Hmmm...I turn 26 this week, which is of course shocking to some people that someone could have been through so much by that age. Oh well. There are people much worse off than I am, which you can always find if you look hard enough. I come from a long line of women with thyroid and adrenal problems, but interestingly I have become the worst of them all. Our current theories as to why that is include living under high tension lines and also sleeping on a very toxic Select Comfort bed. Not to malign the company, but things that are toxic are harmful (this ought to be obvious). Same goes for amalgams that are 50% mercury, etc. If it's toxic when it's OUT of your body, then it's toxic when it's IN your body.
How I got like this? Well, as you can guess from all those article headings, it's not about one thing, it's about all the things that fit together. Why do some people get cancer and some not? In my case I probably have some bad genes, damage from heavy metals (vaccines and amalgams as a kid), living in especially toxic environments (a new trailer as a kid and then on this bed and under high tension lines for the last four years), and who knows what else. It all fits together.
End result is that after having my baby three years ago, my body, and most especially my thyroid, totally crashed. By the time we realized what had happened, I was very bad. My armpit basal temps were 95.3. By that time it took quite a bit of time and meds to make me human again, and enough damage was done that now I have increased a host of problems that were probably there before, but are much worse now as a result of all that imbalance and physiologic stress and exposure. I now am chemically sensitive, EMF sensitive, photosensitive, low thyroid with low adrenals, have food allergies and candida, regular allergies like pollen of course, and a touch of infertility. That's when you realize that there is lots of overlap between all these diagnoses (CFS, MCS, FM, hypothyroidism, PCOS, etc.), because basically I am ALL those things. When you read the literature, you find that they are interconnected and considered extensions of each other.
So, by the manifold grace of God (this is my website, I can say that), I ended up going to a doctor who just happens to be marvelous at treating all this. In fact he has it himself and has treated his family. But this is only ironic as you consider that at the time I was doing my doctor search, I was merely looking for a good thyroid doctor and landed upon him. To my great delight he has been wonderful to work with and has extensive knowledge and experience in many of the areas I need help with. It's a good thing when you can find a doctor to help you. I drive two hours to mine, and although this is very difficult (I can't really drive myself that far, have to have someone take me, meaning a day off work for them, etc.), even so it is incredibly worth it. I talk about that in my doctor finding tips I think. Sell your cat, but go to the best doctor you can, that's my feeling. (You really have to keep your levity on this topic of health, don't you!) :)
As for where I'm at now, it's not too hot. The chemical sensitivites and photosensitivity are getting pretty bad. I just lost my sense of smell (may be a zinc deficiency, have to talk with my doc), and we are doing work on our house which is of course very toxic unless you monitor each and every material as well as the workers to ensure that non-toxic alternative materials are used as much as possible. Fun.
If there's one thing I would say, it's that my husband has finally (after 4 years of outlandishness) has finally come to the point where he finally can go with it and accept when I say things like my head hurts, I have brain fog, I need to leave, etc. He likes to say that if he weren't living with it, he wouldn't believe it because it's so incredible and hard to fathom unless you've been there. This means that you may have a hard road to climb with your own family. You have to learn to believe your body and trust your body, because your body doesn't lie. If it hurts, it hurts; not like you're imagining it.
It's NOT normal to live with headaches, fatigue, etc. We CAN be much better. I'm getting better, you will too. Just read read read, and plow on. Trust your body and keep pursuing until you find reasonable things that sound like they will help your situation.
I'm tired now, so I'll close, but you know that I wish each and every one of you the best of health, that you will find the information and Grace you need to go through this journey and attain the best health you can.
Warmly,
Elizabeth
