alternative views taking control, getting well, my findings

[wednesday mc haggis]

ok  might get some resistance to this post, but im just sharing my story.

  When first i got ill i was sent by my work to bowens therapy, used by occupational health, the therapist got inot it all when her 9 yr old was DX chrons, and nothing they did helped, in her dispair at 15 blood filled stools and screaming pain , she went alternative to a private GP in glasgow, who set up practice alternatively when his son was DX MS.

    he found the alternatives beleived that AI was caused by ppl being intolerant to certain foods, E numbers, additives, and candida overgrowth, he got is son on a strict diet, paleolithic diet, and found that untreated it causes leaky gut syndrome, the gut then leaks toxins and other foods especially gluten, that the immune system attacks, gluten is so like the make up of the myelin sheath it attacks both, got him off it all and his son stabilised, he then went onto to help others.

My therapist followed this route and got her daughter stable and leading a normal life.


In my despair at fibromyaliga and SJS, pain 36 symptoms  i went online and spent hours getting answers look up sites that gave me info.

  I went onto candida diet ( google is your friend) really its dairy free, sugar free,fruit free as it has sugars,  aditives and preservative free, red meat free unless you can tolerate it i cant, no peanuts or pistachios ,  no yeast, no saccharines, , other things that you need to look into or this post will be 3 pages long sorry.google candida diet, the book beating candida by erica white is best ive bought and had recipies, she beat ME after years of suffering.

   The similarity between food intolerance and candida to AI was pretty astounding, you ll feel worse in bad cold damp weather, get numbness, tingling, pain, brain fog, fatigue list goes on.
ask yourself did you suffer recurrent thrush , take hormanal contraception, have a lot of antibiotocs before DX ?? its how it gets hold, stress also lets candida spead, why we feel worse when stressed.of if your a man did your partner ?? its sexually transmitable.

3 months ago i went candida diet and gluten free, no easy and very restictive, i then went into what they call die off symptoms, headaches, pain and stiffness in joints went up, brain fog got worse fatigue got worse, was not a nice time, when it settled i got onto supplements to kill it, slowly, i took too many and had to reduce, cinnamon, garlic, caprycillic acid, strong pro biotics, all help kill it.


last 2 weeks , i have had no stiffness, little pain, mouth slightly wetter, eeys still dry but then that may well be damage now, fatigue way less if any some days, post nasal drip gone, brain fog alot less, concentration alot better, fibro gone, tinnitus gone, ithy skin, scalp and crawling sensations under skin ,gone, nausea gone, cold feet almost normal, tingling and numbness gone.breathlessness gone, irritable bladder gone ,white toungue gone, sinuses clear , vaginal thrush, my hair i lost is regrowing  symtpoms ihave had on and off for many years gone.insommnia gone, sleeping 7-8 hours undisturbed sleep.but be warned you mood bottoms and you may need anti depressant help with that!!


   

I now have headaches with the continuing die off, some joint pain if i kill it too fast, last week been walking 4 miles no problem , cleaning whole house, mood lifted, off amytrptyline, reducing pain killers, and feeling about 80% better, ive only knocked  it back will take me around 1 yr to 1 1/2 years to kill it off completely, possibly on this diet for life.

   Another girl here lotus has done same and is feeling so great, she has reduced planequil and appart from some dryness leading normal life.

I am so well, i am returning to a job i missed dearly and thought id never do again!!!


I have posted past info, but wasnt sure till i got die off out the way what it be left like, now i know!!

   The cravings for sugary foods is now gone, though i cant say i dont miss my old diet, but i sure dont miss the fatigue pain  and other symptoms.

it can be done!! is it easy ??heck no!! its a case of worse before better, and a few months of what i can only describe as sheer heck, but its paying off and at 37 i cant afford to ignore that, its a no brainer, if i eat things i shouldnt it returns, so its not remission.

      i ll post links to the sites i find helpful, you can make your own mind up, but please dont tell me that its not the way to go, for on saturday i went to tai chi day, did 2 hours of it, walked round all the shops with my kids and partner, ran about making dinner, did the ironing, cooked, and felt great, didnt pay next day as i cleaned the whole house next day, by monday i was even better!!!


   Now i am not telling ppl what to do im posting to say its working for me, im also on ambrotose that was recommended and thats helped make me feel better, i also take mangosteen juice a powerful anti oxidant to help clear the free radicals that dying canddia cause, though in the Us jus antioxidant drink is available , which is 5 time sbetter, just cant get it here, and vitamin c that helps the die off too.i take threelac to recolonise my bowel and est the canddia, garlic, caprycillic acid, and the strongest candida kiler is a supplement forumula SF722   , be warned dont take it all at once!!  start the diet, when the die off settles, which is individual depending how bad its taken hold, then start something to kill it, when that is tolerated, up it, slowly, and work your way up.

        each week i get a little better, and am fighting this all the way to get my health and life back, it is working and i m grateful to lotus for the help and support, and the websites that have gave me information.

