postural hypotension...or I get light headed when I stand up!!!

"Central and cerebrovascular effects of leg crossing in humans with sympathetic failure"
Mark P.M. Harms,* Wouter Wieling,* Willy N.J.M. Colier,† Jacques W.M. Lenders,‡ Niels H. Secher,§ and Johannes J. van Lieshout*
click the link above to read the article or go to:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2825733/?tool=pubmed

I read this article earlier today and thought to myself that it made sense to me that if you crossed your legs and kept gravity from helping the blood to flow down in to your legs that you probably would have more circulating blood for your heart and brain!! Just saying...makes sense to me!

For people with CFS/ME sometimes postural hypotension can be a real issue. I tend to tip over and fall if I try to get up too quick so I think I will try this procedure for a couple days and see if it works with me. One thing I can see with this study is there seems to be as many researchers as there were people being studied and more ways to skew the results because of so many cooks stirring the pot. Worth a try though!

Denied Disability 04/21/2011

Well I am not very happy tonight for many reasons not the least of which I received notification from Social Security that I didn't meet their criteria for disability. They said and I quote, "Although you are experiencing pain in your back, you are able to sit, stand, bend, and walk well enough to do some type of work. Your arthritis causes you some pain and discomfort; however you can still move well enough to so some types of work. Although you have pain and discomfort in your joints you can move them well enought to do some kinds of work. Although you sometimes experience depression, there are no signs of a severe mental illness that keeps you from working. Most of the time you can think clearly and carry out normal activities. Although you sometimes experience memory problems, most of the time you can think clearly and carry out normal activities. While we find that the pain of your condition does further limit you to some extent, you can still do some types of work. Medical evidence does not show any other impairments which keep you from working."

I don't know how they can decide the way they do. I was told that they never give out disability unless it is a life threatening issue on the first go around and that you have to appeal or hire a lawyer to get the disability started for you. It just doesn't seem fair to cause all the physical and mental anguish this brings about to the person and their families. I haven't worked in almost 7 months now and before that I had not worked full time for 2 months because of physical issues. Our lifestyle has changed drastically over that time. Things I used to take for granted are now a luxury. I can't even afford the freaking medications that keep me halfway feeling 'normal'. I have become so accustomed to being in pain and hurting I don't know that I would know what it was like not to hurt. There are days I am in bed more than out because of the pain or fatigue. I just wonder if they even think about that before they deny people? They say I can do some work...where will I find a job that pays $35/hr plus differentials? They even said in the denial letter that based on information about what an RN does I am capable of doing this type of work. I wake up every morning and it takes 2-3 hours to get rid of the brain fog I have. I am fine for the next 2-3 hours but then I start getting tired again and the truth is I don't have all the mental issues until I get tired. Do you want me taking care of your loved one when I can't remember what I am suppose to be doing? Most hospitals only hire on a 12 hour shift now days. I can't make it 3-4 hours now. I was on my feet at least 8 hours of that time and I can't do that now.
I don't know what to do. I almost feel too tired to do much of anything tonight so I will wait till morning to make a decision. I do know that I will appeal the finding, get my doctor to say he doesn't think I can do it and see what happens from there.

It has been an interesting week for me. The beginning of the week I was in bed most of Monday, all of Tuesday, and most of Wednesday. Couldn't hardly move and get around. I went to the grocery on Wednesday then came home and didn't go out again until late Friday to get my hair cut and go to a scrapbooking crop at my friends store.

The crop was to run from 10am till 2am on Friday and Saturday then from 10am till 4pm on Sunday. Needless to say I didn't attend the whole party! I got there about 6 pm on Friday and made it till 2am then went home to bed and slept till 2pm on Saturday after noon. I was at the store by 4pm and stayed until 2am again. Sunday I went and picked up my stuff. I couldn't get out of bed until way late. I used to be able to go all day long each day but not anymore!
When I left there I was so tired I could hardly move. I am the one on the left...don't I look fried? No drugs so that was all natural gorked outness!

Compare that picture with this one taken on Saturday March 26th with the kids class! It was about 1:30pm and I was feeling good. Didn't feel a need for a nap or anything.
I think I get to feeling good(and Saturday and Sunday I felt good) so I do a lot of stuff (probably over did things) and ended up paying for it in down days.

I am a slow learner and have done this a number of times. I need to learn to pace myself a little better and not think like I am super woman on the up days!

Hope you have a good week!