This is where I will share various Spoonie-friendly products that I have used and/or currently do use. These items assist me as I journey on the daily struggle bus with chronic pain and illness.

FTC NOTICE: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If there are links from this site to Amazon products, I could possibly earn a small commission from sales.

This money will be used to help me pay my living expenses such as water, electricity, phone, medicine, food, etc… Living on government disability, unfortunately, does not pay for all living expenses. I simply hope to be able to supplement my disability income enough to pay my bills. Please be assured, however, that I typically do not promote items on this page unless I have used them myself. If this changes, then I will make a clear note of it. Spoonie on a Mission is all about keeping it real, folks. Full transparency.

BOOKS

First up… books! (As a voracious reader, this will always be a favourite category!) I can honestly say that The Wahls Protocol has changed my life. It may be difficult in the beginning if you are used to eating lots of processed foods, fast foods, etc… Once you start seeing marked improvements in pain levels and flare frequency/length, you’ll probably decide it’s worth the effort! I share my experience with this here, but for now – just know that this is the REAL DEAL, man. Below, I list links for the protocol books as well as an excellent book on fasting. These are all wonderful. I’ve read them cover to cover. These should be at the top of the list for all Spoonie-friendly products.

JOURNALS AND LOG BOOKS

I have custom designed some helpful journals and logbooks that I sell on Amazon. They were created not only to generate some income but also because they could be useful for many people. I use the Weekly Meal Planner and the Blood Pressure Log Book daily! The Blood Sugar log book is great for diabetics, or even for those doing Paleo, Keto, or other special diets. There are places for notes in them, making them ideal to take along to doctor’s appointments. The meditation journal is lovely to keep track of mindfulness sessions – awareness memos, musings, observations, etc… These books are handy, Spoonie-friendly products for you to use in your daily care regimen. If you are interested in my other book offerings – head on over to my other website and have a browse!

MOBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY PRODUCTS

I am a wheelchair user. At the moment, I’m in physical therapy, trying to regain the use of my right leg. I’m currently still in a wheelchair, regardless. These are a few useful accessibility products I have acquired over the past several years…

I’ve needed to make my home manageable for me, and these products have helped to make that happen. Those threshold ramps are worth their weight in gold to me. I have them installed throughout my home.

As for accessible workspaces, I am typing at my computer right now using the adjustable table/desk. I can roll up in my wheelchair and have it fit perfectly depending on the height I set.

Also, that walker bag? Initially, we bought it for my Dad and he used it for about a year before he passed away. Currently, I am using it as a side bag on my power chair – it works nicely!

The grab bars are installed all over my house for safety. I even have one at the top of the stairwell, mounted on the lower part of the wall. Why? So I can have something to push off on with my good foot. I use a stair lift and it does not auto-pivot at the top. Before I had this bar, I was unable to use the stair lift because I couldn’t safely pivot to dismount. What a lifesaver!

The Grabber/Reachers are SO handy! I have them everywhere in nearly every room. I even use them to help me close my curtains at night. It’s just hard to reach things from a wheelchair, and these make it a LOT easier!

The portable wheelchair is the one I have had for a few years now. I use it to go to medical appointments because my power chair is too large to transport. This one has been good – it has withstood a lot and it’s still in the trenches with me doing battle! When it comes to Spoonie-friendly products, these mobility and accessibility products are truly ace!

Finally, the bath bench is the one I have in my bathroom and use every time I take a shower. I’m able to transfer to it easily, and it provides me with a safe way to bathe!

PHYSICAL THERAPY

I began physical therapy in Spring 2023 after improvements in inflammation resulted in the nerves in my right leg reawakening. I’d been unable to use that leg for several years! These products are some I used in my sessions and ended up getting for home use as well. I wanted to continue working at home on the days I didn’t have PT appointments. At home, I don’t have “big” equipment (like recumbent elliptical machines and leg press machines) but these items do help! They support the bigger work at my sessions with the trainers.

Those ankle weights are especially nice because they are weight-adjustable. It eliminates the need for multiple sets of ankle weights!

