i have just completed a 14-day Water Fast for neck pain.

my neck pain started about 7 weeks ago (although i had the same symptoms back in january). my neck was really out and i had referred pain all across my shoulders and down my left side – in my arm, but mainly my elbow – and i had no feeling in the fingertips of my index and middle fingers on my left hand. i tried osteopathy, massage therapy, physiotherapy, hot/cold compresses – hell, i even tried a Liver Flush (which helped the most – probably because of the magnesium). any physical manipulation – even massage – gave me migraines and i would spend the next couple of days in bed, vomiting.

anyway, the pain was hella bad. i finally went to a doctor who prescribed NSAIDs. i had severe reactions to mobic (which i took for only 2 days) and then even worse reactions with celebrex (again, i only took it for 2 days). he prescribed me another one and i didn’t even bother to fill the script. my body just started puffing up everywhere – to the point where i couldn’t even bend my fingers or wear shoes. the NSAIDs , valium and OTC painkillers also made me feel really depressed.

(back in january, some fool doctor prescribed me endep - another NSAID - which is primarily used as an anti-depressant and only rarely as an anti-inflammatory, since the side-effects can be horrible: they were – i got really depressed… which makes me think that all NSAIDs contain something that interferes with the brain chemistry and can cause Depression – i dunno)

i had a CT scan, it showed that i had a bone overgrowth (bone spur) in my neck which was pressing on the nerves down my left side.

so i decided to fast for 7-14 days to eliminate the puffiness and get off the hamster wheel of NSAIDs and painkillers. the first few days, i still had a lot of pain but after about 6 days i started to notice some significant improvements. the Depression lifted after 2-3 days. my neck continued to get better. i am still a little bit puffy – mainly still in my hands and legs – but the severity of it has greatly diminished. and at least i can fit into my clothes and shoes again ;)

i have an appointment to see a neurologist in a few weeks – but at least i no longer need to take painkillers and my neck pain is now completely manageable. and i can’t tell you how happy that makes me, since i hate taking medications of any sort.

i hope this post helps someone else who is experiencing severe or chronic pain. throw away your meds: therapeutic fasting works!

- lulu