I’ll never forget my first visit to the naturopath. I announced in a distraught, panic-ridden display of emotion, “I have the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue!” His calm response was, “Yes, you have the symptoms, but we are not going there.”
Here I was face-to-face with a doctor who did not focus on ‘symptoms’, but focused on what was going on in my body that ‘caused’ the symptoms.
I don’t believe it is necessary to ‘label’ the condition. What was (and is) necessary was to ‘root out’ the CAUSE of my condition and lessen or hopefully to eliminate the symptoms.
Many factors caused my symptoms. I will address those issues elsewhere in the website. Here I simply give a brief explanation of each of the symptoms.
As I write this ( 10/16/05), I am free of the abdominal pain. I do not know why I experienced the pain and I do not know what I did that caused the pain to go away. The pain would nearly always flare up as I stood on my feet for any length of time - usually when I was preparing a meal. I discovered that laying flat on my back for a few minutes would ease the pain. I suspect that the pain was related to candidiasis, but that is only a guess.
I certainly thought that I would have to live with the acid reflux. Before I found the naturopaths I was popping many antacids a day and it had gotten to the point that the antacids were not helping. My heartburn and acid indigestion disappeared immediately when the naturopaths prescribed their protocol and I haven’t suffered with it ever since.
I have included further comments on this malady in the section entitled Discoveries.
As my health deteriorated the anxiety level increased. The symptom was most evident whenever I had to make a trip to Lubbock. The anxiety of driving in Lubbock caused much stress which brought on fatigue. By the time I got home from Lubbock I would be very much wiped out. (Note: During perimenopause I avoided making trips to Lubbock entirely.)
When my health was at its lowest I was not able to drive at all. My experience with this symptom has made me much more tolerant of elderly people who poke along at a snail's pace down the road. I'll never forget those days in recovery when I would make my way to the grocery store driving along at a speed of 10 to 20 mph - gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles were literally white.
As I write this (1-10-06) I am happy to report that driving in Lubbock is not a problem for me now (except during rush-hour traffic). It amazes me that the drive between here and Lubbock has become a relaxing time for me. In all my days I can never remember experiencing that.
I was well aware - prior to my CRASH - that I was chemically sensitive. Tobacco smoke, perfumes, make-up, potpouri, scented candles, insecticides, dyes and some paints were (and still are) the culprits in my life.
I wasn't a universal reactor as yet but my naturopath told me I was on the road to becoming one. In my studies I learned the plight of those who are universal reactors and I thank God that I did not reach that point. A universal reactor is someone who will have a reaction to just about everything. A universal reactor, as a general rule, can only wear clothing that is 100% cotton - preferably organic, unbleached, undyed cotton - and must stay away from synthetic materials. Universal reactors are restricted in many cases to living in an environment of natural wood - furniture, flooring, wall covering. Even their automobile has to be stripped down to the bare metal - vinyl, synthetics and plastics have to be removed.
I am still sensitive in these areas, but not to the degree that I was in the summer of 2001. I could not spend any amount of time in a retail store because of the dyes, candles, perfumes, etc. Ten minutes in a store and I would get a terrible headache. As time progresses I discover that I am able to spend more and more time shopping in the stores. Perhaps someday I will be totally immune.
The chest pain, like many other symptoms, was evident only during my CRASH. If my memory serves me correctly it was in the area of my thyroid.
Fatigue was nothing new to me. I have experienced it most all my life, especially during the last 20 years prior to my CRASH. I have spent many a day in bed because I was too tired to get out of it. At my worst, I was so fatigued that there were certain clothes I couldn't wear because they were too heavy. I had to invest in a very small handbag. Anything larger was too much for me to tote. Simple things like getting into and out of a vehicle and pushing a grocery cart became a burdensome thing. Walking for any distance was very difficult. I'm certainly thankful to have those days behind me.
Because of my compromised immune system I became allergic to many things. And that, in turn, brought on the sore throats. The sore throats became more and more frequent and more and more severe. They came on suddenly with no warning and were so painful I was unable to swallow my saliva.
I'm happy to report (as of 3/27/09) that I haven't had any sore throats for several years. A few times on my Road to Recovery I have felt a little soreness in the throat, but vitamin C would generally take care of it.
I have experienced bouts with depression for most of my life, but I suffered through serious depression for about 15 months - beginning about the time of my CRASH. Symptoms of my depression included irritability, irrational thinking, insomnia and a death wish. I was forever crying and I went for over a year without laughing at all.
