Omg...i Might Be On To Something

[Rachel--24]

Everyone...I just wanted to wish all of you a very merry Xmas!!

I hope everyone here is feeling good this Xmas...for me this is definately the best one I've had since I first got sick.

Of course it would be even better if I was eating everything without worry....but I'm sure that day will come.

I kind of went crazy last night.....bought a large regular pumpkin pie just for me. By "regular" I mean...."full of bad stuff".

I ate about 1/4 of the pie....had a very noisy gut today, a little more sensitive to things....basically the same kind of reaction I get from just about anything I eat....except beef and peas.

I cant wait to start my parasite treatment....next full moon is Jan. 22nd.

Andrea....I cant see your new avatar for some reason. I keep trying F5 but its not changing yet! Maybe its my mom's new computer?? Antone else having problems??

Ok...hope Santa is good to everyone tonight.

[AndreaB]

Andrea....I cant see your new avatar for some reason. I keep trying F5 but its not changing yet! Maybe its my mom's new computer?? Antone else having problems??

I sent you an email with it attached too.......unless I accidentally missed you going down the list. Let me know if you didn't get it when you're back home.

[aprilh]

Kassandra, great news! That's how I felt, too, though I wasn't seeing all the specialists ... I just knew I was finally in the hands of someone who could make me better ... and he is!

Funny thing, even with this non-productive cough, I still feel better than I have in years! So, I'm not too bummed about the cold.

I really gave the kitchen a good cleaning .... still had construction dirt -- like on top of the cabinets, which I vacuumed. I oiled the wood, polished the counters, mopped the floors, got books out of storage for the shelves .... I was busy! The kids cleaned the rest of the house.

Oh, I wanted to tell you guys something about the laser .... we have an old parakeet ... about 8 years old ... she got liver disease and heavy metal toxicity, so the vet gave us some stuff to put in her water and some other stuff for on her food. That was back in August. We discovered the problem because her beak was way overgrown.

We saw no changes .... when I got the laser, I used "organs and systems" on her one time. Two weeks later, her beak is almost back to normal length (I had to cut a bunch of dead stuff off that was alive two weeks ago ... about a quarter inch!!!), you can't feel her ribs anymore, and she has more energy!

Now, she has been having the meds for a few months, but it seems like the laser pushed her over the edge back to health.

What kind of laser did you get? Sounds cooL!

[aprilh]

I don't know if I have asked this before...but is/has anyone done a STRICT anti-candida diet? Like, no starches, no sugar (not even in the form of fruit), not fermented foods and obviously no yeast? I ate some rocky road bark we made for the holidays that was gluten-free, df, sf and I was so excited because I am always so restricted and then I felt awful! It was loaded with sugar as most yummy stuff is! My stomach started to bloat and I got kinda spacey.

I just can't seem to find a website that explains EXACTLY what is/isn't allowed...like can I have rice cakes with turkey for lunch, etc?

(Hey Tom...are you reading this? I know you are the candida expert! )

Kassandra

Kassandra,

I have done a strict anti-candida diet for quite some time. I didn't eat gluten, dairy, corn, only a small amount of low sugar fruits, no sugars, very little starches. You can get a diet plan off of www.wholeapproach.com.

I used to get that way - very bloated like I was 5 months pregnant. And tired and spacy like I was on drugs or drunk!

You can have rice cakes but you have to be careful with processed meats. Sometimes they have sugar added in the processing. I had to rotate antifungals and probiotics. Still do. Although I can eat more than I used to I still have to watch it because I haven't totally dealt with the underlying issues.

April

[aprilh]

I wanted to share with you guys a good alkalizing green drink.

You can make this in the blender but it is rather thick. I like it better in the juicer.

Celery (good for the adrenals)

spinach

green apple

cucumber

lemon juice

zucchini

It is very refreshing and good for you. I am trying to do one everyday.

[confusedks]

Andrea,

Forgot to mention earlier...cute picture of your kids!

Everyone,

Does anyone know how to help shortness of breath (possibly air hunger?) and weakness? This is terrible. I also can't sleep, so I know I that's not helping how I feel. Sorry for the negativity...just feeling pretty terrible and bummed because I was so excited about tomorrow day because my favorite cousin is coming in town for Christmas.

[NoGluGirl]

Dear Sarah,

Nystatin is the primary anti-fungal recommended. Most books I have read on Candida mentioned it first. Even if some of us know, there are always new people browsing the thread that might not know. I am glad you posted this, because I bet there is someone reading along that has not posted wanting to know more about that. Here is something cool about Nystatin: Two women discovered it.

I am glad to hear your mother is improving a bit more. Candida is difficult to kill. It takes a while. Being patient is not easy with it, either. I am having a difficult experience with it as well.

I have the exact same theory about the gallbladder and enzymes! I believe having the gallbladder removed causes a deficiency in lipase and other necessary enzymes for digestion. I might give the enzymes another try. Now that I am gluten-free, that may change how they work. Thank you for the link on the enzymes, by the way!

I had no idea until you told me that the saliva test for Candida was accurate. I read in on a Web site, and was not sure if it was true. You cannot always be sure how accurate things are that you find on the internet. When I did my test, my saliva ran down in one long, disgusting string. It maybe took a whole three to five seconds to go to the bottom, and on top of that, it made the water a bit cloudy and stringy.

