, especially tropical sunlight. Harsh ultraviolet light seems to aggravate the condition. The second is to stay warm -- you will probably notice that exposure to the cold makes it worse. On the other hand, as far as nerve and muscle aches go, sometimes a cold pack brings greater relief than a hot pack. You have to experiment to see which helps more (cold is usually most effective for neck pain).
Most importantly, don't overdo it. When I have energy, I do as much as I need to do. When I don't, I take it as easy as I can. Of course, this isn't always practical, but you have to discipline yourself to slow down when necessary. It won't do your family any good if you exhaust yourself and become unable to do anything at all. As I'm sure you have found out, this is a profound fatigue unlike any other. And please, please don't let anyone make you feel apologetic about it. You are going to find that a lot of people will not be taking this very seriously and not have much patience with your limitations. Well, you don't look sick, they'll say. Too bad about them. If you don't have the energy, you don't have it. It will come back in time. And they can just go about their business until it does.
Hang in there. ME is manageable. I know you have the resilience to get control of this.
Thank you Judith, it's good to hear from someone who really knows what it's like. I've had it in the past, 15 years ago, this time it's been a combination of a bad virus last year and a nasty health scare with my daughter. It hasn't taken the same route this time, I'm more tired and fatigued than sore, whereas when I was younger the pain was more a feature. I don't do mornings, I'm like another person, it's as much as I can do to get dressed and get some breakfast, then I rest again and wait to digest my breakfast and that gives me a little energy. Most mornings are spent watching films, then I have an early lunch, sometimes I have to rest after lunch but not for long. Then I manage to potter a little, then pick the kids up from school bring them home, make tea and their sandwiches for next day, wash up and that's me done. I feel far better late afternoon and night time. I go to bed every night feeling not too bad and wakeup the next day feeling as fatigued as ever. I'm hoping I will start to show signs of recovery, I've a job I love doing but they can't keep it open forever for me, this has been going on since October. I've just not to worry about that because there's nothing I can do.
Apart from the tiredness the worse symptom for me is the inability to remember of concentrate on anything. I'm a highly organised person, what Mum isn't, not anymore. I make the biggest goofs when I'm trying. I have times when I can be really lucid, like now when I can come here and type coherently and then I have times that I can't think to talk on the phone.
The guilt is a really bad part of it, the feeling of letting others down. I try not to think about it. You are right about the scepticism about the illness although I feel it has got better in the interveneing years since my last diagnosis. It's still predominantly a females illness but there are more and more men who are getting it too.
Yes, I look perfectly well, which is the main complaint for ME sufferers apparently, sometimes I can look tied and pale but often I look well.
There are clinics that deal with the illness now, I've got my first appointment next week.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
charliechaplinfan wrote:
Apart from the tiredness the worse symptom for me is the inability to remember of concentrate on anything. I'm a highly organised person, what Mum isn't, not anymore. I make the biggest goofs when I'm trying. I have times when I can be really lucid, like now when I can come here and type coherently and then I have times that I can't think to talk on the phone.
Yes, I have a basketful of half-completed knitting projects and partially-read books which attest to that inability to concentrate. I agree -- it's really the most frustrating aspect of the condition. I always have big plans to cook, clean or do repairs around the house that somehow never seem to get done, and it wasn't always the case. Sometimes you just don't feel like talking, because you can't put a sentence together, and your reticence is completely misunderstood by others. Small wonder I spend most of my spare time sitting in front of the TV these days. It's the one activity that requires the least expenditure of brain power.
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I'll get in here one more time for the cracked, dry heels. Another cure is vaseline. Even in today's market, you can get a good sized jar for under two dollars. Smear it on liberally at night, put stockings on and go to sleep. When you arise in the a.m. you won't believe the difference.
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Anne
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I love essential oils and would like to learn to use more. I am anxious to use more now that I have seen how cheaply they can be purchased on ebay. Lavender is about $10 at our craft chain store and seems to be about $3 on ebay. Do you have any recommendations about selecting it? I would also like to look for rose oil.
Lavender is especially helpful for a migraine. About 10 drops in a mini-sprayer makes a nice mist. It is handy to spray it on a handkerchief or tissue and use near ones face when confronted by overwhelming odors.