I don't wish depression on my worst enemies. I hope never to experience it again. I was not myself. I found myself not liking anybody and I avoided everyone like the plague. Because I was very irritable, few people wanted to be around me. It was a very lonely time. I knew in my head that it would end, but in my heart I thought my life had surely come to an end.
There is much I should like to share with you concerning depression. The subject of depression was the most difficult to address - not because I am ashamed of it but because it encompasses so much. Actually this entire website addresses the subject of depression because everything that I am sharing with you in these pages is directly or indirectly related to depression.
I'm sure you would love to have a quick and easy solution to depression if you suffer with it. But, depression is a very complicated thing and I discovered that you must be willing to address many things in your life if you want to be free. Essentially, to rid myself of depression I had to do several things which included proper nutrition, diet, exercise and detoxing my body.
My advice to you if you suffer with depression is this - DON'T GIVE IN TO IT. I hope that you will choose to fight it. Anti-depressants can be administered, but I hope, instead, that you will search for answers and that the pages of this website will be helpful to you in your own search for answers.
I am happy to report that depression is a thing of the past, praise God! I can safely say that the only time I have a bout with depression is when I have eaten beef that is not organic.
I can't remember a time in my life that I didn't experience some dizziness. The frequency increased during perimenopause and just before the CRASH. I seldom experience it now.
I experienced this during the time of my CRASH. I had never experienced it to this degree before and I haven't experienced it since. At the time it was frightening because my tongue literally stuck to the roof of my mouth because my mouth was so dry..
During my initial two-hour consultation with the naturopaths (7-30-01) I was told that my entire digestive system had shut down and that included no saliva. At that time I was literally starving to death because my body was assimilating very little if anything.
I never did figure out what triggered the earaches, but -like so many of my prior afflictions - they no longer occur. They were excruciating and very much dreaded. They were always in my right ear - never in the left. They were not like an inner-ear infection. They were more like a boil in the tissue of the outer ear. The last one I had was August 11, 2001, thirteen days into treatment by the naturopaths.
Within a few months of my CRASH in July of 2001, I managed to loose about one-half of my hair. At the time, I was very fearful that I would wind up completely bald. (I'm sure the anxiety I was experiencing at the time contributed to my fears.)
It is a helpless feeling when you are loosing your hair at a rapid rate. The situation added to the depression or maybe it was the depression that hindered my ability to cope with the hair loss. But, I must say that this symptom gave me much incentive to get well and hopefully reverse this condition. At present (May 2006) I am happy to report that I am no longer experiencing hair loss (except for what I consider to be normal hair loss). I am happy to report that I have my normal head of hair now.
I believe the main thing I did to reverse this condition was to get off HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). One of the possible side effects of HRT is hair loss. I also added kelp to my diet which I believe helped. The kelp provides iodine which is essential for a healthy thyroid. In my studies I discovered that an underactive thyroid can cause many of the symptoms that I had including hair loss. Other symptoms of an underactive thyroid are 1) reduced resistance to infection, 2) decreased memory or concentration, 3) arthritis, 3) muscle and joint aches, and 4) allergies - all of which I was experiencing.
I can't say that the headaches were migraines, but they were debilitating. When they came on I knew I would be wiped out for at least 24 hours. Nothing I did would alleviate them. I simply went to bed and rode out the storm. They were always on the right side (mainly top) of my head. (The same side as the earaches.)
I wish I had done a better job of journaling the headaches, because I would like to be able to tell you when they stopped. I suffered with them for several years prior to the CRASH. I seldom have one now, and when I do they are not nearly as severe as they were.
I can think back about 15 years prior to my CRASH that I experienced what I call heart palpitations. I seldom have them, unless I have eaten beef that is not organic or used too much coffee in my enema solution.
Right after my bout with mononucleosis in November of 2000 up until my CRASH in July of 2001, I had no resistance to anything. Whatever Chase (the grandson) came down with, I came down with it.
For many long months my immune system was compromised. For about a year and a half it was necessary for me to wear a dust mask whenever I went outside to work or go for a walk. I am doing considerably better. Occasionally I still must wear a mask when working in the yard.
It was not serious, but worth noting never-the-less. My experience with incontinence consists of leakage whenever I sneeze or cough. Only once did I have a serious episode. It happened when I got to laughing too hard and the bladder decided to empty completely.
For whatever reason, I began having difficulty sleeping in my mid thirties. (I was 55 when I crashed.) At first it was an occasional thing. I would awake about 3:00 a.m and I would have difficulty getting back to sleep. My remedy back then would be to spend about an hour reading my Bible. Afterwards I would be able to get back to sleep.
