Your book sounds good, writing is very therapeutic and it keeps your hands busy so you can't smoke. Hang in there - you're doing great. Some day you will look back and be happy you endured.

Hope your intestines stop freaking on you. Are you taking any meds that slow your system? If so, maybe lay off those a bit (unless of course you really need them) until your system stablizes.

So sorry about your relationship with your mother. I had no contact with mine for over a year. I wasn't able to compete with the bottle for her affection. She finally did what she had to do to get back into my life, and so we're talking again now, though there's more distance than before. She doesn't notice though, as the booze is still there. At least we can be in the same space; that's something. Maybe you'll get to the same place with your Mum eventually. Right now, you've got enough on your plate dealing with your own battles. I just wish you all the best in your fight to quit smoking. I know you can do it!

Chelsea, How are things going? We haven't heard from you, hope you are doing well.

Yeah, just want to let you know we are thinking of you...hope all is well
quitting smoking is easy...staying a non-smoker is the tough part!
David

Ehh...I'm...alright. The hardest part of this whole thing is knowing that my brother has a carton of marlboros right next to his bed. I could have a cigarette any time of the day I wanted to. But I won't. Because I know that if I pick up a cigarette, then I will smoke for the rest of my life because there is NO WAY I will ever go through this again.

Oh and I saw my mom today....she looks like a trainwreck. She's lost sooooo much weight, I'd imagine she's down to atleast 95lbs (she's about 5'4". Her muscles have all atrophied and its a very...ehhh bad sight. She's just so stubborn and won't get off her feet and hip, even though they're BROKEN. Agh. She's gonna have a mean case of arthritis in a few years.

Hey Chelsea -
Glad to see your posting. Sorry things are difficult. Happy to hear you're still a non-smoker. It's tough when people around you still smoke.

Sorry to hear about your mom. For prevention and help with arthitis, does she take glucosomine sulfate with MSM? It's been proven to reverse osteoarthritis. Take 3 grams/day, make sure it is a good brand. The only way you will know is by going to consumerslab.com. Many supplements don't have what is listed on the label since there is no FDA oversight (yet). One more thing, don't take prescription anything for osteo, Celebrex and company will only mask the symptoms while accelerating the disease, nice huh? I stole this information from allexperts.com See link below.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Osteoarthritis-3542/Osteoarthritis.htm

I take glucosomine sulfate with MSM all the time for my wrists. If I go a few weeks without taking them they start to hurt. I know a lot of UC suffers often get arthritis so I thought it was worth throwing out there.

You're doing great, hang in there! We're all rooting for you.

I wouldn't count on glucosamine to reverse osteoarthritis. The recent data indicates that it may slow or stop the progression, but not reverse it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&d...t&list_uids=17257091

http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/alttherapies/glucosamine.asp

I took glucosamine and chondroitin for a couple of years for my enteropathic arthritis in the hopes that it would prevent progression. At the time I didn't know I had enteropathic arthritis. Didn't do much for me and when I had to stop taking Motrin, I really found out that the glucosamine did not help me. Wound up with sacroiliitis and am now on Humira and meloxicam (Mobic).

One thing for sure, it doesn't hurt to try because it is virtually harmless.

Jan

Re: Chondroitin. Early studies showed that Chondroitin was was effective and so most supplements contain it since it has the name recognition. However, due to it being a large molecule, it doesn't get absorbed well. Glucosamine sulfate with MSM has smaller molecules and therefore works better as it is absorbed easier.

Personally, I'll swear by it (glucosomine sulfate w/MSM) since it helps me, but of course everybodies bodies act differently.

Like you said Jan, it may not actually reverse it especially if it's so bad it's bone on bone since there needs to be some cartlidge to 'seed'. Also, using steriods at the same time will cancel it out and it won't work.

And I don't know of any studies for this done on enteropathic arthritis. Since it's auto-immune related I think it's different. So that may be why it didn't work for you.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Gutless Wondergirl,

Good point about the MSM. I don't think it was combined that way when I was taking it. The studies I looked at were glucosamine alone.

Jan

So...I'm a smoker again. I can't believe I went six days and ruined it. Today was the first day I had to deal with my mother since quitting. She's just so ignorant, I can't deal with her. Not to mention shes ruining everything. She left my dad for a younger guy, this guy almost killed her but theyre "sooooo in love." And now that her boyfriend lost his job (he was an officer), she decided to take everything away from my dad. Shes going after his company and all his life savings. I just can't believe how cold hearted she is. I need my cigarettes right now. My home life is just too out of control to get rid of my one and only coping mechanism.

Thank you everyone for the support, I tried my hardest.

I have been following your post and let me say I am sorry you went back; however, sometimes in life its about timeing.. and this may not be the right time. Regroup, try and sort issues out the best you can and when you are ready give it another shot. Hope life sorts out for you and good luck

I'm so sorry about your situation Chelsea. JasonPa is right, timing is everything. So don't beat yourself up about it. You know you can go 6 days now. That's quite an accomplishment. Whenever the proper time avails itself, you can try again. Take care of yourself and don't feel bad about going back.

Chelsea, Timing IS everything. Right now you have alot of stress in your life, more than anyone your age should have. So, give yourself a break and handle one thing at a time. You did if for 6 days, and that was an accomplishment, and you'll do it again, when the time is right. Hang in there,

janna

Chelsea,
6 days is quite an acclomplishment!
WHEN (not if, right?) you try to quit again we will be here to help you - let us know when you are ready to try again
David

Like I said before timing is everything... 6 days is a great start and you know you can do it I think stress will put more "nails...." then the cigs at this time.. So I am not going to use scare tacts. just here to support you and let you know I understand why you went back and I am sure in time you will be ready to fght it again Good luck and I agree with janna and Indy