dlp252

That is an Evening Grosbek...know nothing about them it was a photo the instructor picked out for me...the lilacs were a different photo and she wanted me to combine them.

I have one of Hawaii in my personal pic.

These are horrible photos cuz I'm way to lazy to try to set up the correct lighting and such...I just took the photos a minute ago and I'm already in lazy, relaxed mode for the day.

random drive-by:

I think I've posted this before, but while we're on the subject of words, "pumpernickle" is a great one

....from What in the Word? by Charles Harrington Elster

That is hilarious!!

JIM IS THE FEATURED ARTIST OF THE MONTH AT THE MEDIA LIBRARY FOR THE 2ND SATURDAY ART EVENT ON SAT NITE FROM 5-9...WE HAVE TO BE THERE

THEN SET UP AT 7:00 THE FOLLOWING AM...

RIGHT NOW I'M DEAD..LEGS AND FEET ARE KILLING ME.

GOING TO READ THE FORUM AND THEN TAKE A NAP.

HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH MY DEAR FRIENDS.

HAPPY SUNDAY..ALL

Judy, you did so well on the quoting thing!!!

Wow, congratulations to Jim on being the freatured artist...I did some oil painting, but never got very good...I should post one of my paintings for laughs.

Uhmm...why won't she do it for herself- duh!!!!!!!!!!!

The other thing that she said, and my PCP said this as well, is that the TRUE Lyme controversy is not over treating undiagnosed Lyme with long-term antibiotics. It's over treating patients who are diagnosed right away, do a round of antibiotics and then continue to be symptomatic.

I didn't realize this. I thought long term antibiotics were controversial period. I guess if you're a long-term Lymie, then long-term treatment is not controversial. Interesting.

Especially if the doctors are willing to test for it, and with Igenix no less!!! Wow. That is very interesting about the long term versus recent diagnosis thing.

Also it is nice to see u all supporting each other so much.

That's what we do best here! You've been sucked into the vortex as well though.

I have a question.....

Whey protein is used as part of the mercury removal support protocol....

What about the possible hidden msg in whey protein, whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate?

I had also heard from Howard Lyman (the mad cowboy) that whey was a toxic substance that couldn't just be disposed of, so they put it in our food. Kinda like a lot of other things huh?

I know Mercola sells a whey protein that is from raw milk and not a by product of the cheese industry. I assume that that is the "toxic" whey?

I'm sincerely curious.

I've heard so many conflicting things about many different things with food etc.

I've not heard this...sheesh...my main concern with whey was the possibility of casein, but toxic substance?? Maybe it's toxic after the cheese industry gets done with it, but whey by itself wouldn't be would it? I mean whey is just another milk protein isn't it?

Okay, so it's soft down filled chaises or sofas for Bev, Patti and I...and pink furry slippers for the rest.

I went a whole day without one rinne bar.

I now want furry pink slippers.

I'm thinking I might have to try it myself ... Though I don't seem to have much of a candida problem. I think it's just more along the lines of how we're meant to eat.

See, this is what I thought too, but I am really starting to believe that anyone with lyme has the tendency to have, or develop if they don't have already, candida problems.

It's one of the kid's birthdays today, so we're going to see Pirates of the Caribbean.

Oh, man, I wanna come!

I realize that children go through the terrible 2's and on but I really think metals have played a part in how she is now. The problems we are having now have escalated over the years.....so getting more and more sensitive and moody.

I bet it certainly didn't help!

Well, off to the grocery store and Starbucks for tea. Be back later

Oh, man, I wanna come! I LOVE Starbucks and almost stopped yesterday...there's one right next to BioSET!

Donna...dont know if you've ever checked out this site but Scott is pictured in the "Faces Of An Epidemic" section. He's in the second row..far right.

I think I'll have to ask him how production is going for this movie....I dont know if they have all the funds for completion or not. Seems its been in production a long time.

It will be great for awareness if it ever gets out there.

Oh, duh, lol. I never realized that site had a site. I saw the movie, but never noticed the website part. Yep, there he is...some of the other people look familiar too but probably can't be. I'll watch the movie again tomorrow at work...it's been a while since I watched...and I don't think I knew I had lyme at that point.

Well apparently I am destined to NOT sleep. (that was as close to a sleep smilie as I could get, lol). I could NOT get to sleep. The last time I looked at the clock it was 11-something, so I know it was after midnight when I finally dozed off. Then, as is my usual pattern, I kept waking up every hour. Finally, at 4 I just decided there was no use. I got up around 5:15 and ate.

I got my report from my ART session. They found lots of bacteria and fungal stuff: Borrelia, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Bartonella, HSV1, H Pylori, Listeria monocytogenes, plus some non specific stuff on 4 other bacterial/fungal CDs.