As time went on, however, I began to loose the battle with insomnia and I resorted to sleeping aids (over-the-counter drugs). As time went on the insomnia worsened and I went begging for prescription drugs to solve my problem. I discovered that doctors really hesitate giving prescriptions for sleeping pills. They question a person's emotional stability if they are having difficulty sleeping. And, they hesitate giving a prescription for a drug that they know is very habit forming.
I'm sorry to say that I got dependent on the sleeping pills - addicted in other words. And, because of that I had my guilty conscience to deal with. I detest being dependent on any kind of medication, but at the time I was desperate. Eventually the sleeping pills were not helping. My body was needing more than the pills could give. I knew I had to get off the pills - I had to break the habit and I knew it would have to be cold-turkey. Going cold-turkey was quite an experience - one that I'll never forget. For three nights I did not sleep a wink. The fourth night I went into withdrawals - sweating, chills and stomach cramps. I was aware of what was happening in my body and once the symptoms subsided I knew I was free of the drug.
My battle with insonmia continued, however. By the time of my CRASH I was getting only two hours sleep each night. My naturopaths put me on a nutritional regimen and my sleep improved greatly overnight.
I discovered that many things contributed (and still contribute) to my insomnia. It, like depression, is a most complicated symptom that can have many causes. I continue to battle insomnia to a degree.
I continue to have difficulty sleeping during a full moon. As strange
as that sounds, I have experienced this for decades. I mentioned this
to a chiropractor and he prescribed a copper detox homeopathic remedy. It seemed to cure the problem.
Note: A doctor asked me, "What do you mean by insomnia? Do you have difficulty going to sleep or do you have difficulty staying asleep?" I answered, "Both".
Irritability seems to go hand-in-hand with depression. I'm sure Kenny (my husband) thought my irritable state would never end. He was probably wondering why I couldn't just snap out of it. A person simply can't snap out of the depression or the irritability. Once the depression was gone the irritability appeared to be gone as well.
I need to note that I have always had a problem with irritability, but I attribute it to times when my blood sugar was low or during PMS or during pregnancy or during perimenopause or.........whatever.
My joint pain was concentrated in my right wrist. It disappears when the candida is under control and reappears when the candida flares up.
For a few weeks (during the time of my CRASH) I couldn't stand to eat anything out of a metal can. It tasted just like metal to me. One of my naturopaths gave me this mouth wash formula to use 3 times a day to help with the metal taste: 1/2 t. soda to 1 cup warm water.
I kept thinking, "Any day this will end and I can get on with my life." In my head it was a bad case of perimenopause, but essentially it was premenstrual syndrome.
There was much going on in my body that caused much hormonal imbalance. Hormone Replacement Therapy helped, but now that I look back, I can see that it also hindered as well.
And, like with the depression, I was so-called cured of the PMS once I followed all the protocol that I have outlined in the pages of this website.
Several months before my CRASH I was aware that my coordination was affected. I was always pretty good at swatting flies, but one day I noticed the flyswatter just didn't work for me any more. During the CRASH period I had difficulty even walking. I had to concentrate to put one foot in front of the other. At present my coordination seems to be back to normal again.
Because of my experiences with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome I have much more understanding of many things. I understand depression and all the many symptoms that I believe are associated with depression. Insomnia, irrational thinking, irrational behavior, irritability and paranoia all go hand-in-hand with the depression. Even though I never became violent, I can see that if a person's depression becomes bad enough it can result in violent behavior.
I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I could have road rage. But, during the time of my CRASH and for some months afterward I did experience it. I didn't act out except to scream at the top of my voice. At the time I realized that this behavior was out-of-character for me. Knowing these things, I extended grace to myself because I knew it wasn't me and eventually it would pass on. Which it did!
One of the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is seizures. I thank God that I did not experience seizures like so many others have. It is certainly worth mentioning here that I have 3 fairly close associates who did experience seizures. All three have had the dental revision done and all three are now seizure free. They all attribute their victory over seizures to the dental revision.
I have experienced sensitive senses off and on all during my adult life. Sensitivity to light was most pronounced during my CRASH. My eyes were very sensitive to sunlight.
During perimenopause my sensitivity to noise was so bad at times I could not stay in the same room with someone who was rustling a newspaper.
During my pregnancies, my sense of smell was so sensitive that odors emanating from the refrigerator were nauseous to me. Even my husband's body odor gave me offense during my pregnancies.
Presently, I do not experience any sensitivity in my senses, at least none of which I am aware.
This symptom I experienced only during the CRASH and shortly thereafter.
