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Ellen S
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New Neurologist

Oh no, Donna. I'm so sorry! Was this guy a movement disorder specialist??

Replied Nov 10

Who is getting a flu shot

Facts about the seasonal flu vaccine and autoimmunity from the Lupus foundation of America- "Sometimes a vaccine can trigger autoimmune flares, but this is usually self-limited, involving several ...

Tagged: immune, shot, H1N1, flu

Replied Nov 6

Who is getting a flu shot

Those with autoimmunity issues need to carefully consider vaccination so they can make appropriate personal choices. The first key to good choices is education and understanding. About H1N1 vaccina...

Tagged: immune, shot, H1N1, flu

Replied Nov 6

BioPortfolio News

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Welcome to WEGO Health! To visit my blog, click the link under my photo

Latest Activity

Goodness sakes, Ellen! I have been dealing with some undiagnosed sleep problem for a few months now. At first I thought that it was because of living in Portland (sad I'll miss you while you visit Oregon, by the way), but even after moving I haven...
yesterday
Ellen S added 2 discussions to the group Sleep Problems
on Sunday
Ellen S added 2 blog posts
on Sunday
Using my new Back Joy - will it really help??
on Sunday
Ellen S added a discussion to the group Depression & Anxiety
I recently posted on my blog (Circadian rhythm disruption and manic depression link in children) about a study that was released in the journal BMC Psychiatry, which linked a specific gene that is responsible for disrupted circadian rhythms and bi...
on Sunday
Ellen S added a discussion to the group Mental Health
I recently posted on my blog (Circadian rhythm disruption and manic depression link in children) about a study that was released in the journal BMC Psychiatry, which linked a specific gene that is responsible for disrupted circadian rhythms and bi...
on Sunday
Update, I can now also be found on twitter as @wegoAmy as well as @Abeeliever ! Please tweet me and let's get connected!
on Friday
Ellen S added a discussion to the group Sleep Problems
I admit it - I've wanted a new mattress for years. It wasn't a priority until recently however. A recent purchase of a new memory foam mattress from BedInABox got me thinking about all the different kinds and brands of mattresses I've tried throug...
on Wednesday
Ellen S added a discussion to the group Chronic Pain
The causes for back pain are as numerous as the people who suffer from it. As Health Activists, what products for chronic back pain have you found or heard of as effective? What are your personal favorites? I have always been a prevention nut, p...
on Wednesday
Back Joy - Will this product help my chronic back pain? Stay tuned!
on Wednesday
I just came across this study about how text messages helped pediatric liver transplant patients adhere to their medication schedules...pretty exciting stuff! Thought you might enjoy it: http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2009/11/6/study-text-mes...
November 10
Oh no, Donna. I'm so sorry! Was this guy a movement disorder specialist??
November 10
Good luck today hun. Be sure and let us know how it all goes. Big virtual (((hugs))) to you...!
November 10
I've suffered from sleep issues and hot flashes for years now. I always wondered if there was a connection between the two. I find that stress triggers hot flashes and night sweats for me. I think this whole issue is like the "chicken and the egg"...
November 8
i am grateful that social security has added sjogrens' syndrome to the blue book. it was not listed specifically until after i became disabled due to depression. i've had depression since i was a follicle in my mom's ovary. depite this and sjogen'...
November 8
I have tons of people with apnea, includig myself. It is too easy for doctors to say "Oh, you are overweight, so that is why you snore". Yes, being overweight CAN be the cause, but several people I know are not overweight, again, including myself....
November 8
We discuss abstinence of caffeine all the time. We have touched on Adenosine, but not much. Thanks for this post! My migraines occur like yours. When my emotions crash after a stressful situation, then the migriane comes in. But, also smells, like...
November 8
Well, I can tell you that most of our discussions about gabapentin have to do with calming Restless Legs Syndrome. many people take it for their RLS in my communities, but as far as taking it for sleep, if your RLS is quieter you will sleep better...
November 8
In my groups that I manage there is no such thing as "TMI"; too much information. we discuss hot flashes, and yes, men have them , too. I have several men in my groups exploring the question of hormones and testosterone levels, as well as men. We ...
November 8
Wow! And here I thought it was just me? I always blamed menopause for having those middle of the night blasts of hot desert air. Most forums that I come in contact with, we joke about what a blessing and a curse that menopause is. The fact that we...
November 7

Profile Information

In the online health communities I participate in, I'm:
a Librarian (Passionate researcher)
The online health resource I contribute to most frequently is:
http://www.wegohealth.com
This site is:
a community I manage/moderate, a community I contribute to, my blog
Another place where I contribute is:
http://twitter.com/eschnak
Which is:
my twitter
I’m also on:
http://wholelifeliving.ning.com/profile/EllenSchnakenberg
It's:
a community I contribute to, my profile on another website
You can also find me at:
http://illnesstwitters.ning.com/profile/EllenSchnakenberg
This is:
a community I manage/moderate, a community I contribute to, my profile on another website
More about me (my health interests and reasons for joining WEGO Health)

It took me a long time to warm up to the title Health Activist, but I've slowly come around to it. :) Becoming an active part of my own health care team led me to participation and research online, and eventually to WEGO Health!

Migraine attacks have been a part of my life for approximately 30 yrs. I have intractable Migraine with and without auras, which are usually very profound and disabling, as well as Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalgias which include Hemicrania Continua and Chronic Cluster Headache. I also live with Raynaud's, Lupus, Auto-immune Thyroid Disease, Insulin Resistance and a rare movement disorder called Dystonia which complicates my treatment. It's been a long road so, I have experience as a patient of Allopathic, Osteopathic, Chiropractic, Homeopathic and Complementary Medicine practitioners throughout the mid-western United States.

