I got word yesterday that my MRI is clean. It's good news since it means no tumors are causing my problems, but bad news since we still don't know what the problem is. I learned from some online research that the MRI should have been done with contrast and wasn't, so there could still be some missing information, like possible infection surrounding the brain or other problems in the head that could be a factor. I don't plan on having another MRI any time soon though, so those questions will have to be left unanswered for a while.
I decided yesterday that I was going to stop the medication...I felt it was not doing the job intended and instead causing other symptoms I wasn't ready to live with. With just two days of being on them, I could feel that I didn't want to deal with the side effects. It just wasn't worth it.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Wow, I can't believe it's been over six months since I posted here last! It's not that my health has been good by any means, but I guess life got so busy I didn't take the time to post all that I've been learning still about heavy metal toxicity. A lot has happened in the last six months, so hopefully I can remember most of it to share with you.
Well, for starters, after 7 years of trusting in my naturopath doctor to help me find healing and good health, I have chosen to move on since I was not getting what I needed from him: answers. I decided to start giving my nurse practitioner the reigns for a while and see if she could help me figure things out. Since I have done that we have worked specifically on the off-balance/dizziness I feel along with the headaches that have been occurring daily now for some time. We started with some physical therapy to try to retrain my eyes to see things properly. That didn't really do anything. Then we tried a CT of my sinuses and a visit to an ENT specialist. He found slight inflamation in the lower left sinus area, but in no way causing the pressure in my upper sinuses to give me the headaches or the vertigo feelings. He had them do several vertigo tests and a hearing test that all came back normal. He then decided I needed more testing with balance specialists. The tests came back with only a 20% difference in balance between the right and the left ear, which is in the normal range, and one technician told me she thought maybe I had vestibular migraines, in which the off-balance and dizziness were my 'aura' before the headache (or sometimes no headache at all). It seemed to sound about right, but then when I chatted with the other technician that following week, he didn't like that diagnosis, but told me he didn't know what it could be. So...I went back to the NP, and she decided to send me to a neurologist. After his initial examination (even before he read any of my paperwork from Balance Solutions) he came to the conclusion it also could be vestibular migraines. He chose to have me get an MRI to rule out anything else, and put me on propranolol er 80mg to see if it would help. The only problem with the meds is that it's also for high blood pressure. I have low blood pressure to begin with, so he was a bit leary about putting me on it. We all had a good laugh when my husband asked the doctor what the side effects are if my blood pressure drops too low, and he said 'dizziness'! Go figure!
As of this writing, I have been on the meds for two days and not liking the way it feels, plus it doesn't seem to be doing anything to my headache. I also think I may have had a negative reaction to the MRI, but I'm not sure, since I could not find any information on it online anywhere. I am also waiting for a call back from the doctor regarding the MRI. If that comes out clean, I've decided I want to ask him if I can do another heavy metal test and round of chelation before we try any other meds. It got me to thinking a little bit more that direction again when the neurologist mentioned that vestibular migraines can be a symptom of MS, and if you've been following my blog at all, you know that I believe strongly that most cases of HMT are misdiagnosed as MS.
I also had some stomach issues back in November that put me in the ER one night, and I'm still trying to figure that one out because I am having residual digestive problems from it. The NP has me taking some acidolphilus supplements to try to correct the situation, but for some reason it's just not going very well. I hope that it settles down, because I will not like the investigative work I'll need to do on that if they need to start doing testing.
I still do have adrenal fatigue, and haven't been able to catch a break on it. Just when I think I'm starting to feel better and have more energy, I'll have a day that I crash and I am so exhausted I don't want to move. I am learning more about it, however, and hope to start really nourishing it soon and get the rest I need.
Well, that's what's been going on with me. I will try to remember to post more on here in the next few days after I hear from the neurologist.
