| | Subject | Baseline comments | Comments following qigong practice |
| 1 (006)
Age: 55
FM: 7 years | Less pain, more relaxed, slept better, increased energy. [With level 2] when practice diligently, experience calmness, less pain, better sleep; when skip practice, am angry, tired, and [have] major migraines. | Week 8: food allergies have greatly improved. No longer have asthma and am off puffers; have been able to increase exercise without shortness of breath. Wood smoke no longer bothers me. Sleep less and have more energy, better quality of sleep. Am calmer. Carpal tunnel [symptoms] and tendonitis are gone. Mind is less “brain fogged.” Much less pain and stiffness; rare migraines versus frequent migraines.
Month 4–6: have discontinued inhalers, no indication of asthma. Am exercising more (biking 20 kms/day). Sleep well and feel well. Food allergies are nonexistent and chemical sensitivities much reduced (4 mo). Have discontinued all prescription medications (Ventolin, Elavil, Tryptophan, Advil, Imitrex). Am able to do things I haven’t done in years, have more energy (6 mo).
Note: reports practicing 10–14, then 14–18 hrs per week |
| 2 (007)
Age: 25
FM: 11 years | Allergies are much better, pain is reduced, much happier and more at peace. Can deal with stress better. [With level 2] quality of sleep has improved, pain reduced further. | Week 8: function very well on less sleep. Food allergies are improved. Asthma has improved and am no longer on puffers. Have started running and hiking. Pollen season had no effect on me this year; usually have severe pollen allergies. Was allergic to grass [asthma attack and /or headache]; this year can smell cut grass [with no symptoms] and it smells good. Better quality of sleep, rarely wake at night. Mind is clearer, am more alert. Am in less pain and have gone a very long time without needing Tylenol.
Month 4–6: off all sleep medications (Tryptophan, Elavil), and quality of sleep has improved. Bike 1 hr (20 kms) every weekday morning, something I couldn’t do before. Food allergies have improved, [now] regularly eat cheese or yogurt [strong allergies before]. Other “allergies” (scents) no longer bother me (4 mo). Asthma no longer an issue (6 mo).
Note: reports practicing 10, then 14–15 hrs per week |
| 3 (036)
Age: 57
FM: 10 years | At the beginning was using a walker and then a cane; now walk without a cane. Was depressed and felt hopeless about my health, now feel grounded and peaceful. Have reduced amount of medication by half. Have lost 135 pounds on my journey with the practice as well. [With level 2] greater personal peace. | Week 8: Qigong has changed my life in so many positive ways. Have learned to accept pain. Am much more accepting and much calmer. When I started Qigong, I was using a walker, then canes, and now I am able to walk without canes. Have also lost a lot of weight which I hadn’t been able to lose before. Feel at home in my body. The benefits of Qigong are many.
Month 4–6: [No comments at 4 mo] Qigong has given me my life back. When I started, was using a walker, couldn’t sleep and was in terrible pain. Now feel peaceful; am walking, sleeping well; pain levels have come down considerably. Eyesight has come down from 6.25 & 6.75 to 4.25 and 4.50. Was housebound, now I can walk the dog and go out to do errands. Still have problems with fatigue but overall, am much better (6 mo).
Note 1: reports practicing 12, then 7–12 hrs per week
Note 2: 036 also offered written information on experiences with CFQ prior to entering the extension trial. Before the earlier trial, she was practically housebound and had little hope for improvement. She had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, bursitis, asthma, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, temperomandibular joint disorder, depression, and severe sleep apnea. She was taking 4 pain medications (codeine contin, pregabalin, tramadol/acetaminophen, and hydromorphone) as well as 7 other medications. By the time she entered the extension trial, her experiences had allowed her to discontinue hydromorphone, tramadol/acetaminophen, methotrexate, flovent, salbutamol, and her codeine contin intake had dropped dramatically. She also no longer needed her cane or CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. She had lost a substantial amount of weight. Her case is interesting, as she started classes with “little hope that it would help. How could these simple movement patterns help?” |
| 4 (087)
Age: 46
FM: 25 years | Biggest thing is mood; from attempting suicide to having hope. Mobility much better, less pain. Able to tolerate things. Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. [With level 2] deeper understanding of energy flows, blockages which cause pain. Ability (sometimes) to let the pain come and focus on something else. | Week 8: mood elevated. Sugars much better controlled. Blood pressure is excellent. Less flares of fibromyalgia. Better flexibility/mobility, especially with arms and shoulders. Lots of pain after doing Qigong, but it is just memories working through. Have had black hands and feet, dizziness and bruises that appear for no reason. Realistic expectations with health, especially with my diabetes. Have pain and tired all the time, but live as best I can. Qigong keeps my mood and perspective even.
Month 4–6: mood is the huge change from attempting suicide to going [on a trip] and planning more travel. Enjoy my work and am more tolerant of others. Body is a lot more flexible and mobile, get out walking a few kms most days. Am doing things that I never thought I would be able to do again (4 mo). Always mood much better after any amount of Qigong. Mobility greatly increased (6 mo).
Note: reports practicing 4, then 5 hrs per week |
| 5 (098)
Age: 54
FM: 18 years | Improved sleep, decreased pain, more calm and peaceful. [With level 2] allergies improved, fewer sinus headaches and infections. Happier and deal with stressful situations with increased calmness. | Week 8: fewer sinus headaches due to allergies. Restorative sleep more frequent. More positive about life and its challenges; more peaceful, tolerant and understanding. Cut back in the number of hours spent at work. Not wasting energy on guilt and worry over things I cannot control.
Month 4–6: decrease in allergies and sinus problems. Decrease in tolerance to stress due to uncovering underlying anxiety; expect this to change again as soon as I continue my practice. Overall condition has improved (4 mo). Ability to cope with stress has increased. Improvement in severity of pain and frequency (6 mo).
Note: reports practicing 6, then 4-5 hrs per week |
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