Wow, everyone, I'm amazed and grateful at the immediacy and supportiveness
of your responses! Thank you.
I'd like to follow up on a couple of points that were raised in your
responses. I hope my netiquette is ok in codifying it all into one email.
First, Dr. Messmer, have you found, as Nancy Fontana pointed out, that the
medicines begin to lose their effectiveness after a while? Also, when you
say that stress reduction can reduce the need for medication, is it possible
for stress reduction to completely obviate the need for medication? My GI
doc seems to imply that if I go off the drugs, I am asking for a flare-up.
Am I doomed if I do, doomed if I don't?
Next, John Link, I've heard of Feldenkrais and enjoyed visiting the web site
you recommended. One question it didn't answer is how it differs from
Alexander Technique, which I've been studying for several years. (I also
practice yoga. It just goes to show you that relaxation techniques are only
helpful if you actually use them to relax!!)
And finally, several people have mentioned holistic alternatives, and I am
open to trying things. But how do you know where to start or what you're
getting? There seem to be so many choices for alternative care; how do you
go about finding what's right for you? How long a trial period do you give
a treatment before deciding it isn't working? (I tried homeopathy for 1.5
months before I went to a GI doc. Maybe it would've worked if I'd stayed
with it for another few weeks; I'll never know.) Also, if you choose a
holistic method over allopathic for a condition that has a stress component,
how do you handle the clucks and skeptical looks and familial pressure to
make more "conventional" choices?
Thank you all again for sharing your wisdom and support.
Pat
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| | Replies | Name/Email | Yahoo! ID | Date | Size | | 10133 | Re: MED: ulcerative colitis, relaxation, and rela | John Link | | Sun 3/11/2001 | 4 KB | | 10134 | Re: MED: ulcerative colitis, relaxation, and rela | John Link | | Sun 3/11/2001 | 2 KB | | 10136 | Re: MED: ulcerative colitis, relaxation, and rela | Greypins@a... | Greypins@a... | Sun 3/11/2001 | 3 KB | | 10154 | Re: MED: ulcerative colitis, relaxation, and rela | John Messmer, M.D. | | Mon 3/12/2001 | 3 KB | | 10167 | Re: MED: ulcerative colitis, relaxation, and rela | MFoxy9795@a... | MFoxy9795@a... | Mon 3/12/2001 | 2 KB |
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