A reader writes in and asks what I would do in her circumstance.
Hello Carla-
I
am 34 year old mother of 3. I've been hypothyroid since I was 18. I
came down with an unknown virus in December that gave me severe leg
muscle aches, 102 fever, and chills, followed by an itchy
rash. I was given a steroid.
I still had symptoms coughing up mucus. A "minute-clinic" doctor put me on an antibiotic. I started feeling better but at
some point noticed my fingers felt like I had hurt them playing a
sport. I have stiff feet in the morning and when I wake my feet, knees, and hands are rebelling. I saw my doctor Feb. 2
and she wasn't concerned but ran an arthritis panel, nothing came back
abnormal except ANA.
She said she saw no
reason to send me to a rheumatologist if ibuprofen is working because
she didn't see anything going on. In other words, no other symptoms of any
autoimmune diseases. My family and I are now trying to cut out gluten.
I did develop psoriasis after the birth of my second child.
We are working on my thyroid levels, and waiting to see on the ANA.What would you do?
Hello!
Thanks for writing. I will attempt to be as helpful as I can.
I am not a doctor but I have 20 years' experience living with 4 autoimmune conditions and I have tried everything under the sun- mainstream and alternative, and some of it has helped tremendously.
Looking at the bigger picture, I do see autoimmune, as psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. And some forms of hypothyroid are also autoimmune. (Do you have Hashimoto's?) It is not uncommon, once you have one autoimmune disease for others to appear at some point.
You ask what I would do.
I would do anything for my health, and I have. I've got acupuncture, chelation therapy, had my fillings replaced, chiropractic, massage, lymphatic massage, energy medicine, psychotherapy, prescriptions, physical therapy- the list is long.. But in the end, the long-term things that helped the most (and cost nothing, except for the blood test) were doing chi gung and changing my diet: I cut out gluten and dairy (and nutrasweet, eggs and bananas) after having food allergy tests done. These were not pin-prick tests, which check for immediate reactions, but a blood panel that checks for delayed reactions. If I accidentally eat dairy (party/ restaurant) I know because my tendons flare up. If I accidentally get some gluten, I know because my joints swell and hurt. And if i want a migraine, give me MSG or nutrasweet. Just one life saver with nutrasweet, that'll do it.
I don't know where you live, but try calling/ e mailing Dr. Mark Hyman's office and see if you can get an appointment or a referral to a functional medicine doctor. That kind of doctor will look for and remove underlying causes of symptoms, rather than just relieving symptoms with drugs. Sometimes it's allergies, sometimes vitamin deficiencies. If you can't find a functional medicine doctor, try an osteopath. Ask around for a recommendation. Also try ACAM, http://www.acamnet.org/
Call a yoga studio or health food store if you have to and look for some leads on effective knowledgeable healers. Decide if you want someone to get to the bottom of this. Once you get clear on that, then don't let up knocking on doors and asking questions until you're satisfied with the answers you get.
That is what I would- and did- do, and I got my health back.
I believe we were not meant to suffer. We simply live in an unhealthy environment and we have to learn to protect ourselves and be healthy despite some of the things around us that are working against that.
Well wishes-
Carla
Carla Ulbrich
The Singing Patient: Author, Speaker, Humorous Songwriter and Entertainer
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I'm writing this post to share what has worked for me. There's not ONE answer for everybody, because every person's body and disease pattern is different.
But I do have a starting point that I think will help anyone with any autoimmune disease, or anyone who just feels tired and foggy all the time.
In 1994, I read that 100% of lupus patients have food allergies. Allergies create antibodies. Lupus is marked by antibodies. So i believe if we eliminate allergens, we can calm down our immune system and the lupus.
It has worked for me. I am on ZERO lupus meds. As long as I stick to my diet and get enough sleep, I am fine. I can do aerobics, tap dance, etc. And I was nearly dead from kidney failure, congestive heart failure, and a stroke.
I had myself tested for food allergies using a blood test that checks for *delayed* reactions (not pinprick tests that find immediate reactions). Allergic reactions can occur as much as 3-4 *days* after eating something you're allergic to.
In my book, I recounted the story I read of a British woman whose Rheumatoid Arthritis was caused entirely by her cheese addiction. And cured by her eliminating all dairy from her diet.
This is what keeps me healthy:
I avoid gluten, dairy, eggs, shellfish, and nutrasweet.
I eat fruits and/ or vegetables daily.
I exercise vigorously 3-4 times a week.
I drink water between meals.
I limit sugar.
I've been to numerous alternative health practitioners over the years and even without blood tests, almost all of them suggest eliminating gluten, dairy, or both.
I suggest making only 1-2 changes at a time, because changing your diet too radically too quickly can make it hard to stick to. I have quit diet soda 3 times. This last time, I have been off soda for 5-6 years, and when I've accidentally ingested a Life Saver or something with nutrasweet in it, I almost immediately get diarrhea. All the knowledge about how bad nutrasweet/ aspartame is was not enough of a deterrent, but explosive diarrhea- yeah, that works.
The best way to know if you are allergic to a food is if you
a) crave it a lot
b) frequently eat it for breakfast
c) can't imagine life without it
Anything that meets one of those criteria- that is a food that has to go, because you are in an allergy/ addiction cycle.
Dr. Mark Hyman suggests eliminating a food like this for 7 days, then, on the 8th day, eating a normal amount of this food and seeing whether you react to it within the next 2-3 days (headaches, digestive problems, joint pains, any physical problems). If so, you may have just connected the dots between eating
Them, you can *choose* to keep eating that food and feeling crappy, or you can decide you'd rather feel better. But at least now you know what causes your headaches/ stomach problems, etc.
It's hard to keep track in your mind what symptoms are getting better and worse. We tend to not remember everything. I suggest if you are making changes in your diet or lifestyle or medications, that you track your symptoms every day using an app like Symple (iphone only). If you don't have a smart phone, sign up for my free symptom tracker (a Word document that you can customize) here:
http://thesingingpatient.com/free_offer/