All About Me this time - Page 12

[changingseasons]

Oh my goodness Kathy. That's a lot to deal with all at once.

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by tanyalynn

Do you feel like this is the answer, why the kids have so many food intolerances and why addressing it with good, real foods, avoiding intolerances and rotating things, good food that's good for their guts, and yours, hasn't made much of an impact?

I know something is going on. I mean, why would kid #1 be fine, and #2 and #3 not be? There's got to be a reason, right? Is it metals? Is it lyme? Did they just get my weak constitution? I don't know yet.

Originally Posted by mamafish9

Hugs here too. Get through Friday, and then you can contemplate your metals . I'm curious how your osteo interpreted the test. Does he think it means you are high in lead and mercury, or just that's what the DMSA is good at pulling out of you first?

Yes, he thinks I have high lead and mercury, but not crazy high. But he thinks it could be contributing. And he said people with lyme are usually high in metals as well.

The Friday appt is a "consult" they said, but I'm supposed to leave 1.5 hours for it. I'm picking up my ultrasound/mammo CD for them to see. What else can they be doing in 1.5 hours... the good news is I'll hit my deductible fast (is that good news?) so things will start being covered. I'm just having a bad feeling about it. Tomorrow is cleaning the nursery school, plus pick up xrays, plus bring DS to osteo. Friday is nursery school picnic and boob doc. Then off to the lake, to see my mother for her 70th bday. Then back on Sunday. I'm so glad I got out of hosting that meeting on Monday night for 40 women. So not up for that. I'm distracted all the time. Can't seem to concentrate on anything. And can't sleep either.

Osteo said the treatment for the metals is a lower dose (obviously) than what I was on for the provoked metals test, once every 3 days (still DMSA though, I think). We'll talk about it on Monday when I go in for my appt.

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

Osteo said the treatment for the metals is a lower dose (obviously) than what I was on for the provoked metals test, once every 3 days (still DMSA though, I think). We'll talk about it on Monday when I go in for my appt.

Just wanna say, basic chelation with dmsa is pretty straightforward. Do NOT take 1 pill of DMSA every 3 days. Maybe 3 days taking pills? You want to take those pills every 4 hours--this is not something you want to fiddle with.

But it's not something you need to think about now.

I was asking earlier if this seems like THE answer, because if so, that's great. Really, really great--although I can really understand that you're distracted and too worried to feel much about this--but it's something you can start working on. I didn't want to assume that this was it, when in reality, you still had lingering doubts and weren't satisfied with the information you've got. But if you think this is it, and hey, it certainly seems like it could be, then this seems like a really good thing.

But for now, just a day at a time til you get the Friday appointment past you.

[mamafish9]

Originally Posted by tanyalynn

Just wanna say, basic chelation with dmsa is pretty straightforward. Do NOT take 1 pill of DMSA every 3 days. Maybe 3 days taking pills? You want to take those pills every 4 hours--this is not something you want to fiddle with.

But it's not something you need to think about now.

Yes to listen to Tanya on DMSA dosing, and yes to think about it later

[kjbrown92]

Do I think Lyme is the answer? Or metals is the answer? I'm leaning toward Lyme causing the metals and other things... of course it could be that metals wouldn't allow me to clear/defend Lyme... chicken and egg, I guess. I'm also thinking it could have been when I was 14yo, which would explain a lot... but that's a long time to be infected....

[chlobo]

This is the problem I have had all along with treatment. How do you really know which lever to push to actually make a difference? If you treat one thing but the cause was really something else does that actually get you any closer to feeling better? It's sooooo frustrating.

[Koalamom]

Hugs!

You are close to Albany right? I know that there are alot of issues with Uranium there and people being effected seriously.

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by chlobo

This is the problem I have had all along with treatment. How do you really know which lever to push to actually make a difference? If you treat one thing but the cause was really something else does that actually get you any closer to feeling better? It's sooooo frustrating.

Things have been more straightforward for me, first off. But the pattern I've seen in getting better has been, even doing things that are helpful, but not the complete solution, has improved my health. The going was a helluva lot slower at first, those first couple years really working on the metals (say a year before I got my amalgams out and a year after), but after that, if I kept working on it, the improvements seem to be coming easier and, to some extent, snowballing.

I think it's why I'm having days now where I have unexpectedly _more_ energy than I expect. Had a LOT of days, early on, when I had less energy and I never figured out why, but now I'm starting to have more really good days.

Do you think, either of you, that, say, nutritional support for the metals, plenty of B12 and folate and all the usual suspects we've discussed, and maybe some of the (I am SO frustrated by my keyboard, the e is really flaky, upfront apologies for all the ones I miss)... maybe some of the Yasko basic supps as well, and then start working on lyme treatment, of whichever approach you choose, and then see how it goes? As not-fun as they are, those vitamin C flushes may help--if junk gets mobilized, these, for me, have been a fast-track way to get it out.

But basically, interleave the approaches together? Unfortunately, it seems to mean that you need to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of two major issues instead of just one, to have a few ideas as to what to tweak while you're doing this.

But, I mean--I saw adrenal improvements, for example, even before I got my amalgams out, just making lifestyle and diet changes. Those stalled, even reversed, early when I was chelating, but seeing those improvements again later on was a lot easier, a lot less work on my part.

But to both of you. You've had a really tricky path to figure out, these many years you've been doing it. I'm a slacker in comparison.

[Marnica]

Just want to say Kathy, I hope you figure this out once and for all.

I am just on the beginning of this frustrating journey and I mostly lurk here, but am learning so much from you all.