At least you trust your mother! I do not trust mine! I would rather do the shots myself. You cannot be too careful. My mother is on way too much medication. Half of the time, she forgets to feed the dog and stuff like that. Poor Dart went without supper the other day, because she put his food in the microwave, then forgot and left it all night.

Dear tom,

Your meeting with Andrea and the children sounded nice! Games are great! The bellybutton thing is so funny! Children get fixated on some odd things. Your avatar of them is terrific! So was the one of your sister and her son.

Sorry to hear you got a cold. On the bright side, that means your immune system is working! I always get that black elderberry extract to prevent those. It boosts immunity by as much as 300 percent. Even when I caught a cold, as long as I take it, I only have it for a week as opposed to getting Bronchitis like I used to.

Why did your sister go back to eating gluten? Is she nuts? That stuff is deadly! Chances are she is a Celiac if you are. Having a sibling with the disease raises your risk by 40 percent. I hope you do not get glutened while you stay with her!

Asyra might be a good idea. I think it would help you determine any other things that may be bad for you. I am sure I have a number of items that I react badly to. Asyra is so interesting! I wish I could afford to do it now. At this point, I am going to check into BioSet, and go from there.

Maybe 18 months was overkill for the Candida Diet, but I am one of those "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" people. I understand not wanting to take chances. I do not seem to be doing all that well without dairy, but figure I have already made so much progress cutting out the sugar, it would be stupid to add it back now. So, no cheese or chocolate! In fact, I am not even craving sugar anymore. Things actually taste too sweet now!

Thank you for the sites. I know what you mean about some sites and books being conflicting. It can get ridiculous. Everyone I talked to recommended Dr. Crook's approach. That is like the Candida Diet Bible!

Despite its age, The Yeast Connection is the most widely used protocol for killing yeast. I have bought and read at least ten books, and honestly do not have a clue exactly how many Web sites I have been on, but I mostly did what you did and took the most common elements and put them together.

Dear Carla,

It does seem I herxed on the Amoxy. That is a good sign! I hope something shows up in the testing. THe doctor's office did not call about my kit coming in yet. The holidays have probably slowed things down considerably.

Frozen fruit is great for smoothies, but I do not like thawing it and eating it. The texture is ruined that way. I eat fresh whenever I can. Canned often irritates my system due to the corn syrup. It is too sweet. Corn syrup gives Dad the blahs, too. I eat canned fruit, but only if it is in the natural juice or sometimes if it is in light syrup.

Sherry could have Bart. It all fits. Just because you only have a few symptoms means nothing. You can have Lyme and just have mostly fatigue. One woman only had a sore throat, and Lyme was the cause. It was called "The Case of the Killer Sore Throat."

I figured that steroids suppressing the immune system was why they were so bad for Lyme. Since most people who have Lyme also have yeast, that would really mess you up a lot worse. I am glad I do not use an inhaler anymore. I have not used one since I was 17 or so. Having trouble breathing is an issue sometimes, but it is more like just not being able to get a full breath. Somedays it is worse than others.

You certainly were busy! Now that you are done cleaning your house, want to do ours? We need the help! I cannot clean up after these two parents of mine by myself! I have been trying for a while now, and I have concluded I would need to be an octopus to do so.

Your progress is so encouraging and exciting! Who would have thought you would be doing so well, even with a cold at this point? I know you felt as bad as I do at this time last year. Maybe by this time next year, I will be doing as well as you! Hopefully, so will Mia, Birdy, Kassandra, truthsearcher, Julie, Donna, Kristina, Lisa, and Nyxie!

On top of all this, you beat Morgan at racquetball despite not playing in 20 years? Goodness gracious, that is amazing! I used to like to play tennis. I have an Agassi racket. I do not even have a clue where the balls are now!

That is so great about your laser helping the pet bird! Like Donna, I wish we had one we could have used on our dogs and other pets with illnesses. It might have spared them a lot of suffering. Speaking of cool machines and detox, did you guys ever get that rife machine you were talking about? I know Adam was anxious to get it.

My parents saw Enchanted. It looked really nice. Of course, Patrick Dempsey could play a butt pimple, and I would watch! I do not care! I love him!

Getting your Christmas shopping finished three days before the holiday with six kids is phenomenal! Everything seemed to come so quickly this year. We do not have a tree up this year, due to the fact we apparently have no floor. Maybe one day, we will find it! For the time being, the entertainment unit that is only partially assembled is our tree.

Dear Kassandra,

I cannot believe your Candida test was only $45! Where in the world did you get one done that cheap?

You are right that tom has done the stricted Candida Diet. Like him, I compiled what I learned from numerous Web sites and books. As he mentioned, they do vary in their approaches. Some allow fruit, but for the most part, the ones I have seen forbid it until stage three of the treatment.

I hope you got all of your shopping done! Your Dad and stepmom in NZ would likely be difficult to shop for and get the gift there on time. It is not like it is right next to us! What all did you buy everyone? I got my mother a gold butterfly necklace with diamond accents.

I got Dad a Kohl's gift certificate. My brother got a the Live Free or Die Hard DVD. He stopped by one day the other week and saw it, so I had to give it to him then. He hugged me so hard, I thought he was going to break my neck! It was hilarious.

Does your brother have a social phobia or something? He does not like to leave the house at all? That is unusual. I thought you said he does not drive. Mom gets nervous in crowds. I do not mind them as long as nobody is pushing or shoving me, or sneezing on me.