If anyone wants more detailed info about WHAT he or any of my other practitioners suggests/suggested to take for any of this you can PM me.

More in my reply to Rachel below...

Donna, I had totally forgot about ART today!!

I was surprised when I read this....sheeesh....hope I dont forget my own next weekend!

It seems like from both of your ART sessions Lyme is showing up as your main issue?? Did he test metals at all?

I hope nothing else shows up for me next weekend...I dont need any additional co-infections or anything else.

I cant take any EFA's either....I havent even tried in a couple years. I used to take a fish oil EFA and it kept messing me up so I tossed it. I've since read that yeah....fish oils can contain mercury...another thing I totally overlooked.

I just avoid anything having to do with fish now. I was curious if your EFA contained fish oil.

Don't worry, we won't let you forget! Yes, Lyme is apparently my main issue...seems weird to me, but he found it so clearly both times. And, both times the organ most affected is my thyoid...even stranger. So, this may be why I have so many thyroid symptoms, but it never shows up on thyroid testing...there's nothing actually WRONG with the thyroid, but it's being surpressed or affected somehow by the lyme.

He DID test metals and that was showing up big time as well. I had sort of dropped down the amount of stuff I was taking for that by stopping the chlorella and lowering the amount of pectasol I was taking, but he really thinks I need to continue both of those. Fortunately ALL my doctors think the same way. BUT, I am starting the chlorella at a lower dose...today I only took 1/2 teaspoon instead of the full teaspoon that Anna said to take.

The differences this time were the types of bacteria...last time he didn't find so many, and they weren't specific. Also my supplements tested differently...he found 4 that are either blocking me or are just not adding anything...that's great...hate taking stuff. I DO suspect that things will be at least little different for both of us each time because we are beginning to treat...albeit slowly....the different stuff.

The EFAs do not contain mercury...I bought them directly from Dr. S who assured me they did not have mercury...I stare at the shelf in Whole Foods and I am just overwhelmed, so these seemed like the best choice. I HAVE tried others in the past and have not done well on them for one reason or another.

I like anythin better in a powder it takes out the issue of reacting to something in the capsule or covering plus I have grown to hate swallowing pills

I hate swallowing them too....that was the MAIN reason why I started taking everything out of the capsule, but then gelatin started showing up on BioSET, so I figured it might be important to not swallow so many gelatin capsules, lol.

There are days when I think Candida runs the show and I'm just along for the ride.

Wish I didn't know how true THIS is.

More stuff on mercury....

You post info like this so often and yet, I'm often just in shock over it, lol. Calomel in beauty cream...fortunately I don't use much of that stuff, and I use mineral makeup, but sheesh, who would think about this stuff...I DO dye my hair (or have it dyed at the salon more accurately).

(I'm not too sure about that. I looked at CDC on this and she didn't meet alot of there requirements....but some).

I'm not so sure I would soley trust what the CDC says on anything, but that's just my angry-over-the-lyme-thing with them thing.

Those shoes and that robe sound so cute and cozy! You know what I love? I would love to have those Marabou slippers! You know, the heels with the feathers on them? Those are so cute!

Cute, but would they be comfortable? The first thing I did this morning when I got out of bed was to put on my pink furry flip flops.

About the low blood sugar....shaking, dizziness, feeling hot, etc. I had all that when I first went on the candida diet and cut out carbs and sugars. It was VERY bad....I was shaking and NEEDING candy and pasta. I would feel weak...like I was gonna pass out. I remember one time I was trembling as I tore open a snickers bar...I couldnt get it in my mouth fast enough....and I thought I would pass out if I didnt eat it.

I think alot of it is cravings and withdrawl...in my case it passed. You get past it and the cravings stop. I stayed on the diet totally free of carbs and sugar for 4 months and I never experienced those symptoms after the initial withdrawl...once everything passed I was feeling TONS better than I'd felt while still eating those foods.

Exactly what happened to me only it wasn't a snickers bar that I had to inhale... The craving for sugar that candida can produce is truely amazing and it can most certainly affect body functions. I was extremely weak and shakey the first time I went low carb, but after the first two-three weeks, I had more energy than you can imagine and the cravings stopped. Completely.

All my problems started again when I started taking little bites of stuff. I just can't do it.

But, I didn't get that same feeling this time when I went back on the candida diet, which is one of the reasons I was thinking candida wasn't a huge problem for me. It's slowly but surely sinking in that it IS a problem and that I really need to get serious.

Did I mention the Reeses PB cups used to be my favorite?

I'm avoiding it too now...wish I didn't have to though!

I had bad luck with digestive enzymes for a while but I ahve found one I can tolerate and have been on it for a while- its Absorbaid its a powder and I don't know if it would work for you but I figured I would mention it.

