excited

Yay! I've gained 3 lbs. this month! It MUST mean something in my regimen is working on my gut so I can absorb nutrients better.

My appointment with my doctor went well. All is going according to plan and my recent flare up of symptoms seems to be from all of the toxins from the dying off process. I backed down the dose of one of the antibiotics and seem to be doing better this week. Dr. said that was a good call.

He is concerned that my liver is "hurting" so we did some blood work. I suspect it will come back normal as all my blood work always does, but I'm not complaining about that!

Now that I know that I AM gaining weight I'm going to really try hard again to gain just another 5 lbs if I can. I would be happy with that and stop worrying. That would be my pre-marriage weight and maybe my wedding rings would fit again!

on the verge of a headache

For 20 years of my life I remember waking up with a headache and falling asleep with a headache. Some days it would turn into migraines....in fact, 3 out of 7 days it would! I was diagnosed with "childhood migraines" when I was little and it just kept getting worse as I got older. We never could figure out what caused them except that it kind of runs in my dad's side of the family.

In college I saw a neurologist and even got an M.R.I. Nothing of interest showed up thankfully, and I was put on some meds to try to suppress the constant headache. I was on it for about a year and it did HELP but it didn't solve the problem. The side-effects were too much to bear so I went off of them and my doctor indicated if I wanted relief, I'd need to stay on the meds the rest of my life. *sigh* Oh well. So back came the headaches and migraines.

Then, fast-forward to after I had my first baby; I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. I had to cut out wheat and gluten from my diet. After a few months of this lifestyle I realized my headaches weren't as frequent. I certainly didn't wake up with a headache anymore. It was amazing. The only thing to complain about was frequent migraines but it was WAY better than having a constant nagging headache at all moments.

Recently I asked my general practitioner for a refill of my migraine medicine. He said, 'Oh, for my patients I usually put them on a 30 day regimen of this anti-nausea medicine and then they don't get migraines anymore.'

"WHAT!???" It sounded too good to be true. He said occasionally his patients will go back on the medicine after the 30 days but for 10 day stints but for the most part the migraines stay away.

So I started it about 15 days ago. You take it at bed time. I'm so surprised at how well it's worked so far. Most days I feel like I'm ABOUT to get one but it never turns into anything! I haven't had a migraine since I started the nightly meds. I HOPE it stays that way even when I finish the medicine.

As far as my other non-headache-related symptoms -- they seem to be fluctuating. Some days are good, some days are worse. I see my doctor tomorrow. Guess I'll see what happens.

Like I'm walking on eggshells

It's funny because I'll have an AWFUL day of joint pain and fatigue and think, 'aw...it's starting again' and I'll start bracing myself for the worst. Then the next day will be a lot better. It's like the antibiotics are barely keeping me above water. It's nice not to be 'sunk' yet and hopefully I won't get that way. But it's continually frustrating to feel like the horrible can't-get-off-the-couch fatigue and pain are about to come at me full force.

I've had some sort of improvement I know because I bought a ticket to fly with my almost-2-year old in two weeks. This seemed like an insurmountable task even a few months ago. Now it seems a bit daunting but not impossible. I wouldn't have even considered such a trip then. It'll be nice now, though, especially because the people at the end of my plane ride always make me feel comfortable enough to lay on the couch all day if I need to :) And they have lots of entertainment for the little Lady of the house :)

Weary

But not defeated; that's always a good sign. The botanical antibiotics are really taking a toll on my body. It means they are doing their job but it makes my physical state pretty weary-ing. I'm on Goldenseal now that the Oregano didn't work for me. So now I'm on the full dose of meds. I see my doctor in about 2 weeks and at that appointment he wants to see exactly what brands and such that I'm using for ALL of my vitamins and supplements.

My ankles have been especially hurting lately. Sometimes hard to walk on but most the time just a constant throb and ache. My wrists too and my back just generally aches all day long. It's like a flashback to a few months ago because I've actually experienced a bit of a relief from these symptoms since the last one course of anti-microbial botanicals. I REALLY hope this means things are dying off and that I will be rid of everything causing me problems! I so want to be well when my husband returns.

There have been some great improvements, though -- I feel like I have my "mind" back finally. I no longer live in a 'fog'. It's been so nice to have clarity and feel creativity come back. I think the increase in energy has helped this too. I've gotten out my sewing machine, craft items, etc. It feels a bit like my old, healthy self :)

A lot of people have been telling me that I "look" much better than I have in a year or so. This is encouraging although I haven't personally noticed it. But when more than 3 people say something and they aren't related, you know something must look better :)

This is quite rambly but I wasn't sure what else to write about. I feel in limbo -- feeling somewhat miserable but on the other hand, so much better in certain areas of my health. So now we press on and continue to wait...

Swamped

Well, it seems as if the stones passed quickly this time! I'm so thankful for that.

Today I felt the first real feelings of needing to be off of my feet most of the day. Thankfully I've felt worse than this so I still feel functional. I can make meals and take care of the little rambunctious monkey girl. But I just wonder as this treatment gets more intense in the next week or so whether I'll be able to maintain that.

I do know the Lord is in control as He has been in the past. He knows how much I can handle and I have always made it through before with His help.

Ready to be rid of my kidneys

...except they are so vital to well-being. I have the familiar twinge of kidney stone pain this evening. Oh how I'm hoping it will be gone by morning! I've lost count how many times I've had kidney stones. We never can catch the stones to test and see what type they are; that may help figure out what I'm doing to cause them! On the other hand, it could very well be that I'm just susceptible to them no matter what I do.

I will admit that the last two days I haven't been drinking much water. Instead, I opted for Hansen's Natural Root Beer. Going for cola over water is never a good thing for someone who gets kidney stones often.

*sigh* Please, Lord, let me not deal with this pain for a long time! I was in denial all evening until I realized I had doubled over a few times as I walked to get dinner ready. I always think, "What is this familiar pain...it can't be kidney stones again." And then I finally throw in the towel and resign to my fate.

Lots of water for the next few days!

I'm officially on all three antibiotics. But I'll have to give one up. I've been taking Oregano Oil but unfortunately it has cumin in it and I am allergic to it! I've been wondering why I have a fine layer of red hives all over my face and large itchy hives down my neck and back and arms. I thought it was because I introduced oats after not having them for 2 years. But then today I realized that after I took my dose of Oregano Oil, I found myself scratching at my neck and forehead and cheeks. I looked at the ingredients once again and then it clicked -- cumin! I've always suspected I'm allergic. For a few years when I eat something with cumin in it I'll get hivey patches on my arms. Then at Christmas I had some BBQ sauce and RIGHT afterwards broke out in incredible hives all over my face and arms and neck! The only suspect ingredient was cumin!

I guess now I'm convinced! So I'll need to choose another botanical antibiotic/antifungal to take oregano's place. There is a small list of things that kill off candida. I'm going to go with Goldenseal to take the oregano's spot. We'll see how it goes!