http://www.creativethrivingllc.com/

Creative Thriving LLC, Portland, OR (2025)

04/19/2025

Day two in the office after three years of working from home! Loving this new space & this sunshine we’ve been having in Portland ☀️

If you missed it, check out my prior post for more details, but Wednesday & Friday I’ll be in NE Portland so you can see me in person if you would like (Don’t worry virtual is here to stay)!

I’m in the AWOL dance collective building sharing space with PT Jen Crane 😊

Happy Friday!

-Tasha

04/19/2025

**forgot to share this here!**
Hi Everyone, I am writing to share an exciting announcement…

Beginning April 16th you will have the option to see me for in person appointments on Wednesdays & Fridays!

My new office is located in inner NE Portland, just inside A-WOL dance collective. This has been quite the journey to find a space that met all of my requirements…
✨This space is wheelchair & other mobility devices accessible.
✨It is street parking only, but spaces are generally plentiful just out front.
✨Near public transit.
✨Big windows with natural light, no overhead fluorescents in the office.
✨It has two single occupancy gender neutral restrooms with floor mounted toilets and enough room for a wheelchair.
✨Chairs for a variety of body sizes (will share more info on this soon!)
✨Low scent. Please don’t wear perfume or scented lotion/products to your appointment.
✨A kn95, kf94, or n95 style mask will be required for appointments.
✨Air purifier is always on in the office.
✨There will generally be a minimum of 15 minutes between patients (often 30+ minutes).

If you are loving Telehealth, don’t worry, it will remain an option!

In person will initially be an option for follow-up appointments only.

In the near future this may expand to new patient appointments (starting with follow-ups to slowly acclimate to this change, first time seeing folks for in person appointments since early 2022!)

If you would like to change an upcoming appointment to in-person please send me a Charm portal message.

Moving forward you will see an option for in-person or video visit when scheduling on Charm.

My goal continues to be accessible healthcare for everyone! If you are interested in seeing me in person, but have questions or accessibility concerns, please message me on Charm.

If you are not yet a patient, but potentially interested, please click the banner at the top of my website www.CreativeThrivingLLC.com

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Tasha Searles, APRN/ ARNP

08/23/2023

FYI for those taking oral cromolyn, there has been a recall from one manufacturer.

Details from image:
Cromolyn Sodium Oral Solution (Concentrate) 100 mg/5 mL,produced by Ritedose Corporation, Columbia, South Carolina, for
Ritedose Pharmaceuticals.

The doses that have been recalled are from Lot number "23CE2, Exp. 03/31/2026" This
recall affects 44 cartons of Cromolyn Sodium Oral Solution (Concentrate) 100 mg/5
mL.

This does not apply to all cromolyn, check the label to see if it matches the above brand & lot

08/15/2023

Updated my resource page today! You can check it out here: www.CreativeThrivingLLC.com/resources

Caption for audio:
“Hi, this is Tasha, and I just updated my Resource page on my website. So, if you are looking for resources and want to learn more about EDS, hypermobility, POTS, Mast cell activation syndrome, neurodivergence, autism, adhd, lgbtq+ healthcare…probably something else… some Journal articles, please check it out and let me know if you have something to add or if you have any feedback!”

Video description: screenshot video scrolling through the resources page at www.CreativeThrivingLLC.com/resources

~~~
💻 How to reach me? Check out the connect page of my website (linked in bio)

📍Location? I work with patients in Oregon, Washington state via telehealth.
~~~

08/11/2023

Hello! Time for a re-introduction, as it’s been awhile since I posted & there are some new folks!

I’m Tasha Searles, a clinical nurse specialist (similar to a nurse practitioner), and owner of Creative Thriving.

I’ve been a clinical nurse specialist for almost 8 years, and a nurse for 12 years.
My love is helping patients connect the dots on a wide array of “mystery” symptoms.

Currently, most of my patients have some variety of symptomatic hypermobility, EDS, POTS or other type of dysautonomia, and mast cell disorders such as MCAS.

