Forums:
I started my treatment with Matia on 09/15/2011. Now I am just past my 3 months into treatment. I want to post my status because when I first started I always wanted to know from other patients, how long it takes to start feeling better.
So here is how I am doing…
In 3 months, I cannot believe how much I have changed physically, emotionally, and how educated I have become in regards to chemicals, food processing, the gut, etc…
Physically –
Urethra -I started with a pain of 5-10 on a daily basis. Most of the pain was urethra burning and colon pain. Now the only time I get burning in my urethra is during ovulation, and the pain level is only the highest a 3 out of 10. At every appointment, Matia changes the herb protocol. Every time it changes I do experience more urinary frequency day and night, and some urethra burning. Sometimes I push through it, and it is gone within a week. Other times I couldn’t handle it, so I would email Matia and she would tweak the herb protocol then I feel comfortable again.
Rectum/Colon- I have had colon and rectum pain for the past 3 years. It is gradually decreasing with this treatment. I still have colon pain, and I still have some rectum burning after a bowel movement. But I have seen improvement, and every month it has gone down.
Leg pain- The outer part of my thighs have been very sensitive to touch for the past 8 years. The pain has gotten worse over that time. Now in treatment, I do feel that the pain is decreasing tremendously.
Emotionally-
Being in treatment is an emotional rollercoaster. On my second appointment, I asked Matia if that was normal, and she said yes. She said when the body is ridding itself of toxins; a lot of emotional things from the past come back. The first month I had so many nightmares, of stressful things that happened to me in the past. My emotions are up and down. Sometimes, I will be super happy for a couple weeks. Then the next couple weeks I will be irritated and upset. But recently, I have felt more balanced with my emotions.
Educated-
I had no idea how much I would learn by going through this treatment. I have learned so much about food, and how many CHEMICALS are in almost everything! And, I never knew how bad sugar was! I never knew about probiotics. Wow, so much I have learned from reading posts on this website. I go through Matia’s old blogs and read them all the time. I read all the articles she posts. I have a whole new perspective about food and my future with it, and what I will teach my kids when I have them. This has really changed me a lot. I hope one day, I can have a job that has something to do with educating people about all this stuff. That’s how important it is to me.
So overall after 3 months I think I am doing soooo good. My Husband and I joined a salsa dancing class that we go to once a week, and we practice at home all the time. When I first started treatment I couldn’t workout or dance. The only workout I am doing right now is the salsa dancing, but I can do it! And I can do it for hours! Next month I am going to start doing aerobics again because I know my body can handle it now. Also, I just got to diet list 3 so that makes food even more exciting for me.
When I first started treatment I thought it would take forever, and it felt very slow especially the first month because I was confined to the couch all day before and after work. After the first month though, time flew by and I can’t believe how much progress I have made. I feel now like the time is going by so fast and I know I will be completely healthy again soon.
The first thing I will do when I reach a healthy state again is get pregnant. My Husband and I have been waiting because I was sick with IC for a long time and it was only getting worse. I wasn’t healthy enough to even take care of myself before. But once I get better I know I will have tons of energy to raise a healthy happy family.
SO so so happy for you and
SO so so happy for you and this is a great and helpful post for many people I am sure!
Lovely post Calieve, I am so
Lovely post Calieve, I am so glad for you and your progress. You sound like you are doing very well. The process does work and people do need to hear it! I am in my 8th month and doing so much better. I told Matia on our last appt. that if I never got any better then this I could live like this the rest of my life and I would be ok. She assured me I would get much better, and I know I will. And yes, like you I have learned sooo much about food and nutrition and what we should and shouldn't be putting into our bodies. l know this is such a hard road to travel, but I think when we reach the end we really do see the "gift" in it.
Calieve, this is exactly the
Calieve, this is exactly the kind of post I kept hoping to find when I was debating whether or not to begin treatment with Dr.B. Incredibly informative and positive! It would be very fun to read a post each month seeing how your progress in treatment as well as the challenges you face;) I have been keeping a journal for myself and it has been very helpful in tracking my progress. My "bad" days now have replaced what passed as a good one in the past!
I am 4.5 months into treatment now and I am between list 3 and 4... doing well with the new foods Dr.B suggested in our last appt. I still have to be careful with wheat and eggs...two of my former major triggers, but have added in almonds, cashews, their butters and apples successfully. Who every knew I would be so excited to eat a freaking green apple...lol.
For three weeks I had little to no bladder pain and my heart rate has stabilized... it's still not normal yet and I am still very sensitive, BUT as long as I live within my 'boundaries" I can go about my daily life without much problem... that includes keeping up with my girls;) I am having a bit of a rough patch right now in terms of bladder pain, but both of my girls have colds/stomach crud and whenever I am fighting a virus, my bladder pain increases. Does that happen to anyone else?
Sorry this is a bit long-winded.... I guess I needed to get that out;)
Katie
Fahlmank
Hey Fahlmank,
I also get urethra burning, and frequency when I get sick. Where I work there is a new virus or flu that comes about once a month. I got sick 3 times in the past 3 months, and everytime before I got sick my bladder syptoms came first, then the sickness.
