I’ll assume your biggest issue is the gelatin capsules. And, you are correct, the vast majority of gelatin capsules are made from animal products.
However, I recently found that some vitamins are available in liquid form, they come in a bottle with an eyedropper. One of my elder greyhounds needs daily vitamin E supplements, and finding the liquid version made life a whole lot easier for us. I don’t know how many others may come that way, but it’s probably worth looking into.
You have good reason to be skeptical. There’s no known mechanism by which a magnet should change anything, and as you might expect they have never done anything in double-blind trials. Rather, it just seems that people are experiencing their sprains getting better with time
I think the rationale behind therapeutic magnets was that they somehow altered the circulation of the blood (which contains iron, and iron is pulled by magnets, right?) Of course, just because something has iron doesn’t make it magnetic. Just try to attract rust with a magnet. Or for that matter, a drop of blood.
Caj
I broke my wrist playing basketball. I had the cast spray painted bright green ( it WAS a while ago) and signed it Bobby Sands.
Playing the fife anyway, not only did I hit the “clinkers” but the Sands name got some interesting comments.
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Lorenzo, et al.,
The advice about B vitamins for carpal tunnel has been around awhile and has been put into practice quite a bit by nutritionally oriented physicians. I had been aware of it for several years and wondered how credible it was when I read an accounting of it by Jacob Teitlebaum, M.D. in one of his books. He is someone I highly respect, so that was enough verification for me.
At one point, I checked the dosages with the government’s safe limits guidelines, which are very conservative. One B-50 complex per day should pose absolutely no risk of vitamin overdose, according to the government guidelines.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Multiple shoulder dislocations here, too. I had one repaired after about the third time it happened in my sleep. Rehab for it was nasty, too. Going to the recycling center and having to ask the guy there for help with a bag of newspapers was a little emasculating. Fortunately I’m not the least bit macho.
I cut the end of a finger off cooking. I stopped short of pouring alcohol on it, though (John, what on earth were you thinking?). Boy, it bled for a long time, and profusely for probably 12 hours. My wife cut strips of pantyliner for it, probably the only thing in your average household that would absorb that much blood and not stick to the wound. (I’ve known at least one other person who’s utilized pantyliners for a wound, and she had good results, too.) It was wrapped for probably two weeks, and took six months or so to heal. I was able to whistle after a month or so, but it was painful for awhile.
Cranberry,
Anorexia isn’t something I’ve had occasion to look into in any depth, but I have frequently encountered the information from credible nutritionally oriented practitioners that there are patterns of mineral imbalance that are often associated with specific emotional/behavioral patterns. (A common one, for example, is that copper levels may be too high and zinc too low.)
If you would like me to look into this further, I would be willing to do it. It would be useful if you could get your actual levels, from a blood test, preferably a packed cell elements (minerals) or red cell elements test, as plasma or whole blood elements tests are less indicative. (And I don’t trust hair minerals tests for anything except toxic metals.)
Because you’re dealing with a significant health concern here, I wouldn’t be inclined to try to give you direct advice, but I would be willing to help you track down resources. I’ve been useful to many in situations like yours as a kind of high level gofer. (I used to be office manager and director of patient education in a medical practice, and my wife is a family practice physician.)
Best wishes,
Jerry
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That’s cool, Cranberry.
If just the fact that I (or anyone) would be willing to invest some time on your behalf is some comfort or encouragement, that’s a pretty good result in itself, even without your taking up the offer. Hang in there.
Best wishes,
Jerry
My left hand, which is my dominant one, was done endoscopically (forgive me, medical persons, if that isn’t the right term…)
Cal, looks to me like you’ve got the correct term here, and have described what you had done quite accurately. FWIW, I think what you had cut open in both instances was the transverse carpal ligament, allowing more space for the tendons and nerve in the “carpal tunnel”. (And, of course, since you have “confessed” you are forgiven, as we are bound to forgive. 
)
BTW, there are quite a few things which can be done for carpal tunnel short of surgery, for those who are disinclined to go the surgery route. Had one individual go from less than 20 pounds grasp to more than 60 pounds without any strengthening exercises, chiefly by avoiding things which aggravated the carpal tunnel, wearing splints at night, and a combination of paraffin treatment and ice massage. It does require some careful “trial and error” type work, as some folks don’t tolerate different aspects of treatment. If anyone is interested, I’d be glad to elaborate on things which could be tried. Caution - it’s possible for permanent nerve damage to occur if the problem gets bad enough, so for some folks, surgery is likely the best option.