I personally have EDS, POTS, & MCAS. Like many in the EDS community I’m also autistic, adhd, & q***r 🌈

Most of my patients have been seeking answers for years and have a long history of being gaslit and dismissed by other providers. My hope is to create a different experience.

I practice from a trauma informed, HAES, Neurodiversity, lgbtqia+, & disability affirming lens.

I believe that you are the expert in yourself and want to take the time to really listen to your story.

In our initial visit we’ll take plenty of time to review your history & current concerns, then work together to formulate a plan for moving forward. Plans may include labs, imaging, medications, supplements, and lifestyle recommendations. My goal is to not just figure out the causes of your symptoms, but also help you find things that help you feel better!

If you’re looking for a clinician to help you connect the dots on various symptoms, or to help you find treatment options for your already diagnosed conditions, please reach out!

~Tasha

~~~
💻 How to reach me? Check out the connect page of my website (linked in bio)

📍Location? I work with patients in Oregon, Washington state via telehealth.
~~~

[ID: photo of Tasha a white person with blue eyes and short brown hair, they are smiling. In the background is a green field and faded out light blue sky]

05/30/2023

Love this! The ABCs of EDS 🦓

05/29/2023

Going along with my last post, I wanted to talk a bit about compounding medications.

People with allergies or sensitivities to particular inactive med/ supplement ingredients may need to get some of their medications through a compounding pharmacy if they are unable to find commercially made without the problematic ingredient.

Compounded medications are specially formulated by a compounding pharmacy to meet the individual needs of a specific patient.

Some reasons someone may need to have a compounded medication...

〰Allergies to ingredients in a commercially prepared formulation
e.g. dyes, preservatives, lactose, etc.
〰Trouble swallowing pills and needing medications in liquid form
〰Needing medication in a different dosage than is commercially available

While the ingredients used to create compounded medications are FDA approved, the compounded medication formulations are not regulated by the FDA.

It is important to use a reputable and certified compounding pharmacy.

Questions? Feel free to leave a comment below!

~Tasha

〰️
💻 How to reach me? Visit the connect page of my website [link in bio] to send me a secure message or schedule an appointment!

📍Location? I see patients in OR & WA state via telehealth.
〰️

05/26/2023

Inactive ingredients in medications & supplements

Meds & supplements contain more than the active ingredient.

These "Inactive ingredients", sometimes called "excipients" have a variety of purposes.

〰What they are?
Ingredients other than the actual medication

〰Why are they used?
Bind ingredients together
Prevent separation
Increase volume for easier measurement
Dyes for identification
Flavor/sweetener
Lengthen shelf life

〰Why it's important?
Some people are allergic or sensitive to some inactive ingredients.

A common question I receive is, "How do I know what the inactive ingredients are?"
〰Slide 2 has an example label. This particular label is for Allegra (fexofenadine), an over the counter allergy medication
〰The website dailymed.nlm.nih.gov can be helpful in finding labels / ingredient lists for prescription medications.

Some people don't have any issue with inactive ingredients, but many of my patients have sensitivities or allergies.

You don't need to avoid these unless they are causing you symptoms. Many people tolerate fine.

If you change medication or supplement brands / manufacturers & suddenly don't tolerate, it could be an excipient / inactive ingredient causing the problem.

As always, you should discuss with your licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your medication or supplement regimen.

Here are some common inactive ingredients that may cause allergy or sensitivity reactions, but certainly not all inclusive:

〰Artificial dye
Fd&C Blue #1
Fd&C Red #40,
Fd&C Yellow #6
& others

〰Preservatives
Benzoates
Benzalkonium chloride
Benzyl alcohol
Sulfites
Nitrites
MSG (monosodium glutamate)
Potassium sorbate

〰Emulsifiers
Polysorbates (e.g. polysorbate-20, polysorbate-80, etc)

〰Sweeteners
aspartame
sorbitol
xylitol
& others

〰Other common allergens
lactose
gluten
soy

Questions? Feel free to leave a comment below!

~Tasha

〰️
💻 How to reach me? Visit the connect page of my website [link in bio] to send me a secure message or schedule an appointment!

