Omg...i Might Be On To Something

[dlp252]

Hey...would I get relief from the pain in my upper back and shoulders with an epsom salt foot bath? (No tub until next Tuesday evening.)

Okay, I tried the epsom salts foot soak, and it did help clear some of the fogginess I think. I used a pail, so could get about half my calves in the soak as well.

I was going to say that the footbath would still detox and even if it's only from the lower extremities, seems like a lower burden of toxins would be a good thing.

On a VERY good note, I don't know if anyone knows that we have been trying to get money together for online school. We found this organization that has been helping us along the way (they help families of chronically ill children...me). They called us today and told us they will pay for the first year of online school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!! <MAJOR happy dance!> So, in the face of all this yucky illness, there is SOME good!

Another happy note, I just talked to my grandma who is VERY anti anything semi-alternative!!! Like....WOAH!! She was dx'd with Celiac and won't follow the gluten-free diet because she says the way she feels has NOTHING to do with what she eats!!! (Just to give you an idea of the kind of person I am dealing with) and I just talked to her and I told her about Lyme and she was amazingly supportive. Also, online school, she said she thought it was a good idea (she is one who thinks I need to be a lawyer or a Dr....lol). So, she usually puts a ton of pressure on me, but was really nice about everything. She actually said, "it doesn't matter what the dx is as long as they can treat it!!!"

WOW!!! Both of these posts just made me smile for days!!! Wahoo!!!

I had a really productive appointment with the women who does the muscle testing for me. My main organs under stress have changed since the beginging my stomach and my liver are what mainly need support right now. The stuff i was taking for my pancreas seems to have really helped because before that was my weakest organ and now it is testing alright.

My stomach is going to be our main focus right now so we worked out a supplement plan and it is not overwhelming. and i feel safe with all of them.

I got some tests back and it looks as though i really need some more protein . I finally found a protein powder i may be able to take it is ia rice protein powder but it is the 1st one i have ever seen that is formulated from white rice as opposed to brown- I can eat white rice but not brown kills me, so i am really hoping i will be able to tolerate it . I am going to go really slowly with it though!! I had to order it so i did not have it yet when i met with the women who does my testing but i might see her again this week and i will bring it with me. This way she can test me for it and if i test ok i am going to have her dose me for it.

Woohoo!!! This is VERY encouraging!!

[melmak5]

I met with a covering dr. yesterday. The more often dizzy spells = an

ekg, which was normal, so she is having me wear a heart monitor for a

few weeks just to make sure my ticker is a-ok.

She said that all of this was confusing for her, and could only

imagine what its like for me (the lack of communication from doctors

and the primary care who is here one day, and isn't the next).

New plan

-wear monitor

-come back in 2 weeks

-she called and left a message for the GI to call both her and me (she

wants to hear a clear plan of action from her)

-recommended a different GI, within the hospital system - I

have to call about setting up an appointment with him

-she is coordinating with the head person in the office to find me a

new primary care person who will be around (my current is on a

different rotation, which is why she is not in) because she agrees

that I need a SINGLE point-person who can advocate and coordinate

This woman was pretty awesome, sadly her title is Physicians

assistant, so she cannot be my person, but said I can call her if I

need to.

Overall, I have actually had less pain the past couple of days, but

more bloating/pressure/burping and exhaustion. Things are shifting

around, hopefully for the better.

PS - With all these wires I kinda feel like a human ipod... but they said I don't have to wear it during the wedding I am going to tomorrow... so at least I can still wear my dress and not have to use a pant suit.

[rinne]

Rinne...YES YOU ARE!!

OK....so tell us about the new treats...are they a different type of treat or new flavors for Rinne bars??

......

OMG...the sauna story just never gets old.

Hi Rachel.

The new ones are like an ice cream sandwich dipped in chocolate. I have gained weight, I actually want to lose about five pounds now.

Glad you still find the sauna story amusing, when I think of standing there naked pondering my options I have to laugh too.

....

Rinne--so excited for you! Can I be your East Coast affiliate?

Sure.

Mitch and I are taking Pau d'Arco. We've just gone off the chlorella so we can save it for Seth and hopefully Talitha. I was taking 15 drops of oregano oil a day for the bladder infection. I'm now down to 10 a day. I'll probably cut down to 5 this weekend and see if this infections is gone. I tried dropping down to 5 this last weekend and it was too soon. The oregano oil hasn't phased me a bit so I must not have very fungal/yeast issues.

......