My home is in the country surrounded by the beautiful, picturesque rolling hills of Northeast Missouri where I live with my husband, occasionally my 2 semi-grown children and several pets

Although my health issues have forced me to retire from my jobs as both an equine reproduction manager and emergency dispatcher, I strive to maintain a positive attitude and sense of humor, and choose to use my unique experiences to help educate others as well as myself in our journey toward optimal health for better living.

Favorite Quotes:

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work." ~T.Edison

"Well behaved women rarely make history"

"You don't quit fighting a gorilla when you get tired, you quit when the gorilla gets tired."

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." Maya Angelou

"I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars." ~Og Mandino


That legal stuff:

The photos I have posted throughout this site are personal. I either hold the copyright, or have used it with permission from someone else who holds the copyright. They are not for use for any reason or by anyone without written permission by the copyright holder. Thank you.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of any sites.

Hope is the thing with feathers.....

Ellen S's Blog

Ellen S

9 sleep problems

A recent CNN article was passed to me and I wanted to comment on it here. The name of the article is How to solve 9 sleep problems By Sally Wadyka.

The first words at the top of the page are huge - you can't miss them, even if you weren't looking for them - REAL SIMPLE

Okay, got my attention!

Like most people, I'm one that prefers shortcuts when I can find them. Tell me it's going t… Continue

Posted on November 14, 2009 at 10:00pm — 1 Comment

Ellen S

Circadian rhythm disruption and manic depression link in children

The regulatory gene RORB results in disruption of the body's circadian clock, and a recent research article has linked 4 different variations in the same RORB gene to manic depression (aka bipolar disorder) in children.

The journal BMC Psychiatry reported that a recent test of almost 300 children resulted in the link, leaving the study's scientists to state "Our findings suggest that clock genes in general and RO… Continue

Posted on November 13, 2009 at 6:30pm —

Ellen S

Sleep deprivation, hot flashes - linked, but not how we thought

"Private summers"
"Mini tropical vacation"
"My own personal trip around the sun"


Whatever you choose to call them, hot flashes are not just "sweatin'" - - to the oldies. I've known an unlucky few to suffer with them in their early twenties. *raises hand* They're also not reserved just for women. Even men going thru androgen deprivation therapy for cancer, or those with hormonal trouble experience these unwelcome instant trips to the sun and back.

Those of us dealing with hot flas… Continue

Posted on November 7, 2009 at 9:30pm — 2 Comments

Ellen S

Understanding scientific studies - Retrospective and Prospective

As Health Activists, we frequently read research studies and pass along the great information we've found within them to our communities and groups. We may use studies to back up or refute articles we wish to write or editorialize, or points we wish to make when entering or starting discussions.

Understanding research studies isn't that difficult once you become familiar with the terms and their meanings.

Not all scientific evidence is created equal. In fact there are significant differences i… Continue

Posted on November 7, 2009 at 2:00pm —

Ellen S

Lose sleep, feel more pain - beginning a dialogue

Pain and sleep leaders - we need your help!

A short statement made to me about my doctors recently got me thinking...

The statement was about the story of the blind men and the elephant. Each blind man felt a different part of the elephant and assumed the elephant was something different than what it was. My doctor told me,

"Everybody sees a different part of the elephant."

Nobody was seeing the complete picture - just a tiny portion. This can be tough when you're the elephant and need help!… Continue

Posted on November 6, 2009 at 4:10pm —

Comment Wall (162 comments)

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At 5:09pm on November 5, 2009, Barbara Engle said…
I look forward to viewing your links and adding them to my information

Big Hug Barbara
At 10:16pm on November 1, 2009, Stales said…
Hi there! I'm looking forward to working with all of you!
At 10:22pm on October 28, 2009, paindfoot said…
I have now been to 4 different surgeons, none have ever seen the damage that has been done to my left foot. When normal feet are flat they have no curve in their metatarsal area. Due to mine I now have an 1 1/2 inch shift in the bones in there. No regular shoes fit. I mainly wear danskin slippers at home. One doctor went so far as to tell me to wear nothing at all times. Mine are so bad that I can be walking at home on the flat floor and snap a bone. Ouch. My ways for handling pain is rest, ice, heat and ibuprofen. When that fails I try opiate pain pills, but hate the way my mind feels like it is stuffed full of cotton. Mainly I just restrict what I do which makes me very cranky. Most of the time I grin and bear it. My last foray into to much ibuprofen, left me with a perforated ulcer, and almost death. So now I am very very careful about who and what I take. It wasn't just ibuprofen but it was a great influence.
At 7:52pm on October 23, 2009, paindfoot said…
Hi Ellen S. My name is Terrie and I was born with flat arches which appartently started my problems but I grew up on a huge fram with lots of cows and horses. I was an only girl out of four kids and worked very hard trying to keep up with all the chores. Due to over work and poor medical attention to both of my feet I developed open metatarsal fractures on both feet that are so out of whack that the only recourse now is to go in and rebuild both feet. My only problem is the surgeons can't promise that they will be any better than they are now, nor can they also say that they will not go right back to being the way they are. I suffer from RLS plus the nerves in my toes are also misfiring so I have alot of problems sleeping at night. I have in voluntarily kicked my partner many times. I live with chronic pain day in and day out but hate to take pills just to mask my symptoms. The surgeons have offered to sever the nerves in my feet but only on one side of each toe. I would rather feel my pain and know my limits rather than partially feel nothing.
At 11:21am on October 17, 2009, Canary3 said…
Dear Ellen,How are you? Are those new Docs working with you and trying to really make an improvement? You stated you may be poss.hospitalized in near future,sure pray everything will work out for the better. Thankgoodness for your husband @ your side. You are there watching over all of us,stay strong Ellen. Will be thinking of you and your husband.
 
 
 

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