Make Me or Buy Me Monday: Lego Tables

Lately I've been seeing a lot of Lego table pins on Pinterest. While I don't have any kiddos, it did get me wondering about which would really be a better deal: making it or buying it?

Lego Tables: Buy Me?

One of the biggest concerns for anyone with severe allergies is in furniture, with pressed wood having a huge potential for all sorts of reactions. I have to admit, when I looked on Amazon for an idea as to prices for a new lego table, I was really quite surprised!

Blip Toys Lego Table

The cheapest one I found was this Blip Toys Lego Activity Table on sale for $94.99. In my personal opinion, this doesn't look like something you would want to keep out in a family room, and might get lost in the chaos of a kid's room. The reviews aren't that great, and refer to it being a "get what you pay for" piece. What? People shelled out 100 bucks for this and that's cheap? Surely that can't be the case, right? Wrong.

Lego Compatible Heavy Duty Table

Seeking out tables with good reviews (after all, I'm assuming a parent would make a quality table), I ended up at this Lego Compatible Heavy Duty Table-32"x32" made from real hardwood in the United States. The price? A cool $289.95- on sale! There are a number of similar tables from the same maker, all with excellent reviews as to the sturdiness. Plus, Lego brand blocks actually work with it well, as opposed to some others. But that's a lot of money for something that looks so simple!

Lego Tables: Make Me?

PreK + K Sharing's Lego Table

One of the easiest Lego table tutorials on Pinterest is courtesy of PreK + K Sharing's Blog. For less than $30, she made her own, using some handy IKEA buys. It looks both classy and sturdy, and super simple! It would not, however, be the best choice for someone with a latex allergy, though if you had an extra wood side table, you'd be good to go! (There's latex in pressed wood, you know!)

The Kids Play Ideas Lego Table

If you already have an old side table or nightstand laying around doing a whole lot of nothing, you can make a Lego table even cheaper! One handy parent on Kids Play Ideas upcycled their old side table into a handy Lego table complete with storage! With just some screws, nuts, and bolts, and a Lego plate (currently $10.62 on Amazon), they made an awesome toy and storage piece with a little ingenuity!

Lego Tables: The Take Home

The "cheap" Lego tables are expensive, but require little effort to put together. The more expensive ones will last for years to come. You can make your own Lego table with a little craftiness, some time, and less than thirty bucks. So which is it for you? Make me or buy me? The cute little Lego man is waiting....

My Favorite Allergy-Free Craft Supplies

As you've seen in my previous posts, I've had to modify every area of my life to live with a latex allergy. This includes crafting! Latex or other chemicals are in so many items it's unbelievable, so I've rounded up some of my favorite supplies to share with you. Some just make my life easier in general, others I've researched to ensure I don't react. Manufacturers think it's fun to constantly change their processes and add in unpleasant surprises, though, so if you have allergies as well, be sure to contact the manufacturer before purchasing anything.

This Cricut Paper Trimmer is a lifesaver when it comes to my upcycled magazine crafts. Plus, it's on sale for $7.97 right now- reduced from $29.99! It's great for scrapbooking or any other paper crafts and ensures smooth, even cuts with the sliding razor blade. The blade is securely covered so that klutzes don't cut themselves- myself included! I can stack at least 5 pages at a time to cut, usually more. It's made entirely of plastic (aside from the metal blade), so no reactions there! (I do always let everything air out for at least a couple of days regardless of what it is made from, just to be on the safe side.)





I just received a 30-count pack of Elmer's Washable All-Purpose School Glue Sticks a couple days ago. While back-to-school sales on glue sticks are always the best, I'm almost out of glue sticks, and I have to be picky. Fortunately, these are free of all my allergens, including gluten and latex. This pack is $14.75, which averages out to around 49 cents per glue stick. I use these for my magazine paper crafts too, and they work just as well as the more expensive glue sticks that I used to use.


Instead of Mod Podge I make my own sealant from a 50/50 mix of water and Elmer's Glue-All . I know some people don't like this mixture, but I've used it for at least a couple years and my coasters are still good. The best deal is to buy a gallon of it, which is on sale right now for $16.07. Buying the gallon size is at least 10 cents cheaper per ounce than smaller containers, and it lasts a long time!


