Signing off for now!

I wanted to post an update for those who have followed my experience taking the heavy metal detoxing regime with MetalloClear. I promised an update once I had the results of my re-test to let you know if MetalloClear did in fact work to lower my levels. I hope no one really had their hearts set on that because I'm here to inform my readers that I decided not to have my heavy metal levels retested. It was a prayerful decision and one I feel that is right for me. Yes, a part of me is curious if the MetalloClear actually worked, but I guess that will remain a mystery. I could go into all the reasons why I reached this decision, but the bottom line is that the Lord promised to heal me and it's time for me to get out of His way.

There is a Christian song I absolutely love right now. It's called "He Saw it All" by the Booth Brothers. When I heard these lyrics (specifically the underlined ones), it really touched my own personal situation with my health:

"So my friend if the troubles and burdens you carry are heavy and dragging you down; You’ve tried everything you can possibly think of and there’s no relief to be found; 

That very same Jesus that altered the future of a blind man, the deaf, and the lame, is still reaching out in your hour of trouble, one touch and you’re never the same."

I've literally tried everything I could possibly think of and while I do feel better overall for the most part, my main symptoms persist. I've been to my primary doctor, ENT's, a TMJ doctor, a neurologist, a cardiologist, have had numerous tests, MRI's, blood work and even did vestibular rehabilitation therapy for 6 months, with no results. I'll back up for a moment and say that heard back from my doctor regarding my most recent Lyme's test and again, that was negative. This is my 4th negative Lyme's test.  I did the heavy metal thing, do I really want to "try" that again? Do I want to live on 15 different supplements forever?  Um, no.  Do I want to "explore other possible options" as to why I'm sick, as my doctor put it?  No. What other options?  Where does it end??  It ends here with me giving it all up to the Lord, right where I should have laid it down in the first place.  

I don't regret seeing my functional medicine doctor as I do think it was important to get my gut in order with changing my diet, probiotics and raising some vitamin & mineral levels that were deficient.  Beyond that, it's just reaching into the wind. 

I suppose my next update with be my post to share with the world that the Lord finally healed me!  Until that time, I leave you with this incredible song of His healing power and love:

Lyme's Result and Update

My Lyme's tests came back as "not highly suspicious" for Lyme's Disease (whatever that means!), but my doctor is not yet convinced so I'm having more blood drawn next week to send to another lab. This will be my 4th Lyme's test, but I know it's not unheard of to take this much work to know for sure if you have it or not.  

As for my blood work, I still have low iron, iodine, Vitamin D and I just learned I have very low Vitamin A. I will be continuing my supplements as is for a few more months, with the addition of something for the low Vit A, with the plan to get me on a multi-vitamin at my follow up appointment in November.  

I plan to re-test my heavy metal levels next week but those results won't come back for at least 2-3 weeks so I will update again when I know whether or not the Metalloclear worked at all. 

Post MetalloClear Update

I saw my doctor yesterday and let her know that I finished the MetalloClear for my heavy metal detox this past Sunday. She gave me the kit to have my heavy metal levels retested, but advised me not to do that for another 3 weeks to give the methionine levels (amino acid that cleanses the body of heavy metals) in my body a chance to come back down.  So, it will be some time before I am able to post my results.

We talked about how I was feeling and some other issues that were set aside while I was doing my heavy metal detox. One such issue we revisited is possible Lyme's Disease. I tested positive for two "bands" in my original blood-work so she collected a blood sample yesterday to send off for a more sensitive and comprehensive test. I am also having repeat blood work done to check my vitamin and mineral levels. Our goal is to get me on one good multivitamin instead of taking 10 different ones!  She also put me back on probiotics to help my gut heal from the detox. 

That's about it for now. I'll post an update when I know more about the Lyme's and my other blood work, as well as the results of my next heavy metals test.  

MetalloClear Week 18 (Final Week!!)

Today is Week 18, Day 120 of my heavy metal detox.  This is my final week!!! Technically it's not even a full week since I will be finished on Sunday.  I can't even express how happy I am that this is almost over. I don't think I ever mentioned in my posts that the supplements are kind of hard to swallow since they're not coated and they taste SO bad.  I'll be happy when I don't have to swallow them anymore!!

