Forums:
Hi All:
It has been quiet on the forum of late and I am hoping that I can entice some of you that are further along to write some positive posts.
I am 3 months (started 2/24/12 on list 3 but got put back on List 2 3 weeks ago)into treatment and woke up today feeling very foggy in my head and generally unwell. When I get like this, I cannot remember that 2 days earlier I was feeling confident that I was getting better.
Then I get very busy trying to figure out "causes", today's being that I am finally phasing out of HRT entirely and my body may be noticing.
I think the lesson for today is stick to the diet (helps minimize endless ruminating about causes), keep a diary and write when I feel good as well as bad, and remember that I am again learning my lesson about patience.
I have read some much on the site and interacted enough now with her to know that Dr. B is the real deal. When I feel bad, however, it is easy to decide that I am going to be one of those who doesn't get well.
It helps so much to read people's posts from that vantage point and yet I realize that I don't feel that way totally today- I am just getting weary of the disease and the life limitations that it imposes.
Tha said, for those who are newer than me and contemplating what it all means or whether to do the diet, I can report that I have some days of feeling very good and a number of long stnading problems are improving. These are:
Off all prescription drugs except my thyroid medication and my bathroom was a pharmacy. When I met Dr. B I was taking bioidentical hormones,elmiron instill, pyridium, nasalcort nasal spray and claritin daily, digestive enzymes, d-mannos and allergy shots 2-3 times a week.
Although my bladder is annoying and sometimes worse, I am off all of the above except for the shots which are dropping way down in frequency. Also, very excitingly after 20 years, certain allergies are going away. I cannot remember when I could last tolerate eggs or dairy. ANd sinus symptoms and headaches are way down.
Also, i couold never tolerate herbs prior to working with Dr. B. (She has a genius for balancing them)
Chronic constipation is much better and have not taken any magnesium or fiber products since I started the protocol.
SO it is good to write thsi stuff out because it is so easy to forget. Once again, it comes down to "Keep Calm and Carry On" (thank you Sarah C!)
Still. holdiay posts would be very nice.
Sounds liek you just wrote
Sounds liek you just wrote your own improvement story! You probably just encouraged a lot of people.
Hi Bonnie! Time is the key
Hi Bonnie! Time is the key to improving. Unfortunately we do not have any control over time so just keep moving along. Take it day by day. It has taken a long time for me to get better and still have a ways to go, however I am getting better. I have been sick a very, very long time! Throughout this experience you will have ups and downs and to be honest the first year was my hardest. I did not see improvements as quickly (I too have a long history of asthma/allergies). It took me a year to get off the zyrtec.. Only 3 months and look it how much your body is getting better. Soon the diet is just normal and it becomes routine. Everything kind of becomes routine.. the best is when you can do fruit, almond butter, etc...It is a HUGE adjustment. I remember my 3 month mark.. honestly it goes fast and just think where you will be a year from now, then 2 years from now. Only better! Hang in there! You are not alone.
I've posted my progress
I've posted my progress updates on here before. I haven't for a couple months because I have been feeling pretty good and I didn't want to jinx myself =). I am 8 1/2 months into treatment and I am doing very well. I used to have a dr. appt every 4 weeks but now it's been almost 2 months since my last dr. appt becuase I have been feeling so good and I don't want her to change anything yet =).
I still experience fatigue, bloating, some headaches. And during the hormonal times like ovulation and period my urethra burns a little when I urinate. But every month I notice everything decreases a little, and everything becomes more manageable.
There are a lot of rollercoasters in this treatment. In the beginning of treatment you will have a few hours out of the day you will feel better. Then it will increase to a couple of days out of the week of feeling better. Then it increases to a couple weeks out of the month of feeling better. The improvements are slow but for me even though I did experience a lot of die off I have been having constant improvements. My last period was very bad, I have never experienced pain so bad. I got it at work and almost passed out, and felt like throwing up. But after about an hour I was fine. You will go through some crazy die off but all the while your symptoms will improve.
You will get there, you just got to keep pushing through. Three months is still the beginning you will still go through a lot in the next few months. But it is all part of getting better. Your body needs to cleanse and heal itself. But I know you will see more and more improvements every month. Little ones, but in the long term they are all worth it.
I can relate
Bonnie,
Congratulations on all the hard work you've done and progress you've made getting off the drugs! It took me nine months to get off of the nine pills a day that I was taking when I started with Dr. B. I've been in treatment a little over a year. The last three months have really been hard because I was finally off of all the drugs and my body was reacting to that. I am having a few good days in a row now instead of just a few hours.
I know the foggy head feeling. It comes and goes for me too. I think it's all part of die-off. I felt really bad (depressed, poor concentration, exhausted, etc.) a couple of weeks after getting off all the drugs. It lasted for several weeks, but now it only comes in spurts.
Occasionally I too struggle with feeling like maybe I'll be one of those that doesn't get better. I think it's natural to feel that way from time to time because this process takes so much patience. Ultimately, I believe that you and I will get better. We just have to keep at it and keep a positive attitude during the process! My cousin was in treatment with Matia several years ago and got better (and she was in a really bad way) and is still doing amazing, so I've seen it first-hand. Dr. B is definitely the real deal!
Lisa
Lisa Ann, Thats very good
Lisa Ann,
Thats very good you are having more good days! Yeah you and Bonnie should congratulate for the hard work indeed, it must be difficult to readjust after taking medication for so long. You are working on a better future and so it will be. Perhaps your cousin could write the success story...that will lift up spirits! :) How long was she in treatment?
Cousin
Sonia,
My cousin was in treatment for a year and a half. I have encouraged her to tell her story. I will try again :)
Lisa
So she was a fast recovery so
So she was a fast recovery so to speak, how awesome! yeah that would be great.
S
Hey there Bonnie! I've been
Hey there Bonnie!
I've been in treatment bang on a year. I've gone from near-constant, distressing symptoms when I started treatment (frequency, nocturia, urgency, clitoral pain, constant external burning, itching, vaginal buzzing, etc etc etc) to where I am today. This month (May) has been a turning point, as I'm up to 15 days (ie 50%) symptom-free! The other days my symptoms have all been either 0.25/05 on my 0-5 scale. I pretty much always sleep through the night; if I do wake at 5 to pee, when I wake again at 7 or whatever I don't feel my bladder. My only remaining symptoms are an occasional faint urge in my external tissues (almost impossible to describe this!) and occastional slight external irritation. I've had quite a bit of die off in the last month (nausea, knee pain, IBS stuff) but dr b adjusted my herbs and brought even that quickly under control.
I should say that my progress was invisible up to 3 months, then wobbly to six months, and much steadier after that. Since December, I've had an extra symptom-free day a month. Sounds super slow, but feels nice and steady! My mental state has improved vastly as I've seen the reliability of my progress.
Hang in there. You're VERY early days; it's great you're already seeing changes. You'll get there. Keep calm and carry on!
Sarahx
Sarah!!!! Im so happy for
Sarah!!!!
Im so happy for you an jealous ;p!!!! I was wondering how were you doing after hols in Mallorca. Im so glad to hear you are doing great!!!
big hug
xxx
Need Some More Improvement Stories, Please
These are such terrific posts. What a treat to read them all just before bed time. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
Today is better and I need to remember that.
Thank you Sarah for "Keep calm and carry on." That is my mantra when I panic.
XXO.
Bonnie