I had a great drive and lunch with a couple of friends down to NWA to visit Dr. Baker this week.
We talked about Leaky Gut (LG) for awhile and he started me on Nystatin and probiotics.
And since they usually go hand-in-hand, I probably have Candida too. :(
He tested for that but since I'm down to about 12 foods I can't imagine that the course of action will be much different.
He stressed again how low my hormones were and added additional DHEA. We will test this again in 6 weeks.
But this was the disappointment. He said that it might be a good idea to start the Plaquenil that my Rheumatologist gave me (but I threw away). It ought to be short term b/c we are working from the other side to "pull it out by the root", as he put it. In the mean time, it will help symptoms and help to protect my joints. He said the side effects to my eyes were pretty low and felt like it was risk worth taking.
I've been praying about this. And I do think he's right. It is a step I was hoping not to have to take.
I have a Rheumatologist appt Monday. This guy is not the bearer of good news so I'm not looking forward to it. But I am concerned about a couple of joints in my hands so it must be done. Plus I'll have to confess to throwing away the Plaquenil script and ask for another one. :)
One thing that Dr Baker said that has stuck with me is that the fact that we have stopped the momentum is an initial measure of success. This disease hit hard, fast, and aggressively and it will take time to stop the train and put it in reverse.
And while I wish it was done (obviously) at least it makes sense that it's not something to happen overnight.
My hands are not better. At all. I think my feet are, a little bit. My stomach is often queasy. BUT I have noticed that the mornings are not as bad. I remember a couple of weeks ago before I went to bed, thinking how I dreaded waking up in the mornings b/c I never knew how it would be. I don't think about it too much now and I don't know if it's b/c I'm used to it, or b/c it is actually better. In any case, it's nice to not think that way anymore!
Good news, my dear! Praise God for progress. We're praying daily for you. You know, the queasy stuff can be die-off; even just being on the diet (if there's a candida issue) can cause the bad guys to die, giving off toxins that can make you feel fuzzy-headed, tired, queasy, etc. Thank the Lord it passes. If you take fresh lemon water and Ester-C Vitamin C, it helps mitigate the symptoms.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the Lord led you to a good Dr.!
glad to hear good news. Lots of people have to get their minds around medicine so you throwing away your prescription will not be the first person who has done so. He probably wont think a thing about it. I have been thinking about the probiotics myself so I am glad to hear dr. Baker suggest them. I think they will be very useful in healing your gut.
ReplyDeleteIts just like labor you can always go further than you think you can and find on the other side that it was not as bad as you anticipated that it might be.
love ya
jodie