I see my doctor again next week, at which time I'm sure she'll give me the heavy metal test kit to send in to re-check my levels.  I know from the first time I did it that it takes several weeks to get the results so it may be a while until I post again.  However, I do plan on updating my blog with the results of my repeat test to share if MetalloClear actually worked, so be sure to check back. 

I'm still not feeling the greatest, but better than last week. 

MetalloClear Week 17

Today is Week 17, Day 113 of my heavy metal detox.  For some reason I'm still feeling unwell with lots of pressure in my head, right ear and just feeling off balance. I'm continuing to push through it and counting down the days until this is over in 11 days!!

MetalloClear Week 16

Today is Week 16, Day 106 of my heavy metal detox.  I've been feeling really unwell the past several days.  My head and right ear have been filled with a lot of pressure again and I've been off balance and struggling to get through each day. I'm not letting it keep me down though and I've been keeping up with life (grocery shopping, church, yard work, house work, etc.), but man does this stink!!  I will disclose too much information here and say politely that this has been my week of hormonal changes if you know what I mean and that always makes me feel worse, but I can't remember it being this bad in a long time.  So, once again, I wonder what else it could also be... food, the weather, the detox, heavy metals, mold, Lyme's???  These are all unanswered questions and I just have to keep trusting the Lord. I'm praying daily for the guidance and wisdom He promises from His word (James 1:5).  I'd really like His guidance for my follow up doctor's appointment in August. I don't want to go on as a lab rat trying this and that to see if it will help me. I'll do it if there's a point to doing it, but if I'm just spinning my wheels here, then I'm done with it. 

I have a lot of people reading these posts and someone once commented that they're going through this treatment plan too.  If you're reading this, would you mind updating me on how you are doing and/or share what your experience has been like? I'd love to know how others who are going through this are doing.  

MetalloClear Week 15

Today is Week 15, Day 99 of my heavy metal detox. I don't have anything new to report regarding the detox. I'm still taking 2 supplements in the morning and 1 at night. I plan to do that until I'm finished in 26 days. I'm looking forward to this being all over. I'm not sure yet if I'll be advised to do another round of MetalloClear but I'm prayerfully considering the next step regardless of the outcome of my next heavy metal test. 

MetalloClear Week 14

Today I start Week 14, Day 92 of my heavy metal detox.  I don't have much to report this week again.  In fact, I almost forgot to do my blog post!  The thought occurred to me mid-day that it was Wednesday and time to do my update. I haven't been thinking much about it, just keeping my focus on the Lord and the work He has given me to do each day.

If it's worth mentioning, I can say that my head did feel off all weekend, as well as my balance but I pressed on through it. The weather was rainy and with the pressure outside rising and lowering, that has always been an issue for me. 

I'm just so thankful and excited that I'm in the home stretch of this detox. I believe I have 32 days to go after today.

MetalloClear Week 13

Today I start Week 13, Day 85 of my heavy metal detox. I don't have anything new to report this week regarding the detox. I restarted my supplements, taking one at a time for 3 days before adding another, per my doctor's instructions.  So far I only started taking the Methyl Protect again but am due to add the Complete Mineral Complex tomorrow. 

That's about it so far for the week!  You know as they say, no news is good news. :)

MetalloClear Week 12

Today starts Week 12, Day 78 of my heavy metal detox.  I don't have anything new to report since last week. Things have been okay, no better and no worse. I still have a swollen, painful joint on one of my fingers but my doctor doesn't think it's related to the detox. I checked this morning and it seems I only have 47 more days to go.  Let the countdown begin!!

I'm debating when to start my supplements again. My doctor said to take 2-3 weeks off and tomorrow will make it 2 weeks since I stopped. I'll probably wait one more week and then touch base with her to see. 

