Thanks Hal! Hope you are well and having success with your treatment. Yes, I do meditate some, not as much as I should of course. I do a kind of energy work and have for 15 years. Its visualizing energy in channels to clear tension or whatever. I was able to use the technique to clear the body pain I mentioned. So what the doctor is calling a Lupus flare did not last long, about an hour. The techniques don't do much for the Sjogrens symptoms which is dry mouth, eyes. I can't really avoid stress, life just gets really stressful! Plus I like having an active busy life with some excitement. I wouldn't want a stress-free life. But I think being able to turn the stress up and down is helpful and healthy. The "energy work" techniques can turn the stress responses down at the end of the day- or whenever I get a quiet alone space (and am not too lazy or distracted). Sometimes the techniques work well, sometimes they don't do anything- then I go to drugs! haha
Overall, I guess I'm trying to identify and understand the stress link in my auto-immune issues. Though I don't really see how stress affects ITP- I mean I've never seen the connection in the lab numbers. But it must be a factor, if its such a clear factor in lupus symptoms. I am beginning also to look at how food makes a difference in my personal wellness and energy levels, and probably auto-immune stuff. I've gone vegetarian (mostly) and that helps me feel better, plus lost some weight. I quit sugar- that is awesome. And I went for a while without bread- I felt much better, better energy, less bloaty sluggish. But now I've gone back to bread- argghh well, I'm working on that one. Potatoes and pasta do not work at all for me. They drag me down just as white bread does. So at least I am looking at it and making some better choices, if not perfect. Take care- be well.