I am managing bilateral cubital tunnel syndrome in myself, which involves the ulnar nerve (feeds the ring and little fingers) and which can be aggravated by driving, whistle playing, and computer use. So far, it’s better than previously, but I do need to be careful of how much I use the track ball with my right hand.
Ten years ago next week I fell while rollerskating and broke my left wrist badly enough to require two surgeries. I also permanently damaged the ulnar nerve at the wrist. I tried to keep playing guitar for about 8 years and eventually gave up when I could only play for 5 minutes at a time. I took up the whistle to keep music making in my life. I’m doing OK but when my hands get tired they stop obeying the commands coming from my brain. Nothing to do then but rest. For quite a while I’ve been convinced that the really great musicians, athletes, etc. are not neccesarily the most talented but the ones who stayed healthy and avoided injury during their careers. Musicians are micro-athletes and we have to be careful to keep our bodies in shape.
Mike
I have a torn shoulder muscle. It only effects my whistling if I wave it around maniacally. I can feel it pull a little when I’m playing flute.
When I was rear ended on my motorcycle, I came down on top of the bike, and my left palm came down on the hot exhaust pipe. I wasn’t whistling again for about 3 months after treatments and physical therapy. Sulfadine is great stuff!
Steve
wow . . . who knew so many CFers were dealing with old injuries. Now I won’t feel lonely when a bad day hits. You guys are an inspiration, thanks.
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All we humans can really do is keep each other company and provide encouragement (and sometimes a little distraction) while we each come to terms with our own problems. Realizing that you are the only one who can solve your problem is a big first step. Hang in there; stay connected to people; don’t give up!
Ha! Everyone on this thread is doing that too! 
And on that note I’ll add my own:
About carpal tunnel: Mine is kept under control by avoiding activities that aggravate it or, when I can’t avoid it (e.g., driving, typing when it’s sore) wearing a brace for those activities. Wearing a splint at night helps a lot. I’ve played whistle a few times while wearing the brace, and it feels akward at first but it works.
A RECOMMENDATION: Those with finger or wrist problems might want to consider taking up the hammered dulcimer. (Yeah, I admit, I’m obsessed with HD, but this is really true.) Playing my hammered dulcimer is the one thing I do that doesn’t bother my carpal-tunnel-affected wrist. (I interpret that as a divine message that I ought to play more music and work less. ) I play with straight, relaxed wrists, and I only need the thumb and side of one finger to hold the hammers. Grip strength and finger agility are not needed. I can play for hours and not get sore anywhere.
As for past injuries, what interferes most with my life and my music is headaches, related to a head injury decades ago. If I have a moderate headache, I can still play my dulcimer very softly with padded hammers, but even the thought of a whistle is painful. (I know, that’s a sign that I need a LOW whistle.) If I get a bad headache, I can’t do anything. Luckily, those are pretty rare nowadays.
Sarah
Yes, change must come from within (just ask anyone who’s quit smoking), but a little friendly support is definitely worthwhile.
A RECOMMENDATION: Those with finger or wrist problems might want to consider taking up the hammered dulcimer. (Yeah, I admit, I’m obsessed with HD, but this is really true.) Playing my hammered dulcimer is the one thing I do that doesn’t bother my carpal-tunnel-affected wrist.
Does it help the CTS or just not aggravate it? When my shoulder’s acting up, sometimes the only thing that will help it is painting a room. Helps me and makes the wife very appreciative. Also has been known to trash the knees, though. (I’m the poster child, or at least middle-aged man, for the local orthopaedic and physical therapy practices.
As a computer programmer I’ve had frequent problems with CTS. Unfortunately I have to stay away from the keyboard for a few days at a time and things get better. Fortunately, as long as I keep my wrists fairly straight (as in smaller whistles), it doesn’t affect my playing at all and gives me a few extra days of practice.
I also have chronic headaches and migraine headaches. The only problems this causes is trying to toot on the GHBs. I really need to get a set of bellows-blown smallpipes for just such occasions.
I’ve always wondered what that extra hole was for on the bottom of some whistles…but…don’t you get backaches from leaning over so much???
I think just because they come in animal shapes doesn’t mean they actually contain animal parts. Otherwise we would have run out of Flinstone and Barney vitamins looong ago.
Childbirth…I know that, as badly as my whistle can shriek sometimes, I can shriek louder.
R.
Broke my neck playing football (American) in high school, so it hurts now and then when I am playing flute. I guess if I had good posture it wouldn’t hurt so much, but hey…every artist needs a vice right?