I must admit that struggling for every breath was a scary thing. I never thought I would be one to fear dying, but the fear of death gripped me. I thought, "If I fall asleep I will stop breathing entirely." So when I was drifting off to sleep I wondered if I would ever awake.
In my past I have had to deal with skin tags on the soles of my feet. (At least that is what I call them for a better name.) Essentially a small strip of skin would turn loose and cause some pain. The strip seemed to want to continue to strip away leaving raw flesh underneath.
As long as I can remember prior to my CRASH in July of 2001 I was plagued with unsightly ingrown hairs on my upper arms. They made it appear that I had a bad case of misplaced pimples.
Scaly patches of skin (especially on my back) would appear every winter. No amount of lotion would cure it.
Now I am pleased to announce that all of the above have disappeared.
So many of the symptoms I've experienced during my lifetime I thought were normal and common to everyone. I thought it was normal to break into a sweat (with abdominal cramps) when I had a bowel movement.
It wasn't long into my recovery period, shortly after my CRASH, that these symptoms disappeared. I do not know what caused them and I do not know what the naturopaths did to eliminate them. The last episode I had with them, however, was so severe that I thought I would wind up in the emergency room.
I am no longer plagued with this symptom.
According to my Bio-Imagining Analysis (July 27, 2001), several areas in my body were stressed. One of those areas was 'Synapses'. I am certainly not qualified to explain scientifically this phenomenon, but I can share with you in practical terms how I was affected. It included an inability to concentrate, short-term memory loss, word-finding difficulties, and others.
One of my naturopaths told me "Barring a miracle, you will not regain your mental facilities." Though I continue to improve I am still plagued with this, but certainly not to the degree I was in July of 2001 - the time of my CRASH.
Being affected in this area has been taxing -not only to me but to close friends and relatives. Shortly after my CRASH a sister asked me if I had developed the pictures I had taken at a niece's wedding. I had to really concentrate and search my memory bank because I couldn't even remember taking my camera. I racked my brain and finally remembered that I not only had taken the camera, but I had taken the film for developing and had forgotten all about it.
At my worst, I had virtually no short-term memory. I had to write down what supplements I took at the same time I was swallowing them because 2 minutes later I couldn't remember if I had taken them. Also, when talking to someone I couldn't come up with the simplest of words to explain something. And too, I would have much difficulty concentrating on what someone was telling me. Oftentimes they would have to repeat themselves. Filling out order forms was almost an impossible task for me. Writing a check required much concentration and oftentimes it was returned because I had failed to sign it.
I still have some difficulty processing information, especially if I'm talking on the phone. If I'm talking on the phone to someone who speaks fast then virtually none of it gets processed. My reading comprehension has improved some since my CRASH.
You would think that a person could just tell themselves to quit grinding their teeth and they would be able to stop, but not so. That eventful day of my CRASH I had to put a piece of leather in my mouth to cushion the teeth to keep from grinding them down. Within a week of my initial visit to the naturopath I was no longer grinding the teeth, but I am unaware of what was done to stop the grinding.
There are a few symptoms that refuse to leave and tinnitis is one of them. I had so hoped that I could get rid of this one.
Tinnitis is ringing in the ears. There are times when I have three different noises in my head (or ears). One never leaves me. It is a high-pitched, constant sound. The other two come and go. One sounds like 'yang-yang' and the other is a ratta-tat-tat sound.
Just before my CRASH I was noticing that whenever I would go to empty the bladder the bladder wouldn't respond. It was like my bladder wasn't able to receive the message from my brain that it was time to empty. It took a little while before my bladder kicked in and began to activate. I no longer experience this.
Shortly before my CRASH I began to address the candida problem. I began taking some lactobicilius acidopholis and was being careful about what I was eating. Even before I submitted to the care of the naturopaths, the vaginal discharge was gone and I attribute it to my anti-candida regimen.
The visual disturbances I experienced were light sensitivity, floaters, blurred vision and some night blindness. All four were most pronounced during the time of my CRASH. And, I'm happy to report that all four have been mostly alleviated.
During the CRASH period I was able to read for 30 minutes (maximum) at a time. My vision would become way too blurred to read any more than that. I could give my eyes a few hours rest and then read some more.
The floaters (sometimes called floaties) had become so bad that they were aggravating. I was experiencing 3 large, (what I call) segmented worms obscuring my vision. I was not aware exactly when the 'worms' disappeared, but I'm pretty certain it was after the dental revision was done. The 'worms' have not returned. (I learned from a naturopath that the 'floaties' are indicative of toxins in ones blood.)