Some of my crafts, like my paper flowers, I offer in a variety of colors. I've found that the easiest, most effective, and cheapest method of coloring old paper is to use a simple watercolor wash. I've found that Crayola's 8ct Washable Watercolors is both up to the task and affordable. Most importantly, it's allergy friendly! This particular one is available in an add-on for $1.97 if you need a little extra to bump up your order to $25 for free shipping. (Prime members get free two-day shipping on tons of stuff and it's very affordable for anyone that does a lot of online shopping.)

While these are just a few of my go-to craft supplies, they are some of my most used and tested. As always, be sure to check Amazon prices before checking out as they do change frequently. :)

It's a Plan! (A Blog Plan, That Is!)

Like most people, I work better with a mapped-out plan. Following the advice of bloggers that are way more experienced than me, I've developed a little plan as to what to expect:

Monday: Make Me or Buy Me Monday

• From vegetable stock to toys, I'll be comparing an online deal on a product with making it yourself. While I'm guilty of using the saying "everything is better homemade," it's not always actually the case! I'll present both options and you can draw your own conclusions. 

Tuesday: Recipes or Food

• It is ridiculous how many foods I am allergic to now, making it incredibly difficult to stick to a four day rotation. As I work my way through a recipe box full of allergy friendly recipes, I'll share with you my successes (and failures!).

Wednesday: Sewing, Craft, or DIY

• My world was turned upside down by a latex allergy, resulting in having to get rid of lots of craft supplies, items to upcycle, and most of my wardrobe. With beginner sewing skills and hardly anything to spend, I'll be sharing my latest projects and any tips I pick up along the way.

Friday: Fibro Friday- or Other Health Stuff

• Chronic illness has changed my life, but since I've been diagnosed with fibro for so many years, I'm learning to deal with it as best as I can. It's the countless diagnoses on top that seem to put me over the edge into almost being an invalid.I'll let you know what works for me and what doesn't, along with any information that may help you cope better.

Saturday: Savings Saturdays

• A roundup of some of my favorite deals on the 'net and tips on saving money. I'm a cheapskate and I always have been!

Everywhere in Between

• Whatever floats my boat, including flash sales, Amazon deals, and probably some gardening whatnot. 

We'll see how this plan goes. I'm hoping it will help keep me on the track of healing from my surgery and from all the other chaos in my body while helping you save time on searching for deals and information!

My Thoughts on Disability

A couple months ago I finally gave in and applied for disability (it may be longer, my memory is fuzzy). I've fought against doing so since I was first diagnosed at the young age of 14, but between the fibromyalgia, sleep disorders, and pain from ovarian cysts, at the time I was awake maybe 3 hours a day, tops.

Unless you are diagnosed with something life-threatening, such as cancer, generally you can expect to be denied when you first apply, which I expected. I didn't expect to be angry when I received the first denial letter about a week ago, but I was.

After I saw the letter, which I fought my husband to look at since I was allergic to it, I glanced out the window. There was my neighbor, standing on his porch and smoking. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not a judgmental person. And my neighbor has always been very respectful, never smoking on our property. He's really a wonderful neighbor and has been helpful when he hasn't had to be.

But last year he was placed on disability through his work for having a very limited lung capacity. This is all due to his choice to smoke all these years. What does he do now? I don't really know, aside from an active social life, but I do know that he smokes and drinks beer.

Here's my issue.

Why is it that an individual that causes their disability is able to obtain assistance so easily and quickly, without jumping through hoops and going to a bajillion doctors, while one who didn't cause their disability has to literally risk their life to (maybe) qualify?

Way back when, I worked in social work and saw this all the time. There are so many people living off the system, spending the money they receive in assistance on cigarettes and beer. People that have caused their disability rather than fought against it for years. People that continue to worsen it by refusing to modify their habits or lifestyle. People that get on disability so easily.

Some diagnoses are "recognized" and are thus much easier to get on disability for. Cancer, for example, as you can't argue with a scan. But those that are getting to be rather well-known, such as fibromyalgia, still usually require a fight. Physicians only know what you tell them, and if they don't document well, Social Security might suspect you are trying to cheat the system.

Even with excellent documentation from your physician, anyone with a chronic illness is only able to GET to the doctor's office on their better days. Very few people are able to vouch for their limitations, aside from the closest family members and friends. Yet it is these very people that may be considered biased.