Andrea, thanks for the reminder about the Pau d'Arco,I had kind of forgot about it since my holidays.

I hadn't heard of oregano oil for bladder infections, I'll be interested to know whether or not it has worked for you.

If I can get my treats to the U.S. then I'll be working on the non-soy ones for you, as it is they only have a little soy lecithin in the chocolate, but they can be soy-free with the Enjoy Life chocolate.

...

I'm sure Rachel and I will be duking it out in the Rinne Bar aisle to see who can rachel the most.

Hey...would I get relief from the pain in my upper back and shoulders with an epsom salt foot bath? (No tub until next Tuesday evening.)

How about a castor oil pack? If you did it in the evening then you could just rub the oil into your skin after you were done.

....

They called us today and told us they will pay for the first year of online school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!! <MAJOR happy dance!> So, in the face of all this yucky illness, there is SOME good!

...

That is wonderful news, congratulations.

As to the vaccination, I agree with everyone else here about the safety of it. From my perspective it is all about the money, it not about women's health.

Rinne-

sounds like everything is going great for you. I am so happy to hear about the sucess of Rinne bars. How have you been feeling?

...

Hi Miamia, glad to hear that you are seeing positive changes, I am doing better too. There are times, more and more each day, when I forget my body. I forget it because it doesn't hurt anywhere, this is astonishing to me as it has been nearly five years of pain.

I see three aspects to this change:

1) detox

2) re-nutrification

3) treatment

I am thinking more about these things lately as I feel I need to resume treatment of some sort and I am not sure whether my night sweats are related to menopause which I am clearly going through or babesia, or both! If it is menopausal then I am inclined to let it happen, I think if our menstrual cycle is a detox cycle when we stop menstruating but we start sweating it makes sense to me that this is our body addressing detoxing in a different way.

Any thoughts about this, any other menopausal women?

[jerseyangel]

Any thoughts about this, any other menopausal women?

Hi Rinne,

As a menopausal woman , I am doing it without use of hormones or anything, really. I avoid soy, dairy and the rest of the things that give me problems, try to get plenty of rest, take calcium (and biotin for the thinning hair), and just try to be as healthy as I can be.

I had hot flashes and moreso, nightsweats both before and after my surgery. After, they were more severe, but have gradually gotten so much better. There are nights where I don't have any at all--I'm thinking that hopefully it's just running it's course. My moods are also improving.

I think it's a very individual decision because all of us go through it differently. I'm glad I didn't automatically take hormones after the surgery and instead decided to see how I'd do on my own. I was one who could never tolerate estrogen (tried the pill years ago, reacted terribly and never tried them again)--so I would have probably have just traded one set of symptoms for another.

[confusedks]

Carla,

I looked up hemolytic anemia and it seems like a good possibility. We will mention it to my hematologist when we see him on Monday.

Donna,

Me too!

Kristina,

That sounds like a good plan! I hope it all works and you get some answers. I can relate to the human iPod. When I was in the hospital they had me on SO many monitors...it was crazy. Between the heart monitors and IV's...I could barely move!

Patti,

Thank you for your input. Now I am mad because I had one. Goodness, I am SO disillusioned with the Medical Community!

Everyone,

Well good news! I am officially enrolled in Online school!!! YAY! I am also going to school (regular school) today to go eat lunch with my friends (except I won't eat...lol!). I am excited to see them!

Also, I am SO disillusioned with the Medical community it is ridiculous! My uncle whom I am very close with called me last night and was so rude about the things we are doing. He kept saying that we need my GP to be ordering all the tests and I told him that I went to my GP complaining about fatigue for months and he kept telling me I was fine. it wasn't until we DEMANDED a hematologist who told us about the ferritin, because my hemoglobin has been fine for the most part, so the GP didn't think i was anemic because he DIDN'T know which tests to run! He is such a product of the Western Med. Comm. It is so frustrating!

Kassandra

[melmak5]

POLL - GLUTEN FREE WEDDING MEAL OPTION - In YOUR gut?

I am going to a wedding tomorrow. The bride's has an aunt has celiac disease and they are making a special meal for her and I... but it contains soy, which I cannot have. So instead I asked for a plain piece of beef, the veg and no starch.

Today is the first day I haven't thrown up what I have eaten (so far).

Would you risk eating said meal?

(I am leaning towards not)

[AndreaB]

Okay, I tried the epsom salts foot soak, and it did help clear some of the fogginess I think. I used a pail, so could get about half my calves in the soak as well.

Yay!