Oooh, thanks! He recommended one called TPP Digest...I think I'll look for both though. I like the powder idea.

BTW, I'm surprised at how many ppl w/ Candida "feed the beast" . . . . errr yeast.

Guilty party here...but I'm much better than I used to be. That's why I can't do the one bite thing that Carla spoke of...the yeast cause the most intense cravings so one bite will start it all off again.

MMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

I've got my chocolate chips with chocolate coconut bliss.

Omgosh! Someone give me some PB and chocolate chips...I could just sit with a jar of PB and sprinkle chocolate chips in it.

How heinous! I would not be able to live with this forever....I know Patti suffered with it too.

It was miserable and no doctor would do anything about it...was just lucky that the one doctor actually found some fibroid tumors.

And the green toes w/ fluffy pink slippers - - sounds fantastically whimsical!

Quite fantastically whimsical indeed!

Switched my bed to the crisp, white summer linens and duvet. To be ruined by dingos, of course.

Both of my dogs were WHITE and were basically indoor dogs and still they ruined my crisp, white summer linens and duvet. How is that possible I ask!?

I just realized that if I was actually going to post to all the comments I wanted to I would be looking at parts 5, 6, 7......

I ordered the most outrageous white leather couch and ottoman today. It will look perfect in the house we are about to sell.

I had a white couch once!

does anyone have an idea?

My stool reaches my rectum but then won't come out. I am doing a regular enyma. I know this can't be good. would senna or cascara be a good lax for right now. So desperate. Water enymas don't work. sorry

I can't remember...are you taking a stool softener?

I cannot believe you used to get up at 3:30am to exercise! I always worked out in the evenings. When I was a teenager, I used to be able to workout for two hours every night! Now, I am lucky to get off of the sofa some days without putting forth extreme effort! I miss being able to do more things.

Well, more accurately, I used to wake up at 3:30 and since I couldn't get back to sleep, I used to get up and exercise--no matter how tired I was. Now, I exercise at lunch and in the evenings because I don't have quite enough energy in the morning...food helps.

I had some OCD tendencies when I was young, like I could not stand to have sticky hands.

I'm still like this...can't stand to have anything on my hands...must wash them if I get anything on them.

Not impressed. You totally have NOT convinced me. I've never heard you talk of Racheling broccoli! Now, if you Carla'd Bumble Bars, that'd be impressive! Can you eat HALF a Bumble Bar?

Actually, YES, I can eat only half a Bumble Bar. I can actually do that for about 2 weeks, then it's back to rachelling the darned things.

I just had a new settee delivered today ... it's actually more like a small, down-filled sofa! So, when I am having a flare and can't handle all the activity downstairs, I don't have to lay in bed ... there's somewhere else comfortable to sit.

I've always a chaise...they always look so darned comfy.

My only regret on the Hys. is that I should have done it 15 years ago

I'd been TRYING to have it done, but no doctor would listen to me...Susie's description of her insides today aptly described my whole life for a few years.

Aw Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear that! {{{{HUGS}}}}

We'll be here!

It seemed like something was wrong w/ the scatology talk so I looked it up in my Webster's.

It doesn't mention science.

Says "obsession w/ excrement".

Just an FYI

:lol: !!!!! It applies here I think though...

OMGosh...I'm wearing the most posh flip flops. remember the furry bathrobe I bought a few months ago...these are made out of the same plush stuffed animal type fur and are so very comfy...I'm in heavan right now! Plus the bright bubble gum pink looks oh so marvey with my lime green toes! Speaking of lime green toes...I made a point of asking my mother what she thought of them...her response... "Oh my" Denise at BioSET loved them.

We did the second half of the food additives today...still had a full glass. She was also amazed that she had to press the probe thingy on my palm very hard. So hard that I had a little hole there for a while. She asked if my energy was always that low and I said yes...so she did some cross checking for exhaustion...nothing came up so then she asked if I sleep well. Um NO. So she did some cross checking with insomnia and bingo stuff came up. I think I was treated for whatever it was that came up so hopefully I'll sleep good tonight.

My ART session was good too. The viral infection that was found last time is gone, but he still found bacterial and fungal problems. I asked if the bacteria could be the lyme and he said no...lyme wasn't included in that bacterial slide. Lyme was big time again and it is still affecting my thyroid.

Scatology warning...

Do you remember a few dozen pages back when the Expl D started...I thought it might be the essential fatty acid supplements. Well I mentioned that to him and he tested and sure enough, it was really bad. It was totally blocking my energy. I haven't taken that in 3 days now and I haven't had the Expl D either.

The scatology alert has now ended.

I am going to start taking the chlorella again, but will start with only half the amount I was taking before. It still shows up as important.

So far the only thing I've been taking for the lyme was Transfer Factor, so he checked a few more things and found a couple of herbals that would work for me. I'll be alternating those two...two weeks on one, then two weeks on another.