📍Location? I see patients in OR & WA state via telehealth.
〰️

05/24/2023

Often it can be challenging to pinpoint what may be triggering a symptom/ symptoms to flare.

Here are a few potential triggers to consider…
🩺Stress, Fatigue, & Illness

🌡Temperature hot/cold/change

🦠Infections & Toxins

🕯Fragrance & Chemicals

🌮Food & Beverages

🛟preservative, additives, & dyes

💊Medication & inactive ingredients

🏃‍♂️Activity

🌿Environment

Questions? Feel free to leave a comment below!

~Tasha

〰️
💻 How to reach me? Visit the connect page of my website [link in bio] to send me a secure message or schedule an appointment!

📍Location? I see patients in OR & WA state via telehealth.
〰️

05/23/2023

How to support the vagus nerve...

Improving vagus nerve function can be helpful to more easily move back into a parasympathetic (rest & digest) state after a stressor has passed, instead of staying stuck in a sympathetic (fight or flight) state.

See my last post for more on the vagus nerve.

Here are a few ideas for supporting the vagus nerve:
✨Slow paced breathing (see past breathing post)

✨Rocking or swaying back and forth

✨Massage

✨Gargling

✨Exercise

✨Singing & Humming

✨Weighted blanket or Lap pad

✨Increase salivation

✨Eye movement exercise

✨Laying on belly

✨Rubbing belly

✨Cold exposure

✨Laughing

✨Socializing & spending time with people you enjoy

Lots of references & resources on the Vagus nerve here: https://www.creativethrivingllc.com/post-links

Questions, or something to add? feel free to drop a comment below.

~Tasha

~~~
💻 How to reach me? Check out the connect page of my website (linked in bio)

📍Location? I serve clients in Oregon, Washington state via telehealth.
~~~

05/22/2023

I was going to share some about supporting the vagus nerve, but then realized I better share a bit more about the vagus nerve first…

What is the vagus nerve?
〰The Vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your body that connects your brain to many organs (e.g. heart, lungs, intestines, stomach).

What does the vagus nerve do?
〰The vagus nerve helps with the rest & digest" part of the nervous system and can impact most body processes such as: breathing, digestion, heart rate, & more!

Why is supporting the Vagus Nerve important?
〰Improving vagus nerve function can be helpful in getting out of the sympathetic "fight or flight" stress
state more easily.

〰We will always encounter stressors, and the "fight or flight" state serves a purpose, but we also want to be able to move easily back into the parasympathetic "rest and digest" state when the stress has passed.

📻Stay tuned for tips on supporting vagus nerve function!

Questions? Feel free to leave a comment below!

~Tasha

〰️
💻 How to reach me? Visit the connect page of my website [link in bio] to send me a secure message or schedule an appointment!

📍Location? I see patients in OR & WA state via telehealth.
〰️

05/21/2023

Many conditions commonly co-occur with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome & Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders, and an important part of EDS/HSD management is identifying & treating any co-occurring conditions.

This is one reason an EDS/HSD diagnosis is important, it provides a framework for better understanding symptoms and what other conditions may be co-occurring.

Treating co-occurring conditions often greatly improves quality of life.

Here are some, but certainly not all inclusive…

🦓Spinal instability including upper cervical spine instability (CCI/AAI)

🦓Sleep disorders, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and others.

🦓Dysautonomia, including POTS

🦓Small fiber neuropathy

🦓Abdominal pain and gastrointestinal disorders such as gastroparesis

🦓Intracranial Hypertension

🦓Chiari malformation

🦓Tethered Cord Syndrome

🦓Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)

🦓Various types of chronic pain

🦓Chronic fatigue

🦓ME/CFS

🦓Immune system disorders

🦓and more…

Questions, or something to add? feel free to drop a comment below.

~Tasha

~~~
💻 How to reach me? Check out the connect page of my website (linked in bio)

📍Location? I serve clients in Oregon, Washington state via telehealth.
~~~

Creative Thriving LLC

04/19/2025

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08/23/2023

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