AmyBuckley.com

EUREKA!....Chemistry textbook helps solve 3years of illness...

After 3 years, 2 months, and 10 days - I FINALLY figured out what is wrong with me - Low Cortisol levels!  It covers every symptom I have left AND most of the symptoms over the three years:  Dizziness, fatigue, intestinal dysbiosis, heart palpitations, low blood pressure, bad body temperature regulation,  intermitten muscle weakness, environmental sensitivities, thirst, blood sugar regulation problems, circulation problems, etc.

Essentially I had a complete adrenal exhaustion after the birth of my third child (adrenal gland produces cortisol).  Apparently, I've been nursing myself back to health via "alternative" medicine the entire time.  I am so Happy right now, there are not enough words to express it.

How did you figure it out?  You have asked yourself already . . . well, it's a fun story really . . . I know I need to update the 'My Story' section of the blog, but to cut to the chase, I'm currently in Oregon attending a community college to take the pre-requisite classes I need to apply to NCNM.  (Yes, we moved our whole family here after visiting the two schools in May 2010, see post "NCNM vs Bastyr...").  

This quarter I'm taking Chemistry 222.  We started with Chapter 3 and on the second day of class (January 4th, 2011) the instructor decided to work through a problem from the book.  And here is the quote:  Problem 3.44, Chemistry by M. Silberberg,  "Cortisol....It's profound effect on the reduction of inflammation explains its use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis".   And that was it.  Thank you Mr. Silberberg for adding this unnecessary sentence to problem 3.44 (it adds nothing to getting the answer to the problem) and thank you Mr. Hogle for going over problem 3.44, even though you didn't assign it for homework, and didn't review any book problems the entire previous quarter!

I had been getting this swelling in my head the last few weeks about 6pm, I kept thinking it was yeast or other microbes gathering there.  When I read Problem 3.44 I knew different; my cortisol was too low to keep the inflammation down!  At that moment, the page with problem 3.44 turned into a jigsaw puzzle and all the pieces began to fall from the sky and take shape on those words.  (Not literally but that's what it felt like for sure).  I walked home in a half-giddy daze and started Googling cortisol - there is a ton of information on it since body builders have to control and monitor it in order to build muscle.  Vitamins that were helping me - Vitamin C in particular, help control cortisol levels!  More research revealed all my symptoms!

I was blown away.  I talked to my husband about it as soon as I could once again form words.  He helped me to see how I was so wrapped around the idea of pathogens recurring and growing in my body that I was missing the real cause!  (And some how so did all the people helping me over the last 3 years, more on that later).

I have to also give credit where credit is due - a Flower Essence is also responsible for my break through.  Specifically, Najma Flower/Energy Essences.  This fact is also integral to the Eureka moment and it's timing...

I had been taking two of their flower essences over the December break.  The first one is called 'Unveiling' Essence and is described to do the following; "This Essence is particularly indicated to bring unconscious material manifesting as sickness closer to the surface."  Once something comes to the surface you can stop taking Unveiling and take 'Perspective' Essence to understand or make sense of what is coming up.  Perspective will ". . . clarify your 'life-vision', and help you to see your way through".  I was so impressed with how Perspective helped me get out of my anxiety attacks and help me with a new attitude about taking tests that I decided to give Unveiling a try.

I had been taking the Unveiling for four days when class started for Winter quarter.  The Chemistry problem was just the spark for my memory, the flower essence deserves most of the credit.  

I had been contributing to my own sickness, and preventing my recovery, by being stuck on the idea of micro-organisms!  Now what?  

Luckily, my Dr. appointment was only a few days away.  I told my ND and she recommended some books on Adrenal Fatigue.  (From Fatigued to Fantastic is especially accessible; The Cortisol Connection is great too).  I devoured them over the weekend, decided to try some of the vitamins, adaptogenic herbs, amino acids, and glandulars the books recommended (I was already following the diet, sleep, exercise, and food recommendations).  I ordered them, shipped them expedited, and 2 days later started taking the whole bunch.  I took the first batch in the evening and the next morning I already felt better!    No kidding.      

Of course there was a lot more to my story, but that's the short version.

Now I'm trying to decide who to see next.  Now that I KNOW what's wrong I want to go to an ND that specializes in Endocrinology.  In Wisconsin I had virtually no choices for natural doctors.  Now, in Oregon I have over 350 ND's to choose from!  Stay tuned for more health adventures . . .

My Story Update: May 2009 - July 2010

I left off the telling of my story in May 2009, where I had just found the bioresonance practicioner near my house in Wisconsin.  As I said, that's when the real road to recovery took place.  The machine produced such a dramatic improvement in my health that I will dedicate one or more entire entries to it.  For now, I'll leave you without the details on that and just say that it did not entirely solve my recurring issues.  The problems that kept coming back were dizziness, heart palpitations, green urine, circulation problems (including blue nail beds on my fingers), food sensitivity, environmental sensitivities, etc.  However, after a year following the bioresonce machine's recommendations those symptoms were often so slight I only knew there was a problem because I was still keeping daily notes.  One slight heart palpatation would happen and a few days later a slight dizzy feeling and then I would review my notes and see the pattern.  More on that and May 2009 - May 2010 update of my health later.

By the fall of 2009 I was pretty convinced that I wanted to become a Naturopathic Doctor myself.  I had been trying to figure out what career/job I would do once my time of staying home with the kids was over.  I liked a lot of areas and knew I was done working for a a big corporation, probably done doing Mechanical Engineering work, and didn't really want to work for any one else.  I started telling my thoughts about becoming an ND/NMD to my friends and extended family and everyone was very encouraging.  My husband thought that it was an outstanding idea.  Even though he seemed to be fighting against me with every alternative therapy I tried, he was ecstatic about the thought of me becoming an ND.