It's a tough road in the first place for anyone with chronic illness. Fighting to obtain assistance from the Social Security administration generally makes things worse with the added stress. At the same time, there are so many scam artists out there that get disability when they are really just lazy.

What's the answer? I really don't know. I've tried to document as much as I can, and even kept a journal for a while of food, reactions, how I felt, what I did, etc. But that took my energy away from getting up and getting something to eat. My husband has been incredible through all this, but he certainly do all that he already does PLUS a diary for me.

What's been your experience with disability? Do you have any recommendations for me?

Cheesy Egg Casserole

The perfect recipe for someone with fibro! Three ingredients. Mix them, put em in a dish. Bake it. Eat. And it’s still good as a leftover!

Ingredients

• Shredded cheese
• 2 cans green chilies
• 6 eggs

Recipe

• Break eggs into a large bowl.
• Add cheese and green chilies.
• Mix well.
• Pour into a casserole dish.

I literally cannot recommend organic, free range, farm fresh eggs enough, for a variety of reasons (one being your health). If you haven’t educated yourself on your food sources, trust me… you don’t want to eat eggs from factory farms.

The pictured dish has a can of diced tomatoes added. Just dump in with the cheese and green chilies, and you’ve added another veggie to your meal!

Try it with your favorite salsa on top and prepare to be astounded and amazed!

Extra Moola

Update: I've since returned to Listia as they seem to have changed some of their rules. My house has mostly been drastically cleared out (thank you allergies) but I still have some random things to go. Hoping it goes well!

Are you a fan of selling on eBay? Me too…. sort of. Since 2000 I’ve been selling various things online, and have developed quite the strategy. It, of course, is also a work in progress as websites change, demand ebbs and flows, and life just plain marches on.

eBay: Personally, I won’t post anything I value at less than $5 on eBay as I don’t find it’s worth my time. (Everything under $5 goes on Facebook, and more!) The site offers 50 free listings per month as long as you limit yourself to just one picture and

Money!

half.com: Perfect for textbooks! You’ll undoubtedly make more selling your textbooks here than to the college bookstore. Worth a quick search for any newer books you’re selling.

etsy: Granted, my upcycled items go up here (sometimes), but etsy has expanded to vintage items now! This is where I post vintage sewing patterns, some books, and other vintage/antique items that are more funky or artsy/craftsy. One listing is 20 cents for 3 months and their chunk of change from sales is very reasonable. I’ve made 12 sales on etsy, though I admit I have not given it the attention I should have- nor have I made use of any of the extra advertising tools. Overall, I can’t think of one complaint regarding this site, aside from the fact that it is so easy to get sucked into!

Listia: This site was wonderful! I “bought” and “sold” with credits willy nilly, even purchased most of last year’s Christmas gifts on there… up until I had issues with some less-than-honest members. Long story short, the support staff/moderators fail to enforce the rules they have posted on the website, and there were so many outrageous instances that I even submitted a complaint to the Better Business Bureau. Proceed with extreme caution- if at all.

Facebook: Yes, Facebook! Believe it or not, I make more selling my items on Facebook than anywhere else. (Really!) Basically, I have multiple photo albums set up on my profile with items I am selling. Generally I price everything a dollar or two less than the cost of purchasing  a similar item from eBay. While I have a few friends who buy items from me this way, the bulk of my sales are thanks to local yard sale/ buy/ sell/ barter/ trade groups. I just discovered some national ones as well, and have made one sale thanks to one of those so far…. we’ll see how those go! (Feel free to look me up on Facebook- Leanna Reece- and you’ll see just what I’m talking about!)

yardsellr: My newest endeavor. I’ve only posted perhaps 10 or so items on this site, but have purchased some seeds for super cheap courtesy of their “photons” (basically monetary discounts). No sales yet, but time will tell.

What about shipping? Wondering where all my stuff came from? How in the world do I assign prices?

Stay tuned- these posts shall come, grasshopper.

Rest

Noticing a trend? I'm obviously moving my old posts over here, but this one grabbed my attention and made me laugh. Sometimes I'm such a dork!

Remember all those wonderful plans I had? A daily plan! A weekly menu! All sorts of priorities figured out! Plans are good. So are memories!

Here is a round-up of the week thus far:

Attempted to cook, but couldn’t stand to look at food.

