Microdermabrasion

[elephant]

I have been thinking about getting microdermabrasion, either the over the counter product or professional. I was wondering is this bad for our WG?

[Sangye]

I think that's a question for a Wegs specialist.

Though my gut is squirming at the thought of it.... Our connective tissue heals much slower because of the meds. It seems like the risk of infection would be quite high too, as any disruption or irritation to skin is always a potential site of infection. Pred thins the skin and weakens blood vessels. Our bodies are working triple overtime to deal with Wegs, the drugs and the imbalances created. There is only so much energy that can go to healing when so much goes to detoxifying, controlling/reacting to inflammation and trying to maintain homeostasis. It'll be interesting to hear what the Wegs doc says, though.

[elephant]

Thanks Sangye, I will ask her when I see her in June. My skin has gone to pot since this disease! My Vanity can wait!

[Sangye]

Are you taking antioxidants?

[elephant]

No, just eating foods like blueberrie, raisens, wild sockeye salmon, grapes, walnuts, almonds....no pills. Any suggestions?

[Sangye]

Most OTC brands stink. I only take supplements that must be ordered by a health care professional--higher quailty, standardized dosing, batch testing, etc... It's a big reason why I think people should see holistic physicians for nutrition issues. There's a reason we don't buy our own supplements from health food stores.

[elephant]

What company do you use? My friend use to work at GNC and she does not recommend it. Long story....

[Sangye]

Oh yeah-- GNC is famous for selling garbage.

I use several brands. My favorite is Standard Process, but I'm not able to take most of the supplements I need from them because they're too good at stimulating the immune system! They use whole foods (truly, not like health food store supplements claim to) and I always got the best results from them for myself and my patients.

My second favorite is Biotics. They have great standards and right now most of the supplements I take are from them.

Other great companies are Metagenics and Thorpe. There are more, I just don't remember the names!

[elephant]

Thanks Sangye again!

[jola57]

Sangye, a professional question. My friend has a slipped disc from work. He goes to a chiropractor (2 weeks now) how long before he starts to see improvement and how long before the pain goes significantly away.

[Sangye]

Jolanta, there's no way I can answer that with so little information. It depends on many factors and requires a thorough history and exam.

What I can say is this: If he's following the chiropractor's instructions accurately, then the doctor should be able to give him a reasonable time frame for improvement. If he's not meeting those goals (eg X% improvement within 2 weeks) then the doc will do a re-evaluation and determine what to do. It may mean changing treatment strategy and/or getting further diagnostic testing (eg MRI). Even if he is meeting the goals, the doc will do a re-evaluation at given intervals to make sure everything is on track.

[jola57]

Thank you i will let him know to give these questions to his doc

[Sangye]

His chiro should have discussed all that with him. If not, he should definitely ask why not. It's a bit awkward to bring it up, but it's standard practice (and required by law) for any doctor to discuss diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and options. If his doc is unwilling to have that discussion, he should find a new doc. This is true for any doctor-- holistic, medical, etc....

Sometimes doctors (all kinds) explain things poorly and/or talk over a patient's head. Patients nod and say they understand, when they might not have a clue. If that's happened with your friend, it's best to just tell the doc "I need to review some things again." Going to a chiropractor can be overwhelming at first-- lots of new info, a totally different way to look at the world.

[jola57]

I think this is what happened, he did not understand fully what it means to have a slipped disc. He talked it over with my hubby and followed recomendations of his chiro and family doc. He is feeling much better.