Sorry Andrea, lyme brain forgetfulness...when is your phone consult with your doctor?

It's on Wednesday....the 14th.

I had a really productive appointment with the women who does the muscle testing for me. My main organs under stress have changed since the beginging my stomach and my liver are what mainly need support right now. The stuff i was taking for my pancreas seems to have really helped because before that was my weakest organ and now it is testing alright.

My stomach is going to be our main focus right now so we worked out a supplement plan and it is not overwhelming. and i feel safe with all of them.

Good news on the progress you've made. Keep us posted as you can.

ps ditto on HPV virus opinions. Check out www.909shot.com. Might be . Org

That's also www.nvic.org

She said that all of this was confusing for her, and could only

imagine what its like for me (the lack of communication from doctors

and the primary care who is here one day, and isn't the next).

Enjoy the wedding this weekend. Glad you get a break from the heart monitor for that.

Keep us posted. At least this person is trying to help.

Andrea, thanks for the reminder about the Pau d'Arco,I had kind of forgot about it since my holidays.

I hadn't heard of oregano oil for bladder infections, I'll be interested to know whether or not it has worked for you.

If I can get my treats to the U.S. then I'll be working on the non-soy ones for you, as it is they only have a little soy lecithin in the chocolate, but they can be soy-free with the Enjoy Life chocolate.

It's the wild oregano oil that is supposed to be good for a lot of stuff. It's around $30 a bottle....tiny bottle. The bladder infection treatment was listed on the website I found the info on the oil on I think.

I don't know whether that has helped or the cranberry juice......maybe both.

Also, I am SO disillusioned with the Medical community it is ridiculous! My uncle whom I am very close with called me last night and was so rude about the things we are doing. He kept saying that we need my GP to be ordering all the tests and I told him that I went to my GP complaining about fatigue for months and he kept telling me I was fine. it wasn't until we DEMANDED a hematologist who told us about the ferritin, because my hemoglobin has been fine for the most part, so the GP didn't think i was anemic because he DIDN'T know which tests to run! He is such a product of the Western Med. Comm. It is so frustrating!

Western Medicine is run by the Pharm so they just learn to medicate/drug everything, not find the reason for the symptoms.

[confusedks]

Personally, I wouldn't risk it, unless there is something that you KNOW you can handle (which I don't think there is anything you can handle?). I would HATE to get really sick at a wedding.

Kassandra

[AndreaB]

Personally, I wouldn't risk it, unless there is something that you KNOW you can handle (which I don't think there is anything you can handle?). I would HATE to get really sick at a wedding.

Ditto

[jerseyangel]

POLL - GLUTEN FREE WEDDING MEAL OPTION - In YOUR gut?

I am going to a wedding tomorrow. The bride's has an aunt has celiac disease and they are making a special meal for her and I... but it contains soy, which I cannot have. So instead I asked for a plain piece of beef, the veg and no starch.

Today is the first day I haven't thrown up what I have eaten (so far).

Would you risk eating said meal?

(I am leaning towards not)

At this point, I wouldn't chance it if I were you. Can you bring something safe to eat for yourself? It's a drag, but at least you won't get sick and you can enjoy the day

[dlp252]

At this point, I wouldn't chance it if I were you. Can you bring something safe to eat for yourself? It's a drag, but at least you won't get sick and you can enjoy the day

Ditto from me too!

[melmak5]

So my GI just called...

I am literally shaking I am so upset.

I told her about the heart monitor and the additional pain/bloating.

She said that I need to be taking Benefiber (which I refuse to do because its derived from wheat) and the muscle relaxant.

I said, but I cannot take the muscle relaxant when I am constipated, because it makes the problem worse. She told me I should just take "some" with a laxative.

She suggested genetic testing and when I asked well what if that is negative, what then.

She got completely defensive and said "you need to understand that I just met you in October and that this is a complicated situation."

I said thats great, but I have been dealing with this for 6 months and I have yet to find a food I can tolerate and what am I suppose to do in the mean time? She said "just try to eat things you do tolerate."

When I asked about the testing again, she got even more defensive. I said, I just want to know what the next step would be, if the test is positive OR negative.

If positive - she said she would send me to a celiac nutritionist

If negative - she said the idea of IBD would need to be more thoroughly looked at.

It was like pulling teeth. And she said my name wrong.

I don't think I could feel more frustrated.

She actually said "you have all these tests and they show nothing."

No sh**!

