Ah, bodies! So fun to pilot and manage, especially when each of us is so well supported by our healthcare system.
This month’s Stuff We Like was suggested by Elyse. Many of us in SBTB HQ deal with chronic illnesses that make every day a new and different adventure: what part hurts today? When will my energy run out? And how did I injure myself that badly in my sleep?!
We have a number of recs for items that give support or relief, and we would LOVE to hear your suggestions too!
As always, NB: Some of our links are affiliate coded, which sends a portion of your purchase price back to us at no extra cost to you. When possible I try to include multiple vendors. Affiliate sales are one of a few ways we keep the hot pink mayhem going at SBTB HQ, so thank you in advance for your support!
Also NB: Rakuten is still offering $50 back if you join and make a purchase +$50 within 90 days. I rather like searching for alternate vendors through the Rakuten portal and finding some of my favorites. Bookshop.org is included in Rakuten’s shopping portal, for example, and offers 3% cash back on purchases.
Let’s get started! (And heads up – there’s a little giveaway in this post!)
Ultima Replenisher
Buy at Ultima Replenisher ($5 off with link) | Amazon
I have been drinking Ultima nonstop for over a year. I learned that drinking water really didn’t help me and sometimes made me feel worse.
This is when I learned my favorite acronym: POTS. You might think it stands for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome .
No. It stands for People Of the Salt.
Mmm. Salt. I can’t be the only one who licks the salt off a Saltine and eats pretzel chips salt side down, right?
Anyway, I love Ultima of the electrolyte powders I’ve tried because it doesn’t taste like weird sweetener, and I feel better when I drink it. I travel with little sleeves of it; I have an insulated cup with Ultima on ice next to me right now.
My three favorite flavors are cherry pomegranate, grape, and lemonade, but the orange and raspberry are pretty excellent, too. I tend to buy 90-day canisters in two flavors, then switch to different ones when I run out. I’ve recommended it to Elyse and to my sister, and they’re both pretty happy.
If you’re curious, I would suggest buying one of their sampler bag; the one I tried was the Original Variety, and I’ve bought more of the single servings for travel.
You can also find Ultima at some Whole Foods, CVS, and other retailers.
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Pregnancy Pillows aka Human Cat Bed
I have a pile of hypermobility and sleeping has been a challenge, especially protecting my neck: it’s really flexible, but also I apparently love to mash my face into the pillow while I’m sleeping.
A number of people online kept exclaiming about pregnancy pillows, and yup, they were right. I’ve written about this one before and honestly I am sad I can’t bring it everywhere with me. I have this one from Pharmedoc, but it seems to be unavailable. This one is most similar, I think:
QUEEN ROSE Pregnancy/U-Shaped Pillow, $47
Some pillows are a different shape, with one arm longer than the other:
57 inch maternity pillow, $33I prefer two equal arms on each side because I tend to switch sides in my sleep. Honestly, crawling into my pillow at night is like getting into a cat bed. And yes, Wilbur the cat is obsessed with being in the bed with me.
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Sleep Masks with (or without) Bluetooth
MUSICOZY silk bluetooth sleep mask, $60 | MUSICOZY storefront (AMZ)
Amanda has recommended a few Bluetooth sleep masks before, and I recently purchased this one – and now I can’t sleep without it. Usually I have a loop of brown noise playing at night, but it’s one of the few ways I can calm my ever-vigilant brain when it’s time to sleep.
The silk on my face also seems to help my neck-injuring tendency to absolutely smash my face into fabric while I sleep. Wow, bodies are weird when you sleep!
Amanda recommends this one:
Joseche Bluetooth Sleep Mask, $20
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Monitoring Watches
Elyse:
Smart Watch: $50 ($36 with coupon)
I wanted a watch that could track my O2, heart rate, sleep and steps without spending a lot and I got this one. It does everything I need it to and I can also use it to answer calls if I want to via Bluetooth.
Heating Pads
I also love love love this heating pad for neck pain:
ComfyTemp Heating Pad for Neck and Shoulders, $36 (AMZ) | ComfyTemp.com $36
Sarah: ComfyTemp.com also has red light therapy panels, which I’ve been casually reading about. Have you tried red light therapy?
Also: ComfyTemp is a great company name. Oh, and they have a wearable heating pad for sciatic pain for $40!
More Beverage Recs
Elyse: I’ve been drinking different electrolytes for my POTs and so far this is my first favorite.
SALTT electrolytes $40 AMZ | SALTT.com $36
It’s pretty salty though.
This is my second favorite – Sarah recommended this one. I like that it’s not super salty and doesn’t have a stevia aftertaste. Plus I’m not producing waste with endless little packets. I keep this one at work.
Ultima Replenisher, Grape $22 AMZ | UltimaReplenisher.com $21 ($5 with this link)
Sarah: It tastes a lot like 80s grape, right?
Elyse: Yup without the like 2 cups of sugar Nana put in it. It has the least aftertaste of any of the brands I’ve tried so far.
This non alcoholic wine is my new fave:
Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Non Alcoholic Rose, $23 – 2% back via Rakuten at The Zero Proof
The sparkling rosé is my favorite so far.
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Steam Eye Masks
Amanda: I don’t have a chronic illness but I do get very bad allergies and my eyes get absolutely wrecked. I love these at night:
Behoomi Steam Eye Masks, 20 for $16 |
Some people in the reviews mention they’ve used these for headaches/migraines.