Keeping the PICC line is good. In case you need the IV abx, you will not have to get another one put in. Plus, no swelling arm! That can be painful. It is best avoided.

I need to take charcoal as well. I have not been as good about my lemon water lately, and I am feeling it. I have a list of things to do for detox. I am just going to add a new thing every week or so. That way, my system is not overwhelmed.

That is great to hear your mother is finally warming up to the LLMD! I am not sure how my parents are about my doctor. Mom just wants to know what she looks like, and Dad complains she did not do anything about my adrenals despite suspecting trouble. In all truth, he is being unfair. She cannot do anything until testing is done, and lack of money has prevented that. You cannot blame the doctor for that!

I do not think I would handle Nystatin, so I am going herbal in my efforts to eradicate the yeast. Thank goodness you seem to tolerate it. My system hates pills that are prescription. I have made a list of yeast-killing supplements to add. Each week, a new one should be added, like with the detox. Just with the dietary changes I have made, there has been more progress than I expected.

I want to see Ratatouille so bad! The rat is so cute! Everyone thinks I am weird because I think rats are adorable. They are incredibly smart, too. I hope to get Ratatouille for Christmas, but we will see!

How was your mani/pedi? I would not mind paying someone to do that for me, for once! I may be getting my hair done Wednesday, though. I am nervous, but it is time for a change. What I want done could take a few hours. I have a lot of beauty bummers. If only I were rich and could go to a spa.

I get the air hunger you are talking about. It is a nuisance. I hope you feel better when your cousin arrives later! Maybe it will go away. The good news is, that is a sign of a herx. This means the Zith is helping!

Dear Donna,

I am glad you enjoyed my quip about not trusting your mother with needles! I seriously have to wonder about my mother. She has been way too eager for me to have those horrible invasive tests run. That would make anyone suspicious, wouldn't it? She could not be supportive emotionally at all and pretty much makes it sound like I am a hypochondriac, but pushed me into doing some of those awful testing procedures? Who would not think something was up?

I see spots a lot, but I get migraines and they usually are associated with those. I never have taken Ambien, and do not intend to. Promethazine helps me sleep a lot of the time. This time of month, I am tired no matter what. Despite this, sleep seems impossibe. For some reason, at the end of the month when my hormone cycle always was, I have about ten days where I barely sleep off and on.

Your insomnia theory makes plenty of sense to me. Humaworm and detoxing all stir things up at these hours. This explains why you cannot rest. April has been having the exact same trouble since beginning the Humaworm. There is no way that is a coincidence.

I need to do detox baths, too. I have to do them with my feet like Sherry. There is no way my butt is touching that dirty tub! It is too icky. Cleaning it is improving things, but there is a ways to go before it is how it should be.

Our air vents are terrible, too! We have lived here for all of these years, and not once have the air vents been cleaned. The house is terribly dusty. It always was. Next year, my parents will have lived here for 30 years.

What terrible drunken neighbor heniousity! What is it with people, anyway? It is bad enough when you cannot sleep, but when this stuff is going on that makes it even worse! The other night, we had our own loud noise at an ungodly hour. The wind ripped off part of a piece of the siding on the house, and it kept banging against the brick! Dad got it down, so now we just have to reattach it.

That detox drink does sound tasty! It will be great to help with bloating as well. I like cucumbers. They are cool and refreshing. You know, I never considered celery a food, either. I have no idea how some people live off of it.

Sorry about the rough afternoon you had the other day. I have been like that for a month or more now. I have no idea what is causing it. My best guess is Lyme. Yeast die-off could be some of mine, though. Andrea's suggestion about the mold is a good possibility for you.

Your massage sounded heavenly! Wouldn't it be nice if we had a Rachelville gathering and we all got massages? I am happy to hear the abdominal massage helped you feel better. With as badly as I ache, I am not sure a massage would not hurt me more. I am very sensitive to touch. However, my neck and shoulders are very tense and probably could benefit from it.

Dear Andrea,

I cannot believe you missed the needle joke! At least you caught it eventually! Do not worry. With as much as I write in a single post, it is probably easy to miss something. There is a lot to read.

I am glad you did not have to entertain tom all by yourself! Micah and Seth's bellybutton game is cute. I am sure that is not on one of the video game consoles! Did tom get to meet your husband, too? Or, was he working?

You were right about Carla taking charcoal. I thought she had taken it as well. It is definitely helpful. I was taking it for my stomach for a while, but did not really notice anything. Well, my poop was black, but somehow, I do not think that is improvement.

Our house is known to be notoriously dusty as well. We think it has something to do with us living so close to the cornfields. There are some just about five miles from here. This home has never had the air vents cleaned, like yours. That might explain our allergies being so bad. As with your family, we cannot afford to have them professionally cleaned.

Mold is a good possibility for Donna's bad afternoon the other day. It makes plenty of sense. Mold exposure can make anyone who is sensitive terribly sick. Even if a mold is not toxic, that does not always matter. People with Candida always react badly to being around it.

I do not always get notices on posts, either. I wondered if anyone else had that trouble. It says it only sends one out even if there are numerous posts on that thread. They only provide one notice for every thread. I have had instances where people had posted, but for some reason, it did not show up.

Dear Offthegrid,

Thank you for the KFC chicken info! My trouble is, my favorite part was the breading! Someone on the forum used instant potato flakes. I remember reading about it when I first joined. I think it was Penguin, but I could be wrong. The person also used parmesan, though, which I cannot have.