Attempted to eat some junk food, but it was gross too. Possibly gained 10 pounds just looking at it.

Slept all day Monday thanks to the weather. (Bad pain days always mean sleep.)

Was invaded by ginormous house flies.

While trying to make homemade sticky fly traps, almost set the kitchen on fire. (Thank you Lord for a functional smoke detector!)

Ran around with a spray bottle filled with water and a few squirts of soap, spraying at flies and windows, using all reserved energy.

Woke up to… no buzzing! Well, some buzzing, but lots of dead flies!

Called housekeeping services. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Glared at dead flies. Stared at laundry. Pondered dishes. Stuck up nose at toilet.

Went to the ironically named Dr. Hack. Forgot the words to tell the receptionist why I was standing in front of her.Set up more tests.

Sneered at house that smelled like smoke.

Thanked God for the gift of rest and peace in the midst of chaos.

Kickin' Some Fibro Butt... Even When You Don't Feel Like It

Fibromyalgia is a nightmare. We all know that. Everyone has their opinions on what you should and should not do, most of which are bunk, regardless of intentions. What works for me may make you feel worse, and most people don’t get that.

When “they” say it’s all about attitude, I must agree that it is partially true (but only partially). I went to a psychiatrist for 7 years, learning pain management, stress control techniques, and how every stupid little choice I make can effect me for the next week. (And lots of other helpful stuff.)

Personally, I’ve always felt that I need to be productive. Every day. Even Sundays. Most likely a result of growing up in the country where there was always work to be done, if I give in to the monster of my body and don’t do anything, I know I’m making a huge mistake. It’s all part of my fight against fibro and the associated depression.

Rinse it off, rinse it off, wayyyy off!

Every single day, even the days that I sleep almost all day, I choose to do one productive thing. It literally could be as simple as rinsing off the dish I just ate off of, or brushing my cat. But by golly, I did something. Take that, fibro? How do you like that? Huh? Huh?

Playing the Theme from Rocky in my head sometimes helps, but if I’m thinking about going to bed (like I did today), I know that sunshine always helps me out, so I tell myself I’ll go outside for 10 seconds. Generally those seconds turn into minutes, and when I come back inside I’m refreshed enough to at least do something besides screw up my sleep schedule.

So get up. Get a bit of sun. Rinse off that dish. And let me know- what do you do to kick some fibro butt?

Saving Money on Everything Online

Since my latex allergies have become so bad that I can't walk into a stinking grocery store, I've had to get a bit creative when it comes to buying food. Granted, I can still drive down the road and get some amazing fresh eggs from the farm, but eggs only go so far in my limited diet!

A good friend of mine recommended Amazon.com. I had previously purchased books and (free!) ebooks on here before, so I figured it would be that easy. WRONG! Every time I searched for something I ended up with way too many options, and even though I thought I was pretty capable at finding whatever I wanted to online.... it was not quite the case here.

I was intimidated. So I quit for a while. Eventually I got hungry. So I ordered from Netgrocer.

Netgrocer is just fine and dandy for anyone who isn't buying in bulk, and they do have some nice sales. But it's no Amazon. I knew there had to be a better way to get what I needed, delivered to my door, without spending a fortune!

And there was. Amazon.com, I love you. After hours of searching for advice from random blogs, I'm learning to navigate you with ease, and find just what I need, when I need it. And with Prime, I get free two-day shipping!

As for now, I'm still learning. I'll be sure to share some of my tips with you here soon. In the meantime, what's your #1 tip for finding deals on Amazon?

Acceptance

Another old post, but still a goodie, and oh so relevant. I find myself going through this now with this stupid latex allergy.

Anyone without health problems most likely will not understand this post, and will likely consider it overly dramatic. But, unfortunately, chronic medical conditions are dramatic to those individuals involved. Let me assure you that I am far from a drama queen, but life isn’t always as easy as one would hope.