The digestive enzymes everyone wants me to take didn't test well either...he tested a couple that might work so I may give those a try in a few weeks.

Still have two more supplements to add from Dr. S's list, then have to find two more from that list. Took a new one off that list today...we'll see how that goes.

Carla - I actually like broccoli, so the carlaing really does apply.

I think most of us just plain suffer from lack of restraint.

Does seem to be a theme with us doesn't it. It's obvious I don't think about reactions whilst racheling...Bumble Bars, Lays potato chips...

Okay guys, I tend to be a perfectionist. Adam would say we lived in a model home prior to my being ill. So, as soon as I feel a bit better, off to clean I go! Our bedroom is the finished attic of our house ... probably 1200 sq. ft. ... it's not all one big room, it's like a master suite/hideaway ... I can't wait to get our disgusting bathroom redone, then it will be like a spa! Anyway, I dusted, vacuumed and mopped the whole thing today! Had to take a LOT of breaks ... but it's done (except for the bathroom).

I am a perfectionist with just about everything EXCEPT my house...darn thing can fall down around me and have dust up to my chin.

I'm so-o-o glad I don't have to deal with all that period-related stuff anymore!

You and me both!!! Best thing that ever happened to me.

Here's a sentence for ya... My heinous day at work was pure scatology! It started with the rachelling of my lays and the carlaing of my broccoli!

Oh good gracious...when I used to go out dancing we'd often start out at around 10, but I can hardly stay up past 9:00 anymore.

Rachel - good idea on not posting too much stuff here. I'll PM you my email address as soon as I'm done here. Congrats on the sauna!!! I want one eventually too, but have to wait a bit on it...once all my appointments die down I may be able to swing it, but have to pay down some credit cards first.

which reminds me......did I ever tell you guys about my trip to Montana in the dead of winter, adn how we were snowed in the entire week (no shower for five days until we skiied five miles away to the next cabin)? and how I got the name Squats With Wolves????? ha ha - - - maybe later. but there was nekkid sauna-ing involved, no one had any modesty, and I didn't either, and then we did dive naked into the snow after.....now THAT was something I'd do again! But the temp was between minus 10 degrees to just over 8 degrees the whole time.....I was COOOOOOOOOOOLD!

funny, funny story.

Keep me on your list too Carla.

my daughter must be going through menopause!

Me to and

SQUATS WITH WOLVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I did a 7 week camping trip cross country with 50 kids and 6 counselors and earned the name "Farts like Machine" (prior to celiac diagnosis).

on both of these!

1. How may of us feel worse in the am?

2. Why do you think that is?

Well, I have a little of both, lol. My die off type symptoms are definitely worse in the AM but I have much more energy in the earlier part of the day. I can't get up at 3:30 a.m. and work out anymore like I used to, but overall I still have more energy (which isn't much) in the later mornings. Gosh a couple of years ago, even in the midst of my worst sinus infection cycle I could get up at 3:30 and do a really intense cardio hour long session! I can hardly get out of bed now.

Afternoon are getting better energy wise for me too now, but I still can't function past 7 or 8 at night.

HEINOSITY!!! Been trying for 20 minutes to get to page 1123, !! Was bound and determined I would get there too...and I did!

Heinous day at work...are the stars and moon aligned wrong or something... What is with all the work heinosity going around here.

We ate out last night but all I had was shrimp, scallops and rice in a broth. I've eaten at this place before and never had any problems.

Yeah, someone mentioned shellfish...that kind of struck me too.

There is another house with cows right at the end of my block....but this is a big piece of land, big house and the cows are spread out. It doesnt look out of place. The other one totally sticks out with all these cows crammed into one area and then all these new houses surrounding it.

Its gonna be heinous for sure. I'm planning on going in very early...just for a few hours...catch up on everything, write the orders and get out before customers start shopping.

That's when I like to grocery shop so I miss all the other customers who are heinous. If WF opened before 8:00 I'd definitely be there as soon as they opened!

Thats about all the details I've heard so far but what do you guys think could cause this??

Very sad! Don't know what all causes seizures, but I agree, I've read a lot of people on lymenet have had them. I also read at least one post where someone had only had one or two symptoms of lyme (not necessarily seizures though).

LOVE YOU ALL

Love you back...you did quite well on your post!

One time when I was in customer service for copiers and faxes (I was the trouble shooter, the one you got when you couldn't get straight answers from service men or the dispatchers) I had a customer cussing me out. I hung up on him, then immediately told my boss I had and why. I knew he'd be calling her next to tell her I should be fired. I'd rather be fired than put up with that. I warned him that if he couldn't be nice I was hanging up.

More heinosity about the car!