I have the overwhelming feeling that she has no clue and won't say it, or that this just isn't a priority. When I asked about my previous labs she said "honestly, I have a stack of paperwork and yours is in it. I haven't looked at it."

I don't know. I want to physical do harm to her.

[confusedks]

Kristina,

Aw. I am so sorry that it was so frustrating for you! I understand the run around doctors give their patients. When you don't fit into their little square box that they were taught to treat in Med school, they don't know what to do. Rather than trying to figure it out, they just kinda ignore it. I am sorry.

Kassandra

[rinne]

Hi Rinne,

As a menopausal woman , I am doing it without use of hormones or anything, really. I avoid soy, dairy and the rest of the things that give me problems, try to get plenty of rest, take calcium (and biotin for the thinning hair), and just try to be as healthy as I can be.

I had hot flashes and moreso, nightsweats both before and after my surgery. After, they were more severe, but have gradually gotten so much better. There are nights where I don't have any at all--I'm thinking that hopefully it's just running it's course. My moods are also improving.

I think it's a very individual decision because all of us go through it differently. I'm glad I didn't automatically take hormones after the surgery and instead decided to see how I'd do on my own. I was one who could never tolerate estrogen (tried the pill years ago, reacted terribly and never tried them again)--so I would have probably have just traded one set of symptoms for another.

Thanks Patti, I am not taking any hormones either and I don't intend on taking any. I am hoping the night sweats just wind down on their own, soon!

.....

She actually said "you have all these tests and they show nothing."

No sh**!

.....

I completely relate, and I relate to the rage too.

In my experience our bodies know we are in trouble before any of the tests done by western medicine will tell us what the trouble is. I think the problem is that what they call "disease" in some cases is not disease it is "damage" and what they diagnose is damage so before the damage shows up we are in pain, we are sick, we feel horrible and we know we are in trouble but their tests tell us nothing. Worse, some of those tests can actually cause real problems for us. The iodine mix that people drink before a C.T. scan kills 2 in 10,000 people but they don't tell us that nor do they tell us that it affects 5% negatively with swelling, difficulty breathing.....

Nor does anyone warn you that a C.T. scan is the equivalent of 100 chest x-rays and that they have had problems over-radiating small women and under-radiating large men. After mine, and I didn't drink the iodine mix, I felt burned for three to four months afterwards.

I seriously think that some of start out with problems that diet alone could resolve but because of the tests and treatments they do we end up in much worse shape, sometimes needing a lifetime of a particular medication because they screwed up.

My first doctor prescribed a medication that would have stopped all absorption of Vitamin B in my stomach, given that my Vitamin B levels were already critically low this would have pushed me over the edge. I was already having problems related to how low they were.

I am careful with how I think about them and how I think about what has happened to me, I know now that the rage I felt towards them was another poison that my system couldn't handle. I rely on humor, even if it is a little bitty (bitter), to get me through.

My doctor told me there was nothing wrong with me and when I brought up the rash (Lyme) and asked for a test she said she would get me a referral for it but then, and she threw her hands up in the air and said, "and then I am done with you". I howl whenever I think of her doing that, I was so done with her at that point and had been for ages, I was only being polite because I wanted the results from my blood work.

The truth is I never went to doctors thinking that they would help me with my health, I went to them so they could tell me what my sickness was. This doctor was in her fifties but could have been in her sixties, overweight, slumped shoulders, depressive personality, dark circles around her eyes, generally the picture of ill health, I actually feel a little sad for her.

[AndreaB]

She actually said "you have all these tests and they show nothing."

I have the overwhelming feeling that she has no clue and won't say it, or that this just isn't a priority. When I asked about my previous labs she said "honestly, I have a stack of paperwork and yours is in it. I haven't looked at it."

Unfortunately, you have experienced what is common with the Medical Community.

If you are like us with not much in the way of a good insurance you'll need to strike out on you own and find a good holistic/naturopath type doctor. We charged everything we did this summer.....makes things real challenging now but we didn't feel we could hold off any longer with my daughter.

You could also find a good LLMD in your area and ask him/her to run all sorts of tests to help try to narrow things down. The Western Medicine isn't going to get you anywhere at this point.......sad to say.

[confusedks]

I have another question. Has anyone tried the raw diet? I have heard of some people getting good results as far as detox with it. My only concern is I think I am really allergic (not intolerant) to tree nuts. I guess I could eat them and see what happens and make sure I have benadryl right next to me...lol!

I feel like it would be a good way to clean out my system. Any ideas?