A diagnosis of fibromyalgia brings all sorts of confusing feelings. Relief at finally obtaining a label for your problems, panic at knowing it doesn’t have a cure, concern about how it will effect your quality of life, you name it, the feeling is there. It seems that for most sufferers, myself included, the five stages of grief are experienced. Granted, no one died, and you aren’t dying. But a part of your life has died, and for that, it’s perfectly normal to grieve. No one experiences the process in the same order, intensity, or period of time, but generally, it goes a little like this:

1. Denial and Isolation: “I HAVE FIBRO WHAT????? I CAN”T POSSIBLY HAVE THAT! Test me again. It has to be something else, something with a cure…. go away. Leave me alone. “

Followed by more self-isolation where you simply don’t want to talk about it, yet it seems that everyone else does. After all, this can’t possibly be it. (Personally I skipped this step, but I was only 14, and little was known about it at the time- and no one had heard of it!)

2. Anger: Reality sets in. “It’s not FAIR! I’m a good person! I want to help people. I want to help animals. I only want to do good in the world. Why did you allow this God? WHY ME?”

Seeing as how I was a teenager when I was diagnosed, life already seemed unfair. My parents were always protective, but became all the more so once I was finally diagnosed, ensuring I followed all Dr. orders regardless of what I wanted to do. Naturally I lashed out at them (bless them for their patience!) but I also was furious with God. My dream of being a veterinarian that took care of children’s pets while she sang… was now in jeopardy. I knew God was supposed to be good, but how could this POSSIBLY be a good thing? For goodness sake I read my Bible, prayed every day, and tried to follow Christ’s footsteps- why would He allow this?

I’ve returned to this stage a number of times over the years, but have learned that if I don’t get angry, I get sad, depressed, and spiral into the vicious cycle of fibromyalgia and depression. So, for me, anger can be a very GOOD thing- especially considering the alternative.

3. Bargaining: “I’ll read my Bible more. I’ll pray an hour every day. Just make it go away. Deal?”

No deal. Others may wonder “if I’d only gone to the Dr. earlier,” “maybe if I get a second (or third, or fourth) opinion….”

This lasted about a week for me. My mom helped a lot in getting through this stage. More about her another time. 

4. Depression: “What if I never graduate college? What if I can’t get married? I can’t do anything anymore. My life is over. No one understands. I hate school (due to my peers at the time). I’ll never amount to anything, and I’ll have to live with my parents forever. Who would ever want to date me?” Oh, the thoughts.

And then the guilt over thinking and entertaining these thoughts! It wasn’t until I was in one college Bible study that I learned that I don’t have to claim every thought I have. Just because a thought enters your head doesn’t meant that it is YOUR thought! There is so much FREEDOM in that! There are thoughts from God, and thoughts from Satan…. so if a thought isn’t from God, say “get behind me Satan, that’s not my thought!” and move on. Granted, it’s easier said than done, but just because a thought comes in on your river of consciousness doesn’t mean that it has to dock! Just let it float right on out. (OK, so this last part was from my years seeing a psychiatrist.)

Yet another stage that comes and goes, and must be fought on a daily basis. Remember when I said I get mad instead of sad? That’s a huge part of how I avoid depression. Despite the new Dr. now and then who has no idea that anyone with fibro will likely be indicated as depressed on any depression scale. Now THAT makes me mad. Ignorance.

5.  Acceptance: “Gotta make do. I need to be there for my family. I refuse to be a victim of my body. Just because I’m pain doesn’t mean I can’t do something productive. I can still make a difference in the world. I’m gonna kick some fibro butt!!!“

Most people will expect you to skip directly to this phase. “You have fibromyalgia? My (aunt, cousin, mom) has that. You should try ______ it works for her.” They will then expect you to immediately try their suggestion and feel better. In fact, you should feel better just knowing that something helped someone somewhere!

….whatever. Today, I’m at number 5, bordering on returning to number 2 as I am prepping for yet another procedure. Where are you at?

An Old Post on a Newish Blog

Originally this was posted last September, when I was over on Wordpress. I find Blogger easier to use and navigate, which is the main reason why I switched. :)

Indeed, it has been quite the long time!

The summer has been rather crazy. I’ve had gastrointestinal issues since February when I accidentally ate some wheat, and have had more tests than I count. Literally. I barely ate, was dehydrated once, and went to my mom’s house for a month so that I would eat.

Without a diagnosis, I referred myself to Mayo Clinic. I was quickly in and like a medical whirlwind, I was suddenly THERE. (More on that experience another time.) Two weeks of MORE tests, and I have a diagnosis! Osmotic diarrhea. And the cause? Unknown.

