Couch 193: The Aurora Borealis Couch

Might be like other autoimmune disorders where there is something that triggers the development. You would already have genes for it, but they wouldn't be expressed until the triggering event. Sometimes they know the trigger, sometimes not. For example, for my autoimmune condition, the trigger was a certain medication that is associated with inducing the condition. However, every woman on both sides of my family has developed the condition eventually, and I've been told this means I would have, too, with 100% certainty. I've just been unlucky enough to develop it way, way earlier due to the medication. They didn't know I was at risk for developing it at the time because the mother had not developed it, so it wasn't on their radar when I was prescribed the medication. My sister gets routinely tested as she has been told she will have to deal with it at some point.

Wow, or seitan! Which is like pure gluten! Ive always been afraid to try it. Now for sure i wont.

I don't think you need to detox from meat. Of course, I don't really believe in "detoxing" to begin with, unless you mean hemodialysis (kidneys) or liver dialysis. My understanding is the whole idea behind so-called detoxes is that you are flushing your body of toxins. If you typically eat meat, and are now not eating meat, and you think that is the issue that requires a detox, what would be the alleged toxin that needs to be gotten rid of and why is it now present when something has been eliminated, not added, to your diet?

Not really asking, just thinking there seems to be a logic misfire somewhere in there.

Sorry you're not feeling your best. My first line treatment for most things is to go drink some water and have a nap if there's time.

Now I have a craving for some cheese. Cabot's extra sharp cheddar...

Seitan is pretty good, but in the realm of weird things vegetarians eat, I like tempeh better.

OK couchies, I need feedback...
T wants me journaling the stuff between sessions and I suck at it. I think part of it is because I tend to journal about what I want in my life, I don’t journal to let go of things. So I was thinking about a sewing project I did when I asked about my spirituality/god. I left it in his office and he has used it in group work and brought it with him to another program. He has also gone and gotten it when he wants to talk to me more about my spirituality. It opened a lot of communication up for us and I think it helped him see me better in addition to explaining my spirituality. So now I am thinking of journaling in fabric... the god table runner worked out well as far as ease of putting it together and time it took to do...
So... what do you all think about journaling in fabric? And, I am wondering if I should do each one as a table runner or if I should do squares. I am afraid if I do squares they will never be put into a quilt and just get tossed at the end of therapy. If I do table runners I can use them on the table, hang them, or T may keep some.
I used to draw and paint but I am very photorealistic in my art, I don’t like sharing it’s meaning and it takes too much time/concentration.

I'm wondering if I need to get checked for this again. I came up a weak positive in bloodwork at one point for gluten sensitivity, but the number wasn't high enough to test for celiac--basically a number should have been 0, but it was 1, and maybe...I don't know, 5 would have been celiac. But I've been having these weird itchy bumps that come and go like hives, but they don't look like hives, on my arms and legs recently. I looked up dermatitis herpetiformis, which can be a symptom of celiac, and it looks pretty similar. And it's supposed to be really itchy, which this is. And comes and goes in a similar way. I've also had some occasional tingling in legs and arms, which could be neuropathy maybe?

I forget--were you diagnosed by your GP? Or did you see a specialist, like a GI doc? I know in my last blood test, late last year, stuff like liver enzymes were normal.

I suppose if it turns out I have celiac, it would certainly give me a good incentive to give up beer...(could still have some wine or cider, I guess, though I don't like cider, unless it's based on pear instead of apple).

Hm, I just took this test, and it says I'm at increased risk. Interesting that anxiety and depression are on there...and migraine. and fatigue. and muscle aches. and eczema (all of which I have).

Not a horrible idea but it seems very time consuming. It's good to express yourself in any way you can but will these art options help you express how you feel or will they do the same as journaling and basically highlight goals?

Have you ever considered writing a letter? Reading it out loud can be powerful in session. Write a letter to T, or your younger self, or a friend, or whatever. Maybe having that mindset of writing what you want to say will help you get things out that you need to

I'm stuck in a depressive state. I'm unsure how much longer I can cope. I'm about to go back to another job I hate.... which will only add to it. My desire to self punish never ends I guess.

I don't see why one wouldn't journal in fabric if that is what one wanted to try doing.
I am not all that visual arts-ish sort so it would not be my thing, but as there are any number of fabric artists out there - I think many people find value in it.
I find it useful to write stories in the second person.
I personally never found the letter writing technique to help me at all but others seem to do so.

If you want to try fabric go for it. Perhaps you could also try photos?

My instagram account feels like a journal to me in some ways.

Hi couch. Hugs and headnods all around.

I am often amazed when people take photos of stuff. I saw some online thing where people just post photographs.

One of our friends travels a lot in his retirement and he often posts photos of places he's visiting I love seeing them, kinda like electronic postcards or something.

I am the sort who enjoys writing and receiving letters, but never saw the point of post cards unless people wrote a lot on the writing side. I have friends who are retired and travel around in an rv. They are always sending me pictures of random trees and rocks. I don't see the point. It doesn't bother me - it more baffles me.

My dogs are playing with one of their favorite toys - an empty seltzer bottle. It makes an incredible amount of noise and pisses off the cats. But the dogs are delighted.

I would just talk to your PCP at your next appointment. I only got here because a) regular blood work showed elevated liver enzymes, b) liver ultrasound was negative, and c) more specialized bloodwork had two positive tests for celiac. (Eta: I think it’s more typical to show up with gi symptoms.)

You ate gf for a while—did you feel any different?

Those are beautiful!

.

I am shocked!

I am shocked!!!

Dunno which one I like more .

Can you buy from another store?

I wouldn't want to go back to somewhere like that.

I wouldn't want others reading what I had written but at the moment I'd like to have a postcard wall of all the places I've been.

OK, a search of my email shows I tried that in 2012. I was slightly wrong about those test numbers--it was supposed to be 0, I got a 5, celiac is generally 20 or higher. So the doc had said I might be gluten-intolerant. I think I only did GF for maybe a few weeks? A month, tops. I don't think I felt enough of a difference, but I wasn't as strict as I could have been. And I've read that it can take more than a month to clear out of your body. Maybe I should just try going GF again? Not sure.

Also, in the email search, I found that one of D's tests maybe 4 years ago had a potential marker for celiac. I'm not sure we ever pursued that further. Perhaps we should...

Yay T agreed old Pdoc might help and I just called her office. As much as I liked the old receptionist I was glad it was someone different... Pdoc will work with me again and I have an intake scheduled it isn’t for a month but they have me on a cancelation list... it has been three years but I get Awesome Pdoc back and Awesome T...

Edited to delete too many dancing chillies.

There is no such thing as too many dancing chilis in my book!

I dont think they have choices there, except in sheep. Its like living on Mars, they have to ship everything in.