MetalloClear Week 11

I started Week 11 of my heavy metal detox yesterday; today is Day 72.  I started getting really burned out last week again on everything and I wasn't sure if how I was feeling was caused by side effects from any one of the 10+ supplements I had to take everyday, the detox itself or just plain burnout on it all. I seemed to have a headache everyday, insomnia, depressed feelings and just wanting to cry, completely dreading the supplements and even my diet.  Most recently, I developed joint pain in my fingers/knuckles and a few of them are pretty swollen. I got really sick of eating a lot of high fat too and longed to sit down to a "normal" meal.  (Not that how I was eating wasn't normal, it was actually very healthy.  I guess I was just craving some comfort type food high in carbs!!)  I let my doctor know and she advised me to stop everything except the detox for 2-3 weeks and to see how I feel.  I can't even tell you what freedom it felt like to pack up all my supplements and put them out of sight for now.  I wish I could have stopped the detox too but I guess I made it this far, I may as well finish.  I also started eating a bit more carbs with my gluten free bread and cereal but surprise, that didn't make my body feel better just my mind! Now that I feel like I don't have to do something, it's been easier to get back on track with eating the way my doctor advised because I know I'm not bound to it.  That's a ridiculous way to live and I know it's not the way the Lord wants me to view food.  I'm really seeking Him on this matter and plan to eat according to how He guides me each day. I did seem to do really well with the high fats and protein, but there has to be a balance. 

My gallbladder test came back normal which kind of surprised me. I'm not sure what all those gallbladder like symptoms were that kept happening to me. I did make the connection between eating my homemade granola (with almonds, cashews, pumpkin & sunflower seeds with coconut oil & honey) with having the attacks so maybe for some reason I'm intolerant to that right now. 

There's a scripture that says: "Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." (Isaiah 40:31).  I came across it the other day and thought to myself that I was getting tired and weary and certainly didn't feel filled with strength.  It occurred to me that I must not be waiting "on the Lord" like I should.  Where has my focus been?  I think I've just been waiting for this detox to be over and focusing too much on what I see and not on what I can't (2 Cor 4:18). I'll admit it's a daily battle to keep my eyes on the Lord but I know that it's the only focus I can have to make it through all this!

MetalloClear Week 10

I'm starting Week 10, Day 64 of my heavy metal detox today. I hit a milestone yesterday and finally finished my first bottle of MetalloClear! I start the second bottle today and have 8 weeks left to go. I decided to stay at the dose of 2 in the morning and 1 at night since I'm doing alright at that dosage and my doctor confirmed that it hasn't seemed to matter if the detox is done faster or slower.  I'll take slower and avoid the risk of any further side effects. I also ditched the medical food shake I was drinking everyday to support the detox in favor of capsules called Xymogen DPO med caps. They serve the same purpose and I had reached my breaking point with drinking that shake.  For the past week I've felt like vomiting it up and you know when you know that you're just done with something.  I'm thankful there was an alternative.  My husband and I have this silly thing we do when we get rid of something we don't like.  You know that song "na na na hey hey (goodbye!)!"?  Yeah, well I sang the first bottle of MetalloClear and the medical shake all the way to the garbage!

On a separate note, I've been having some issues with my stomach that seem to be gallbladder related. I'm having an ultrasound today to check things out since my mother and sister both had theirs removed at my age. I'm not sure what's causing all the pain and related fun symptoms.  Could it be my new high fat diet?  I know that fat affects the gallbladder. I'm not sure, but I'm sure hoping it's not that and that I don't need surgery!!  If it's not my gallbladder though, I can't imagine what it could be.  

I started a magnesium supplement this week too at the suggestion of the nutritionist I met with who went over my 23andMe results with me. I'm not sure what it can add to my health, but I hear a lot about magnesium deficiencies and how it can affect a lot of bodily systems. I remember trying it once a while back to see if it would help with my dizziness, but I don't think I tried it long enough.  We shall see!

MetalloClear Week 9

Today I start Week 9, Day 57 of my heavy metal detox. I'm still taking 2 in the morning and 1 at night. I don't have anything new to report. I'm not really experiencing any new side effects and I'm not better yet either. If I stay at this dose, I still have 9 weeks to go with this detox so here's to hoping I start getting relief in the weeks to come!