Our office manager once told me that no one should have to deal with someone who is irate. She was specifically talking about the attorneys in the office and that I had to the right to tell them that I would not put up with it. I did tell a partner or two to leave the room. We mostly have great people though...it's the staff mostly that are sometimes trying on the patience.

Actually I saw my new PCP for the 2nd time yesterday and was telling her about being diagnosed with Lyme and a lot of my story. She told me ANYONE my age diagnosed with arthritis should be tested/treated for Lyme. Me like her!

Me like her too!

I've been very, very bad about this this last year. I'm up til 12 or 1 most nights and your supposed to get the best benefits from sleep before then. I listen to messages at night if Mitch gets off the computer in time. Can't do that during the noise of the day. I probably need to try and get myself used to going to bed early and waking up early. Seems like when I tried that before Talitha would get up if she saw a light on out here. Seth is still in my room and he goes through some rough mornings at times. If I'm still in bed I can just tell him to go back to sleep. I'll have to think on this though.....it may be worth another trial run. Of course that would also mean I can't wait up for Mitch when he's late.

Fortunately for me, I DO sleep well between 9:00 and 12:00 midnight! It's after that that I wake up every hour and sometimes just don't get back to sleep. Dr. S said that those are the hours (after 1:00 I believe) that your body does it's detoxing...I thought that was interesting. He put me on some kind of liver detox thing and said a side benefit is that it helps him sleep...Um, not for me. Nothing does. Maybe that means I'm just doing some heavy detoxing.

I know why though...it was because I ate 3/4 of a bag of my moldy sunflower seeds last night.

I had only planned on eating like 2 or 3....but yeah I cant "Carla" anything.....I racheled it. I think instead of eating only 2 seeds...I ate all but 2.

I knew it would probably mess me up....I even did an enema thinking maybe I could sweep out all the poison.

Ummm....I guess it didnt work.

Wish I didn't understand this whole scenario so well!

Yeah....that could be very therapuetic!!! After our "retail therapy" when we're feeling nice and relaxed....we can then go SHOPPING!

Oh, PERFECT!!!!! Very, very therapeutic!!! Slapping someone silly and shopping....all in the same day....at the same time. Might be better than relocating ants.

someone sent this to me:

Open Original Shared Link

Cool! There was a thread about this on lymenet which I haven't looked at yet...think I'll read it.

Yeah...I think it might be a "Bay Area" thing....everyones always in a rush here.

Major source of stress for me.

There was farming all over....some intersections didnt have any lights...it was QUIET and PEACEFUL....I could hear the cows mooooing every once in awhile.

OMGOSH!!!! This is so funny. My friend (that I always travel with) lives in Sacramento, and the first time I drove up there (YEARS ago) the directions she gave me was..."at the stop sign with the cows on the corner, turn left"!!!! :lol: It helped too! I turned left at the corner with the cows and found her place. Cows are gone there too...big ole shopping complex.

Very cute picture of Annie!

Or better yet, we Rachelvillians take her outside and open up a can of whup-a** That oughta teach her

That'll work. Bet we wouldn't even have to make contact....can you imagine staring down any combination of us on a bad day.

Carla - hope you feel better soon! We're having an epidemic here aren't we?!

I am glad you finally got to paint your toes! It always makes me feel better getting pretty! I love make-up! I am getting some new make-up tomorrow. I may go to the grocery as well! They have Lay's Stax on sale! Yay!

Yes, like Mia said...painting my toes is one of the girly things I do that always makes me feel good. I only paint them in the summer though...gotta give them a break to breathe in the winter months. I also LOVE make up...only wear it on Sundays and special ocassions, but I still love to buy it.

Glad you got your new cookware! Cleaning is a bit easier if you put water in it while it is still hot.

Good thing I've got some muscles on me cuz these pots and pans are like weights!! I could totally work out with my cookware!!

They are multi-functional.

Do some bicep curls whilst removing the pans from the stove.

I swear...if someones gonna get lost...wether its in a dream....real life...whatever....its always ME!!

What is up with that?

I'm thinking it wasn't YOU who was lost but WE who lost you...as in we just didn't know where you were...or I should say I didn't know where you were, but I suspect the PT guy did. :lol:

Sleep

Choose a regular pattern of sleep. Your body and brain repair themselves during sleep. Your body sleeps better (deeper and more restful) the hours before midnight. It is best to be in bed by 10:00 p.m. If you awaken early, do not get up if it is before 5:00 a.m. Try to fall asleep again. Even if you are awake, stay in bed until after 5:00. This will help you develop a natural rhythm and pattern that your body will begin to follow. Be consistent. You should get between 8 and 9 hours of sleep every night. Also, maintain your sleep schedule even on weekends and vacations.