We decided that I needed to be a 'bridge' between western medicine and natural medicine.  So I wouldn't get my ND degree on-line or from a small school but I would get the same education as any Medical Doctor, MD.  To do that you have to go to an accredited naturopathic medical college.  There are currently 6 such colleges in North America.  I began investigating them on-line, contacted admissions counselors and started talking to current students.  I wanted to get a feel for how hard the schooling was, how long it would take, and what I needed to apply.  We knew it would be expensive, but you get student loans for that and pay it back as you make money in your practice. (For us, the $150,000 - $250,000 the medical school costs were a concern but not a stopping mechanism.  We were used to large numbers from working at GE. The amount is like owning a house, which we also had experience with).  Since I would be in school for at least four years and we would have to move our whole family to the city where the school was we decided we better visit the campuses early-on to make sure the whole thing would work for our family.  (Note that I already knew I would have to take at least 6 courses at a community college to fulfill the pre-requisite education requirements).  So, even before getting started on that we went to visit the schools.  (See my complete review of the schools under the Schools tab).

In May 2010 my husband and I went to visit Bastyr near Seattle, WA and NCNM (National College of Naturopathic Medicine) in Portland, OR.  We were extremely impressed by NCNM, it's on-site Medical Clinic, the Helfgott Research Institute (part of NCNM), and Portland iteself.  In fact, the city, and our future, took such hold of us that we decided to move ASAP.  We flew home on a Sunday and Monday had 5 yards of mulch delivered to our house in Wisconsin to start getting it ready to sell . . .  We had lived in Wisconsin for 12 years.  The housing market is the worst in decades.  We have three kids ages 7, 5, and 3 years.  Portland is over 2000 miles away from our house in Wisconsin.  Todd had one business associate and I had one former college friend that we knew in Oregon, that's it.  We cut down our belongings from taking up over 3,300 sq. feet of space to fitting into 1 POD - 128 sq. feet of space!  We rented a house from just viewing it's listing over the internet.  My husband, Todd,  had just started his own business in Oct. 2009 - his income was not steady nor assured.  And I had a three year on-going illness that needed constant attention and often rendered me physically useless and/or mentally fuzzy (I'm the main planner/organizer/detailed-oriented/experienced mover of the two of us).

DOES ANYONE THINK WE ARE CRAZY YET?!!  

 We are,         but,         we did it.

WE are now living in Portland, OR literally across the street from the Rock Creek, PCC (Portland Community College).  While our Wisconsin home, still for sale, got over two feet of snow and a low of -4F yesterday . . . we are in a place that doesn't often get below 45 degrees in the winter!  The house we rented on-line looks just like the photos, it's beautiful and full of light.  I made it through my first quarter at PCC where I took the same Chemistry class I had 21 years ago.  I also took Psychology of the Human Life Span (good one if you want to be a doctor) and passed both.  Somehow we have managed to keep up with all our bills.  Todd is loving Portland and it's great for his new business.  The kids have lots of new friends and love riding the bus.   In other words, life is really great right now.  :)    But the saga that is my illness continues, more on that later.

 

My Story - The Longer Version

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.  

My Story - Just the Facts

Here is a super-quick summary of what has gone on with me the past 2.5 years.  For more details please see My Story - The Longer Version.

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 . . .

VERTIGO hits me two weeks after giving birth to my 3rd child; November 9, 2007.  2 different MD's have me cover it up with Meclizine (found in Bonine^TM and other products); doesn't really work and I develop lots of other symptoms so:

Round 1 of Anti-biotics works on lots of the symptoms for about 10 weeks.  Then my crazy symptoms all come back; 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 (see Candida tab for more info. on that).

Round 2 of Anti-biotics works on most symptoms but the dizzy-ness keeps creeping in on me so:

I start Sudafed 24-7; stops the dizzy feeling but I start to get IBS symptoms (ie. constipation then diarrhea alternating), an anal fissure, and having a BM gets quite pain full.  BUT I can't be off the Sudafed for more than 3 days without getting dizzy again.

Round 3 of Crazy Symptoms returning but I don't want anti-biotics.  I've had it with my MD not addressing my crazy symptoms and everyone else blaming it on recovery from having a baby!  I start researching what's wrong with me; it looks to me like I have either candida or gluten intolerance.  And I know I need more blood cells to fight infections, since your count is lower after having a baby. 

April 2008 - I start Acupuncture and I am still going to this day. This is the start of getting better.

May 2008 -I visit a Nutritionist to try to get at my digestive troubles.  He has a Bio-resonance machine - I research it and am flabbergasted by what it does.  I'm 90% certain I have candida.  I start the strictest form of the Candida Diet and other diet restrictions (see Candida - What DO you eat?).  And then I try to start killing the Yeast with Grapefruit seed extract.

July 2008 - I find an NMD (Naturopathic Medical Doctor) - I have a rash on my chest and uppper back so bad it's scary (die-off effect from killing the yeast).  Especially scary while breast feeding my new born baby!  I do the Standard Process Cleanse and use Coconut Oil topically.  It works for the rash!

August 2008 - I visit 2 Chiropractors as it feels like something on the left side of my neck is blocking my Chi/blood flow at Acupuncture.  My top 2 vertebra are out of alignment.  It helps with Acupuncture.

March 2009 - I visit an Iridologist.  Worth it for the perspective it brings and the insight into my condition.

April 2009 - I find a new ND with a Bio-resonance Machine.  I start the REAL road to recovery.

January 2010 - I start this Blog.  I'm still seeing the ND with the Bio-resonance and I'm almost rid of the Candida.  You are all up to date.  Please read on in My Story for lots of important details.