[dannic]

Prayers for you Kathy! That is a lot to take on all at once! I'm glad you could say no to the women's group! It took me a long time to learn the "no" lesson. Hopefully you'll get lots of answers in your Friday appt.

As far as lyme and metals (which I am a novice about), is it feasable to hit both at the same time, tho maybe not as agressively?

[mamafish9]

Originally Posted by chlobo

This is the problem I have had all along with treatment. How do you really know which lever to push to actually make a difference? If you treat one thing but the cause was really something else does that actually get you any closer to feeling better? It's sooooo frustrating.

That is such a huge question! No good answers here. For us, the two things that have helped are to always keep trying to dig down another layer, and to try to keep moving. So I'm always looking for an answer that ties more things together for us (one of the reasons I really like Yasko), but I try really hard to keep moving and trying *something*, even if I'm not really sure the *something* I'm trying is the right thing, or the best thing.

It also helps me sometimes to do small experiments. For example, I circled around to Yasko's stuff looking for solutions to calcium dysregulation in Jan/Feb when DS "fell off a cliff" behaviorally again. She has a very simple piece in the beginning of her protocol about balancing GABA & glutamates. Inexpensive, easy to try. So we tried that, and it was very effective. Then we got the testing that said DS wasn't digesting protein well, and I was more open to trying Yasko's enzymes (I'd ignored them initially, figuring we were already using enzymes). And her enzymes kicked butt for us. With a couple of those early experiments having really nice results for DS, it's a lot easier to decide to put a lot of time, energy, and $$ behind following more of her program.

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by bluebirdmama1

Hugs!

You are close to Albany right? I know that there are alot of issues with Uranium there and people being effected seriously.

Our summer place is about an hour north of Albany. But the water we use up there is from the spring-fed lake, and then I put it through a super-filter, so I'm not suspecting that. Our home in CT is well water, and we're on a quartz quarry, so that's actually what I'm suspecting. I still have to get a water test.

Originally Posted by dannic

Prayers for you Kathy! That is a lot to take on all at once! I'm glad you could say no to the women's group! It took me a long time to learn the "no" lesson. Hopefully you'll get lots of answers in your Friday appt.

As far as lyme and metals (which I am a novice about), is it feasable to hit both at the same time, tho maybe not as agressively?

I'm the outgoing President of DD2's nursery school and it was my turn to host the Board Meeting on Monday. Since it's the last meeting of the year, it's the present board, and next year's board, which is why it's 40 women. I didn't really say no. I said to someone who had offered before, "hey can I take you up on that?" but I don't want word getting around that I'm having health issues so I asked her not to say anything. Which means a lot of people probably thing I flaked out on having the meeting at my house. Oh well. Today is the nursery school end-of-year picnic so we'll see how much word has spread. I can't go the whole time anyway because I have to go to the doctor.

I guess we can do metals, lyme, and everything else all at once. Why not? Kick some metallic lyme butt, I say! I've been really craving corn lately -- I want tortillas, popcorn, chips with salsa, etc. More than I crave any of the other stuff. Of course I've been craving mayo for egg salad and tunafish too, and I never even liked mayo!!

[mamafish9]

Thinking of you today, Kathy...

[kjbrown92]

Radiologist looked at my stuff, agreed that I need biopsy. They'll call me next week to set it up within the next 2 weeks, then a followup with the doctor 2 weeks after that. Doctor said in the meantime, no caffeine (been caffeine free for 14 years, except the occasional chocolate), no soy products (plant estrogen, none in 2 years), no flaxseed (another plant estrogen, now how am I supposed to do egg-free baking?). So I'm supposed to check with the osteo to see if any of the herbal stuff that I'm taking has any plant estogens in it. Anybody know about teasel? I just started taking that 3 days ago...

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

Radiologist looked at my stuff, agreed that I need biopsy. They'll call me next week to set it up within the next 2 weeks, then a followup with the doctor 2 weeks after that. Doctor said in the meantime, no caffeine (been caffeine free for 14 years, except the occasional chocolate), no soy products (plant estrogen, none in 2 years), no flaxseed (another plant estrogen, now how am I supposed to do egg-free baking?). So I'm supposed to check with the osteo to see if any of the herbal stuff that I'm taking has any plant estogens in it. Anybody know about teasel? I just started taking that 3 days ago...

I know nothing about teasel, but I Googled "teasel plant estrogen" after reading this and this post comes up on the first page.
As for flax/eggs- what about chia?

[deditus]

I have experimented a little with chia flour for egg replacer - it holds more moisture so I was using half the amount as flax.

Teasel:

I think the teasel protocol was pioneered by Matthew Wood (I was just out by his farm on Wednesday!), who I dare say is one of the best herbalists in the world. Lady Barbara rants about it on Susun Weed's Wise Women Forums.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Mst...page&q&f=false

The section on teasel in Matt's book is available on Google books.

[chlobo]

Email PB about the teasel. I'm sure she'll know and be happy to help.

[deditus]

Originally Posted by chlobo

Email PB about the teasel. I'm sure she'll know and be happy to help.

Ha! I was coming back to say that I thought PB used/uses teasel for her dh.

[chlobo]

She uses teasel essences, which are a little different from the root tincture but she's an herb person so I'm sure she knows all about them.

[kjbrown92]

Resveratrol is a phytoestrogen and an anti-coagulant so I've got to take that out for a month. Cat's Claw it says "inhibits platelet aggregation" so I should probably discontinue that for the 5 days before/after needle biopsy. I emailed Elizabeth about the teasel. She's my source for the teasel anyway - good idea to email her!