Brown rice does not set well with a lot of people. Do not worry, though. I read the other day in Women's World that rice eaters (regardless of whether it was brown or white), are thinner than those who do not eat it. I thought this was interesting. The Chinese only more recently developed an obesity issue, where our country has struggled with it for a lot longer.

I am glad you finished your Christmas shopping on time! The news channel reported that 35 million people were still shopping the other night. That was surprising. I had no idea so many people waited until the last minute. It would be fun being a retailer this time of year!

Have you gotten to do the Candida saliva test yet? I was expecting my salive to sink. I knew I had a pretty bad case of it. I just did not expect my salive to sink like that. I thought "No wonder I feel so bad!"

A puppy is a great gift, but picking them out yourself is better when you can. My aunt always had people come to choose their pups when she bred them, because she wanted to make sure the owner and dog were well-suited. Dart chose me. He tried to milk me, and when nothing came out, he smacked my boob, and looked up and cried when nothing happened the second time. He tried to milk my uncle as well, and he figured that all breasts had milk! You can imagine how disappointed he was.

That is so sad about your last puppy! It is devastating to lose a pet. We had a rabbit die very young once. I believe he had Coccidiosis, because the D killed him despite us taking him to the vet. We only had Zorro a couple of months, and he died within two or three days of getting sick. We took him to the vet soon after him becoming sick, but he had already lost 1 1/2 lbs. of fluid, and although they gave him an IV, he died after he got back home.

How exciting about your Gap pants, fitting! I have the same difficulty with my thighs. Getting any up over them is impossible. No matter how thin I get, I doubt I will be able to be skinny again. That is over now that I have hips!

Dear Sherry,

I do not tolerate any of the Cyclenes. None of them like me. I am not surprised that you had a difficult time on them. They just are not easy on your system. Tetracyclene is what they had me on, and I had to go off of it within a couple of days because the D was so bad. I was doing the Helidac therapy at the time, as you were.

I agree that Kristina is definitely Celiac. The testing showed it clearly. High antibodies are significant indications of it. She just now seems to be making progress, even if she does not feel it yet. Going back on gluten would be a huge mistake.

That is good you have lost some weight as well. I finally am losing some. The trouble is, my rings are coming off. It sounds like you and Offthegrid are both about the same size my grandmother used to be before getting sick. Now she is down to an 8.

I had no idea Prilosec could cause full body pain! Was yours like Fibromyalgia? I always had pain, but wonder if this is adding to it. Going off of it is the hard part. I have tried to go off of it, but the rebound effect and nausea is too much to deal with. I believe the muscle pain is probably due to the fact you end up deficient in vitamins and minerals. Vitamin D and numerous others can cause this type of thing when they are missing from the system or are too low.

I get pain in the balls of my feet as well. I get it if I stand for more than a few minutes at a time. Just taking a shower bothers it. Whether or not I have Bart, I do not know. I will not rule it out, although cases around here have not been reported that I know of.

Thank you for telling about the charcoal. I was wondering about how much to take. If I get some, I will be sure to take it two hours after eating and between supplements and meds. Also, the foot baths had me wondering how hot the water should be, and how much of the epsom salts and baking soda to use. Is it 1 cup of each for this as well, or less?

Dear Patti,

Hello, Angel Spice! It is good to see you on here. We do not see you much. I hope Judy will pop in again soon! Say hello for me in case you see her!

Laura's progress has been amazing. This past year, she has moved leaps and bounds. I do not think she saw this last year. Her life definitely seems better. Health is very important, and so many people take it for granted.

Dear Julie,

My father thinks that things are building up in my system like you mentioned. I tend to react almost immediately. Normally, right after I eat something is when I begin to feel nauseated. Promethazine is the only thing that helps. It is always the third or fourth time, like what happened with you.

Steroids are something I avoid due to yeast, anyway. Lyme and yeast tend to go together, so it makes sense. Metals are a part of the situation a lot, too. Everything seems related. Immunity suppressant drugs are not good for so many reasons. You have to wonder how many people actually have Lyme instead of Lupus?

Cucumbers are good for a lot of things! I like them. Donna's detox drink sounds good. I wish I had a juicer! My aunt loves hers.

Fibrin seems to pop up a lot, doesn't it? I have noticed that. Sticky blood leads to all kinds of bad things. Many of us probably have that. Hypercoagulation can make you very sluggish. I wonder if it has anything to do with the angioedema you have?

Dear Nyxie63,

Lipase is the enzyme for fat digestion. Amylase is the one for carboyhydrates. Cellulase is for fiber. Lactase is for lactose. Protease is for protein. I learned about these on an infomercial years back.

They say that Dr. Michael Pinkus is a quack, but they are probably trying to discredit him because he is selling a natural product. I think they know he is doing something that could help a lot of people. The FDA does not want that! It makes sense to me that they want to put him out of business. They tried that with Bob Barefoot, and even seized his supplement! I took it, and I can tell you, it did no harm.

That is great your hubby finished the shopping and you got to wrap instead! I prefer wrapping. Did you know 34 percent of people polled said that was their least favorite holiday chore? I always enjoyed wrapping. It surprised me.

Food enzymes might help me. Many books about yeast recommend them. I have no idea what is the best brand, though. What kind are you taking? Are they expensive? Cost is an issue for us.