This was a great list!!! I do much of it already. This sleep thing is interesting. I've tried to stay to a regular sleep pattern as much as possible for the last 10 years or so (wish THAT had helped me more, lol), but these specific times are very interesting. I always go to bed at 9:00, even on weekends, cuz I have to get up so darned early during the work week...and I used to get up when I woke up, but lately I've been staying in bed until after 5:00...mostly because I just CAN'T get up, but now I'm glad I'm not forcing myself.

and as you've been doing, you can see improvement in symptoms without necessarily directly treating an underlying condition... this is what I was doing for the past 15 months until I finally got a diagnosis of lyme disease through a positive blood test with Igenex last month... I saw improvement in a number of areas through dieting, taking supplements, a mostly regular sleep schedule, and exercise and physical activity the past few months as I was again able to do so... so continuing along the same lines of what you're doing now might be your best option while saving up money to do some further testing...

Great ideas! I've just been doing what I can to take stressors off my body...getting enough rest (as much as I can with my horrible insomnia), eating foods that agree with my body as much as possible, etc., continuing to exercise, etc. Those are all things which really don't cost money but help.

and I am watching, whilst puttering around in the studio-slash-office, the Spelling Bee, how lame is that?????

Whic would be why you know words like Scatological!

Go Stinker, Go Stinker, Go Stinker!

Soooo....yesterday a customer told my boss that she needs to take me outside and SMACK ME AROUND for awhile!!

Hum, I have no official enactment duties in Rachelville, but I say we should have retail therapy...only instead of shopping, perhaps we can take the customer outside and smack them around.

I totally agree that further food intolerance testing isnt useful...it wasnt helpful for me at all. It doesnt get to the root of the problem and since with leaky gut intolerances are constantly manifesting and changing...testing isnt really beneficial...that was my experience anyway.

It was helpful for me, but only because I don't have immediate reactions to stuff--my reactions are almost always delayed and sometimes by a day or two. Knowing which foods were contributing allowed me to take more burden off my body by avoiding them completely. If I got immediate reactions I would have just tried my best to avoid the stuff that caused it and wouldn't have needed the testing.

just a quick goodmorning to all---still reading along.

i'm off to an IV and an impromptu drs visit...having some other issues...then off to my first visit with a PT.

on top of all this, I've had D for the past four days. I think its because I added alinia for three days. Delightful.

Hope you have a good weekend too. Hope the appointment goes well! Sorry about the D...unfortunately, I know all to well what that's like.

ok quick update- am having a really rough time- I have stopped the diflucan and the hormones for right now- I think they were just completly overloading my system. I have an appointment wiht my doctor on monday and we will discuss the next steps. I made a big list of stuff I want to discuss with him and it seems to keep getting longer. I kind of cant wait to get in there.

Right now i am just trying to relax- basically living with my hot water bottle on my stomach and doing castor oil packs at night.

I've heard of the Body Ecology diet, but don't know what it is exactly.

I am so sorry you are better yet!

Well, I've got LIME GREEN TOES. !! First coat looked kind of sickly...second coat is looking much better...I DO think I'll need a third coat to work better with my skin tone.

AND, GOOD NEWS (I think)! I've got another appointment next week Thursday. I went in today for my allergy shot and I happened to get the really FANTASTIC nurse. I haven't had her in months, so I told her about my reactions and my symptoms (or actually lack thereof), and she said "well, you may not need them anymore...you should make an appointment with the doctor to discuss that."

Stupid other nurse who told me I'd have to have shots for life...same stupid nurse who left me in the exam room for 45 minutes a few months back and never told the doctor I was there. Haven't seen her around since then actually.

So, anyway, I go in next Thursday to talk to the doctor about that.

Seems there are so many things to figure out when it comes to ones health. Hard to find doctors that are good too. I am feeling very overwhelmed. Not knowing where to start.

You could start by keeping a food journal, it really helps to begin to make connections.

It really IS overwhelming!!! I'm really struggling financially lately because of all the medical expenses and bills. I just had all my amalgams out in November and January and that was a HUGE chunk of out of pocket expense for me.

I'm just trying to prioritize right now...trying to find the most problematic things and taking care of them. I'm doing what I can diet-wise, like following an anti-candida diet and tring to stay away from foods which have been identified as intolerant items.

Keeping a journal is a great idea. I DO keep one, but it's main focus has been on fitness...I DO write down what I eat and all the nutritional stuff like calories, fat, protein, carbs, fiber, but haven't been good until the last few months with trying to write down reactions and stuff like that. Rachel has kept a VERY detailed journal and I know she has referred to it a lot on this thread in order to narrow down stuff.

I don't think I dream or at least rarely but by the sounds of yours I wish I did.

Yes, mine can be quite exciting at times.

I know, I miss him.......I also really miss our queen Julie. Anybody know how she's doing?