     I just wanted to share my findings and my good news in case someone else gets help from it, i ll still be around the forum, for id have dropped off the edge without you all, but im getting my old self back and candida and fod intolerance   can see me in heck !!

why is AI rising each year ?? well i blieve pollution, diet, pre packet foods, busy lifestyle so grabbing convenience foods are all worse than 50 years ago, is the link in families genetic?? or is it fmailes tend to eat the same things and canddia might have been passed on from a parent, , i put mines down to contrception, anti biotics, getting vaginal thrush at 18 and it never realaly going away, i always knew certain food bloated me, i just ignored the fact as i liked eating them so much.

http://www.foodintol.com/food_intolerance/symptoms_of_food_intolerance.htm

http://www.stopyeast.com/candida-symptoms.html

http://www.candidadiet.com/


http://www.ion.ac.uk/archives/063_how_to_beat_candida.html


http://www.candida-society.org/ncs/stories.htm

hope this helps


T x


i have been asked to remove 4th link as it advertised products, didnt know that and sorry for any offence or inconvenience

[missyb]

Wednsday,
I believe and I am with you! I have had enormous success and even got off Imuran 6 months ago. My dietary changes are even a little simpler than yours and it works. No gluten, red meat, high fat foods or chemicals and preservatives. It is hard work but it's worth it. I am able to get quite a bit of exercise now with the energy I have with a better diet. Like you I still have some problems, the eye dryness is bad right now, but I'm still leaps and bounds ahead of where I was.
It was explained to me that the foods are causing the illness but they are prone to causing an immune response, so if you avoid them, your immune system stays calmer.We will always have the disease itself, but we can manage it better by controlling what goes in our body that can cause a reaction. I am now on minocycline instead of imuran, which is not caustic to my liver and kidneys, so that pain hass gone. I'm also glad to be off imuran  b/c of a family history of lymphoma, the sjs risk of lymphoma and the increased chance of lymphoma b/c of the imuran itself, I feel good knowing I've removed one risk.

[JannaLee]

I know I'm a heck of a lot better since I gave up diet pop! 

Good on you!

Janna

[wednesday mc haggis]

Missyb

good to know your geting energy and health back, yup i agree this illness isnt going away, its not about curing it, its about managing it, and finding what works for you and what doesnt, its as inividual  as SJS i reconn. So glad to hear youve got off a drug and feeling better on the diet, just shows there is a big relationship with food and symtpms, im not saying it is a cure, as much as its a way to beat the daily grind of overwhelming symptoms,  but makes me feel go good i have a weapon against this monster and some control over it.

janna  ty!  yup i recon even small changes have to make a diference, i gave up pop too , all i drink now is herbal teas, 2 liters of water a day with lemon in it for a bit of taste and a carton of coconut milk a day for something different and its good for you, ever little helps

T x

[Lotus1]

Hi Wednesday
So glad you're feeling heaps better.  You are very welcome for my help sharing what is working for me.  It's so wonderful you'll be returning to work.  From my experience it's like you are "living" again instead of "existing".  Thanks heaps also for your helpful suggestions.  I hadn't thought of coconut milk, will investigate.
I just can't believe how much I've improved using ambrotose complex & other goodies having been very sceptical to begin with.  I've reduced plaquenil slowly from 2 to 1/4/dy & I feel just fine.  My eyes are really improving thank goodness.  They are no longer sore & gritty at work even with the fluorescent lights, air con, computer.  However, I'll be needing new lenses as out of focus now!!!  Will wait a good while til I see how the old eyes stablize.  Mother in Law told me her eyes are improving also with her CFS & she isn't needing her glasses as much.  She is 70 yrs old & now able to get stuck into cleaning up house with more energy.  I'm no longer chewing gum except for after meals.  Like yourself I've heaps of energy driving my hubby crazy.  Poor thing he is still suffering with his depression of 30 odd yrs.....trying our best no matter what the cost to help him live a more normal life.  Like yourself I'm sleeping 7-8 hrs with a roll over wake up or two.  Sounds like you get more exercise than myself sitting in an office all day which may be of help.  I thoroughly cleaned the house the other week & actually enjoyed it!!  Think I'm going bonkers! lol
Even though I know I'm not "cured" of SS at least I've got things under control so as I don't really think about it much except noticing improvements.  It will be interesting to see how I go re dryness now winter is approaching.  I've been told it could take 2 yrs to be free of candida, not needing to be so strict diet wise, but can cope with that. 
Hope your moving house all goes smoothly & you can get settled before beginning work.
Look forward to hearing how you are doing.  Take care.
Lotus1

[wednesday mc haggis]

Lotus

friend of mines i shall never be able to thankyou enough for the time, support and information youve given me!!

