31 November 2010

I am back in the coping stage, back to 40mg of PPI's a day .. a premature experiement I am thinking when I look at my last blog.  Maintaining diet, suffering from pains in stomach even on PPI's, constantly starving but unable to eat much, rosacea most unattractive (it has been much worse), restless legs at night, throbbing feet. .. some of these are newish symptoms.

Doing hookworm therapy as a peri-menopausal 49 year old woman is challenging, particularly when hormones are playing havoc with the immune system, throw in 20 hookworms in to the mix and abracadabra! .. nothing obvious to report as yet  .. perhaps a small change here and there .. a good day last week .. but generally still struggling to feel good.

26 November 2010

I get nervous saying I feel good .. but I do!  Earlier this week was a different story .. almost forgotten now what the problem was .. general digestive upsets and lower abdominal pain, restless legs and sore feet, toothache ...  All seem fine now ..  I haven't had a PPI today .. yet... , my stomach seems quite settled.  Shall wait until I lie down before getting too excited. 

I can't say I am running around like a kid, but I did move about 10 huge bags of ceiling batts, cleaned the bathroom and stove ... and went shopping ..  so energy levels good.

The worms seemed to have been quite creative in the last month or so making themselves known around the traps.  This is probably a good sign.  Now, some days are good, some days not so good. .. I think there might be some improvement generally, but not enough yet to expand the diet.  If my stomach settles down on the food I am now eating then that would be fantastic.  Then slow steps forward from there.  Time will tell.

20 November 2010 (59 days)

Things have settled down as far as worm world is concerned.  Feeling quite good, the lethargy and fatigue is gone.  Rosacea is calming down after a big flare (with rosex topical gel) and abstinance (from most food).  Feet are not throbbing.. life is good. . HHT (hormone hell time) hasn't been so hellish except for major dummy spit.  Still maintaining diet and PPIs for stomach... have already bought probiotics hoping that soon I will be able to tolerate them.


Another month or so before I will be game to lob a small piece of mango, or a slice of apple ... mmmm just in time for Christmas perhaps.  Fingers crossed as always.

51 days

Sore feet, sharp pains in joints and the strange sensation of throbbing .. imagine an electrical current pulsing throught the feet.  Two nights ago I had restless legs, moving involuntarily.  Rosacea is really bad.  I am a pretty picture all round.

The feet symptoms may be exacerbated by the hookworms heading into HHT (hormonal hell time).  Probably need to get thyroid rechecked .. feet could be related to Hashimotos, schleromderma, menopause (bring it on), lupus... according to Dr Google.

Waiting on results of blood tests from immunologist. 

Hormones, hookworm, immunity.  What fun!

9 November 2010

Not much to report .. have been feeling quite good last couple of days .. except for when I didn't take PPI for dyspepsia last night and couldn't sleep.  .. had to pop another pill.  PPI's are not good for long term use.  They play havoc with absorption of essential minerals increasing the risk of bone breaks. ( http://www.jonbarron.org/blog/2010/06/proton-pump-inhibitors-and-fractures.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+jonbarron%2FDGMO+%28The+Baseline+of+Health+Blog%29 ).

 

If I am able to tolerate a wider range of foods, I am hoping gut health will improve, and therefore my reliance on PPIs.  Another month and three weeks or so and I might be able to try reintroducing some foods and gut healing products I hope.  This might even improve my rosacea.  http://rosacea-support.org/sibo-eradication-clears-rosacea-are-you-serious.html

The immune system and digestive system are bedfellows.  A healthy digestive system therefore must improve immunity.  

My appointment with an immunologist did not provide any answers to my food intolerance problems and lupus like symptoms.  Blood results need to progress to the next level before autoimmune system labels are applied .. hopefully there will be no progression (40:1 4 years ago, 160:1 this year, 320:1 for the labelling to begin). 

When I told the specialist I had begun hookworm therapy she asked if it was working .. so no shock horror.

6 weeks tomorrow

Coming up to 42 days since innoculation with 20 hookworm and the waiting is almost unbearable.  I would love to feel good, a rarity at the moment.  I have had a couple of good days, but mostly they are parts of days rather than a whole days.  Not much to report... just waiting for the 3 month mark.  I read John Scott's blurb (see hookworm links) regularly hoping to see some parallels.. but ... different bodies, different disease processes..... I would love to report some noticeable improvements.

Today started out okay, not so good now.

Next week I see an immunologist for the first time.  Of course I am hoping that he has some interest in hookworm treatment.