I miss her too...Andrea, if you do email or talk to her tell her I say hello!

Excellent dream story, Donna. I have MINI SERIES, epic dreams, they are SO MUCH fun - - -on adn on and on and on for HOURS, many celebrities, events, parties, colors, jewelry, love, fun, drama - - - I sometimes awake exhausted and have to lie there for 20 minutes just processing what all happenend....they are SO much more exciting than my tiny, mundane life....

Yep, mine are quite epic at times...I really hate waking up in the middle of a really good one. Mine involve lots of drama, suspense...spy stuff. Sometimes romance, but not nearly as often...

OMG- a new Rrachelville expression- Carla it! i can't Carla anything- esp NOT peanut butter, chips or chocolate. I must RACHEL everything. I am an obsessive racheler

I do not believe I carla anything. Truly

OMG, I FORGOT TO SAY, THIS IS ROBBIN!! LOL

Hi Robbin!!! Good to see you! Well, if you were tested for lyme by a regular doctor they probably didn't use the correct lab. Somewhere down the line you may want to get retested from a lyme doctor who will use Igenix.

Here are a couple of links to get you started...the first one has a lot of info on how to add foods, the second lists the legal/illegal foods:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

and part 2

am I the only person on this thread who eats potato chips? I see chips mentioned every now and then and almost always in a negative light...

You must have missed my chip chronicles a few pages back. I NEVER eat chips and lately that is what I am craving. Fortunately, at work they give us free snacks...and one of the ones they have ocassionally is the small bags of chips. I snag a bag or two when I see them, and yes, I eat them. Very, very bad for me...react every time but can't stop myself.

I think explosive "D" would probably eliminate the need for ummm..."assistance" of toxin removal.

This is what I was saying to Dr. Carrie yesterday, lol...at least I know I'm not holding on to toxins. She agreed.

How do you get diagnosed with having for example to much heavy metal in your body?

I was sort of diagnosed. My doctor (the same one Rachel sees) is almost certain that I have a metals issue, but that I am not excreting them. So far I've only been tested by hair analysis, and since I dye my hair, they had to use the unmentionable hair, which is not quite as accurate as head hair. So, somewhere down the line I will have the urine challenge that Rachel spoke of. My doctor doesn't feel my pathways and detox mechanisms are working up to par yet, so we're working on that first.

There are a couple ways...either hair analysis...or provoked urine test. Its a "challenge" test where you take a pharmaceutical chelator (chelators bind with metals and pull them out of tissue and cells to be excreted) and the urine is evalutated for high levels of metals.

I've had hair analysis a few years ago but it showed nothing with regards to mercury. My mercury levels were low. The problem with that is that I wasnt excreting any mercury...I wasnt detoxing it at all...its stored in my body and therefore did not show up in hair analysis. When someone is very toxic sometimes their body is holding onto the metals and they are not getting detoxed or excreted through the bodies detoxification organs.

Lyme is one thing that can impair detoxification...genetics can also be responsible for slow detoxification. Some people detox better than others...having Lyme doesnt help...it hinders.

Exactly.

My Birthday is over...I officially turned 36 a few hours ago...at 7:13.

Yeah...getting old is tiring...I'm off to bed now.

Oh good gosh, tell me about it sister! My turn next month!

If you'd be willing I'd highly suggest that you track down a reputable, knowledgeable LLMD in AK or come on down to the contiguous states once you can get the money together for testing (sounds like you're like me and money is on the scarce side). A good LLMD will test you for pretty much everything under the sun......not just lyme. Lyme is still a possibility if you've been bit twice. I think Carla, Rachel and Donna have been tested for lyme, mercury/metals, molds, parasites, yeast, vitamin/minerals......am I missing anything gals?

Yep, my LLMD (same as Rachel's) tested me for mold, lyme, vitamin/mineral levels, mercury/metals, thyroid antibodies (I'd already had other thyroid testing), killer cell level (related to lyme) and something else, lol. He would have tested me for even more if I hadn't had some of the testing done already. He really is thorough and tries to find the real cause of the symptoms, not just make it fit something that is convenient for him.

My naturopath has tested me for thyroid, and has discovered food intolerances galore.

I've been stool tested for parasites, yeast, bacterias etc.

Good morning! I'm still itchy This is the reaction from you-know-where!

Stupid reaction for you-know-where!!!

Yes, the glutened D really does smell like skunk......am I the only one that has this?

Um, no. I figure I've already discussed my D enough...no need to add smell into that picture.

I just don't think there COULD be TMI here.

I had a dream.

I tend to have very strange dreams which incorporate a whole bunch of things that aren't related.

Last night it was about Rachel, my PT guy and an ex-coworker.