There are so many great sayings on t-shirts I love. There is a plaque with Edgar Allen Poe's quote "I became insane with long, horrible intervals of sanity." Emo Philips has another plaque that I love the quotation from. It says "Some days, it just doesn't pay to gnaw through the leather straps." My best friend would love that!

Thank you for all of the information on adrenal testing and aldosterone. I finally got to do the flashlight test. My pupils dialated then shrunk really fast to even smaller than they had been before shining the light. That is very bad, isn't it? If I remember correctly, your pupils should not do that if your adrenals are alright.

Dad thinks it is not accurate, because it is not scientific.

At least there were only two snafus at your family gathering for the holidays. That is likely fewer than was expected. The hummus heiniousity is terrible! Your brother will get what he deserves. All of his bad karma will turn around and bite him in the butt. My brother has had to be gluten-free for the past few months.

What all gifts did you receive? I am excited about giving my parents' gifts. Dad is so hard to buy for, so I got him a gift certificate to Kohl's. Mom got jewelry. If it has diamonds and gold, she will like it. Chad got a DVD he wanted.

Your holiday schedule sure is hectic! Going to your family, then your husband's must be pretty exhausting. You getting home at 5am is awful late! Our holiday schedule has always been crazy, but normally we go visit the grandparents in the afternoon and early evening. Lately, I have not gone at all due to feeling so bad. I hate feeling guilty, like I have disappointed everyone. However, it is not my fault I am sick.

Dear Laura,

Happy 1-year anniversary! Look at all of the progress you have made! I cannot believe it has been a year since you began your journey toward wellness with Lyme! Didn't you have a biopsy done? Which lab was that? I know you had a gut sample sent.

Dear April,

There seems to be a pattern with the Ambien! Seeing spots is rarely good. How scary is that? I do not want to take that stuff now! Dad took it, but it did not help him. He is one of those people who has to take a lot more of meds than other people, because he is not phased by them most of the time.

You and Donna seem to have the same issue. Humaworm seems to be what you have in common. The detoxing is probably the thick of it. I am glad the accupuncture helped. Did you get your lymphatic massage done? I can understand not wanting to go on abx because of yeast, since I have the same trouble.

With an absessed tooth, I do not have much of a choice, though. My sinuses are messed up bad.

The alkalizing drink sounds tasty! I wish I had a juicer. It would be so great! That Jack Lalanne Power Juicer sounds fantastic! What kind do you have?

Dear Birdy,

I bet you still have co-infections. Carla did not have positive tests, either. I do not know which lab she went with for sure, but think it was IgeniX. They are a great lab, but Fry seems great as well. They both specialize in Lyme, which is rare in a lab.

The bugs being on the up-swing is a good sign. Something is going on. We just have to figure out what it is. Your system sounds like mine. One second it is fine, the next it is not.

How do you think you gave yourself food poisoning? You will be sure if you have it. There is not mistaking it. I hope to never have it again. I am scared of it!

Your bugs might have been stirred up by that heater. I do not tolerate heat at all. My thyroid is messed up. Hyperactive thyroids cause you to have problems being exposed to heat. I get dizzy and all of that from heat, so I cannot even stay in the shower too long. My low blood pressure may have to do with this, too.

Stomach problems are the toughest to deal with. I can handle being tired. Taking a nap helps. The nausea is something I cannot cope with. It dictates everything in my life. I am so tired of it! I would like to eat without worrying about getting sick for once.

Dear Kristina,

Everyone goes through denial. We hope we do not have to stick to this diet. I never got tempted to cheat, because I was so miserable. My concern now is, what else is irritating my system? Nothing seems to set well.

We do not mind being there for you. Frustration is easier to deal with when others share it. All of us know what it is like. Pursuing Lyme would be a good idea for you. That can make you react to other foods you would not normally react to. Gluten may be the only thing aside from dairy you would not be able to eat if the other things get discovered and straightened out.

Dear Rinne,

I am glad you popped in! How are you? Thank you for the holiday wishes! I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We all are looking forward to Rinne Bar 2008, and Rinne Sandwiches 2008!

Dear Susie,

We have all been so worried! Are you alright? I know you mentioned being severely depressed. I get that way, too. Somedays are better than others.

My health and financial issues are the primary sources of my frustration. I am sure you can relate, as do many of the other members on here. Have you ever considered counseling? It might help. I think this depression has been related to not only the miscarriage you experienced this summer, but the heavy metals built up in your system.

I hope you enjoy your Christmas! Just try to take in your little boy opening his gifts. That always makes me smile. I love to buy gifts for people. I love to wrap them.

Dear Rachel,

I was behind on my posting like you! Reading is the easy part. The actual responding take a bit more effort! I have been kind of a ghostie lately. I am trying to keep up, but Christmas kept me busy.

That is great about your IV going well! It can be rough on you. Thank goodness they slowed it down this time so you did not get so tired! Plus, you did not get sick because you did not eat chocolate afterwards!

Way to go!

Your co-workers really sound like winners. They sure are not very dependable. Who could blame you for being irked? I certainly would have gotten angry, too. People should at least have the courtesy to call in!

Did I read that right, that you had to go in at 3am?

Hey, you deserve a little pie! Gosh darn it! You should have something to enjoy for once! Do not be too hard on yourself! Beef seems to set okay with me, too. My gut is also quite noisy, and it actually rumbles like a thunderstorm is going on in there! Merry Christmas to you, also!