On a separate note, I had genetic testing done from 23andMe and got the results of that last week. It's overwhelming and extremely detailed so I won't bother going into it here unless anyone is curious enough to ask. I have some genetic mutations that affect things like B12, Vitamin D, brain function (GABA) and things like toxicity to acetaminophen (good to know!), excess estrogen, histamine sensitivity and more.  Of course I already knew about my methylation issues and the full genetic testing revealed more issues in that cycle so now I know some more things to be cautious of, but nothing life changing.  I'm not about to walk around worrying about all these things when I know full well the Lord is in control of it all.  I can only take care of myself the best I can and trust in Him for the rest. 

Interesting enough, the woman I met with talked about how our genes are only a small part of the equation, and it's how we live our lives that actually determines our health. She wasn't just talking about what we eat, if we exercise, or smoke/drink and more, but also if we hold on to things like anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, what we think about and look at with our eye, etc.  Yup, the Bible talks all about this stuff.  Turns out, our Creator knows what He's talking about.  It's all in His word of truth to live by.  Not that I needed any convincing. 

MetalloClear Week 8

Today is week 8, day 50 of my heavy metal detox.  I have at least another 8 weeks to go since I'm not taking the full dose yet. I don't have anything new to report since last week. I'm still on the dose of 2 in the morning and 1 at night, but I do plan on increasing to 2 at night soon.  If anything new comes up, I'll post about it. Until then, I'll be plugging along!

MetalloClear Week 7

I'm starting Week 7, day 43 of my heavy metal detox today. Since my last post I can report no new symptoms (or, potential "side effects").  My blood sugar evened out within a day of me dropping back down to the dosage of 1 in the morning and 1 at night.  I increased back up to 2 in the morning and 1 at night this past Monday, 5/11, so that is my current dose. We'll see how it goes this time.  So far so good!  I wish I was on the full dose this whole time because if I were, I'd be done with all this in one more week!  Ah well, the Lord has His purpose and plan in it all.  

I'm feeling a lot less like quitting too. I think these emotions are normal, especially since they're coupled with my burning out on care-giving for my grandma.  That definitely adds to the stress of things most days. I can only continuously go before the Lord in prayer and bible study to carry me though. 

Focusing on the positive, I can honestly say I feel so much better this year than I did at this time last year. I was just discussing with my sister how much better I seem to be handling the tree pollen. Last year the pollen would have me down and own with horrible dizziness, ear pain/pressure and being off balance. That's not the case at all this year and the pollen is supposedly worse.  It does still affect me somewhat, but I'm nowhere near bedridden like I was. I credit a lot of that healing to fixing my gut bacteria and am praying this detox pushes me past the finish line!

MetalloClear Week 6

I starting Week 6, Day 36 of my heavy metal detox today. I've been on the dosage of 2 in the morning and 1 at night since 4/26.  I never increased any higher because I had another rough week of symptoms.  My hip pain and the anxiety I was experiencing are completely gone; however, I started having major blood sugar issues. It's not like me to get really shaky in the mornings or between meals, but that started happening every day.  I'm eating really healthy so I can't blame it on my diet. I checked in once again with my doctor and she advised me to decrease my dosage back down to 1 in the morning and 1 at night.  I start that today.  She believes the metals are shifting in my body and said she thinks my symptoms are actually a very good sign.  Here's to praying she's right!  

I'd like to be frank and whine for a bit about how I've grown completely weary of this whole process. I'm sick of being sick, sick of eating healthy, sick of all the water I have to drink, sick of taking MetalloClear and the fake peach shake that accompanies it and all my supplements.  All joking aside about whining, I'm actually being serious. Is it normal to hit some kind of wall with all this? I wish I had someone who went through this process to talk with.  The Bible tells us that tribulation brings about perseverance (Romans 5:4) and the Lord sure is working that out in me now!  I can't even tell you how I want to just quit it all but then I'm reminded of this cartoon:

Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow and maybe not.  This struggle keeps me close to the Lord and I have to trust that's exactly where He wants me to be at this moment in time.  I'm not even pretending it's easy because it's not.  Did I mention I'm on the edge of quitting??  