Kassandra

[AndreaB]

I have another question. Has anyone tried the raw diet? I have heard of some people getting good results as far as detox with it. My only concern is I think I am really allergic (not intolerant) to tree nuts. I guess I could eat them and see what happens and make sure I have benadryl right next to me...lol!

I feel like it would be a good way to clean out my system. Any ideas?

Kassandra

I wouldn't do that if you are truly allergic to nuts. It's not worth the health risk.

[confusedks]

Andrea,

I know. I don't know if I am truly allergic to nuts. I don't know if you remember, but awhile ago, I had some gluten-free trader joe's granola and just picked out the nuts because I didn't want the extra fat content. Then soon after I had freeze dried mango and I broke out in hives, bumps in my mouth, etc. It was terrible, but Rachel and others suggested it was a sulfite (I think) allergy, not a nut allergy. I am a little afraid to try nuts again. I wonder if I could be muscle tested for nuts?

Kassandra

[AndreaB]

I know. I don't know if I am truly allergic to nuts. I don't know if you remember, but awhile ago, I had some gluten-free trader joe's granola and just picked out the nuts because I didn't want the extra fat content. Then soon after I had freeze dried mango and I broke out in hives, bumps in my mouth, etc. It was terrible, but Rachel and others suggested it was a sulfite (I think) allergy, not a nut allergy. I am a little afraid to try nuts again. I wonder if I could be muscle tested for nuts?

I don't think I knew about that. Nuts are moldy too, so that might bother you. You could be muscle tested I would think.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Donna,

I can just see you hoarding the Rinne Bars! You and Rachel will be in a brawl! It will be like Dynasty, but about Rinne Bars! This would be hilarious! Naturally, only those with Lyme Brain could appreciate it! We may be a select group, but there are a lot of laughs involved!

Chocolate and insomnia are often related. I slept pretty restlessly last night as well. Sometimes I can eat chocolate and not have any trouble sleeping. Most of the time, at the very least it gives me strange dreams. Almost everyone I know says it does that to them, too!

So, what do your toes look like now? Did you have them done on the boat? Or did you do them at home? I have not gotten to play around with any jewels or fancy stuff yet. Since winter is coming, that might be pointless. Wearing boots tends to hide your toes.

Dear Sherry,

I was wondering the same thing about detox baths! I thought maybe you could draw toxins out through your feet.

Maybe I will try doing this, too. It cannot hurt. I am going to start having a spa day once a week, so maybe this could be added in there with my eyebrows and such. Epsom salts are good for your skin.

I cannot believe the doctors are not getting it together for Kassandra's sake, either. They need to move on this! I am tired of waiting to be well, too. These idiots take their sweet time on important matters. It would serve them right if they finally learned what it is like to be a patient needing urgent care and being denied it.

You mentioned you have been diagnosed with Lyme for 7 years. That is a long time. You are way ahead of the rest of us! Thank goodness you were diagnosed sooner than some other people. How long did you suspect it before you finally found out that is what it was?

Dear Rachel,

Chocolate definitely hypes me up. It makes me very happy, though! On top of the chocolate I have been eating, I drink coffee. No wonder I am so scattered! I have tried reducing my consumption, and am not doing very good at it.

I can just see you and Donna diving like football players for the Rinne Bars! I may very well be there, too! They sound so good! The new treats really make me curious. I bet they are delicious, too!

Has your day been a pink one? I hope it has. I am wearing pink now, but this shirt has seen better days. Let's just say that I have spills on this shirt I do not even know where they came from. There is no telling what I put my elbow in!

Dear Andrea,

Tell Mitch good luck with the new bread! Sorghum is not something that is a common intolerance, but are any of us normal? I know I am not. My body is nuts. One day I can eat something, the next day I cannot.

I remember you saying both you and your husband took Pau D'Arco, but knew he did not take the Oil of Oregano. I was sure of that. I hope you can reduce your dosage further now. Those infections are terribly difficult to deal with. E. Coli is the bacteria that causes bladder infections. That is one thing you do not want in your bladder or your stomach!

The wild oregano oil is too expensive for me. The gel caps for the enteric-coated are only $10.99. The oil of oregano liquid sure is a lot more expensive. It must be more pure or something. As far as the bladder infection goes, cranberry juice has cured me even with the worst one I had. I got it from the idiots up at IU Med when they catherized me.

I am glad you do not seem to have fungal issues. They are miserable. I am sure I have them. I will have to take the enteric-coated oil of oregano when I try it. Reflux is something I doubt my system needs aggravated further. Oregano burns people without such issues, so I figure erring on the side of caution is smart.