Well, for starters, after 7 years of trusting in my naturopath doctor to help me find healing and good health, I have chosen to move on since I was not getting what I needed from him: answers. I decided to start giving my nurse practitioner the reigns for a while and see if she could help me figure things out. Since I have done that we have worked specifically on the off-balance/dizziness I feel along with the headaches that have been occurring daily now for some time. We started with some physical therapy to try to retrain my eyes to see things properly. That didn't really do anything. Then we tried a CT of my sinuses and a visit to an ENT specialist. He found slight inflamation in the lower left sinus area, but in no way causing the pressure in my upper sinuses to give me the headaches or the vertigo feelings. He had them do several vertigo tests and a hearing test that all came back normal. He then decided I needed more testing with balance specialists. The tests came back with only a 20% difference in balance between the right and the left ear, which is in the normal range, and one technician told me she thought maybe I had vestibular migraines, in which the off-balance and dizziness were my 'aura' before the headache (or sometimes no headache at all). It seemed to sound about right, but then when I chatted with the other technician that following week, he didn't like that diagnosis, but told me he didn't know what it could be. So...I went back to the NP, and she decided to send me to a neurologist. After his initial examination (even before he read any of my paperwork from Balance Solutions) he came to the conclusion it also could be vestibular migraines. He chose to have me get an MRI to rule out anything else, and put me on propranolol er 80mg to see if it would help. The only problem with the meds is that it's also for high blood pressure. I have low blood pressure to begin with, so he was a bit leary about putting me on it. We all had a good laugh when my husband asked the doctor what the side effects are if my blood pressure drops too low, and he said 'dizziness'! Go figure!
As of this writing, I have been on the meds for two days and not liking the way it feels, plus it doesn't seem to be doing anything to my headache. I also think I may have had a negative reaction to the MRI, but I'm not sure, since I could not find any information on it online anywhere. I am also waiting for a call back from the doctor regarding the MRI. If that comes out clean, I've decided I want to ask him if I can do another heavy metal test and round of chelation before we try any other meds. It got me to thinking a little bit more that direction again when the neurologist mentioned that vestibular migraines can be a symptom of MS, and if you've been following my blog at all, you know that I believe strongly that most cases of HMT are misdiagnosed as MS.
I also had some stomach issues back in November that put me in the ER one night, and I'm still trying to figure that one out because I am having residual digestive problems from it. The NP has me taking some acidolphilus supplements to try to correct the situation, but for some reason it's just not going very well. I hope that it settles down, because I will not like the investigative work I'll need to do on that if they need to start doing testing.
I still do have adrenal fatigue, and haven't been able to catch a break on it. Just when I think I'm starting to feel better and have more energy, I'll have a day that I crash and I am so exhausted I don't want to move. I am learning more about it, however, and hope to start really nourishing it soon and get the rest I need.
Well, that's what's been going on with me. I will try to remember to post more on here in the next few days after I hear from the neurologist.
Monday, August 31, 2009
I'm livid.
Watch these videos and read the information. Looks like we have to take it into our own hands to make sure ourselves and the ones we love do not get amalgam fillings!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Adrenal fatigue and neck issues...
I'm beginning to think I will always live in a world of perpetual fatigue. It feels like a never-ending battle somedays! Over the last couple of weeks it seems to have gotten even moreso, and I'm guessing just by my other symptoms that the adrenal fatigue is back in a big way. Unfortunately I don't have the time to deal with it. Life is so busy right now, and there's so much to be done. I think if I could have a week of lazy days, long sleepy nights, and sleep-in mornings along with good nutrition, no stress, and someone to make meals for me, I might be able to heal my adrenals, but with being a stay-at-home year-round homeschooling mom, that's just not going to happen. Plus, it's summer, a very busy time for us.
My neck is also still a bother. Between the car accident I had fourteen years ago (whiplash) and the trauma from the tooth that went bad and had to be pulled, my neck has been through enough to probably cause me problems the rest of my life. When my neck is in adjustment I have less off-balance and dizzy feelings, but when it's out I feel very unstable and have lots and lots of headaches. Today is one of those days. My neck has been out since yesterday morning and I have constant pain and a nasty headache. There is also a pulsating feeling from one of the nerves being pinched in the back of my neck and I can feel every pulse...it feels very irritating.
Believe it or not, things are looking up. I don't feel half as bad as I did a year ago, and not even close to as bad as two years ago. I don't even want to discuss three and four years ago!
My neck is also still a bother. Between the car accident I had fourteen years ago (whiplash) and the trauma from the tooth that went bad and had to be pulled, my neck has been through enough to probably cause me problems the rest of my life. When my neck is in adjustment I have less off-balance and dizzy feelings, but when it's out I feel very unstable and have lots and lots of headaches. Today is one of those days. My neck has been out since yesterday morning and I have constant pain and a nasty headache. There is also a pulsating feeling from one of the nerves being pinched in the back of my neck and I can feel every pulse...it feels very irritating.
Believe it or not, things are looking up. I don't feel half as bad as I did a year ago, and not even close to as bad as two years ago. I don't even want to discuss three and four years ago!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Some improvement...