Thanks for this nice thread and all your good advice.
B
I thought I was the only one with a reaction to strong smells during a migraine! I'll try the lavender next time.
I have discovered something that can make a good deal of difference in whether or not I get a migraine, or how severe it is. When first experiencing a headache, eat a few pieces of ginger, either candied or pickled (or a dish with fresh ginger in it). I find that the pickled ginger, the kind you have with sushi, works much better for me. I have had this actually end a migraine almost immediately, before it really gets started, and I think it helps control the severity of them if I take it later on during the headache. To me, this is a lifesaver... and since my daughter gets them too, it's nice to know that something natural helps, though she is not crazy about the taste.
Ginger is really good for nausea too. I love ginger in dishes, it's excellent added to soups.
Birdy, I'll go into more detail about essential oils. It is amazing the price they've come down to on ebay. I wondered if it had anything to do with the freshness of the oils so I check with an aromatherapist I know and the shelf life of use is quite long.
You can get two kinds of rose oil. A dilute solution at 5% dilution, it will be diluted in a carrier oil, like jojoba or grapeseed or you can buy the absolute. Usually I'd go for the dilution to see if you like the smell but rose is a fimiliar smell, so if you want the absolute I can see no reason not to. Rose absolute is expensive, I paid £20 for 10ml and that was very cheap, I'd expect to pay twice that from other sellers, the lady I bought off was just setting up and had a low count on ebay, it might have had something to do with her price.
Rose oil is a beautiful oil, I use a drop in my normal day moisturiser, it's so fragrant and delicate and the smell lingers for a long time. It's especially good for the skin and complexion. It makes a beautiful perfume either by itself or mixed with another oil. I hardly wear proper perfumes anymore, as the oils retain their fragrance all day. Another very fragrant oil is jasmine, tied with rose as my favorite fragrance.
It's good for anyone who is suffering from anxiety or depression, problems with circulation, menopausal problems and as an antiseptic or tonic. I suffer from none of these but I can attest to it having an uplifting effect as well as a very feminine feeling.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
charliechaplinfan wrote:
Apart from the tiredness the worse symptom for me is the inability to remember of concentrate on anything. I'm a highly organised person, what Mum isn't, not anymore. I make the biggest goofs when I'm trying. I have times when I can be really lucid, like now when I can come here and type coherently and then I have times that I can't think to talk on the phone.
Yes, I have a basketful of half-completed knitting projects and partially-read books which attest to that inability to concentrate. I agree -- it's really the most frustrating aspect of the condition. I always have big plans to cook, clean or do repairs around the house that somehow never seem to get done, and it wasn't always the case. Sometimes you just don't feel like talking, because you can't put a sentence together, and your reticence is completely misunderstood by others. Small wonder I spend most of my spare time sitting in front of the TV these days. It's the one activity that requires the least expenditure of brain power.
There's never anything on our TV. Films are wonderful. I've given up on a lot of my reading which is a shame.
I hate not being coherent or organised, it is the worst aspect of it because the irony is it's the very people who are really ordered and controlled that it hits.
We got the news back on Libby today, she's had three scans on her brain and two show abnormalities, too much activity in her left brain which has caused the fits she suffered last year. It's also linked to hormones, she's 8 and getting ready for puberty (surely no). We've been offered medication, if she'd have had other fits since I think they would have pressed us harder but she hasn't so the decision here is whether to medicate or not. Everytime I think of a for I find an against. We both feel that way. Libby is very chipper about her diagnosis, I think knowing what it is is a great relief to her.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
Alison,
No need to answer me in a hurry as I gather you've had a pretty stressful week.
Just wondering,
what is the difference between the different rose oils?
Geranium, rose hip, Bulgarian?
I have had rose oil before, but am not sure which one.
Thanks, B
(I posted well wishes for Libby on the other thread, consider them doubled.)
Thank you Birdy. The essential oils are such a big subject I'm sure the subject will probably just thrive of it's own accord.
Rose/geranium oil is a mixture of rose with the cheaper geraium oil. Geranmium itself is a lovely oil, this should set you back about $6 for a 10ml of oil. It's good for skin and has a very distinctive aroma, I feel it would over power the delicate fragrance of the rose oil so I wolud be inclined to but them seperately and mix them yourself if you want to.
