@tomjerry
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Registered: 6 months, 2 weeks ago
PHYSICAL Dizziness - Often I've woken up in the morning feeling dizzy. There has never been an explanation for it but I've found an article that may help: How to Avoid Dizziness by Nodding Your Head ALS Belly - Otherwise known as "Buddha Belly". Why do people not tell you these things? So apparently, while most likely you are losing weight, your belly seems to get bigger. I feel like women notice this issue more than men. In fact, there are 50 comments on this issue on FB's ALS Forum for Women! DO NOT feel bad about yourself this is not your fault. What happens is as your muscles weaken your abdomen no longer has the strength to hold everything inside. It is core muscle loss and no you cannot exercise to get rid of it. I love how one woman described looking like a snowman skinny arms and legs with a round middle ⛄️ There are many challenges specific to women living with ALS, check out my blog post on how to mentally reframe these challenges; ALS; A Woman's Perspective Drooling - Oh the ever embarrassing I'm in the middle of saying something and drool just comes out my mouth seemingly out of nowhere. I know there are meds for this, but I'm not quite at the point where dry mouth is preferable. Cramping - If you are living with ALS you most likely are living with muscle cramping. I have my attendant massage my legs, feet, arms and hands every morning. I alternate between using a regular body cream, and Saje Pain Oil. I was once told by a chiropractor that Magnesium helps but that is not proven. Here is an interesting article on the subject; Magnesium for Leg Cramps: Does It Work? What to Do If It Doesn't. Staying hydrated is also important to reduce cramping, and of course there is always the trusty banana! Medical Marijuana, CBD - Click on the following link for answers about popular cannabis questions: "You asked, we answered". Preclinical data from studies show that marijuana may in fact be neuroprotective. It can be useful to treat symptoms of ALS such as pain, muscle cramping, increase appetite, help with sleep, anxiety and depression. THC is the psychoactive ingredient "the high", if you are hesitant you can use CBD only which can relieve symptoms without the high. Check out this article; How Medical Marijuana can help with ALS. According to Does CBD Work for ALS, 73% of people who struggle with ALS, rated CBD highly in helping ease their condition. Turning in Bed - What a strange thing to be at a place where turning over in bed feels like climbing Mt. Everest. Satin sheets never appealed to me, however, I found a great set at Costco that makes turning so much easier, I almost slide when turning. They are the Kirkland Signature 100% Cotton Sateen Sheet Set I think the fact that they are "sateen" and not satin, that makes them comfortable to sleep in. Teeth - Using a toothbrush takes more strength than one can imagine, especially while trying to hold on to my counter to keep from falling down at the same time. Using an electric toothbrush is a great help. Ours is a Philips Sonicare from Costco. It comes with two toothbrushes (so your partner won't get jealous) and travel cases. With that, flossing is near impossible, so we bought a Waterpik Water Flosser again from Costco (I swear they don't give me any money for these recommendations), so much easier. Of course many people think "why even bother going to the dentist when you only have a couple of years to live?". Although never a fun outing, I recommend it because the last thing you need when living with ALS is even more medical issues. Picture Circulation - With a lack of circulation I usually feel cold. When I am cold my muscles work even less than usual. My feet have swollen from a size 8 to a size 9.5. I have had to replace all my footwear. My hands and feet are constantly cold. I hate wearing socks though as I also sweat! To help, I always have my feet in a raised position, and on particularly cold nights I use a hot water bottle. My cat helps by sleeping on my feet! I use wrist warmers at home which helps keep my hands warm and gives me use of my fingers. My fingers are also swollen, so I now wear my wedding rings on a chain around my neck (closer to my heart awwww).
Website: https://healthlinerx.org/
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