MetalloClear Week 5

I can't believe I'm almost 30 days into my heavy metal detox.  At this point, I'm only about 1/4 of the way through the treatment though since I'm still not up to the full dose. Since my last post, I had decreased back to 1 in the morning and 1 at night.  My hip pain dramatically decreased within 2 days, but still lingered a bit.  I would say it's 95% better now, with a twinge here and there.  I don't believe it was related to the detox, but no harm done in decreasing my dosage.  I did increase my dosage back to 2 in the morning and 1 at night this past Sunday, 4/26.

I've had a bit of a rough time the past week, with my head feeling more off than usual. I really couldn't blame it on the dosage of MetalloClear because at that point, I was only on the base dose of 1 in the morning and 1 at night. In full disclosure, I did have my menstrual cycle last week and that always made my dizziness feel worse. Although the prior two months before this I didn't feel as bad. It was kind of discouraging that I was feeling so blah again, after feeling really good the past few months.  I also had a lot of unexplained anxiety but my faith got me through it.  I don't mean to say that so casually as I mean it wholeheartedly. If I did not know the Lord and the truth of His word, I really don't know how I 'd get through the moments where everything I'm feeling is a lie.  "For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control" (2 Tim 1:7).  I prayed, called to mind scripture and put one foot in front of the other serving the Lord until the feelings of anxiety were behind me.  This is a huge area of victory for me because in the past, I would allow the fear to take over and would have ended up in bed all day dwelling on things with my anxiety turning into a full blown attack. Instead, I chose to trust the Lord and walk by the resurrection power within me!

I've also had a rough week care-giving for my grandma and I know the stress of that adds to how my head is feeling.  She has been sick, in and out of the hospital and needing a lot more care lately. 

Overall, it was a rough week personally, physically and emotionally but I got through it like I always do.  Here's to a new start and maybe, just maybe an increase to 2 in the morning and 2 at night again! We shall see.  

MetalloClear Week 4

Today I'm on Day 22 and starting Week 4 of my heavy metal detox.  I had been having a slight pain in my left hip the past week but didn't think anything of it until I increased my dosage back up to 2 in the morning and 2 at night on Monday and woke up Tuesday barely being able to walk.  Now, I have no clue if it's due to the detox, but my doctor advised me to drop back down to the beginning dose of 1 in the morning and 1 at night. She did say that it's unavoidable for the mercury to irritate your immune system as it filters through your blood stream, so perhaps it's just taking itself out on my joints right now. Honestly, I'd rather be hobbling around on a bum hip than being stuck in bed with dizziness.  

So, just to clarify again, I have no clue if my joint pain in the hip is from the detox. I had been exercising pretty consistently the past 2 weeks so maybe I just overused the muscles. There is really no way to know. I only do light walking workouts right now, so I really can't see how that would cause this pain, but you never know.  

So, I'm back to the beginning! It's going to take me longer to get through this treatment plan, but I'd rather take it slow and feel better along the way. 

MetalloClear Week 3

Today is Day 15 of my heavy metal detox.  I have been feeling much better mentally since decreasing my dosage back down to 2 in the morning and 1 at night last Saturday, 4/11. (For the details on what I'm referring to, read this post). I let my doctor know how I was feeling and she advised me to stick with 2/1 until Friday, at which time I will try to increase back to 2 at night.  I increased my water intake from 67 ounces to 84.  I live in the bathroom now, but at least the toxins are flushing out! ;-)

I don't have much else to report so this will be short.  I'm just plugging along, doing what I'm called to do one day at a time! 

Comments and Spam

I recently posted a comment from someone because I thought it was a legitimate comment. However, it contained a link and ever since I posted it, I've been getting a lot of spam.  If you're reading this and it was your comment, I'm sorry I had to delete it. I can no longer post any comments that contain any links that seem suspicious or cannot be identified as legitimate web pages that will not produce spam traffic.

Thank you!

