New Here, My Journey

[AVR1962]

In Nov '10 I started a herbal detox. I had been so tired, took a class about increasing metabolism and this product was being sold. 2 months into taking this mixed herb supplement I started getting REALLY sick. Ended up in ER with chest pains, heart palpitations and my blood pressure was high. Docs found nothing wrong, sent me for a stress test on my heart and wanted me to make an appt with GYN to see if any of this was related to female symptoms or menopause, I'm 48. Clean bill of health.

Meantime I was getting sicker. 2 weeks later I connected this to the supplement and went off. Doc told me it could take up to 3 months for this to completely leave my system. I was sick, sick, sick. My gallbladder, pancreas, spleen and kidneys swelled. My stomach felt like like it was raw and acid was being continually poured in. I was off-balance, extrememly forgetful, vision blurred (depth perception off). I thought I was losing my mind.

Tons of labs tests were done, they tested me for what seemed like everything under the sun, everything was negative. A family member heard my stomach one day and suggested that I try going off wheat for just 10 days and I did. What did I have to lose at this point! I actually went 3 weeks then tried bread, had a reaction. Then tried pasta and had a reaction. Told doc what I found and he then tested me for Celiac. Not knowing anything about this at the time, I realize (now) he tested me after I had restricted my gluten intake, test came back negative. While I was getting better in this time.....burning in stomach went away, I was still off-balance, my vision was blurred, and still having alot of trouble with memory.

Went to Gastro, he decided he wanted to explore the gluten intolerance more, wanted to retest me for Celiacs. All this had gone on for 4 months at this point. Every day I was off balance and struggling with memory. I was having muscle spams and twitches. Doc said that if I was having a reaction to glutens it could be possible for my minerals to be deficent and causing my twitches and spams. I started eating potassium rich foods and started taking B6, B12, zinc, magnesium and a probiotic. All of that helped. Then he wanted me to go off dairy and start loading on glutens with plans to retest me for Celiacs in 2 months.

The day after I was back on glutens I became sick all over again and as I continued I was becoming more and more sick. The burning in the stomach returned, I was bad. Day 12 I went back to Gastro and told him what was going on, asked him the importance of this test and then decided I had to go off glutens without going thru with the testing as he wanted me to continue this for 6 more weeks and I could not do it. 24 hours after being off glutens my stomach stopped burning.

This is only the second day off glutens right now. I have continued with my mineral intake. And each morning I have been taking an anti-inflamitory which has helped my vision, memory, and balance issues. They are still there but I am hoping that as my system heals these symtoms will go away too.