Interesting discovery - no pain!

[Kerry F]

I just wanted to share something.  I got into something around July 4th that gave me an awful rash on my arms and upper chest.  It looked like the poison ivy rash I got a few years ago and had to take prednisone to get rid of as it got systemic.  I'm pretty sure this current rash is something I'm ingesting or possibly some cosmetic item.  Not environmental.

So I got my doc to give me some prednisone.  Took a bit to even start working on this rash.  I am titrating off the prednisone now.  Had a little rash reaction this morning, but not bad.  I'm paying close attention to what I'm eating or using that may be causing it to still rear it's head.  Going to be working with someone this weekend of muscle testing several items.

What's really blowing my mind is that NOTHING hurts anywhere.  No muscle pain, no upper back, low back, neck pain or muscle pain.  I don't get really bad pain, just consistent low grade aches that definitely get worse when I eat certain things.  I definitely do the best on a paleo diet (which excludes all dairy, beans and grains.)  But I'm not convinced that that is the best/healthiest diet for today's humans.  Just saw a great documentary available on DVD through Netflex streaming on Amazon Prime.   Called "The Perfect Human Diet."  Very interested science and data they present on why the caveman diet is the best.

Well, I'm not going to live on prednisone the rest of my life and while Celebrex is easier on the stomach than the other NSAIDS, it's quite expensive and I don't want to live on that either to stay pain and inflammation free.  In all honesty, I have not gotten through an entire month of eating really clean yet (no grains or dairy or sugar - except a piece of high quality dark chocolate a day) so I am going to do that and see what level of inflammation and pain I have.  Could be that getting one's gut really really healthy would help one tolerate some currently offending foods better.  

I just wanted to share this and would appreciate everyone's thoughts and feedback.

[Kerry F]

Well, I figured out what it was.  It's Jergen's Natural Glow bronzing lotion.  I use it in the summertime.  It just gives you a very mild color.  Well, I guess I've now become allergic to it.  I haven't used it since the 4th when I got this rash.  Used it last night and my arms are just starting to get a rash.  I had a friend a few years ago who I now remember got a rash from using it. 

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

Great discovery you made, Kerry.  Glad to hear it!  I guess the good ole sun and its vitamin D is all that we need for a little color.  We expose ourselves to such chemical factories and it's easy to underestimate how much the skin can absorb and cause potential havoc.     Nice news!

[Alice Clark]

Thanks, Marge, for info on Eco Nuts.  I had never heard of them.  Ordered them from Amazon at a good price.

Re prednisone:  When my father-in-law was on it in rehab, he could actually get his arms up above his shoulders.  He has frozen shoulders and can usually barely lift them.  It's too bad it's harmful in other ways because that was an incredible change for him.

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

Good for you, Alice.  I'm loving the Eco Nuts and equally loving not storing & then recycling plastic containers of detergent!  

What happened to your father-in-law and his shoulders?  Like any other body part, we need them!

[Kerry F]

Alice,

You know, I always forget the gut, leaky gut.  Because if you have leaky gut syndrome, which so many people do and don't know about it, that's where the immune system starts.  Leaky gut is when the intestinal walls become permeable and then foods pass back and forth through the intestines into the bloodstream and you have allergic and immune reactions much more frequently and easily.   When you have those reactions from leaky gut, it creates more inflammation in the body.

[Alice Clark]

@Marge:  His shoulders really keep him from lifting his arms at all.  He is very restricted.  And I sort of thought of frozen shoulder as being adhesions that develop when you stop using your shoulder.  I think it must something to do with inflammation since the prednisone allowed that movement temporarily.  He used to be a fireman, but I don't think that has much to do with it.

I recently had an impinged shoulder which my PT told me in women will turn into frozen shoulder if not treated.  It feels pretty decent now, not disturbing sleep and I have full range of motion back.  I have such a great PT.  I have ordered a Thera Cane (you can use it to work on knotted muscles in your back) and a shoulder pulley from Amazon just to keep things feeling good.  And a Pilates mat class really helps too.  I'll get my Eco Nuts in the next day or two ~

[Mary Jo Cochran]

When my father-in-law was on it in rehab, he could actually get his arms up above his shoulders.  He has frozen shoulders and can usually barely lift them.

 

Sounds like his shoulder muscles at one time suffered injury.  Then the muscles get tight and can't move.  Physical therapy helps to loosen and stretch the muscle, helping it to relax and move more freely. 

I have taken physical therapy for my neck, upper back and lower back several times (not the massage stuff, but real physical therapy).  I also had physical therapy for my knees at a hospital, because after one car accident fifteen years ago I could barely walk. 

[Alice Clark]

What's interesting watching his situation is that the PT will help him make some progress, but the prednisone lets him do things he can't do once he is off it, with or without all the rehab work. 

[Kerry F]

You know, since I'm off the prednisone, I've been taking a teaspoon of tumeric powered dissolved in water every day, plus White Willow capsules and Bosweilla tablet.  I think the tumeric in water works better than the caps and it's really cheap to buy in bulk at a healthfood store.  Those three things seem to be keeping the achey low level pain at bay as long as I'm staying away from grains and food I'm allergic to.

By the way, acupuncture is really good for shoulder issues, but by a real acupunturist, not an MD or chiro who has had little training in it.