MetalloClear Week 2, Day 4

I started Day 11 of my heavy metal detox today and wanted to post an update because I've been experiencing some strange symptoms. I've noticed since I increased my dosage on Wednesday to 2 supplements in the morning and 2 at night, that I started feeling off mentally. I can't fully explain it, but it's almost like something outside of my external circumstances in altering my mood. I have felt more cranky, depressed-like and wanting to cry.  

I should note that I am the full time caregiver for my 97 year old grandma who lives with me and my husband and have been feeling a bit burned out lately by all the care she needs, but I don't think that's the cause of all these emotions.

Just to be on the safe side I sent my doctor an email and she advised me to decrease my dosage back to 2 in the morning and 1 at night, to increase my water intake (I was already drinking about 67 ounces a day) and to see if the symptoms ease up.  She said it could possibly be from the detox, but I guess we don't know for sure.  

Thank the Lord I have His truth to stand upon to get me through these negative feelings that I know are not reality!  I have a lot to be thankful for and am incredibly blessed to have a supportive family and attentive doctor.

MetalloClear Week 2

I debated whether or not to blog about my experience using MetalloClear for heavy metal detox. Ultimately I thought that if it would benefit others going through a similar situation, then maybe giving weekly updates (or whenever I can) would be a positive thing to do. 

I'm starting week 2 today and so far I have not experienced any ill effects. As far as I know, you're not really supposed to suffer any side effects with this particular detox, but everyone's body is different. My doctor did tell me to listen to my body and pay attention to how I'm feeling, if my dizziness gets worse, etc., and if so, to decrease my dosage according. I started the first week taking 1 supplement in the morning and 1 at night.  I did that for 3 days and then moved on to 2 in the morning and 1 at night. Tonight starts another increase to 2 in the morning and 2 at night, working my way up to the full dose of 3 in the morning and 3 at night.   This is my doctor's plan for me.  I'm not saying this is the way everyone should do it, but rather this is the way I was advised to do it.  She told me it's not a race and this can be taken as slowly (or quickly) as my body can handle it. I've had a few days of feeling slightly off but the weather has been bad and my head always gets funny when it's raining and/or the pressure is changing. I'm also drinking one shake per day (Ultra Clear Renew Medical Food) along with the detox supplements.  

It may be worth noting that the first several days of starting the supplements and shakes, my mouth was really, really abnormally dry. I know it wasn't from being dehydrated because I've been drinking tons of water. I have no idea if the dry mouth was from the supplements, shakes or just a coincidence, but it did subside and is no longer an issue.  

As I go into week 2, I'm trusting in the Lord and thankful for all of my friends who are lifting me up in prayer.

Heavy Metal Detox with MetalloClear

It's been a while since I posted the game plan for my healing and now that I'm on to Phase 2, I wanted to post an update. I have been faithfully taking all my supplements and probiotics for a few months now and can honestly say that I have been feeling better.   I still have my ocular flutter and vestibular imbalance, but I'm handling it much better and my energy levels have been much higher.  In addition, my digestion plumbing is top notch (without getting too personal) and for the past two months my menstrual cycle has finally regulated, along with non-existent cramps and bloating.  My doctor said these are all signs of the gut beginning to heal and it's good. (Of course these issues are not my main problem, but according to my doctor, there are layers of healing and it starts with the gut and optimizing your body's ability to deal with tackling the bigger issues. This is yet another test in patience!  I want to dive right in and fix my dizziness, but in reality, that will be the last thing to resolve.)  Another thing I noticed is how much better I feel in the mornings. I used to have a very difficult time getting out of bed because of the level changes.  After laying down all night, it took a few hours each morning for my head to get used to being upright.  I just felt off and had to move slowly, but not so much anymore.  I've had a day or two here and there where I'm off again, but overall there has been a huge improvement.