Things have yo-yo'd a lot for me over the last few months, and I apologize for not getting in here. I have felt a lot better than even six months ago, but I am still far from great. Our spring has been super busy, and when I've had good days I've used them to their advantage as much as possible.
One new thing that is good, but also unfortunate, is that I found out through my own 'testing' that chocolate has been giving me the extreme sinus headaches that was causing me so much pain. I stopped eating a lot of chocolate about six months ago and noticed a difference in how I was feeling, but I didn't think to get rid of it all. I still ate chocolate in my morning Vitashake, but that was the only place I was getting it. I ran out about four weeks ago, and have been chocolate free for that entire time, and boy there is such a difference. I've also had a lot less off-balance/dizziness, although when it comes back it comes back pretty strong but lasts for a short time. I have no idea what the connection is, but it actually was a fluke that I even stopped eating chocolate completely, and after a couple of days went by and I didn't have any, I noticed my headaches getting less and less. So I determined to stay off completely, and during the last four weeks I've only had a few sinus-type headaches, and they were very mild compared to what I had before. One night I had a 'white' kitkat, made with white chocolate, but between the layers there was still regular chocolate. That night I woke up with that same sinus pain and pretty much knew it was because of the chocolate. I am SOOO bummed. I love chocolate. Brownies were my all time favorite dessert. The hardest part is that my family loves chocolate and we constantly have chocolate around. I know I will have to learn to go without if I don't want the headaches, but oooooohhhhhh, I so miss it!
One new thing that is good, but also unfortunate, is that I found out through my own 'testing' that chocolate has been giving me the extreme sinus headaches that was causing me so much pain. I stopped eating a lot of chocolate about six months ago and noticed a difference in how I was feeling, but I didn't think to get rid of it all. I still ate chocolate in my morning Vitashake, but that was the only place I was getting it. I ran out about four weeks ago, and have been chocolate free for that entire time, and boy there is such a difference. I've also had a lot less off-balance/dizziness, although when it comes back it comes back pretty strong but lasts for a short time. I have no idea what the connection is, but it actually was a fluke that I even stopped eating chocolate completely, and after a couple of days went by and I didn't have any, I noticed my headaches getting less and less. So I determined to stay off completely, and during the last four weeks I've only had a few sinus-type headaches, and they were very mild compared to what I had before. One night I had a 'white' kitkat, made with white chocolate, but between the layers there was still regular chocolate. That night I woke up with that same sinus pain and pretty much knew it was because of the chocolate. I am SOOO bummed. I love chocolate. Brownies were my all time favorite dessert. The hardest part is that my family loves chocolate and we constantly have chocolate around. I know I will have to learn to go without if I don't want the headaches, but oooooohhhhhh, I so miss it!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Not much new...
Things haven't changed much since the last time I updated. I am finding that fact a bit discouraging, but also encouraging, because that means I haven't gone backwards in my journey. I have not taken my next toxic element test yet. Not because I don't want to, but because I haven't gotten to the particular clinic that I need to, to get it. With not having the ability to drive any long distance it makes it a bit difficult, since the clinic is in the next town over.
We have recently been able to get a hold of lead testing kits and decided we'd at least figure out where that heavy metal is coming from. So far I've been able to test 3 items, and 2 looked to be positive for lead as far as I could tell. I'm not really looking forward to finding out more if I could find 2 things in a short amount of time. I checked with our city to have our water tested and they basically refused, which was a bit frustrating. Now we'll have to go through another means to test our water, which may cost us to do.
I don't have much more to share at this time. I just know it has been awhile and felt if there's anyone out there who's been keeping up with this, you might be curious as to how I am doing. Thanks for checking in!
We have recently been able to get a hold of lead testing kits and decided we'd at least figure out where that heavy metal is coming from. So far I've been able to test 3 items, and 2 looked to be positive for lead as far as I could tell. I'm not really looking forward to finding out more if I could find 2 things in a short amount of time. I checked with our city to have our water tested and they basically refused, which was a bit frustrating. Now we'll have to go through another means to test our water, which may cost us to do.
I don't have much more to share at this time. I just know it has been awhile and felt if there's anyone out there who's been keeping up with this, you might be curious as to how I am doing. Thanks for checking in!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Irked again.
Here's the latest information I came across. Everyone at the FDA should be fired and it should be completely revamped. Not just for this particular article and their purposeful secrecy about it from the public, but how can they be so stupid, period? They are putting millions of innocent people's lives at danger every day by allowing harmful substances to be used in medicine and in the marketplace. When is the insanity going to stop?
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