Manda

[Manda]

I'm lucky enough not to have RA – perhaps because I was caught early – but I had lots of other issues that were making my life difficult. I suffered constant urinary tract infections after any sex since I was 16 years old, horrible period pains, bloating and a few other small things that have since disappeared.

The reason I went to see Dr D was the UTI's – I had recently married, and they were causing big issues. Regular doctors would perscribe antibiotics after antibiotics, until I was given a “treatment” which involved taking a sulfur-based antibiotic after sex. It worked well, for a few months, until the time it stopped working at all. That was the longest, most painful UTI ever – so we gave up sex. 3 months later, we arrived in Victoria, Australia – and I'd had enough of feeling bad. Not just the UTI's but everything. I only found Dr D after not being able to get an appointment with a different doctor – the receptionist told me this lady-doctor was good – I was skeptical, but agreed. Boy, am I glad I did!!

My husband and I went to the appointments, committed fully to the diet changes (quite similar to Lynnie-Sydney's diet! 😉 ), and went to the Naturopath for testing. It all seemed a little surreal. We were attempting to travel at the time, and even lived in a camper-van. I don't think we fully understood what treatment we were actually on. 6 months of feeling “blah” later, I was finally starting to feel a lot better. UTI's had almost completely stopped, period pain stopped, we had both lost weight on the diet, it was paying off. Thinking that the positive changes were mostly the result of the diet change – and running out of money – I decided to stop taking the antibiotics (without letting Dr D know).

We'd moved to South Australia by this stage, and I finally found full-time work. It didn't last long, however, as I was experiencing pain in my hips, back and generally feeling unwell more days than I was feeling well. I left work after a few months, and took a break. We both took work at a local supermarket instead (casual, I thought I could handle that), and it worked well for many months – but once again, my hips were hurting and it was becoming more difficult to work again.

We needed to visit Victoria around the new year, so I thought I'd make an appointment with the Naturopath for my husband (why I didn't consider making one for myself as well is beyond me!). We visited her, and we both saw Dr D – and I confessed that I had stopped taking my antibiotics for around 9 months. She got me to go back on them – explaining that my hip and back pain would probably improve. When we came back to South Australia, I asked the Doctor for more information, and I was able to really research what this AP was, and why I'm on it. I realised that the antibiotics played a lot bigger role in my health than I realised!

Starting antibiotics again was painful. I got a herx reaction almost immediately, and it was worse than I'd ever felt it before. My hips, knees, ankles – it all hurt so much that I wasn't able to return to work. I was confined to the couch or the bed most days in the week. After a couple of months, I asked the Doctor about this and she suggested I make an appointment with the Naturopath once again for a tune-up. One month later, I took a plane to Victoria and saw them both again.

I'm so glad I saw the Naturopath and doctor (now, only a week and a half ago!) – who changed one of my antibiotics and increased one of the other ones I am taking. I've not had the herx reaction from the antibiotics this time yet. So, my current regime is:

Biaxsig (Roxithromycin) 75mg
Klacid (Clarithromycin) 125mg
Ibilex (Cephalexin) 250mg
Mondays and Thursdays (Possibly increasing to M-W-F in a few weeks)

The antibiotics are all suited to my own situation – which could include Lyme – but I'm less concerned about actual diagnosis anymore, and just glad that I'm on the road to recovery! It means I may have the opportunity to start a family in 12 months, all going well. With that in mind, it gives both my husband and me a positive goal to work towards for the future.

[Manda]

Things have been progressing quite well – It's been almost 6 weeks since I started the new course of antibiotics. I had about a week of herx after I last wrote, then it cleared-up, and I've been feeling better every day.

The herx for me this time included my knees and hips again – but another odd pain in my right shoulder that didn't go away quite as quickly as the hip and knee pain did. Weird, and painful, but gone now, along with all the others!

Eggs are still giving me stomach problems, and I am making sure to only eat them in omeletes and cooked into things. The drops the naturopath gave me help though.

We're looking forward to hopefully moving from the (mouldy) apartment we currently live in and move to a more country location where we can grow more of our own food, and keep chooks (then we'll know what they're fed, and keep them healthy and happy!). If all goes well, this will happen within the next couple of months. 🙂

I had a phone consultation with the Doctor today, who seemed very happy with my progress – and was saying it was the Lyme, and they'd missed it the first time. Afterwards, I couldn't help saying to my husband “I KNEW IT!!”. I've read the symptoms, and knew they fitted me more than any other diagnosis. I'm just so glad it's under control now, and I really don't care how I got it in the first place. 😛

AP and the diet change has been a huge change in our lives. It's only been for the better! I'm able to go to the markets again, buy food and walk around without pain or limping.. I can stay awake all day. If I eat properly (and frequently) I can think very clearly and surprise myself sometimes. 😉 My face looks healthier, I lost 20kg's (44 lbs) (so did my husband!) and I don't get reoccuring infections anymore.

On a related note, because of all this, my husband was diagnosed gluten sensitive (possibly celiac, but we don't want the biopsy), and when he doesn't eat gluten, the psoriasis on his feet clear up!

It's been just over 5 months since I started AP again this year, and I intend to stick to it this time. It's been better than “worth it.” It's been completely life changing and wonderful! 😎

[Manda]

Just a little update – My next appointment with the Doctor and Naturopath is next month, and I'm very much looking forward to it. We moved into a house in a country town and within a week I was herxing yet again. This has been the case for 2 months now, but it is getting slightly better. The worst day is almost always “pill day”.

Herxing has been mostly in my knees – which get very cold and sore – hips, anckles and occasionally my hands ache. On a bad day, all of them hurt at once.

My gut is easily upset by fatty things, including chicken skin or home-made potato chips. I've been avoiding poached eggs still, because after only one I feel out of sorts for the remainder of the day.

On a positive note, I've been more active since moving out of the mouldy apartment and the ringing in my ears has also calmed down greatly. I'm looking forward to this “tune-up” to really set me back on the right track now that we've moved for good. I continue to strugle with the diet occasionally, with sugar and fat being the most difficult things to avoid at times.

[Manda]

It's been a long time.. but I thought I'd pop in and update on my progress.

I last saw Dr D and the Naturopath nearly a month ago, and I have improved so much. Before the appointment, I'd been continuing to get a cold, achy left knee.. and  I had became quite tired, needing naps in the afternoons. I couldn't do anything without running out of energy, and my moods weren't good either. I had some blood tests which showed a B12 deficiency, which answered the tiredness / moodiness questions! I also found that eating quinoa grain every morning was a very bad idea. Once we stopped eating quinoa, my knee pains almost completely cleared up! Having Berocca every morning fixed my tiredness problems almost immediately!

Feeling better gave me the motivation (and energy) to see a chiropractor for my back, and that made a world of difference too.

So, the last time I saw the doctor and naturopath I had improved a great deal. I was feeling more positive and we even discussed the possibility of starting a family in 6 months!

Being 100% strict about the diet is so very important to my health. The antibiotics are still pulse dosed, I take Berocca for the B12, and I take some naturopathic drops twice a day, too. I've had enough energy to enjoy gardening (and without pain), and anything else I want to do.

The only setback has been the last two days. Everything below my waist is in pain, and I can't walk or stand for long. Tonight I let myself get too cold and before I knew it I was in agony and tears. I don't know where this has all come from, but keeping warm and being relaxed makes a lot of difference.

The hardest part for me is asking for help.. from my husband or even by calling the doctor when I need to. If this little episode isn't magically fixed by tomorrow, I'll call the doctor this time, instead of leaving it for weeks or months. I can't afford to have a setback now, not when I was doing so well!

Manda.

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