The Pumpkin Pie with Snickerdoodle Crust is going to be great! I just got a new pie pan. First, I am going to make cherry pie. I have been waiting for that. Then, I need to prepare for Thanksgiving. Chad and I are going to celebrate together this year. Since we are both Celiac, there is no way we could eat at my grandparents' house now.

That is great that you tolerate the new chlorella! I wonder why it was so hard on you and T when you got the other kind?

What was in it? Is there anything specific that was different about that supplement? How odd that this supplement is fine with you, but the other was not?

I agree that vaccines can be dangerous. Back when I had the MMR and Tetanus, they were almost 50 percent mercury. I am not thrilled to hear now they use aluminum. Metals do not belong in your blood! Iron and some others are alright, but only in trace amounts. Even too much iron can be dangerous.

Thank you for the link about Gardasil. Some of these vaccines have scary possible problems. They hardly seem worth the risk in certain cases. Unless you have no other options, I do not recommend them. You do not want your child to be autistic or worse. Unfortunately, it is obvious some of the newer vaccines are more risky than the older ones.

You got that right about the Pharmaceutical companies running the medical schools. Doctors are pressured by them. If it is not them being forced to become pill pushers, it is the insurance companies limiting treatment options for their patients. Many doctors practicing Western medicine are nothing more than puppets. The whole situation is unfortunate.

Your phone appointment is the same day I have my appointment with the hair colorist. I am going to my favorite local salon. Keep your fingers crossed that they can do what I want. I hope it does not take too long. I am nervous. In case you would like a makeover without screwing anything up, you can do one that is amazingly accurate on the GoodHousekeeping site.

Dear tom,

It is so nice of you to want to help Kassandra! Is that city she is going to near SJ? Northern California seems so nice.

Beaches are wonderful to live near. The Southern California beaches are badly polluted from what I hear. I do not know about the others.

Dear Birdy,

The mercury lightbulb mess sounds scary! I do not think I would want to chance being around it. You can breathe in methyl mercury, which is the most dangerous form of the stuff. At the risk of sounding paranoid, I would be opening the windows and such. Ventilation is important in preventing serious issues.

I was thinking a thin layer of melted chocolate would be good on the snickerdoodle crust before you get to the pumpkin filling. What do you think? Or how about cocoa powder or melted baking chocolate added to the pumpkin filling? Like I have not been eating enough chocolate lately! I have been thinking about brownies and all kinds of things I do not need.

Dear Kassandra,

I am glad you got the situation about the PICC line resolved. Now if you can just get the iron IV trouble fixed! You have to literally jump through hoops to get the help you need. People who are seriously sick should not have to deal with this stuff. Being sick all the time is stressful enough.

That is such great news about your schooling! I wish I had known about a place like that when I was your age. Assistance like that would have helped a lot. Luckily, my grandmother was kind enough to pay for me. It was very important to her for me to finish high school, because she was the only one of all of her siblings to graduate and receive a diploma.

Congratulations on your enrollment! I think you will enjoy online school. That is how I got my college degree. It is fun!

People do not judge you the way they do in regular school.

My family is like that, too. Natural medicine is not what they believe in. They are healthy, and trust doctors. Western medicine is a huge disappointment. It is dangerous more than helpful in a lot of ways. We all had been fooled, so do not be hard on yourself. None of us knew any better for such a long time.

Not more Lyme drama! I had no idea IgeniX was so strict. It makes sense that they would not want to run the test until a doctor gave them a word, though. Will the blood sample be alright? Or will they have to take more?

I can confirm everyone else's experience with chocolate and sleep. Chocolate does weird things to your brain. I just hope I escape the grasp of chocolate soon. Once I run out of candy from Halloween, that will fix it! Still, the magnesium is helpful that it provides.

You might have Cold Auto-Immune Hemolytic Anemia. My best friend's mother got very ill from it. Basically what happens is, the white blood cells destroy the red ones. Hemoglobin often gets low to the point it is dangerous from it. The disease is very rare, and is actually more common in dogs than in people!

The thing is with the raw food diet, it makes you poop! That is why you get so cleaned out. Personally, I would never make it on that diet. Plus, the situation with the nuts might not be a good idea to test just now. Your system is quite frail.