Dear truthsearcher,

Thank you for the Chinese stomach massage information! I have never heard of that. Whether or not anyone does it around here, I do not know. It is doubtful, but worth checking into. If anyone would know, my doctor or one of the martial arts instructors would.

I can see why you would be a bit nervous about doing the massage after being diagnosed with Lyme. Those things can stir the bugs up. This might be a good thing, though. Checking with your doctor first would be wise. Do you have an LLMD yet?

Dear Mia,

I am sorry to hear you are having such a rough time on the Levaquin. Carla took quite a while to feel better. This may be a good sign it is working, though. Still, it is difficult to cope. I understand that you wish your body would give you a break during the holidays. I have been wanting the same thing.

I have barely slept for the past five days. By the time I actually fall asleep this morning, I probably will have to get up to open gifts. Then, my brother is coming over for lunch. Right now, I am a wreck. Chad will want me to go to my grandparents' with him, but I just do not think I am able. I barely survive around the house.

It makes sense that your doctor suspects deeply hidden co-infections. They can hide pretty well. Bart seems common in your area. I have not even seen any reports of Ehrlichia or any of the other co-infections here. There has to be at least the one, but it is not documented. This means many people may not actually have cured their Lyme, but do not know it. I see why you are apprehensive about trying the new drug, but maybe once the Levaquin stops bothering you, you will be up to it.

I have not taken charcoal recently, but it does help break up gas. I was on it for that before. My gallbladder needed removed at that time. I am not sure if it will do anything for me now. I think my worry is that if I have heavy metals, it will redistribute them.

You probably do have sticky blood. Have they measured your fibrin? I do not know how they do that exactly. Didn't Rachel post about that before? I assume a blood test is used.

Sincerely,

Jin

[miamia]

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have said it before but again thank you to everyone here , you are so supportive and truly keep me fighting to get better even when i feel like giving up. You all have really become like a 2nd family to me starting at the top with momma Andrea. I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday!!!!!!!

[AndreaB]

I cannot believe you missed the needle joke! At least you caught it eventually! Do not worry. With as much as I write in a single post, it is probably easy to miss something. There is a lot to read.

I am glad you did not have to entertain tom all by yourself! Micah and Seth's bellybutton game is cute. I am sure that is not on one of the video game consoles! Did tom get to meet your husband, too? Or, was he working?

The thing is, I had read part of it.....I must have missed a line.

Tom didn't get to meet Mitch as he was working. I was hoping he'd get home at a decent time but he didn't.

Your comment on being an octopus.... :lol:

I hope your day goes smoothly for you.

[AndreaB]

You all have really become like a 2nd family to me starting at the top with momma Andrea.

Aaawwww...thanks.

[AndreaB]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

[dlp252]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Hey Susie!!! Good to "see" you again! I'm sorry you're going through such a tough time! Hope you're having a great Christmas, and have a Happy New Year! Yay that you didn't get glutened!

Andrea,

Good golly, never thought about the mold, lol. Yes that was the worst room, lol.

I LOVE that new picture of the kids!!!!! It's adorable!!! Such very cute kids you have there!

Kassandra,

I'm thinking of you today...hope you felt well enough to enjoy the time with your cousin.

Yes, we'll do the anti-candida diet together! Moral support.

Nyxie,

I did actually get some sleep last night! Two pretty good nights in a row. AND, today is my LAST DAY OF HUMAWORM, lol!!!! YAY FOR ME!!! :lol:

on your brother. Doesn't it just frost ya when people do that with YOUR food, lol. I'm very thankful that my mom is VERY protective of my food. She keeps my stuff away from everyone elses.

Morgan informed me that it's not the Lyme, it's the racquetball .... she hurts, too.

Donna and Kassandra, I'm with you on the after Christmas strict diet. I've been getting too much sugar...and right now, with no antifungals, that's probably at least part of the cause of my symptoms. I am fatigued, brain fog, and having muscle pain. All my lyme symptoms and at maybe 40%. Very few better days in the last three weeks.

Oh good...three of us!!!! I'll definitely need some support in the first two weeks. If I can get that far I'll be okay until the 3 month mark, lol.

I hope everyone here is feeling good this Xmas...for me this is definately the best one I've had since I first got sick.

I sort of remember a discussion about this last year...none of us were feeling very good yet, so I think this is a semi-miraculous Christmas...next year even better because some of our newer posters will be farther along in their journey's too.

I wanted to share with you guys a good alkalizing green drink.

Yummmm, it actually really sounds good! My body must really need something like this because normally it wouldn't sound as good as it does, lol.

Jin,

Yes, while I think I could trust my mom not to want to hurt me with the needle...I'd be afraid she'd pass out whilst giving me the shot, lol. She doesn't do well with stuff like that, although in the last two years she's seen them stick me with more needles than she'd like to. I think I've had 4 or 5 IVs in the last year and a half and several shots, lol.

Yeah, re the spots...my first thought was that it was something electronic, but I don't have anything that would make that kind of thing. Then I was thinking it might be a silent or ocular migraine. I've never had one that I know if, but I've heard of them. I didn't have a headache at all though.