I have STUMPED Mayo Clinic. This is not a good thing.

Fast forward a couple weeks, and I suddenly have trouble breathing in my living room. Fortunately I grabbed Benadryl before my throat swelled shut. The culprit was a new garden sprayer- that’s the only different thing in the room. It had latex in it.

Woo-hoo! My latex contact allergy has now gone airborne! A few days later, I put two and two together and realized that a latex allergy can cause nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. I’d already cleared out the latex medical supplies, but it’s become serious now.

I have pages full of things with latex in them that I need to get out of my house. The sheer magnitude of how much latex is used is unbelievable. Goodbye underwear, can opener, most of my closet, florist tape, shoes, ear buds, and pencils. (This is just for starters- I’ll post a list shortly with everything I’ve discovered thus far to contain latex.)

My prayers are that latex is the cause of my newest issues. While I feel ridiculous going through my house with nitrile gloves on, I know it’s necessary as I’m breaking out in hives otherwise. Another potential cause is formaldehyde…. but one thing at a time. I WILL figure it out, Mayo Clinic or not. I refuse to live the rest of my life in a bathroom, and I know God will grant me the wisdom to learn what He wants me to.

PO Box and FedEx Frustration

In general, I'm a fan of FedEx. After all, they deliver to my doorstep, and even pick up in the same spot regardless of whether or not I am at home.

But, I recently overnighted my health insurance premium to the stated address, and received it back labeled "Return to Sender." Needless to say, I was a bit freaked by it, as I need my health insurance as it's the only one that will cover all my fun pre-existing conditions.

Contacting PCIP, I was informed that it was the correct address, and my coverage would not be cancelled. (Phew!)

Contacting FedEx, I was informed that they do not ship to P.O. Boxes. Enter confusion.

If this was clearly stated on the website, I'm sure I would not have missed that important notation. The website accepted the P.O. Box without any problems, which comes as a surprise. I've ordered lots of things online, and if they are unable to ship to a P.O. Box, it is clearly notated on the page where you enter your address information. And if you STILL enter a P.O. Box, it spits it back out at you.

So why doesn't FedEx do this?

Granted, they did give me a 50% refund (they call it a credit), but I'm still out $13.10 when I didn't even know I was making a mistake. I looked again at the website, and have yet to find a statement indicating this issue. It's probably there, just buried in the miasma of the world wide web.

What are you experiences with FedEx?

Is FIbromyalgia Over-Diagnosed?

In my opinion, fibromyalgia is becoming far too over-diagnosed. General practitioners, who are not qualified to do so, are diagnosing patients with fibro. “You’re sleepy all the time? Pain? You must have fibro.” Not so. This contributes greatly to the widespread belief that anyone with this diagnosis can still live a normal life.

I’ve even seen recommendations from random people online as to how to diagnosis a loved one with fibromyalgia. “Just look up the pressure points, press on them, and if it hurts, they have it.” WHAT? A specified amount of pressure must be applied to confirm the diagnosis. Press too hard and you can practically guarantee anyone would have a diagnosis, press too lightly and those suffering from a mild form of fibromyalgia won’t pass the test.

And guess what? As of 2010, the American College of Rheumatology has developed a new set of guidelines that do NOT include the tender point test, though many Drs. do not necessarily abide by them.  I agree with this as the new set of guidelines is based on the result of one study. Granted, there were over 800 participants, but one study doesn’t convince a scientific mind of anything until it has been replicated- and it hasn’t been! Besides, this new criteria only correctly diagnoses 88% of sufferers- a number I find too small to be reliable.

The new guidelines require widespread pain lasting at least 3 months, fatigue, cognitive symptoms (hello, fibro fog!), and lack of refreshment upon waking . Other potential causes must have been ruled out by relevant tests.

Here’s the thing with these new guidelines. We live in a “go-go-go” society. Anyone living in this mindset will undoubtedly get worn down over time. They will become stressed that they are more tired than usual, which will interfere with sleep. Seeing as how anyone that is sleep-deprived will begin exhibiting symptoms of fibromyalgia, these individuals can be easily diagnosed as having fibromyalgia under the new criteria, particularly if they are not straightforward with their physician or enough relevant questions are not asked. Even under the old criteria, I consider this a problem, but it is all the more so with the new criteria.