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Migraine Recovery
Tara: For my migraine recovery, after I’ve nuked them with my rescue meds, Peppermint Halo from Saje is a must.
Saje Peppermine Halo® $36 Saje.com | $36 with Rakuten 10% cash back at Ulta
Sarah: That’s very cool! I have a gel head wrap that I keep in the freezer for bad headaches and sinus pressure:
TheraICE Headache relief cap, $30 AMZ | TheraICE.com $30 (plus free shipping offer)
TheraICE also offers bundles on their recovery products, including a headache bundle, and upper and lower body options.
Reading Comfort
I’ve shared this before but I cannot tell you how much more relaxing reading is with an e-reader stand and a remote page turner. E-reader stands are available in so many options:
There are some that clamp onto a table or headboard with a clamp;
Gooseneck eReader Holder, $17My kids had a version of that clamp variety that could hold their Switches and they used to use them in the car.
There are the lap ones, which is what I have, though I love the cupholder and snack compartment on this one:
Tablet or eReader Pillow Stand with bowl, $40
Or you can get a floor stand:
Tablet Floor Stand, $28And the remote page turner? Oh, yeah. It increased my reading comfort exponentially, especially when I’m very tired and achy and want to read but even holding the e-reader seems daunting (or the room is cold and I want my hands under the covers.
I cannot tell you how SUPER GODDESS I feel in my giant human cat bed, under the covers with the e-reader positioned where I want it, both hands under the covers, remotely turning pages for hours. This is a recipe for Goddess-Level Bad Decisions Book Club.
This is the one I have:
Remote Controll Page Turner, Pink: $16 AMZ
I also put a big pink tassel on the remote so I wouldn’t lose it.
There are a ton of options in different colors and none are too-too expensive.
Remote Control Page Turner, Black: $22 AMZ (available in other colors)
In fact! I have an extra set of the pink duo page turner and remote (no extra tassel alas). Would you like to have it?
Please leave a comment below and tell me if you’re interested. I’ll drop it in the mail anywhere. I don’t have the box any longer, but I have both working components in a little black velvet bag. Standard disclaimers apply: I am not being compensated for this giveaway. Literally I have two and don’t need two. Open to international residents where permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18. I’ll pick someone from the comments on April 3 (Happy Passover if you’re celebrating).
What items have helped you manage a chronic illness? Any tips?
Too funny this came up today. I just ordered a lower back ice/heat pack wrap to deal with sacroiliac joint inflammation from autoimmune arthritis. I wanted something that would cover more area and stay in place.
It’s the ComfyTemp Hot Cold Gel Pack wrap for Lower Back. I ordered from the ComfyTemp site. Free shipping.
Ooh – please let us know how you like it? I was also looking at the lower back wrap. I hope it’s marvelous!
I have a wide array of heating pads, and I really like an old fashioned hot water bottle for sleeping. I recently found out about the existence of Warmies which are microwaveable stuffed animals, and extremely tempting.
For all my hyper mobility peeps, an old friend of mine went into professional contortion, and now does training for entertainers who need functional flexibility – and also those of us with more flexibility than function. There are a ton of free Fit & Bendy videos on YouTube and also the fitandbendy website has amazing training programs and stuff to check out. It’s lots of strength and stability (especially at end range of motion) and injury prevention.
I find plain water punishing, but I can’t with electrolyte beverages, so I have wound up deep down the mocktail rabbit hole. I make shrubs, and kombucha, and cordials, and I have recently been asked if I could stop adding ginger juice and salt to every beverage (no). In terms of premade NA beverages, I love Ghia and Pathfinder, and keep Seedlip and phony Negroni for the gin people’s. Also I sometimes think that the quantity of cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger I buy from Penzey’s is what is keeping them in business, but even with my ongoing mystical anti-inflammatory quest they have so many sales and promotions I worry, especially since I am also single-handedly keeping Sahadi’s afloat.
Apologies if this repeat posts, my phone is uncooperative today.
Ooh, I just ordered one of those pillows. Thank you!
I have been having un-diagnosable pain in my hands and wrists for the last six months. A friend who also has chronic pain issues recommended this brand for red light pads
https://www.thermotex.com
I love them so much. I have the both the general heating pad and the wrist one-even though I have the one for the right wrist, I use it on both. It’s smaller and allows more targeted application, which is nice if I want to travel with it.
I bought one on amazon, and the other through their website. Amazon isn’t always cheaper, though it does have faster shipping.
I also have this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095RXFZRK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
for icing when necessary.
I started using salonpas when the hospital sent me home with them after surgery. I now swear by them for migraine aches and pains.
Chronic pain sufferer here (mostly of the back variety) I love the Chirp TENS unit.
I have the heating collar/shawl — we refer to it as the Ming the Merciless cape — and it’s great for neck and shoulders, also when someone is freezing in a house set at 70 degrees.
Sleeping masks with bluetooth are excellent, especially now that I discovered an Audible recording of Richard Armitage reading me to sleep. No idea what he says/reads, but who cares, really?
Migraines plagued me — had to excuse myself from teaching a class to throw up — most of my adult life. When I turned 50, menopause did me a solid and they disappeared. The relief is incalculable. My poor sister, however, never had headaches until menopause blew through and now she takes everything available to stop them. I will definitely share these recommendations with her.
Thank you for looking out for us.