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 2008Lots 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, 2008Visit 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.
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