There was a whole group of us that went to a foreign country...don't know where or why by the way, but I seem to think it was for a wedding. Somehow we lost Rachel. The PT guy said she was okay and that he and I should just continue on. I was concerned and wanted to know where Rachel was.

Then I started thinking...she'd better not be at home eating ice cream or I will be very mad at you (the PT guy, for not telling me).

We missed our plane because I was looking for Rachel...then I saw my ex-co-worker walking through the airport...she didn't know anything about Rachel.

Now, most of my dreams are sagas and I can't figure out how any of the pieces got there, but I can almost figure this one out. It was Rachel's big day...we went to Laura and Erics wedding ... I met up with my ex-coworker yesterday who mentioned the ex-co-worker in my dream... The PT guy...well he was just very sorry yesterday and felt very bad that he had to cancel the massage...

Wow, this is a long thread.. I tried to read some of it but it is just too long to get a understanding of it..

Welcome!!! I'm a little late to the party...have to go to bed early. I used Enterolab as well, and going gluten/casein free did help me, but still had lingering problems...many of which you listed in your second post. They just didn't clear up. I happened upon this thread somewhere around page 7 I think, and just joined in to try to figure out what the heck else could be wrong.

I tried an elimination diet, but could never feel well on it because the supposedly "safe" foods were not safe for me. I reacted to nearly all of them. In the end, I turned to some more integrated practitioners and a really good LLMD all of whom have had their part in getting to the bottom of things. My signature lists the many diagnosis that I've had...the lastest is lyme (by-the-way, I do not remember every being bit nor having a rash, and I live in California, which DOES have lyme, but is not necessarily known as a hotbed of tick activity), mold toxicity, vitamin/mineral/element imbalances, candida...any one of those by itself and most certainly together can cause almost all of my symptoms.

Sorry for laughing ... I'm laughing at the relationship we all have ... excuse me again, it's just so funny!! I don't have ANY other friends I would tell that I have diarrhea ... or that I've used an enema!!!

Yes, indeed! We have a really great relationship here...I forget myself every now and then and say to one of my friends something about my D and they just look at me like Wow, sorry the sauna is out of order!

Sorry you did not get to paint the toenails today! Mine look pretty good. I really like this pink. It is so pretty!

Maybe the D has to do with the gallbladder. That is the first thing that comes to mind. Everytime I ate, it came right back out when I had mine in.

Yep, I think galbladder is about the only thing that hasn't been tested (okay I exaggerate, lol). I may ask about that. Today should be the toenail day...I just realized that I don't have to go to choir practice tonight (okay, more accurately my small group isn't meeting, so I'm just not going to GO to choir)...so I can just relax and paint my nails.

Bev - could be job stress, although it's certainly no worse than it ever has been there (the stress I mean, lol).

What is the appt. line-up?? Seems like alot of appt's are coming up this month. I know I have at least 3 coming up.

Well, today was my LAST prolotherapy session I think! YAY...I'm tired of being injected. Anyway, I go in in three weeks for a reevaluation...haven't made that appointment yet...too busy talking to my ex-co-worker, lol

Saturday is my ART appointment.

On June 26th (if that's the Tuesday) is my follow up with the LLMD.

DONNA - - -- I think you have to quit your job - - - I think it's making you sick!!!

Yep, Yep.

I talked to someone the other day who had heard about my bars from someone who had tasted it at a public event I was at, many raves.

Wow, very cool indeed!

Maybe you will feel like painting your toes today! I hope so! It really does sound like your job is making you sick. Worrying about the D all the time has to be difficult. I am that way, too. My stomach issues dictate way too much! It would be nice not to have to worry about that.

Nope. Got home too late and eating took first priority. I ran into someone I used to work with in the waiting room at HN today...we talked for at least 15-20 minutes, lol. That put me behind schedule. I don't think they (my toes) will have time to dry before going to bed.

Donna, I hope the D goes away soon.

Thanks, I did discuss it with the doctor who does my prolotherapy today (she's an internist)...she did a little mini exam and felt around my abdomen where the pain is. She wants to keep an eye on it and may do some testing if it keeps happening or if I have it for several days in a row.

Rinne - GREAT letter!!!! Loved it!

Good news!! All the finger crossing WORKED!!

I got an appt!!!! WOO-HOO...positive energy really does work!

YAY!!!!! Very cool!

YAY...I will definately have to thank Scott for all that he did to get me in.

I've been trying to think of something or someway to thank him...I'm getting the same good deal you got on ART sessions with him!

OK OK OK

I KNOW YOU GUYS JUST CARE BUT HAD TO HAVE A DAY TO PROCESS AND FIGURE OUT MYSELF WHAT I'M FEELING.

We'll have patience, because we DO care! We all need to go through our own processes in our own time with our health. I don't think I would have been as willing to do some of the things I'm trying now if I hadn't tried so many conventional treatments/ideas first.