One study has indicated that over-diagnosis is indeed a problem. (We need more studies!!)Inthis study, the participants were either referred to a rheumatologist with a preliminary diagnosis of fibromyalgia by the referring physician, OR diagnosed by a rheumatologist at an initial visit. The diagnosis was correct in 34% of patients. That means that a whopping 66% of patients in the study were diagnosed with fibro- and didn’t have it!

Another study has examined the association between stress at work and new diagnoses of fibro. Guess what? It was found to be a contributing factor. Does it provide evidence that the “go-go-go” population is working themselves into a false diagnosis? Maybe. Maybe not. But it is something to think about.

An article in The Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine also discusses the discrepancies in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, and is an easier read than an actual study, while offering some excellent points. The authors point out that until a concrete set of diagnostic criteria are agreed upon and utilized, the possibility of a cure is unlikely. This tells me that we as patients need to do something. What is that something? I don’t know yet. I’m very open to ideas, though, so please share!

The Latex List

And we’re off! While this is as comprehensive as I’ve figured out thus far, there are no doubt plenty of products containing latex that I’ve missed. I’ll continue to add to it as I find more things and continue to party with my latex allergy! (List of latex-free products to come.) Be sure to check the brand before you automatically ditch everything, as well as the product itself- yours just may be made of plastic or something else safe!

School/Office Supplies:

• Erasers
• Pencils with erasers
• Glue
• Clay/Modeling dough
• Paint
• Crayons
• Chalk
• Colored pencils
• Markers
• Stickers
• Ink pads
• Envelopes/Stamps- the kind you lick
• Pens
• Masking tape
• Rubber grips
• Rubber bands
• Mouse pads
• Telephones
• Rubber cement
• Calculators

Electronics

• Electrical cords
• Remote controls
• Phone chargers
• Ear buds

Medical Items

• Bandages
• Latex gloves
• Adhesive tape
• Blood pressure bulbs and tubing
• Blood pressure cuffs
• Stethoscopes
• Surgical masks
• Electrode pads
• Respirators
• Syringes
• Intravenous tubing
• MANY other items- I only wrote down what was relevant to me

Personal Care

• Razors (the lubricating strips)
• Hair bands
• Toothbrushes
• Hair brushes
• Feminine Products
• Adult diapers
• Ear plugs
• Cosmetics
• Foam cosmetic applicators

Crafts/Hobbies

• Tool handles
• Scissor handles
• Bowling balls
• Bicycle handlebars
• Inflatable mattresses
• Duct Tape (Regular)
• Scuba/Swimming gear
• Racquet handles
• Fake flowers/ silk flowers
• Rubber stamps
• Ribbon/lace/bias tape
• Yarn
• String
• Bungee cords

Toys

• Puzzles
• Flexible toys
• Old barbies
• Dolls
• Toys with rubber wheels
• Balls
• Balloons
• Handlebars

Clothing

• Elastic (even if covered)
• Spandex/Lycra
• Underwear
• Swimsuits
• Pantyhose
• Shoes
• Slippers
• Socks
• Raincoats
• Coats (with elastic)
• Watches

Around the House

• Suction cups
• Pet brush handles
• Stepladder treads
• Pet nail clippers
• Newspaper
• Lottery tickets
• Fitted sheets
• Rugs/bath mats (non-slip backing)
• Bath sticky grips
• Shower curtains
• Poinsettias, rubber plants, ficus plants
• Rubber grips on broom/mop handles
• Vacuum hoses and attachments
• Binoculars
• Upholstery
• Cameras
• Lacquers
• Flashlights

Kitchen

• Utensil handles
• Drawer organizers
• Canning seals
• Can opener handles
• Spatulas
• Colanders
• Sponges
• Magic Erasers
• Zippered plastic baggies
• Drain plugs
• Chewing gum
• Cling wrap
• Candy wrappers

Outside the House

• Water hoses
• Steering wheels
• Tires
• Vehicle floor mats
• Gardening tool handles
• Gardening gloves
• Conveyor belts (such as in stores)
• Steering wheel covers
• Mud flaps
• Milking machines
• Escalator handrails
• First aid dummies
• Conveyor belts

Construction Material

• Carpet backing/ underlay
• Sheetrock
• Joint compound
• Weather stripping
• Door seals