The easiest rose oil to obtain is rose otto, there is also rose bulgar. The two oils have the same healing qualities and fragrance. I use rose otto, this is what is available in our independent health shop, not that I ever buy there as ebay is the cheaper.
The cheaper oils, citrus, lavender, the herby ones (cinnamon, basil, oregano) can be used diluted in some water and used as an air freshner, just shake before use. About 8 drops for 600ml of water.
Citronella is an excellent deterent for flies and wasps but for me it stinks, it the one oil I don't like the smell of, I'd rather put up with the flies
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
These are the a list of my favorite oils and what I use them for.
Lavender - the most important oil in terms of what it does. For me I use it mostly for relaxation, it's perfectly safe for children, when they can't sleep they get a dab on their pajamas. Not too much if you're using it as a sleep aid, two or three drops, too much and it becomes a stimulant.
Grapefruit - a sharp fragrance, excellent for waking up or aiding concentration. Put a drop on a sponge as you shower. Rosemary - another frangrance for concentration. It has the added benefit of being great for the hair and scalp. Suffer from dandruff, add a drop to your shampoo, suffer from dandruff badly, massage it into your scalp in a carrier oil and leave it for 1 hour then wash out. You can feel the oil stimulating the mind at the same time. Excellent if you are studying. Bergamot - slightly citrusy, another concentration aid. Can be added to sponge, mixes well with lots of different oils.
Orange - A good anti viral oil, very cheap, very good home frangrance Lemon - Excellent for bacterial and viral infections. Very good for skin care too Mandarin - Good for insomnia, lovely mixed with lavender for a cheap insomnia remedy.
More expensive oils
Frankincense - excellent for chest infections and anxiety that tightens the chest. Rub into your chest with a carrier oil and breathe easier. Also a good oil to use when facing a loss or death. Sandalwood (Austrailian) - this must be Sandalwood Antulbum and not Amarys which is much cheaper. A lovely fragrant musky smell, excellent for skin care and when dealing with insomnia. One of my favorite oils for the fragrance. Roman chamomile - another favorite fragrance, I associate it with babies as there is a popular cream here called Kamillosan. A very calming oil, excellent for use with anxiety and insomnia
Exquisite oils, costly for me worth it.
Neroli- this is the perfume of the orange flower. It has been invaluable to me in times of trouble, rubbed into the temples with a little carrier oil it calms the mind, stops horrible thoughts crowding in and aids concentration. It has a lovely fragrance and is a good cosmetic oil too. This has been recommended to me by health professionals. Jasmine - I use this mostly as perfume eithe by itself or mixed with a citrus oil, grapefruit in the morning, lemon sometimes. If I'm feeling very feminine with rose oil. It combines well with many of my favorite oils. No more perfumes for me, this lasts far longer. It's called queen of the oils and it also used to boost sex drives (OK, I have enough on my plate at the moment) I always feel great with this oil Rose - a great oil for complexion and fragrance. It's invaluable in the treatment of anxiety and worry.
I began learning about oils after the birth of Libby, as fragrances and beauty products but it was only after the birth of Joe when I suffered from bad post natal depression and insomnia that went undiagnosed for ages that I started using these for their therapitic value. At the moment I'm using them, effectively to ward off any signs of depression or worry whilst I deal with having ME. I see them as complimentary to convential medicine, especially when to preventative medicine and aids to soothe the mind.
I hope it's been informative.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
I love lavender, had a lovely bunch that thrived years ago. I usually kill it within weeks of purchasing...
So many products claim to have lavender scent, but the 'smell' is definitely not lavender. I didn't realize the oil can be purchased online. I bought food grade lavender (dried) at a spices shop last fall, with the intention of making sachets for gifts. That didn't happen. Maybe I'll give it a go again this fall....
Thanks for sharing all this interesting info, Alison. Hope the next clinic visit brings good news!
I am a lavender killer as well... it needs a limey soil, which we don't have, and great drainage, and you need to shear it back every time it looks straggly, but not in the spring, because that will kill it... you have to wait till it starts to bud from the bottom of the plant before cutting it back, and it needs room to grow, which I never have. So I opted for catmint, which thrives no matter what I do to it, or how I neglect the stuff. But it doesn't smell as good.