Yes, one day...rachelville girls day out!!! We've talked here before about a spa getaway, some day when we are all well and can actually spend our money on stuff like that instead of supplements and meds and doctors, lol.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have said it before but again thank you to everyone here , you are so supportive and truly keep me fighting to get better even when i feel like giving up. You all have really become like a 2nd family to me starting at the top with momma Andrea. I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas Mia!!!

Everyone,

Well, we had a great family get together yesterday. My cousin and her husband bought my mother and aunt a Wii for Christmas, so we played all afternoon and evening, lol. My little cousin (10 years) was a Wii fool, lol. He had to play every round with one of us (and we're talking from around 1:00 to about 8:00 at night). We mostly did bowling, and, wow, that's quite a little workout, lol. I tried tennis with him, but just couldn't get the hang of it. My poor aunt couldn't get the swing/release down for bowling and kept throwing the ball behind her into the virtual crowd. Very funny. We had a hoot teasing her...quite funny really. I have a competitive family.

So I always go back over there for Christmas morning, so my mom, aunt and I played more this morning...several hours.

I'd basically talked myself out of wanting one of these stupid games, but now I'm starting to feel that old desire. Stupid games.

[AndreaB]

I'd basically talked myself out of wanting one of these stupid games, but now I'm starting to feel that old desire. Stupid games.

Yep, games are fun! That's what we spend a lot of our time doing.....computer games for us though.

I'm glad you had a good time playing with the family. Sounds like quite the workout.

[CarlaB]

I am just really weak and having realllly bad air hunger.

Be sure your LLMD knows about this. It's a babesia symptom .... seems that most of us with lyme also have babs. Mine went away with babs treatment. It sounds like it could be babs in your case because you're having a flare up during a full moon ... babs is a parasite and flares during a full moon.

I am fatigued, brain fog, and having muscle pain. All my lyme symptoms and at maybe 40%. Very few better days in the last three weeks.

What kind of laser did you get? Sounds cooL!

It is cool! Open Original Shared Link

Everyone,

Does anyone know how to help shortness of breath (possibly air hunger?) and weakness?

Sounds like babs. Maybe you need Mepron with that zithromax. Oh, I meant to tell you ... in the beginning Chloe was taking one zith per day ... now she's taking two. I seems that she's been loaded up a little more on meds as a last push at the end of treatment.

You certainly were busy! Now that you are done cleaning your house, want to do ours?

Absolutely NOT! It's funny, I have an old kindergarten project of mine and it asked what you wanted to do when you grew up .... I said I wanted to be a mom and have a clean house! Nothing about a husband in there!

Well, now that I'm getting better, I'm getting my clean house back. Adam teases me that he can tell when I'm having a good day because he needs to stay out of my way or he might get cleaned!

Your progress is so encouraging and exciting! Who would have thought you would be doing so well, even with a cold at this point? I know you felt as bad as I do at this time last year. Maybe by this time next year, I will be doing as well as you! Hopefully, so will Mia, Birdy, Kassandra, truthsearcher, Julie, Donna, Kristina, Lisa, and Nyxie!

On top of all this, you beat Morgan at racquetball despite not playing in 20 years? Goodness gracious, that is amazing!

Getting your Christmas shopping finished three days before the holiday with six kids is phenomenal!

Hopefully all the newly diagnosed will see the same progressed those of us diagnosed a year ago have seen.

Well, Morgan is a beginner at racquetball ... she took a class on it at IU, and that's all she's played. I used to be a rather advanced player. We're pretty closely matched right now .... we plan on playing a lot when she gets home for the summer.

Christmas was a success! Everyone liked everything. I got a digital camera ... a pink one with a pink case ... Donna, you'd love it.

I made eggs, pancakes and sausage for everyone for brunch .... I was a short-order cook, we didn't all sit down at once ... I love it.

For an early dinner we have a nice spread .... just a buffet of stuff everyone wanted ... ham, turkey loaf from Honey-Baked ham, green beans, sweet potatoes, then a bunch of finger food/cheese/crackers, etc. A nice balance to all the garbage we've been eating.

This cold is getting pretty bad ... I wonder if I'm taking any abx that gets to bronchitis ... every time I get a cold in my chest like this I tend to get it ... does minocycline work on bronchitis? Well, I see the doc Jan. 11th, so I can get something then if I do .... I'm taking an herbal expectorant for it.

But, I don't feel as bad as the Lyme used to make me feel.

I hope you all have a very blessed Christmas with your family and friends. I wish you could all stop by!

[dlp252]

OMGOSH Carla!!! I think I may have seen that camera. In fact, I think I may have accidentally had it in a shopping cart for a little while at ama zon . com. And, in fact I think I may have been pretty close to accidentally ORDERING it. If it weren't for the fact that I already have TWO digital cameras, and didn't just find out about the stupid mold and carpet and bills etc...I may not have accidentally removed it from my cart. :lol:

Although, seriously, I loved that camera.

[AndreaB]

Absolutely NOT! It's funny, I have an old kindergarten project of mine and it asked what you wanted to do when you grew up .... I said I wanted to be a mom and have a clean house! Nothing about a husband in there!

Well, now that I'm getting better, I'm getting my clean house back. Adam teases me that he can tell when I'm having a good day because he needs to stay out of my way or he might get cleaned!

I made eggs, pancakes and sausage for everyone for brunch .... I was a short-order cook, we didn't all sit down at once ... I love it.

