I haven't written for awhile - just like many of us, I just didn't feel up to it.
The last six months I had been in a constant flare. With that of course came the depression & anxiety, that only caused more stress and kept in a flare. I was physically hurting so bad I was at the point of suicide. No worries, I'm NOT now. I'm sure many others have felt the same way when dealing with the seemingly endless nightmare we often have to live in on a daily bases.
Anyway, it a last ditch, desperate attempt to find something, anything that would help me. I went to an acupuncturist. After just 6 weekly visits, I feel so much better. I can't even begin to explain how well I feel. Both physically & mentally. I was taking 18 pills a day and still felt terrible, exhausted and always in pain. Now, the only traditional medication Im taking is plaquinal. That and several vitamins.
I've seen acupuncture mentioned here before, but not in awhile. Personally I think it's worth a shot for others to give it a try. I'm not saying it's a cure all or that it will even do anything for any specific person. But I can say that it works for me. My acupuncturist is a wonderful guy that works hand in hand with my Dr. He strongly believes in using western & traditional Chinese medicine together for the greatest positive result.
I guess what Im trying to say / share is that no matter how difficult it gets, there is always something to cling to & hope for. For me it's acupuncture, who knows, maybe it will help someone else in this group.
Take care & ((HUGS)) from a happy & much healthier me.
Flutter, I’m glad to hear you are doing better. Depression is a terrible illness. I find it interesting that acupuncture is helpful. I really know nothing about acupuncture but I think I will read up on it. Is it expensive? I’m sure it is not something that insurance will pay anything on so I’m curious as to the cost.
Thank you for sharing. I hope you continue to feel so well.
Sincerely,
Jen
Acupuncture is amazing. I originally went for terrible pain in my hand as my primary concern. I feel a lot of my depression was related to the constant hand pain. After my initial intake with the acupuncturist, re realized I had many issues going on. His plan for me was to do a complete, whole body treatment, then focus on the hand further down the road if the hand didnt improve. Low & behold, my hand improved slightly after the 1st treatment. Then my depression started to lift. Can't honestly say if the acupuncture helped the depression or the depression lifted because it helped my hand. Either way it dosent matter to me cause I feel better.
An important thing to understand with acupuncture is that each treatment builds upon the previous treatment. Meaning after the 1st treatment, I only had relief for a couple days, then the 2nd week for about 3 / 4 days & so on. It took 4 treatments to get relief to last an entire week until I went to my next appt. My plan consisted of going once a week for 4 weeks, then every other week for 4 visits and then once a month for maintenance. I'm currently at the every other week stage and feeling pain free.
The cost I'm sure will vary depending on where you live & what type of insurance you have. Some insurance do cover acupuncture. Mine covers 10 visits per year, not a lot but it helps. Then you'll have to find an acupuncturist that accepts your insurance. More & more of them are accepting insurance now days as its becoming more of a recognized treatment plan. Be sure to find a licensed acupuncturist - there are a lot of wannabes out there.
Finally, without insurance, just paying cash. My acupuncturist charges $75.00 for the 1st initial visit, which lasted about 2 hrs. He does a complete history with you, asking things you'd never expect where related to health. Each follow up visit, which last about an hr cost $50.00. For me, it's well worth the price. Like I said, Im sure the price varies by different areas & different acupuncturist. Good luck & let me know if you end up see one and how it works for you. Jen said:
Flutter, I'm glad to hear you are doing better. Depression is a terrible illness. I find it interesting that acupuncture is helpful. I really know nothing about acupuncture but I think I will read up on it. Is it expensive? I'm sure it is not something that insurance will pay anything on so I'm curious as to the cost. Thank you for sharing. I hope you continue to feel so well. Sincerely, Jen
Thank you for the information. That doesn’t sound as expensive as I expected. I may have to look into that in our area when I get to feeling really bad.
Hi Flutter thanks for sharing your great news! So glad to hear that you have found something that is helping you. It is also awesome that your Medical Dr and the acupuncture Dr are working together, don't think that happens all the time. Praying that it continues to help! I was seeing a Dr for trigger point injections in my back and neck prior to my Lupus diagnosis. I have not had a chance to get back to see him again. He does also do acupuncture, but my insurance doesn't cover it. I will have to talk to him more about it in the future. Thanks again for the encouragement!
Thanks for sharing this information. I have been considering incorporating more eastern medicine into my healthcare regimine. I think I would like to give acupuncture a try. And the last time I checked, I do believe my insurance covers a certain number of sessions a year. This kind if information is what makes this my go-to site. Nothing beats you guys. Thanks Flutter. :-)