Sulfites are a problem for a lot of people, and could have been your trouble. Muscle testing would be a good idea. I use my chakra pendulum during the new moon when I have questions. It is never wrong. Sulfites do not set well with me. They make me queasy and aggravate my allergies.

Dear Rinne,

You are like me with chocolate! I do pace myself. It is not good to eat it all at once! Chocolate and coffee are two things I have difficulty stopping. The migraines for my teeth certainly do better when I consume these things.

OMG! I am so in love with your new treats! I miss ice cream sandwiches. I have not had one in an eternity. I do think I could make one myself. My brother gets Breyer's lactose-free ice cream. I can make some soft chocolate cookies and put the ice cream between them.

Your vision is a lot like mine! I wanted a gluten-free, dairy-free restaurant with a bakery and gift shop attached as well!

Patti could be our East Coast representative! This would be so cool! I am the Mid-West person!

Gift towers are something people with these disease deserve. Ordering gifts for people like us is difficult. This would help a lot of people with relatives who have Celiac or gluten intolerance. Did you know there are 3 Million Celiacs in America alone? I have no idea how many there are in Canada where you live, but that is the number here. Ten Million more people are gluten intolerant in our country.

Your health seems to be on the upswing! This was good to hear. Detox really does make a difference. Putting poison into our bodies on a daily basis will catch up with everyone eventually. No one is exempt from this.

Menopause can definitely add nightsweats. My mother is halfway through the change now, but when if first began, those were bad. Eating soy should help that if it has to do with menopause. However, I got nightsweats and hotflashes as a part of my PMS. I probably produce too much estrogen. Eating more than a little soy can cause hotflashes for me.

I did not know that about the deaths from Iodine or the amount of radiation in a CT! That is horrible! I did not drink iodine, I was injected with it. I also had barium sulfate solution I needed to drink, but only got half a bottle down of the three bottles I was supposed to take. I hope I did not get any damage from that!

Dear Carla,

How is your trip going? Florida is nice this time of year. Actually, it is probably nice all year. My best friend enjoyed her trips down there. Have fun!

Hemolytic anemia was what I was thinking, too. My best friend's mother has Cold Auto-Immune Hemolytic Anemia. She has to keep the house very hot so she does not have an increase in problems. It can cause some strange stuff. I looked up information on it when Vickie was in the hospital for my best friend and the doctors. I do not know if they used it for sure or not.

I would be apprehensive about the vaccine, too. HPV is scary, but truthfully, it is avoidable. Not many people end up with it unless they are sexually active. That is easily remedied. Cancer is hard to completely prevent. This is one method, but no one knows exactly how effective it is, nor do they know of any long-term serious side-effects. Thank you for the site link, by they way!

Humaworm is formulated specially? How wonderful is that? You never see companies doing that. Psyllium is a no-no for me, like it is Mia. Taking it is too painful and miserable.

Dear Patti,

Cancer is very serious. There are other ways to prevent it, though. Vaccines really do not necessarily prevent anything completely. I had the MMR vaccine, but had chickenpox. I had them really bad, too.

I have a Pap every year. I am due for one now, as a matter of fact. I hate getting them done. They can be painful, but I know they are smart to have since my grandmother had Cervical Cancer. That is why I would not have wanted to keep my cervix if I had to have a hysterectomy. I have had abnormal cells show up, but it was fine after I had them done again.

I wonder if the yeast caused that? Can it alter your test results with Paps? I would think it could. Yeast messes up a lot. I should research that.

Wouldn't it be neat if me, you and Rinne were business partners? We could be taifuns together! Baking is my thing. New recipes are certainly something I can do. I have a ton of ideas.

Menopause caused my mother to desperately need hormone pills. HRT does have risks. It is best to go all natural when possible. I am glad things have improved for you. Mom had trouble with the thinning hair as well. After she began taking Estrotest, that improved. It has male hormones as well. A lack of testosterone can cause the hair issues.

Mom had a very noticable bald spot in the middle of her head. She was very worried about it. Taking hormones made her nervous at first, because she did not tolerate the pill. They tried her on a number, and none set well. The panic attacks did not start until menopause began, and she has to take Xanax.

Dear Mia,

Your appointment sounded like it went very well! It is not surprising your liver and stomach are suffering. They tend to go together. If one is not working well, the other does not work well, either. Everything is connected to a point.

Has it really been two weeks since Rachel's test? Time sure goes by quickly. It seems like just yesterday was Monday.

Now it is Friday again! WTH? You blink, and five days pass?