SJÖGREN’S / DRY EYES PRODUCTS

Oh my gosh, people… the struggle here is REAL! Sjögren’s has made my dry eyes so bad that on my most recent eye exam, my vision had greatly worsened! I do everything I can, but it’s an ongoing battle to save my eyesight. I do use the drops and cleaning pads listed below on a daily basis. When I do not use them, I definitely notice! I also take prescription Restasis twice a day. The next step, for me, will likely be a pair of moisture chamber eyeglasses. Those are SUPER expensive, however, and I’m not sure if I can ever make that happen. If I do, I will be sure to let you all know how they work out.

As for the facial steamer – that’s a relatively new discovery for me. It was recommended to me by an eye doctor to relieve my dry eyes, so I put it on my Amazon Wishlist. A very sweet friend of mine from Scotland sent it to me in a care package, and I must say – it not only helps with the dry eyes, but also helps with my migraines. An added bonus is that my skin has never looked better! Also included in that care package was the USB powered eye mask – which heats up and feels AMAZING on tired, dry eyes. A heated eye mask has a lot of benefits for people with dry eyes. To my fellow Sjögren’s Spoonies… I’m sending loads of love to you all! It’s not a fun ride.

MIGRAINE PRODUCTS

I have a condition called pseudotumor cerebri, also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension. This link from the Cleveland Clinic may help if you are unfamiliar with it. Unfortunately, because of the PTC, I get a LOT of migraines. Naturally, I am always looking for things that will enable me to sort of “deal” with it better. Sadly, not everything is all it’s cracked up to be.

I will list more products here as and when I find them and try them out. In the interim, just know that these Theraspecs are superb. I have the ones shown in the link, that fit OVER a pair of eyeglasses. Yes, I look a little like a scary insect when I wear them. All joking aside, getting some relief during a tough bout of head pain is a real gift! As they are wrap-around style, they also provide a tiny bit of protection from wind/ambient air. If you happen to have dry eyes like me – that protection is always welcome. I understand that they are insanely expensive, but I genuinely think, in my case, they were well worth the money.

HEALTH AIDS AND TOILETRIES

Honestly, there isn’t a lot to say about these items. We all need toiletries, right? These are just some Spoonie-friendly products I use to make my life a little easier.

The Wisp toothbrushes are so handy for quick dental hygiene. Imagine you are in mid-flare, in bed, and don’t have the spoons to properly brush your teeth at the sink. These aren’t a replacement for proper dental hygiene and tooth brushing, mind you – but they are a good temporary fix!

I also have very sensitive and dry skin, so Dr. Bronner’s is fabulous to use as a body wash. It’s gentle and won’t dry the skin out further.

I was gifted the Waterpik via a lovely friend from my ongoing Amazon Wish List. It is helping me keep my gums from getting worse than they already are (Sjögren’s is a real beast!)

And the Jergen’s? Nothing fancy, but I’ve been using it since I was a kid. I love it, it works for me, and the lavender scent is divine!

The lip balm is really awesome for people with super dry, chapped lips. It has a tiny bit of cortisone in it, which promotes healing. I use this stuff a good bit when my lips get really bad.

VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Some Spoonie-friendly products that should be in all of our arsenals are proper vitamins and minerals. You’ll of course need to consult with your doctor on which ones are right for you. These are the exact vitamins and supplements I use on a daily basis. So far, I have been happy with all of them and they are approved by my doc. I especially love the cod liver oil because it does not taste “fishy” but instead is lemon flavored!

There is one product at the very end – Alpha Lipoic Acid – that one is not one that I take, but a dear, trusted friend does buy them for her father for his neuropathy – so I trust the recommendation! Go forth and buy with confidence!

SPOONIE HOME AND LIFESTYLE

These Spoonie-friendly products are great finds!

I love the Fitbit band. These are lightweight and made of breathable elastic! If I am washing dishes and it gets a little wet, it will dry quickly.

These magnetic thermometers are in nearly every room of my house. I am very sensitive to heat (as well as cold), as are many Spoonies. My central heating and air do not work properly, so these help me to control my comfort.

The folding lap table is LOVELY! Plenty big enough to house a laptop, mouse, etc… if one is confined to bed for a bit. Those clear baby guards were bought to apply to the sharp corners of the lap desk. If I get cuts and scrapes, it takes forever for them to heal – smooth those corners, baby!

The Amazon hand towels and washcloths are fabulous. If you’re anything like me, you go through a lot of towels! I have enough to last me in case I go into a flare and can’t do laundry for a while.