I can't tell that I am experiencing any night blindness at present. The night blindness prevented me from driving at night. Now I am able to drive at dusk and at night without any difficultly.
I experienced the tremors just prior to my CRASH and shortly thereafter. They were not a constant thing, but were noticeable usually when I was pouring something from one container into another. I no longer experience them.
I have heard that they (whoever they are) are considering lowering what is considered 'normal' body temperature because so many people have below-normal body temperature nowadays.
As long as I can remember I have had below-normal body temperature. Mine is usually one degree below normal. When I register 98.6, then I am running a low-grade fever.
In all my studies I have learned that people who are burdened with mercury in their bodies most likely will experience below-normal body temperature. I had hoped that once I had the source of mercury (amalgams) removed from my body that my body temperature would improve. Sorry to say - that hasn't happened. Normal body temperature for me is around 97.5 degrees.
This is a very strange phenomenon and until May of 2006 I couldn't put a name to it. It was at that time that I picked up the March 2006 publication of DAMS, International (Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions) called "Dental Truth". On pages 6 and 7 of that publication was an article by Lisa Nagy, an M.D. sharing how exposure to mold (in her house) and mercury (from amalgams) caused her to develop not only a chemical sensitivity but also an electrical sensitivity. She acknowledges that electrical sensitivity sounds wacky, but if one has ever experienced it they know it is for real. Her hand would heat up from holding a cell phone, her ear would burn from the earpiece. Gadgets that spin (like fans or tape decks) would make her weak. Just picking up a phone would bring on an urge to urinate, sweating and chest discomfort.
Achieving her healing involved getting help from The Environmental Health Center of Dallas and having dental restoration done. Essentially, she had to detox her body from all the effects of exposure to the mold and the mercury.
Although I haven't experienced electrical sensitivity to the degree that Dr. Nagy has, I have experienced some. As I write this I still have difficulty sitting in front of a computer. An hour is about my limit. At the time of my CRASH, computer use would bring on chest pains only after 10 minutes of use. Now if I sit too long at the computer I become agitated and my brain has difficulty functioning properly.
Also, a cell phone earpiece gets hot up against my ear and I have my limit on how much television I can watch. I discovered several years ago that static electricity would cause insomnia. Each time I vacuumed the carpet I would loose sleep. I am now able to vacuum without it affecting my sleep, but I still spray a fine mist of water on the carpet after I have vacuumed to eliminate the static electricity.
My healing of hemorrhoids is close to miraculous if you ask me. In May of 2006 I realized the extent of my healing. I had been at Steven's (our youngest son) helping him demolish a play house which involved lifting some very heavy pieces of wooden construction. At the time I thought, "Oh, dear. I will certainly pay for this."
My hemorrhoids were not affected, however. Perhaps because they aren't there. Then I considered the 1300-mile automobile trip my mother-in-law and I took 2 weeks before and it dawned on me my hemorrhoids hadn't acted up then either.
How wonderful it is to be free of that pain, itching and discomfort. I have given it some thought and I feel pretty certain that these things are a contributing factor to my healing. 1) I take 4 to 10 grams of vitamin C everyday. 2) I eat 1/4 cup ground flax seed everyday. 3) I administer to myself a coffee enema at least once a week. 4) I do not eat any refined carbohydrates - white four, white sugar, white rice. 5) I eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. 6) I walk. 7) I drink lots of R.O. (reverse osmosis) water and herbal teas. 8) And, I take lactobacillus acidophilus daily.
If you choose to alter your diet and nutrition in like manner, I'm sure you will experience much improvement in your health. It won't come overnight so do not expect instant success. Good health comes if you are willing to sacrifice some things and are willing to discipline yourself.
During the time of my CRASH and for a few months following I experienced a numbing sensation down the back of my head. Prior to my CRASH I had to stop drinking alcohol because I would experience numbing in my hands and feet whenever I drank any amount of alcohol.
During my CRASH and for several months following, I essentially was a basket case. The depression, irrational thinking and the paranoia in my life tested the spiritual state of all who were close to me. I believe they (the depression, irrational thinking and the paranoia) all go hand-in-hand because they all disappeared together. It took about 15 months after the CRASH before I could finally say, "I feel I am part of the living now."
I was very sick physically and emotionally. I was too weak to make a living for myself therefore I was very dependent on my husband, Kenny, being there to provide for me. In my mind I was certain I would die if Kenny weren't there for me. So the thought of something happening to Kenny was frightening to me.
Only the grace of God kept Kenny by my side during all those terrible months.