Psyllium is something I cannot do, either! It makes me very sick. The pain in my stomach was awful. I will not take that stuff ever again! Cramping is apparently not uncommon with that stuff. Even better, Humaworm is a custom blend!

Dear Kristina,

The covering physician sounds like they know what they are doing! I am glad you are making progress this way. Your appointment seemed to be very helpful. Switching PCPs would be a good idea. When they get nothing done, it is time to move on!

I am glad your EKG was alright! Still, taking the precaution of wearing a heart monitor is a smart move. Those tests can be wrong. Some people died two months or two weeks after getting a normal exam with that test. There is no such thing as foolproof.

The belching and gas is probably easier to manage than the regurgitation. I can handle being burpy. Being pukey I cannot! Thank goodness the pain has decreased. Is there anything particular you have changed?

Feeling like a human iPod does make sense. I always felt like a lab rat. Experimentation is all I ever got from doctors. None really knew what they were doing. That is no way to try and fix your health! When your wiring goes screwy, you have to find out where the short circuit is to fix it.

Have fun at the wedding! Those are always nice. You what is really awful? Whenever I go, all I can think of is the big, beautiful cake! Now I cannot even eat any, so it does not matter. Even so, I still cannot help but obsess over the cake!

I think you should avoid the food at the reception to be safe. I know it is hard not to, but in your case, risking this is not good. This is frustrating, but getting sick would be no fun, either. Phenergan often is something that helps in this case. I take it as a precaution when I go anywhere. Drowsiness occurs, but as long as I am only going out for a couple of hours, that works out fine.

I had a doctor like the moron GI you have. She was a GI, too. What a shock! The woman was a real biznatch, too. That doctor thought she was right about everything, and was even rude to my parents! She actually told me it was impossible to poop food out whole. Now, you know as well as I do that is wrong. I also was told there was no way I had Celiac. Yeah, that turned out well.

Sincerely,

Jin

[melmak5]

Thank you all for your support.

This is the 7th doctor I have had to now "fire."

I am not asking for a miracle cure, I know its not going to be overnight, but I literally said "what am I suppose to do in the mean time, to be able to deal?" and she had no answer. I accept responsibility for my own health, for my own body (hence refusing to eat something from wheat)

I know that no matter what it "is" that is wrong with me its been kicking around for a while and is going to take time to "fix." I have accepted that. I don't expect her to know everything, but I do expect her to try. Implying that "there is nothing to do for now" is not ok. Sitting around and wallowing in sickness IS NOT LIVING.

If she told me to try learning how to swim, I would shake my head think its kookie, but I WOULD try.

I just want to be better, not sit around for some blood test that might say something. It just seems foolish, to allow me to sit around and deteriorate for 4 weeks. Obviously I am being a bit dramatic here, but I am sick of it.

Jin - I have started taking Chinese herbs, via an herbalist. It has made some really positive changes, but other things have started (the dizziness is the most drastic). I am throwing up less and have an appetite once in a while, which is refreshing as long as I can keep some of it down.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Kristina,

I know exactly how you feel! Life passes you by. You just sit and suffer, while everyone else gets married, has children, goes to the movies, gets a job, etc. Doctors do not want to take the time to listen. How are you supposed to help a patient if you do not even listen to what is wrong?

It is one thing when a doctor attempts to help you, but when they do not even try, that is another story. I have had plently of those. They believed you were crazy from day one. Because of what one lousy idiot doctor wrote about me, it ruined my life. The second they read what she wrote, they made up their mind I was crazy just because another doctor wrote it!

At least the Chinese herbs are helping! That is wonderful! I have more faith in nature's pharmacy than the artificial one.

Pills are poison! I wish I had never taken Celexa or PPIs, because I am stuck on them. Celexa is an SSRI, which are dangerous to try to get off of by yourself. PPIs have a terrible rebound effect with reflux and increase your risk of stomach cancer on top of impairing your ability to absorb nutrients.

Sincerely,

Jin

[AndreaB]

Kristina,

I'm glad to hear the chinese herbs are helping. I believe they've helped Julie too, but don't remember if anyone else was doing them. Maybe Claire, who hasn't posted for a long, long time.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Andrea,

Has anyone heard from Claire? She has not posted in so long! I hope she is doing well.

When was the last time she was on here? I think it has been at least two months!

Sincerely,

Jin

[AndreaB]

Has anyone heard from Claire? She has not posted in so long! I hope she is doing well.

When was the last time she was on here? I think it has been at least two months!

I haven't. I don't think she's been on since Sept anyway.