As I mentioned, my air conditioning doesn’t work properly, so fans are my friends. The pedestal one actually recharges via USB and can be used to conserve energy/in a power outage. It’s also SUPER quiet! I sometimes don’t even realize it’s on because it’s so silent. I have the metal one in my kitchen and it provides a good breeze while I am in there cooking – to keep me from overheating and to dissipate cooking smells. The small USB fan is rechargeable AND… so small that I can take it with me wherever I go! It folds up, so I can put it in a bag and take it anywhere. I have about FOUR of these throughout my house. They put out a surprising amount of air for their size!

The adjustable hospital table has been so useful to me these last few years. For the longest time, I used it in my bedroom where my microwave was. It was a nice place for me to prep meals when confined to the upper level of my house.

FOOD AND KITCHEN

Cooking, and even sometimes eating can be challenging for those of us with chronic illness and pain. I’ve assembled a lovely little array of kitchen-helpful, Spoonie-friendly products that I regularly use!

If you are able to tolerate it, Filmjölk is a wonderful addition to your diet to help gut health. It’s fantastic over a bowl of muesli and fresh berries in the morning. Even people sensitive to dairy tend to be able to tolerate Filmjölk because it is fermented.

The Ninja was a real godsend when I was caring for my elderly father. He suffered from dysphagia and I had to puree most of his food. It also does very nice smoothies!

Those glass baby food jars are a favorite of mine. I use them to store leftovers and to freeze food portions for times when flares hit.

The small saucepan is what I use to boil a few eggs in, as it’s small and easy to handle. Heavier dishes and pans are oftentimes very difficult for me.

The electric cast iron burner is how I cook every day. I am unable to safely access the stove from my wheelchair. The burner sits on an adjustable plastic table in my kitchen for accessible cooking.

The Hibiscus tea is a really nice tea, any time, and so healthy for you!

The cutting board is very small and easy to fit in my sink to wash. Initially bought it when I was trapped on the upper level of my house and had to do my dishes in the bathroom sink! It was the perfect size for that, and I still use it every day.

The Kettle and Fire Bone Broth is SO GOOD. You have to be careful when purchasing ready-made stuff – look at the labels! There shouldn’t be huge paragraphs where the ingredients are listed.

Hopefully, there’s something in this collection of food and kitchen products that you might be able to use!

COMFORT / PAIN RELIEF

This section mostly consists of heat products because that is what seems to help me the most. I’ve had several of these. A few of the heating pads have zonked out on me, BUT… the company is VERY RESPONSIVE, and… they have a FIVE YEAR warranty on them. They are quick to ship a new one out, no muss, no fuss. I’ve never even had to send the old one back. To be fair, I use them a LOT more than the ordinary consumer probably does. My heating pads are used daily, sometimes for hours at a time (with breaks, of course). It stands to reason that they might not withstand such heavy use over time. If you too are heavily dependent on heating pads, this company DOES stand behind their products. The customer service people were absolutely lovely. You have to love Spoonie-friendly products that are made by companies who support their customers and back their products!

HOME AUTOMATION

Because I am in a wheelchair, there are a lot of light switches and things I cannot reach. Automating the lights in my house has been one of the best things I’ve done in these past few years. Amazon’s Echo / Alexa system makes it easy for me to control devices from anywhere. I was recently in the hospital but was still able to turn my lights on and off at my home.

I also LOVE these Wyze cameras – I have them all over. Great quality as well as super affordable. We got a bunch of those as well as a couple of Ring cams a few years back. We’d had an “almost” break-in, (scary) early on a Sunday morning. Now that things are automated, the lights are on motion sensors and the cameras record when anything moves! An added bonus? Video capturing some lovely deer and a family of turkeys who like to visit from time to time. 💕Pairing Amazon’s Alexa speakers with Wyze and Ring cams is a no-brainer when it comes to Spoonie-friendly products. They make life with chronic illness so much easier!

COMFY CLOTHING FOR SPOONIES

I don’t have a lot of Spoonie-friendly products here yet, but I plan to add more. For now, just know that these slip-on shoes by Sketchers are a must-have for easily accessible and comfy footwear! I have them in black and in grey and absolutely love them. Honestly, though, I was wearing these shoes even before I became ill. I used to live and attend university in London and I put many miles on my Sketchers in that city! They are real workhorses!