32 days and counting .. over 4 weeks!

The days are a blur .. fighting fatigue .. (or should I say giving in to fatigue) good days and bad .. today I was wiped out for most of the day in bed unable to even read.  I got out of bed, ate, had a shower, got dressed in my gardening gear and stumbled back in to bed (minus the gumboots)... great day for gardening too .. cloudy, cool and overcast .. I had plantings in mind .. another day wasted .. lying flat out with my eyes closed and feet throbbing! Incredible fatigue that seemed to come on after eating.  Tonight I am in recovery.

Fortunately I was okay yesterday .. I had put off a research trip to the museum the day before due to feeling weird .. my head was not functioning and I could only manage folding and other light housework jobs in slow motion.  The strangest head shaking experience.  Have had a frontal headache for last couple of days too ....  haven't had one of these for a while. .. avoiding particular foods with offending chemicals had eliminated these.

I can't recall having eaten anything that would have brought this on .. again ..  exacerbation of symptoms courtesy of my blood sucking friends. .. well at least that is what I am hoping they are.

Day 26 in Worm World

Mmmm bad night last night.  Dyspepsia has been more pronounced in last couple of days .. last night I took a second dose of a PPI (to reduce acid build up in stomach) something I haven't needed to do for some time.  I also took 3 bicarb soda capsules to calm things down abit.  I couldn't sleep for hours and consequently very tired today.  System seemed on overdrive .. this does happen in the second cycle of the month (after day 14) for one night for some reason .. but this was a particularly horrid experience .. the hookworms must be stirring things up.  It seems they intensify symptoms.

My face is also more reactive than usual ..  with lumpy sore red cheeks despite the use of low dose cortizone cream.  Oh joy.

Day 22 Fatigue

The time is measured in terms of milestones in hookworm world.  Day 22 represents the third day of fatigue.  Noding off in lectures, nearly falling off my chair .. not a good look.   A desire to lie down and close my eyes is very stong when I really need to be reading for upcoming deadlines.  When is the best time to start worm therapy?  ...  Today the fatigue was overwhelming particularly after lunch ... I spent half the day in bed today dozing and sleeping.  I did take 6 months of long service leave this year with the intention of getting my health sorted .. taking the plunge with worm therapy was late in this period .. back to work in 2 weeks .. interesting times ...

Itchy eyes ..  another symptom ..  and incredible irritability ... shorter fuse than usual .. I am almost scaring myself... fortunately .. both these experiences seem to have settled down now.

Day 14

Sometimes it is difficult to tell if the symptoms I have are related to food intolerance, lupus, hormones or hashimotos.  I used to be able to control my symptoms with diet alone (and thyroxin).  There is a link between food intolerance and autoimmune disease and my doctor tells me that it is now recognised that there is a link between lupus and food intolerance. 

The worst symptom I have is the dyspepsia or (GERD).  It has become worse over the last year or so that I now take medication for it.  If I have a weak moment and eat something nice this is when the symptoms become much worse to the point I cannot function.  Last week I had fresh white fish (allowed) but it was cooked on a BBQ plate which may have been the culprit .. or perhaps the fish wasn't fresh enough and the amines had built up in it.  I suffered for two days with fatigue, weakness, nausea and very uncomfortable dyspepsia. 

A couple of new symptoms have manifested over the past couple of days.  Even though I feel a bit sick and have lower abdominal pain these are symptoms that are most welcome!  I am sure the little soldiers are gaining a foothold so to speak.  Lets hope they are persistent in their quest.