  I think during the die off of candida phase, id have given up , if i didnt have the focus that it DID work for someone.

  yes i feel more like a survivor than a sufferer these days, even my kids are overjoyed, and my son who was stressed to see me so unwell is off the steriod inhaler he was put on as his asthma flared due to worrying about me i think.

  I feel like my life is back and getting better daily, its an empowering feeling!!

   yes all the articles ive read seem to point to around the 2 years mark for erradicating canddia if its as far gone as AI issues, but fibro went and fast!! 

The coconut milk is sugar free, natural and full of essential amino acids, not canddia killing, but not candida feeding, and its refreshing if out the refridgerator.

  I also started taking bee pollen which kills canddia and leaves the good bacterium alone, its called the ultimate health food ,packed with enzymes, vitamins and amnio acids, one teaspoon a day, added that to my regime now.

  yesterday i took no painkillers at all and had a great day, this morning i woke up same, and the kids were off school and i kept up with them all day, theyre calling me the health food queen lololol.

  thnakyou again, i doubt id not have fought my way through die off, if i didnt have the inspiration someone was doing this also, and all the info on ambrotose and phyt-aloe etc, god if feels so good to take charge of this monster and be winning!!

   T x





   

[Epson]

Yes, I too have found relief in a mystical tonic that has eased my pain and put me in a more mellow mood.  My grandmother used it and lived to be 96 years old and in very good shape physically and mentally, until her death.

I started out with 2 oz. in the morning and increase the dosage to twice a day and now three times a day and wondering if I should go to four.

This tonic goes all the way back to the vikings and cured everything that ailed them.  I have it imported from Allborg, Denmark, it's called Akvavit or Water of Life.  I think it even helped cure my cancer, anyway it taste pretty good and it's good for you, what's not to like.

[Lotus1]

Aw Wednesday, that's what we're all here for.  I can't be selfish & not share what has benefited me, especially if someone is interested.  I'm so overjoyed hearing how much you've improved.  As you know I'm extremely pleased with my results from using ambrotose complex etc since last July.  Now your children can see you are much better health wise they probably won't be worried about you & will be happier also.
Take care.
Lotus1

[wednesday mc haggis]

epson

so glad to hear that!!  its amazing the difference something like Akvavit can make , i ll be looking into ty!

Lotus

T x

[jonnell]

ok i am so confused could u explain to me a little more about this, and how would you do this with a 4 year old     

[quiger]

Everyone, please be sure to talk to your doctor before adding anything alternative or any supplements to your diet. Jonnel, you have to be especially careful what you give to a small child. The alcohol content in Akvavit is not exactly what you would want for her.

There is no "cure all" and some of us have some other serious issues besides Sjogren's so we have to know what will also affect those issues. Some find that cutting down on sugar or gluten, things like that can help them feel better. Some foods just don't agree with us, so that makes sense.

Maybe I am too cautious, but I believe I have to be. My body can't afford for anything else to go wrong. Good luck.

quiger

[jonnell]

quiger  thank you very much  I was just confused.  As a parent all ideas sound good when they can make your child feel better.  Jenna is on plaquinil and is having some stomach issues.    Thank You    Hugs and Kissess   Jonnell and Jenna

[Kimi]

I know I have been wonderign what I can try diet wise to help me feel better. I have been thinnking on cutting back on most sugars. Everythign i have been reading lately seems to indicat that sugar is not so good for us. But I do plan on eating a piece of fruit a day. There is just so many nutrents i beleive are in fruits that we need. I know some fruits have a higher sugar content than others and will use them the most.

I think it may be a hunt and try sort of thing to see what type of diet makes me feel my best. All I know is I have nothign to loose other than a few pounds to try diffrent ways of eating.

So Wednesday, did you keep a food diary while doing this???

Kimi

[Kimi]

Sorry about all the misspelled words and typos in my last post, hit the wrong button! LOL Kimi

[eyeamdry]

Thanks, Quiger, for the reminder that we can't just take whatever sounds good.  We all want the "magic" diet, vitamins, supplements and so forth.  You would be surprised at the number of dry eye cures I've heard of over the last 10 years.  Oh, I won't go there.  Lucy