Progress Update
Hi Calieve, Thank U so much for your post. I can relate to so many things you have experienced. It's good to hear that the emotional ups and downs are part of the die off process. I've been in treatment since mid July and have noticed alot of weird dreams and thinking about traumatic or painful things that I had not thought about for years. It seems like the die off comes in layers or waves. I'll be feeling pretty good for a couple wks & then suddenly don't feel good for several days with no change in anything I'm doing. Following the periods of feeling bad, I usually emerge feeling noticeably better. For me it's been subtle slow changes nothing really dramatic. Physically my energy is better, joint pain is less, frequency is down from getting up 5-8 times a night to 1-3. The depression is better and the anxiety is a little less. I do find myself feeling more social and my interest in socializing is slowly returning. I was a very social person before I got sick, but since I have been so sick for the last several years, I became very isolative. I'm so glad you posted your progress update. It's very inspirational to see how far you've come in only 3 1/2 months. That's great. I'm so happy for you. I think I've been sick for a long time even before I started with the bladder symptoms, so it may take awhile to fully heal. I hope others in treatment will post their progress also. I think it helps alot when we're in those down periods. Again, congrats on your progress!
Thanks Lisajpil
Thanks Lisajpil,
I also used to love going out and socializing. But as soon as I got off the western medicine a started this treatment, my body became weak and very painful right away and for the first month, I couldn't physically leave the house(except for work). Also, I believe the probiotics are causing a lot of emotional up and downs, and I just feel like I want to be at home most of the time. There is so much going on with this treatment, it is hard for me to explain the process to other people. If me and my Husband go to a party, everyone tries to get me to drink. I always tell them I can't because I have a medical problem, and they try to ask the details. I just don't like sharing, because they don't understand. Even if I do explain it, they will just keep trying to get me to drink. It get's very frustrating and emotional for me. So, lately I have been trying to avoid going out to drinking parties, but my Husband loves to. So it is a little hard. Plus, it's hard to stay up late. I get really tired by 11:00p.m. and I just need to lay down and rest. My Husband, likes to go out and stay up late on the weekends. But I just can't do it physically. That has caused a lot emotion in me.
But, I am working on it. I keep asking my Husband how do I tell them I don't drink, and just have them leave me alone. We are working on that.
Thought I'd post my own
Thought I'd post my own improvements on this lovely positive thread too. I've been in treatment since May, so around seven months now. since my last period (my next is due in three days, I haven't had a day above 1.5 on my pain scale. Most days have been 0.5 - ie mild, ignorable symptoms. My frequency is gone, I very occasionally have faint background urgency. My pain levels are way down - not really pain any more, more like tickling/awareness/itching. I too could live like this for the rest of my life (though ideally I won't have to!).
My ibs - which has flared hugely during treatment, chronic diarrhoea during die-off, which left all of my tissues burning and me feeling completely depleted- has zpretty much resolved. I still have spots on my back but I think they're clearing up - otherwise, my skin looks fantastic. I'm still dealing with a lot of anxiety, but hoping that'll ease too in the new year.
This is a tough, tough treatment - tougher than I'd anticipated, mentally. And it's slow, and it seesaws. But when I look at where I was a year ago and where I am now, I'm amazed and deeply relieved. And so grateful I can't tell you! Hang in there, everyone. Here's to a happy, healthy new year xxx
SarahC
Hey SarahC,
That is good to hear that your pain is down that far! I will love it when I reach that too. I know it's coming soon for me, I can feel it. =)
Questions - do you get pain during ovulation??? That is my most painful part of the month for me, even though it's only a 3 out of 10. It still bothers me.
thanks calieve for posting your progress.
thanks calieve for posting your progress. i have always wondered how long it would take to get better. i know everyone is different, but knowing that there are positive outcomes, that is enough for a person to have total faith and keep up with the difficult diet.
i would also like to post my progress. i started my treatment oct. 1st, so for me it's been 2 1/2 months. i used to have annoying "bunny droppings" whenever i peed, i no longer have that. when i'm on the road, i used to have urgency at least once in a 20 min drive, starting mid oct., i rarely have that. And this weekend, i noticed the popping pressure in my urethra is no longer there. it has been about 8-10 months i had the wine popping air pressure in my urethra (every initial pees). usually pain gets worse during or around the cycle and yesterday i started my period and i was surprised i didn't have that much pain. in fact, every month i dread the cycle time. so this is good. yesterday, i was happy folding my laundry. i was thinking "wow, i started my period and i'm not in so much pain." who else would be so happy being in minor pain? definitely, i can appreciate days like yesterday. :oD
on a funny note, when i have pain level 1 or 2, i act like an inmate released from prison...so much i can do, so many places to go...woohooo.
(((HUGS)))
Junie
Junie,
Oh yeah me too, I am so excited my pain is down now. And yes, it is funny that we are excited about "minor pain" because we are used to the disabling pain. I am so much happier now, the first month of treatment, I didn't have energy to cook or clean and I was in pain still. I was like how am I supposed to follow this diet if I can't even get up to cook, and clean. It was hard, but somehow I lived through it and now I am cooking, and cleaning every day. And it doesn't hurt! At least most days anyways. I still hurt during ovulation, and before my period. But even on those days I can handle it now. =)
Hey calieve - ovulation is
Hey calieve - ovulation is still the worst time for me - ALWAYS get increased symptoms. Was better this month but still noticeable, definitely.