I've been eating very clean as directed, with lots of protein (meat, eggs, chicken, beans, etc), tons and tons of vegetables, fruits, nuts/seeds and lots of healthy fats and oils.  It wasn't too hard to give up sugar like I thought.  I did it slowly and now that I've been eating this way, I don't even have cravings anymore.  My head feels clearer too.  I am doing so much better on a higher healthy fat diet.  I should note that I made one mistake a few weeks ago and popped ONE dark chocolate Hershey Kiss into my mouth while baking cookies for my grandma's friend and within 10 minutes I felt very sick, off balance, my positional vertigo came back and I developed a migraine.  It had to be related to what I ate because I had been doing so well before and ever since that incident.  What the heck are Hershey Kisses really made of!? Scary stuff!

My doctor talked about several things related to my health that we may explore in the future (possibly Lyme's, mold exposure, sinus issues), but the big problem we're dealing with first now that my gut has been healing is the mercury and lead toxicity. I started a 60 day treatment to detox from heavy metals today with supplements called MetalloClear.  Instead of traditional chelation therapy, which my doctor does not use, she has me on this natural protocol.  You can read more about it, but basically I'm taking "super food" supplements which will increase my body's own ability to detox metals for itself.  It's supposed to be a slower, safer and more gentle approach. Along with the supplements, I am drinking one nutritional support shake per day to help replenish any good things lost from my body in the process. This is a process that must be done slowly and I will update again to let you know how I'm doing. In addition to this heavy metal detox plan and the supplements I mentioned I was taking in my last blog post, my doctor also added some iron and iodine to my treatment plan. 

My doctor believes this plan will eliminate my neurological issues and I'm praying the Lord will allow it to be so!

The Game Plan

In my last post I mentioned that I was seeing a functional medicine doctor to see if she can help with my vestibular disorder and ocular flutter.  I did receive some preliminary test results that I will share for those who are following the story and curious about their own struggles with the same issue.

 

My blood panel revealed low levels of Vitamin D and some minerals and a homozygous gene mutation (MTHFR C677T - see here for more information).  The stool sample revealed a condition called dysbiosis, a microbial imbalance in my digestive tract.  I have lots of bad bacteria thriving and none of the good.  My urine test revealed high levels of mercury.

 

 

The game plan is for me to take the following supplements:

• Vitamin D3
• Complete Mineral Complex
• Methyl Protect (for the gene mutation)
• Pre & probitoics

I also need to take an antibiotic that will kill the bad bacteria in my stomach before starting the pre and probiotics. I was told this antibiotic does not get absorbed into the blood stream but directly deals with the digestive tract so it won't cause any further issues.  This is just part 1 of the game plan since the biggest issue I need to tackle is the mercury toxicity.  My body is not in the healthiest position right now to be able to detox properly, so the above supplements are meant to get me there. 

 

I will update again after my follow up visit and let you know how my treatment is going, if it helps me feel better, and what will be done about the mercury toxicity.

 

The One Year Mark

Today marks my one year anniversary of getting sick with my mysterious vestibular disorder and ocular flutter.  It was 1/31/14 that I experienced the abrupt onset of symptoms and have lived with them every day since then.  I call last year my worst year physically, but my best year spiritually.  Funny how that can be so true!  I really want to hate 2014, but I can't.  It was the year the Lord brought so much spiritual healing and growth into my life, that I can't help but look back and be more grateful than I've ever been.  I know Him more, I have a deeper understanding of His word, I call upon His truth in the face of fear whereas before, I'd let anxiety overwhelm me, I feel His presence and grace in my life on a daily basis and continuously walk by His power in my weakness (2 Cor 12:9). 

Since my last blog post I've just been living life to the best of my ability (and quite well for the most part, thank you Lord!), with episodes here and there that have kept me in bed for the day.  Thankfully, those are fewer and further between.  I've been exercising most days of the week, which is a huge blessing and something I've missed, getting all my chores and shopping done and caring for my grandmother who is still living with us.  Every day is a daily surrender to the Lord's strength and every day He gets me through.

I did start seeing a functional medicine doctor who is looking into things like heavy metal toxicity, nutritional deficiencies, mold exposure, gut bacteria and more, so I will update if any answers come from this new round of testing.  In the meantime, I just take each day as it comes, as I wait for my healing that the Lord promised.  I don't know if it will be through this new doctor I am seeing, or by His own miraculous power, but either way I know it will be in His perfect time.