For an early dinner we have a nice spread .... just a buffet of stuff everyone wanted ... ham, turkey loaf from Honey-Baked ham, green beans, sweet potatoes, then a bunch of finger food/cheese/crackers, etc. A nice balance to all the garbage we've been eating.

Sounds sooooooooo good! Except the ham......

[confusedks]

Carla,

I wish we could all stop by too! Your Chistmas sounds great...lots of family and fun! I remember when you said you had 6 kids I remember thinking...YAAY there's hope for me! I want LOTS of kids!

I will call my LLMD tomorrow and let them know about the air hunger and weakness. It's like I can't get my heart to slow down. I think he will do all kinds of abx with me, but for the challenge test, he is just starting slowly. Also, he wants to protect himself and have a positive test so he can prescribe abx for me "legally."

Donna,

The Wii is a lot of fun! One of the kids I babysit has one and I was terrible at it! LOL! And, definitely moral support for the candida diet! I'm actually excited to start it...but I'll probably get really sick of it after a while.

Tom,

Thanks for all the links. I think I will just allow my egg white protein powder smoothies which do have berries, but I figure that they are the lowest glycemic index and the best form of fruit for you.

Jin,

I honestly have no idea where I got the test done...I can find out for you. It does have to be ordered by an MD though. The LLMD actually said if money was tight, not to worry about the test, but for $45, my mom decided it was worth it.

My brother is a whole other Oprah! LOL! I think he is starting to become agoraphobic because he never leaves the house anymore!

My mani/pedi went really well. I used to go every week so they know me well, but I haven't been able to for a while just because I haven't had the energy at all! But, it is one thing I won't deny myself even if I don't have a lot of money...it's really important to pamper ourselves when we're sick (or my therapist keeps telling me anyway...lol! )

I got bright red toes and french tip fingers...very festive. But then I got a new pair of ballet flats/shoes for a dress and I kinda smudged my toe...oh well!

Nystatin may be what's causing me to feel weird...but I really don't know. My mom said when I was little, like 2 years old, my peds helper dr. put me on Nystatin and probiotics when I was on abx! I was SHOCKED that a regular MD would do that!

Also, I am on 1/8 tsp. once a day...the recommended dose is 1/4 tsp. 3 times a day! LOL!...he started me very slowly!

Andrea,

I agree with Mia...you are the Rachelville momma!

Everyone,

Well I gave myself my first Vit. B-12 shot today in my butt and that was PAINFUL! LOL! It's a smallish needle, but ouch! I was limping for about 30 minutes afterwards.

I had a kinda hectic nite last night because my litlle 18 month old cousin loves me, but I was so weak it was hard to play with him. He is so sweet though!

Today I am going to my Uncles house where there will be about 30 of us and I'm very excited! I love going there...lots of fun!

I got the Rent Soundtrack, new Perfume (well...a new bottle of the same one I love!), tea-light candle holders, and a pair of black and white checkered rain boots!!! I wanted them SO BADLY!!! LOL!

I got my mom an iPod shuffle so she can go running with music, and a shirt and the book eat, pray, love. She asked for everything, except the iPod. She was really shocked!

Merry Christmas to everyone here...my second family. You all have been amazing...and like Mia said, during rough times, you guys keep me going even when I want to stop dead in my tracks from frustration.

Kassandra

[AndreaB]

I agree with Mia...you are the Rachelville momma!

Well I gave myself my first Vit. B-12 shot today in my butt and that was PAINFUL! LOL! It's a smallish needle, but ouch! I was limping for about 30 minutes afterwards.

Thanks

My doctor told me to go real slow with the b-12 shots and it will not hurt as much. Course I don't have lyme and the pain associated with that, that could make a difference.

[confusedks]

I did them pretty slowly, but it still hurt. My butt doesn't hurt anymore...lol.

I meant to say that your kids look like they get along so well....do they? They look so happy to be having their photo taken together.

[confusedks]

Very weird thing just happened...I had pink/red urine! Could it be from the b-12 shots? I am a little worried...

[AndreaB]

I meant to say that your kids look like they get along so well....do they? They look so happy to be having their photo taken together.

That depends on the day and time of day......it's never the same.

I don't know about the urine. You could always call the LLMD's office tomorrow to go over questions and whatnot.

[dlp252]

Kassandra,

I didn't have pink or red urine after my shot. That concerns me a bit!

[mftnchn]

I haven't had that either after B12 shots.

[CarlaB]

OMGOSH Carla!!! I think I may have seen that camera. In fact, I think I may have accidentally had it in a shopping cart for a little while at ama zon . com. And, in fact I think I may have been pretty close to accidentally ORDERING it. If it weren't for the fact that I already have TWO digital cameras, and didn't just find out about the stupid mold and carpet and bills etc...I may not have accidentally removed it from my cart.

Although, seriously, I loved that camera.

Very weird thing just happened...I had pink/red urine! Could it be from the b-12 shots? I am a little worried...

Here's why I keep saying babesiosis! Open Original Shared Link For some reason the link doesn't work .... Google "dark urine babesia" and it's the medscape article. It talks about a woman with dark urine, acquired hemolytic anemia, etc. and babesia is the diagnosis.

Zith hits babs, so that could be why the babs symptoms are coming out so much.

I'm glad your mom liked everything.

Andrea, you don't like ham? Or you don't eat ham?

[AndreaB]

Andrea, you don't like ham? Or you don't eat ham?

We don't eat pork products.