For the shortest version of My Story (that I could write) see My Story - Just the Facts.
For
this Longer Version, let me summarize by dates the last 2 years and 4
months. I'll TRY to
keep it short.....and post it as-is for now and make improvements
later. Also, later I will break up different parts of My Story to
expand on my thoughts and actions, explain my symptoms, and add more
information (charts, test results, etc.).
First of all I should tell you that 'I never get sick'. Yes the
occasional cold or flu but nothing serious (just some ear infections
when I was a toddler). My parents and my maternal grandparents don't
really get sick either. Also, I love sports and have played them my
whole life and continue to exercise when I'm not playing on a team. I
eat healthy compared to lots of people I know; including, I started
eating a big salad once a day (back in college) because I felt that
would be better for me/my health. However, until this disaster I had
no real idea about any alternative medicines (since I don't get sick I
didn't really know about western medicine either!). On with the story
. . .
- October 25, 2007 Give birth to my 3rd child. Natural childbirth, no drugs. My recovery is the best of the 3, until . . .
- November 9, 2007 (2 weeks later)
VERTIGO/Dizzy - the room is spinning when I wake up and try to get out
of bed. My O.B., an MD, prescribes Meclizine (found in BonineTM and
other products) over the phone. 12.5mg/4hours. Call my regular MD if
it still exists in 2 weeks. Side effect: it makes you very tired.
- November 13, 2007 (4 days later)
The Meclizine is not working. My MD via her nurse on the phone
prescribes Meclizine 25mg/8hours. Even in my weak state I can point
out that this is the same amount that isn't working! Nurse is coarse
with me and barks that I will have to be seen for any more than that to
be 'prescribed'. I try taking the larger dose at the broader intervals.
My family (parents who were here to help after the birth and my
husband) keeps trying to convince me that I just need to rest; that I'm
still recovering from being pregnant and waking up all night long with
the baby. I spend about 18hours a day trying to rest and breastfeed
the new born baby. It's not helping. I'm getting fed-up with resting
that's not helping me feel rested!
- November 27, 2007 (2 weeks later)
My help is gone and I now have responsibility for 3 kids under the age of 5 years - including the new born.
Now I have cold symptoms, flu symptoms, I have a 103 degree fever,
every time something moves in my intestines I get dizzy, I can't bend
over without getting dizzy, my blood pressure is off when I swoop down
low and then get up and lots of other crazy symptoms. I'm in bad
shape. I take pity on myself and call the doctor's office. I'm able
to get in the same day with my MD.
She hears all the symptoms and
asks to look at my breasts to see if there is any redness, heat, or
lumps. She guesses I have a bacteria infection - mastitis - and
prescribes anti-biotics. It helps except I'm still having all kinds of
digestive trouble (with foods I never had trouble with before).
- January 12, 2008 (10 weeks later)
The same crazy symptoms are coming back again. My MD calls in the
anti-biotic for me (I only talk to her nurse). The symptoms abate.
- February 6, 2008
I talk to my MD on the phone - I tell her my theory that every time I'm
fighting something off (flu, cold) my ear gets plugged up and I think
it plugs up into my inner ear and I get dizzy throughout the day. She
prescribes Sudafed - 24hours a day/7 days a week. Says it is fine to
take it indefinitely (many people do for other ear problems) and it's
fine for breast feeding the baby. Side effect for me - it seriously
drys you out! Drinking massive amounts of water doesn't help and after
about 6 weeks on it I start to get IBS symptoms (ie. constipation then
diaherrea alternating), an anal fissure (I found out several months
later this is what it was after flipping through a 1960's 'Medical
Encyclopedia' of all things!), and having a BM gets quite painfull.
BUT I can't be off of it for more than 3 days without getting dizzy
again.
- March 2008 Lots of digestive problems. Many
nights of diarrhea at 3am. Stomach often feels bad - nausea. Still
getting up with the baby to breast feed at night. And in the morning
taking care of the 3 toddlers. But still exercising, because I always
feel better afterwards.
I start searching for what could be
wrong with me. I attend an Acupuncture talk on 'Allergies' at the YMCA
where I work out. His presentation did not help to convince me but his
office is only 1 mile from my house. I'll think about going after I
figure out what's wrong with me and after the baby is done
breastfeeding. . .
From researching, it looks to me like I have
either candida or gluten intolerance. The symptoms are similar. AND
the symptoms seem all encompassing - my husband and to some degree I am
very skeptical about the two problems. They do seem like catch-all
'diagnosis'.
- April 2008 ENOUGH! A family of
friends comes to visit from out of the country. Of the 4 adults and 5
children I am the only one that gets massively ill - serious diaherrea
starting at 3am. No one else gets sick at all, including the two
newborns. I get no sleep. Even after my friends arrive I'm still too
'excited' to go to sleep - as I learned later that's an adrenal problem.
I've had enough. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ME!! I'm not listening to my
husband's 'just wait, it will pass' any more! I KNOW that going to
Acupuncture is the right thing to do. If no one is going to help me
I'll do it myself!
- April 2008 First Acupuncture appointment.
I tell my Acupuncturist that I need to grow more white blood cells to
fight off germs (Acupuncture is proven to do this, I don't have the
reference for it though), I have digestive problems, and I'm physically
dizzy - which I think is coming from my inner ear. He says he can help.
Beginning this day I never have to take Sudafed or Bonine again. My acupuncture appointments are every other day for two weeks; then twice a day for
- May 12, 2008
Visit to Nutritionist. I go to try to get a handle on what I should
not be eating - having digestive issues (bloating, gas, loose stool)
after everything I eat! And I notice the good effects from Acupuncture
are ruined by things I eat. The Nutritionist uses two bio-resonance
machines (ASYRA and SCIO) and muscle testing to come up with a list of
foods to avoid and a list of vitamins/supplements I need. I had never
heard of either methods but co-workers of my husband had gone to him
with good results for foods to avoid.
NO foods come up as being
above his 'avoid' limit! He says I need way more protein. And
"Superfuel Plus" tests very well for me with muscle testing. He
recommends Standard Process Zymex (for digestive trouble) and Standard
Process Catalyn (a multi-vitamin). Via muscle testing he says I have
too many bacteria, parasites, and fungus (ie. like yeast). But I'm ok
with viruses. I'll scan-in the papers he gave me with the results at a
later time. I follow his recommendations.
I go home and research the two machines - the SCIO creator is in trouble with the US Government. But the
ASYRA
is an FDA Class II medical device and it blows my mind away!! I
immediately see that the Nutritionist is only using 1% of the
capability of his machines! Much more on this all over my blog . . .
- May 21, 2008 (14 weeks after the 2nd round of anti-biotics)
Here come all the symptoms again - dizzy, nose stuffy/cold symptoms,
fatigue, right side under my ribs is hurting, low blood pressure when I
stand-up from squatting, etc. The symptoms are a little better this
time - due to the Acupuncture appointments. I DO NOT want anti-biotics
this time and have researched that enough to know I had killed off good
bacteria too; so I find a pro-biotic to take and start replacing the
good bacteria.
I first cut out all white/refined sugar
products. I do experience some cravings and light headedness a few
days after starting this. Could be due to the yeast or could just be
due to cutting out sugar.
Coincidentally, we installed a
Reverse Osmosis 'R/O' water filtration system in April. So I know I've
minimized the amount of toxins/molds/etc. I'm drinking.
